The Washington Wizards started Alex Sarr at the five in the season-opening win, but he was outplayed by Deandre Ayton. The franchise traded for veterans like Anthony Davis and Trae Young to win games. Washington has exited their rebuild and is hungry to make the playoffs. They got the job done in the opener behind a monster night from AD. The Wizards struggled with Sarr on the floor, and he should already feel the pressure to play better.
The second overall pick in 2024 played just 24 minutes, the lowest of the starting five. He finished with six points, nine rebounds, and two assists. Sarr made just three of his nine field goal attempts. The rebuilding Bucks outscored Washington by four points with Sarr on the court, and Ayton made a significant impact off the bench.
Ayton had 11 points, four rebounds, and two blocks in 15 minutes. He went five of six from the field and looks totally bought into his role. The Wizards outscored Milwaukee by six with DA on the floor. The pressure is now on Sarr to impact winning if he wants to play more and have a larger offensive role.
Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis pairing didn’t work in season opener
It is a small sample size, but the new frontcourt pairing struggled against the Bucks. They had a negative-4.5 net rating in 21 minutes and just a 110.4 offensive rating. Washington needs to be better if this is going to be their starting big men.
AD wants to play the four. His best position is the five and fans saw proof in the opener. The Wizards had a plus-58.9 net rating when Davis was the lone big man for nine minutes. He will play some at center, but he wants to primarily be the power forward.
They didn’t play Sarr with Ayton in the opener. Washington clearly thinks both are centers. That means Sarr must improve playing next to Davis and be significantly better when he’s the lone big man.
Alex Sarr barely played as the lone big man
Sarr played just under four minutes as the lone big man. The Wizards had a 33.3 offensive rating in those minutes, which is likely why coach Keefe made it a brief stint.
If Sarr is only playing next to AD, he will be stuck around 25 minutes per game this season. Washington will want some minutes with Davis at the five and doesn't want the future Hall of Famer playing much more than the 34 minutes he got in the opener.
This fact should have Sarr feeling the pressure, but there is even more reason. The Wizards weren’t afraid to lean on the veterans, which will force the 21-year-old big man to raise his game moving forward.
Wizards aren’t afraid to play the veterans if it helps them win
Trae Young played a team-high 38 minutes. They needed the point guard running the offense to secure the victory. AD played 34. They used Ayton for 15 off the bench and gave 12 to Khris Middleton. Giving those minutes to the vets meant less run for the young talent.
Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington were under 20 minutes. Sarr got just 24. Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly didn’t crack 30, despite being in the starting five. Washington wants to win and is clearly going to play whoever gives them the best chance to do just that.
Sarr must be better. He can’t make just three of his nine field goal attempts and fail to sink a 3-pointer. He needs to find an offensive role. Washington had a 101.9 offensive rating in Sarr’s minutes. They played well defensively, but Sarr must improve his jumper and find ways to help the Wizards score.
Ayton was aggressive in trying to score when he got in the game. It was a stark contrast, and Washington needs that aggressiveness from Sarr. If Ayton keeps outplaying the young big man, Sarr’s minutes will continue to decline. The Wizards didn’t give up two second-round picks to let Ayton sit on the bench. That was a sign to Sarr that he had to improve, and fans are already seeing that.
The Washington Wizards are eager to win and will do whatever it takes to get to the playoffs. Alex Sarr must be better if he wants more minutes. They limited him to 24 in the opener. Coach Keefe is going with whoever helps the team win. It was Anthony Davis and Deandre Ayton on Wednesday night. If Sarr wants more run, his offensive and overall production must improve. It is that simple, and the pressure is certainly on Sarr to deliver.
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