The Washington Wizards have lost five straight games and desperately need a change. Anthony Davis is a superstar and has been the team’s best player. He is putting up monster numbers, and the Wizards are 10.1 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. It is time to maximize AD if the Wizards are serious about contending. To do that, Washington must bench Alex Sarr.
The duo hasn’t worked. They have a negative 5.7 net rating in 148 minutes of action and an abysmal 106.9 offensive rating. The spacing just doesn’t work. Davis and Sarr struggle to make 3-pointers, which cramps the floor. AJ Dybantsa and Trae Young are not hitting long-range jumpers, which makes the spacing of their starting group a nightmare. Washington has to prioritize their star duo and the number one overall pick. That leaves Sarr as the obvious player to bench.
Davis is averaging 25.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 33.2 minutes per game. He is fully bought in with the Wizards, despite the extension questions. AD is playing like a star, but maximizing his minutes is the key to team success.
Anthony Davis is best as a center
The Lakers were right about AD’s best position. Despite his desire to play power forward, the Lakers made him their primary center starting in the 2021-22 season. This improved their floor spacing and let Davis shine defensively. He doesn’t like to play center, but it is his most impactful position.
The numbers are bearing it out. The Wizards have a 6.1 net rating with AD on the floor and Sarr on the bench. They are negative 5.7 when they play together and negative 13.8 when both sit. There are only nine teams whose net rating is better than 6.1 this season. The Wizards are a playoff team with Davis playing the five.
AD’s rebounding and blocks are down because he’s playing further away from the basket. The Wizards want Davis creating havoc in the paint. He needs to play the five to do it. They have more spacing on offense and better interior defense. The Wizards want to snap their five-year playoff drought, and maximizing AD gives Washington the best chance.
Alex Sarr could fix Wizards bench woes
Sarr’s numbers are down across the board. He is averaging just 9.5 points and only taking 7.8 field goal attempts per game. Last season, Sarr averaged 16.3 points while shooting 13.7 times each night. The big man’s offensive game took a step forward, and his path to a higher usage is playing more with the second unit.
The Wizards’ bench has struggled. Tre Johnson averages 9.4 points, but he is shooting 36.4 percent from the field and 26.3 percent on his 3-point attempts. Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, and Deandre Ayton aren’t making shots. Washington could use a boost in the second unit.
Sarr would get more touches and shot attempts. He should get some easy buckets at the rim and improve the bench's efficiency. The 21-year-old can’t take it as a demotion. Benching Sarr is an effort to contend and let the former number two overall draft pick get more involved in the offense.
Sarr could be a 15-point-per-game scorer off the bench. Fans know he can protect the rim and make a few plays. The Wizards need all that in their second unit and he could make an instant impact with the added spacing and scoring ability. Sarr is more athletic than Ayton. This is a change to maximize Davis and Sarr and solving their issues with Ayton on the floor.
Wizards can’t waste time if they want to contend
Washington hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021 and hasn’t won a playoff series since 2017. They are eager to snap those droughts and become a serious contender. The Wizards thought this could be the year before the 4-8 start.
They are already two games behind the top six and five back of the best team in the East. Washington can’t let it get worse. It gets late early in the NBA. There is so much talent, and things happen quickly. The Wizards must be better if they want to contend.
Their only path is leaning into playing Anthony Davis more at the five. It should maximize his production and the Wizards' chances of winning. It may also solve the bench issues. Sarr is an elite talent that should help the second unit. This would mean removing Deandre Ayton from the rotation and leaning into Sarr being a two-way force against the opposition’s reserves.
The Washington Wizards should bench Alex Sarr. This maximizes Anthony Davis, improves the second unit, and gives the franchise the best chance to contend.
It is a bold move. Sarr has started for his entire NBA career, but getting more touches and shot attempts should make it easier to accept. AD won’t be thrilled playing the five. Ultimately, the Wizards want to win. Splitting the big men’s minutes should help the team achieve their goals.
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