Wizards position preview: Wings

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RETURNING WINGS: Davis Bertans, Isaac Bonga, Troy Brown Jr., Rui Hachimura, Garrison Mathews
NEWCOMERS: Deni Avdija and Anthony Gill

The Wizards enter the 2020-21 with a youthful group of wings loaded with potential and versatility. The veteran of the group, Davis Bertans, is entering only his fifth NBA season. No other wing has more than two years of experience. Bertans is a known quantity – a surefire shooter whose gravitational pull on perimeter defenders is as strong as any player in the league. Hachimura enters his second season coming off an All-Rookie performance in 2019-20 and, by all accounts, a strong preseason. The others – Deni Avdija, Isaac Bonga, Troy Brown Jr., Garrison Mathews and Anthony Gill – carry varying levels of intrigue as to how and where they will fit – and what sort of progression they can make as their roles develop.

As is the case with any NBA team, this group will determine how many rotational options a coach has at his disposal. Having multiple, mid-sized players with wide-ranging skillsets is vital in today’s NBA. How well – and how quickly – this group develops could be the key to unlocking Washington’s potential this season.

Here, we take a look at what to expect from each wing and how they may factor into the team’s performance this season.

2019-20 (Maccabi Tel Aviv): 4.0 PPG / 2.6 RPG / 1.2 APG / 14.3 MPG

Drafted ninth overall in November’s NBA Draft, Avdija may be the biggest wild card in Washington’s wing corps. The 19-year-old rookie came into Wizards camp with a few years of professional experience already under his belt. Avdija made his first appearance with Maccabi Tel Aviv, one of Europe’s premier organizations, during the 2017-18 season. During the 2019-20 season, he averaged 13.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 27.1 minutes per game. In that time, Avdija showed versatility and a knack for playmaking that is unusual for someone his size. A common knock on his game coming into the draft was his inconsistent jumper, but comments from teammates and coaches – as well as Avdija’s preseason debut against the Nets (6-6 FG, 3-3 3P) – would indicate the rookie may be further along in that department than expected.

“I think his shot is good,” Brooks said in an interview with the Wizards Podcast Network’s Off The Bench podcast. “I think it can get better. He has good mechanics. He shoots it with confidence, he doesn’t hesitate. When you hesitate, you very rarely make it. I don’t see that in him. I think he has a chance to be a really good 3-point shooter…He takes good shots.”

Given the rest of his wide-ranging skillset, Avdija does not need to be an elite shooter to play a sizeable role in what the Wizards do this season. But if defenses must also account for him behind the arc in addition to his passing and touch around the rim, it could unlock another gear for the Wizards offense.

2019-20: 15.4 PPG / 4.5 RPG / 1.7 APG / 29.3 MPG

Entering the season fresh off signing a five-year extension with the Wizards, Bertans could be in line for another standout season. Last year, Bertans became just the second player in NBA history to shoot over 40.0% from deep on at least 8.5 threes per game, joining Stephen Curry. And he did so as Washington’s clear number-two scoring threat. As soon as he checks into the game, usually on the back end of the first quarter, defenses key in on his every move. This season, Bertans should have lots more room to operate in a Wizards offense that includes a former MVP point guard in Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal moving back into his more traditional off-ball role, Rui Hachimura with another year of development and Thomas Bryant, who showed improved range during Washington’s eight games in the Orlando bubble.

Last season, Bertans burst onto the scene as one of the best pure shooters in the league and showed a willingness to pull up from any range. At 6’10” Bertans can get his shot off over just about any defender, but, unsurprisingly, shot remarkably better when given space to operate. When facing tight coverage (2-4 feet), Bertans shot 40.4% from 3-point range last season, per NBA.com. When he was open (4-6 feet from the closest defender), he shot 41.4%. But when he was what NBA.com considers wide open (6-plus feet from the closes defender), Bertans shot a remarkable 47.7% from deep. In 2019-20, only 18.3% of his 3-point attempts came when he was wide open. While Bertans’ shooting prowess won’t sneak up on anyone this year, the Latvian Laser should see a spike in those wide-open opportunities as the Wizards offense evolves.

2019-20: 5.0 PPG / 3.4 RPG / 1.2 APG / 18.9 MPG

Last season, Bonga’s first in Washington, he established himself as the team’s defensive Swiss Army knife. Bonga is listed as a guard and spends most of his time on the perimeter, but at 6’8”, is capable of guarding opponents all over the court. Last season, he spent 51.7% of his court time guarding guards and 41.9% guarding forwards. Among players that played in at least 20 games, Bonga’s 106.9 defensive rating was tops on the team.

“He cares, he tries and he’s getting stronger,” Brooks said after Washington’s Thursday exhibition against Detroit. “I’ve been with him for going on two years now and he looks like he’s been around for a while, (but) he just turned 21. He’s getting stronger. He’s not where he needs to be or (where) he’s going to be, but he works at it.”

To this point in his career, Bonga’s offensive contributions have been minimal, averaging just four points per game. Last season, he attempted just 3.5 shots per game. Within that small sample size, however, is some promise for a prototype three-and-D player. On just 1.1 threes per game, Bonga shot 35.2% from the field. If he can maintain that percentage at a slightly higher volume, he’ll be hard to keep off the court.

With Beal, Bertans and Westbrook leading the offense, the points will come, but if the Wizards are going to make the progression they would like to this season, the team must get more stops on the defensive end. Whether Bonga starts or is deployed off the bench to halt an opponent’s hot streak, Brooks knows well that he is one of, if not the best, defensive weapon on the team. Plug him into any lineup combination and the jobs of the other four players instantly become easier.

2019-20: 10.4 PPG / 5.6 RPG / 2.6 APG / 25.8 MPG

One of the biggest questions for Brown Jr. this season is where Brooks will choose to utilize him in the rotation. He spent most of the 2019-20 regular season as a facilitating wing for the second unit. In the bubble, as the Wizards were playing without Beal and Bertans, Brown Jr. moved into a more substantial role, starting all eight seeding games – even spending some time at point guard. In those eight games, Brown Jr. averaged 15.3 points, 7.3 rebounds 4.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

This season, with a deeper guard unit, Brooks will look for ways to utilize those skills in different ways, but doesn’t see the third-year pro as a point guard.

“That’s just not his position, really,” Brooks said on Wednesday. “He can play some opportunities in a pinch. He’s had it in the bubble a few games and he had it the first (preseason) game, but I want him to really just focus on being a player instead of being a back-up point guard. He has an opportunity to start at that three-spot and play minutes.”

Against the Pistons on Thursday night, Brown Jr. made good use of his minutes, leading the team with 14 points on 4-8 (.500) from the field and 2-3 (.667) from 3-point range, most of which came in the fourth quarter.

2019-20: 13.5 PPG / 6.1 RPG / 1.8 APG / 30.1 MPG

In his debut campaign, Hachimura averaged 13.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, earning All-Rookie honors and establishing himself as a core piece of the Wizards’ future. Coming out of his rookie season, Hachimura had two clear goals in mind: get stronger and improve his shooting range. When speaking to the media last week, he said he gained 10 pounds in the offseason: “And I still feel good. I feel stronger.”

Washington’s first preseason game was a great test for the sophomore. With several key rotation players out, Hachimura assumed a larger role. He led the team with 18 points on 7-16 (.437) from the field and 3-4 (.750) from three. But what impressed Brooks the most was his decisiveness, something the Wizards coach says comes with experience, and his performance guarding Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant.

“He’s always had a pretty steady feel,” Brooks said. “His demeanor is always pretty level, but I think the game, like every young player, slows down…it’s true. It does slow down. It’s weird how that happens. You get so used to the speed and I think he’s getting there. He’s not there yet, but I thought he came out and had a tough assignment. He was guarding one of the world’s best offensive players in (Durant). I thought he was pretty solid throughout the game guarding him.”

This season, Brooks and the rest of the Wizards organization hope to see the promising signs Hachimura has shown during camp continue to develop. If Hachimura can solidify the aforementioned elements of his game – shooting, strength and feel – he’ll be an invaluable do-it-all weapon for the Wizards on both ends of the court.

2019-20: 5.4 PPG / 1.3 RPG / 0.6 APG / 12.6 MPG

Wizards fans remember Mathews for his prolific scoring performance against Miami last December, a 28-point showing that seemingly came out of nowhere as Washington played without most of its key offensive contributors. The rookie played in just 18 games, but was liable to pull up from anywhere at any time, whenever he was on the court. In that time, Mathews ranked first on the team with a 69.1% true shooting percentage and just 14th in usage rate (13.7) – a short-burst heat-check that rarely ran cold.

But what makes Mathews so intriguing and valuable to the Wizards is that he consistently brings it on both ends. Last season, Mathews’ 104.7 defensive rating ranked first on the team among players that appeared in at least 15 games. If Mathews can bring even a fraction of that two-way production again this season, he’ll have to be considered for consistent rotational minutes.

2019-20 (BC Khimki): 8.3 PPG / 4.5 RPG / 1.2 APG / 18.9 MPG

Gill’s four-year college career included a year at South Carolina and three at Virginia, where he was named All-ACC Third Team as both a junior and a senior and was named to the All-ACC Tournament Team as a senior. Gill signed with the Charlotte Hornets for a Summer League stint in 2017, but has played mostly overseas since his time at Virginia. In two years with Khimki of the VTB United League, Gill averaged 10.5 points on 57.2% from the field and, most notably, 40.6% from 3-point range.

“(Gill) has proven himself playing at a high level overseas for the last three seasons and we look forward to helping him continue to develop his blend of inside physicality and outside shooting touch,” said general manager Tommy Sheppard.

In today’s NBA, there is no such thing as too many shooters. Gill will provide valuable depth and, when he does see the court, create space for teammates by drawing opposing defenses out to 3-point range.