Since the Washington Wizards drafted guard Johnny Davis out of Wisconsin with their 10th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, it has been a disappointing journey. Despite being seen as more of an NBA-ready prospect, Davis hasn't been able to get his NBA career off the ground. Even though the Wizards are one of the worst teams in the league this season, Davis is somehow playing even less than last year. There are clear signs that this is affecting his confidence. Assigning him to the G League to play with the Capital City Go-Go until he gets it back could benefit both sides.
Davis has appeared in 14 games this season. He averages 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.5 steals in 9.1 minutes of action. He usually plays a stint in the first half, then doesn't appear again in the second half unless it is a blowout loss. He has only attempted 3 three-pointers all season, and generally shies away from looking at the basket. In fact, he has only made two baskets outside the paint all season. Despite being a shooting guard, he doesn't shoot the ball whatsoever.
This has something to do with his confidence. He regularly passes up shots, causing the offense to halt. This loss of confidence is clearly related to Davis's new shooting form.
Davis has recently adopted a new shooting form. However, he is certainly not comfortable with the form yet. It's slow, unnatural, and glitchy. As a result, he doesn't take jump shots, which makes him a complete zero on the offensive end, especially considering he can't really blow by or overwhelm his defender with speed, athleticism, or strength. He needs his jump shot to keep defenses honest and create driving lanes for him and his teammates. Otherwise, we will see plenty of plays like this one that Greg Finberg on X highlighted.
That sort of offensive possession is a regular occurrence for Davis. That is not a positive developmental situation for any player. He is lost out there.
And it is up to the Washington Wizards organization to help their former lottery pick find his groove again. That could best be done by assigning him to the Wizards' G League affiliate.
Davis didn't have the most efficient and productive season with the Capital City Go-Go last season, but the Wizards may not have a choice. This is what G League is for. They need to give Davis all the reps he needs there to become the offensive force the Wizards were hoping he could be when they drafted him. Making some shots and having a couple of big scoring games in the G League could be a turning point in Davis' sophomore season.
This is likely not a panacea. But, the current situation is not benefiting either side. So, there needs to be a change. Having Davis play for the Go-Go is a decent one.