Two years ago, the Wizards had one of their better seasons in recent memory. They nearly won 50 games and were one Kelly Olynyk outburst away from making the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 40 years.
This past season was a tale of ups and downs for the Wizards, and they finished 8th in the East as a result. Their season ended in the first round of the playoffs, at the hands of the top-seeded Toronto Raptors. John Wall missed half the year due to injury, meaning that the team was without its floor general and best player. With Wall out, players like Tomas Satoransky and Tim Frazier shouldered the load at point guard.
Satoransky was a serviceable option as a lead guard, with averages of 7.2 points and 3.9 assists per game. He started 30 games and was 6th on the team in minutes played, giving him valuable experience leading both the first and second units. Even with the addition of former Clipper Austin Rivers to the team, Satoransky should still see minutes.
On the wing, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Mike Scott were the team’s best options off the bench. Scott averaged 8.8 points, good for sixth on the team despite playing only 18.5 minutes per game. Oubre may have been the Wizards’ most important bench player, playing 27.5 minutes per game and scoring nearly 12 points per game. Oubre functioned as something of a sixth starter, the complement to a starting Otto Porter. He should feature heavily with the departure of Mike Scott to the Clippers.
Oubre and Satoransky will be the Wizards’ key reserves this season, with experience in coach Scott Brooks’ system and familiarity with most of the other players on the roster. New additions like first-round pick Troy Brown and hometown hero Jeff Green will also be key parts in Brooks’ plan.
If the Wizards intend to make an improvement on their record, and subsequently their standing within the East, they will need contributions from their entire roster.
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