![]() ![]() Given the Wizards’ superior talent, he may get more open shots, especially if he moves without the ball. Rivers put up those numbers while being a central focus of the Clippers’ offense. shot a higher percentage on the Wizards with three or more attempts per game in 2017-18. He shot 37.8 percent from three last season on 5.9 attempts per game. He has to be more efficient and his improvement as a three-point shooter should help his cause. Barring injuries, he will not get those opportunities in Washington.įor Rivers to thrive in his new role, he will need to focus on different things. Rivers started 59 games last season for the Clippers and averaged 13.2 field goal attempts per night. The question is how he will adjust to it given what he has grown accustomed to in recent years in L.A. Rivers could also help solve the Wizards’ issues at backup point guard behind John Wall and possibly even play some in three-guard lineups with both Beal and Wall on the floor. Rivers should at the very least be able to take some of the workload off of Beal’s shoulders. All-Star Bradley Beal played in all 82 games last season, but that was arguably not a good thing, as he ended up logging the fourth-most minutes of any NBA player and seemed to run out of gas at times late in the season. Rivers, though far from perfect, is potentially a significant upgrade for the Wizards at backup shooting guard and that help is coming at a good time. They brought in Austin Rivers in a deal with the Clippers and in doing so filled a longstanding and glaring need. If he can stay healthy, the potential is there for him and the Wizards to re-install themselves as contenders in the Eastern Conference.With training camp starting later this month, we at NBC Sports are previewing the season for each player on the Wizards' roster.Today, we look at Austin Rivers.Ģ018-19 WIZARDS ROSTER OUTLOOK: AUSTIN RIVERSĢ017-18 stats: 61 G, 33.7 mpg, 15.1 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.3 bpg, 42.4 FG%, 37.8 3P%, 64.2 FT%, 50.8 eFG%,105 ORtg, 113 DRtgĢ018-19 storyline: With a clear goal to trade Marcin Gortat this offseason, the Wizards managed to do much more for themselves than a simple salary dump in hopes of addition by subtraction. Wall has said it himself that this is the most talented team he has been a part of. This season he will make $19.2 million, but next year his salary will skyrocket to $37.8 million. ![]() It is the final year of his first max contract extension. In the big picture for the Wizards, this is an important season as it pertains to Wall. Wall's efficiency numbers should go up if he is healthy as his speed creates easy looks around the rim. Though Wall shot a career-high 37.1 percent from three, his field goal percentage sunk to its lowest mark since his rookie year. That will help Wall's cause manning the perimeter, knowing he has some help behind him.įor Wall individually, improving his efficiency will be key. Howard should also provide more rim protection than Wall is used to. There may be fewer shots to go around and Howard will have to buy in to being Wall's table-setter, committing to screens and being content if the ball doesn't swing his way. The potential for them to thrive as a duo in the pick-and-roll and in transition is enticing.īut there will need to be sacrifices made by both sides. Though Howard is 32 and not the dominant force he once was, he is the most athletic and gifted big man Wall has played with. Most interesting will be his on-court relationship with Dwight Howard. But beyond the obvious, there are several parts of Wall's game to watch as he enters his ninth NBA campaign. If Wall is healthy, he will almost certainly have a better year than he did this past season and, if that's the case, the Wizards will likely be much better. NAME POS HEIGHT WEIGHT DOB AGE COLLEGE 1. The fact he brought up not being considered a top-5 point guard earlier this summer is a good indication of that. The 2018-19 Washington Wizards roster for the NBA regular season and playoffs. With plenty of recency bias in professional sports, right now he probably feels underrated by the way many are characterizing him in the media. Wall is always motivated to prove people wrong and that will undoubtedly be a part of his thinking throughout the 2018-19 season. And on top of all that, there were some off-court disagreements that made for a tough and forgettable year. The Wizards ended up losing in the first round of the playoffs, which was a first for Wall. He missed exactly half of the season due to a left knee injury and in many of the 41 games he did play, he wasn't himself. ![]()
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