Amid all the moves the Washington Wizards made this season, acquiring Tre Mann, the former Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets player, was not a headline.
Re-signing four-time All-Star Trae Young and drafting BYU Star AJ Dybantsa number one overall justifiably stole the discussions, but Tre Mann’s buy-in, experience, and energy he’s brought to the team, along with his obvious skill, are only a plus and have already paid dividends to a Wizards team looking to make their first postseason in five years.
Tre Mann's willingness to accept his role makes him a perfect fit
“Whether I am on the bench or on the court, I know what winning looks like, so I’m always going to be team first, so if I’m not playing that night it won’t change how I’m treating my teammates,” said the 6’5 guard on Wizards Media Day after being asked, “How would you feel on some nights where he may be out of the rotation?”
This already shows a level of commitment to the organization that is needed for the Wizards to win.
Head coach Brian Keefe added to how well Mann has fit on the team so far, calling him an “incredible human being, and high character guy" after Tuesday's practice.
On the surface, that could be an attribute in basketball that is overlooked. On a team with a lot of talent that hasn't accomplished anything yet, bringing on players who are determined to provide beyond just on-court skills speaks volumes not only about the due diligence Wizards GM Will Dawkins did in trading for the 6th-year guard, but also about what Mann sees in this team and his understanding of the part he has to play for the Wizards to reach their potential.
Tre Mann mere presence adds another element to the Wizards
From being “a guy that can organize (the) team, run the offense, score, and put pressure on the defense,” as Keefe said in the same presser, to adding more size at the position that needs it with an undersized guard in Trae Young starting, Mann can provide value in bunches if/when his name is called.
Adding another effective guard who can compete with third-year guard Bub Carrington and having another dynamic as an offensive player is only a perk.
While Carrington is the far superior shooter of the two, Tre Mann attacks the basketball at a much higher frequency. Mann took 12.2 percent of his shots being at the rim in comparison to Bub’s, which stands at just 5.3 percent, well below average amongst players not only at his position, but in the league in general.
Mann being good enough to play and willing to compete to do so is a plus. He is welcoming a role in which he may not see minutes, which will only make himself, Bub, Trae, and the team as a whole better.
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