With the Washington Wizards opening the preseason this week and the regular season in two weeks, it is important to take stock of where the roster stands at each position. Who is the starter, backup, and reserve players? What did they do last year and what should we expect this year.
Starter: Otto Porter Jr.
2016-17 Statistics: 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 51.6 percent shooting, 43.4 percent three-point shooting in 32.6 minutes per game over 80 games.
Washington had no choice, but to re-sign Porter to a max contract as the money they spent on him would not be useable on other players due to Bird Rights. Contrary to some who say Porter is not worth the $106.5 million, I believe Porter can develop into a near All-Star level player as he continues to develop his game on both sides of the ball. John Wall has noticed that Porter has added more to his game besides spot up shooting and cutting with a dose of isolation dribbling, which translated into an impressive training camp. Porter will continue to score efficiently, but now for 16 points per game this season.
Backup: Kelly Oubre Jr.
2016-17 Statistics: 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 42.1 percent shooting, 28.7 percent three-point shooting in 20.3 minutes per game over 79 games.
One of the reasons Porter’s re-signing was needed was to ensure Oubre’s development was not rushed. For the first time since high school, he enters a season with the same coach and knowing the offense. Additional work with trainer Drew Hanlen to tweak his shooting motion is now ready to start reaping benefits as he is more capable of a shooter than last year indicates. Scott Brooks loves Oubre’s activity on defense and has admitted he will give the 21-year old more leeway on offense if he earns it on the other end of the court.
Reserve: Tomas Satoransky
2016-17 Statistics: 2.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 41.5 percent shooting, 24.3 percent three-point shooting in 12.6 minutes per game over 57 games.
The Danuel House type is no longer on the roster and with Wall hogging minutes at point guard, Satoransky will be utilized as a wing because his 6-foot-7 stature allows him to cover three positions on the floor. Satoransky is similar to Porter as he enjoys crashing the glass and hustling all over the court and will provide a spark, albeit probably non-offensive, off the bench when called upon.
Deep Reserve: Mike Scott and Chris McCullough
Bradley Beal and/or Sheldon Mac could certainly play the 3 in rather extreme small ball situations where three guards are utilized, but Washington also has the ability to play atypically large by using their backlog at power forward. Scott has the body of a Jae Crowder type that is capable to play the three, while McCullough is still working on getting bigger to take on bruising fours in the paint.