The Washington Wizards have officially decided to end Summer League play for three players after an impressive start.
According to The Athletic's Josh Robbins, summer-league coach T.J. Sorrentine has informed him that the Wizards have decided to shut down AJ Dybantsa, Tre Johnson and Will Riley after just two games.
Obviously, the news may not be exciting for fans who want to see an extended glimpse of their future in Las Vegas, but Washington's decision to pull the plug comes for the right reasons.
Wizards have seen enough from Dybantsa, Johnson and Riley
The Wizards' decision to end Summer League short for the three young playmakers shouldn't come as a surprise to many.
Dybantsa showed in two games exactly why Washington made the decision to select him No. 1 overall, proving to be an elite scorer, underrated passer and versatile defender with next-level athleticism.
Johnson, on the other hand, only suited up in one game last Thursday before Washington decided to hold him out of action on Sunday, which shouldn't come as a shock given his 26-point night on 11-for-20 shooting from the floor.
As for Riley, it felt like there could be at least one more game on the horizon for the forward, but that was before the former first-round pick exploded for 32 points on 9-for-14 shooting from the field and 6-for-8 from three.
The Wizards regime has clearly seen enough from their young core, and typically, when it gets to the point that organizations believe that players are too good for Summer League, it's very telling.
Washington has no reason to have players who will clearly be part of their rotation continue suiting up and risking injury, especially when their spot on the roster is all but solidified.
There's still plenty of offseason ahead, and there's no doubt that each of these players will be putting in their own individual training ahead of their return to camp, so the earlier the Wizards pull the plug, the more rest for the young core.
Of course, individual workouts and training will still be taking place, but full games with increased contact against players who are willing to do whatever it takes to make themselves stand out are a risky move that doesn't offer a grand reward.
Washington is confident that these three prospects don't need the extra run in Summer League anymore, and with that being the case, it's clear how high the Wizards are on the early signs of development for each player.
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