Bub Carrington Should Lean Into His Potential In 2025

Look, there's no easy way to say this. The Washington Wizards have not been competitive at all this season. They're 2-11, while being 29th on offense and 30th on defense.

It's bad. 

So not a lot of eyeballs will naturally gaze towards them, at least not unless they're forced to. That's genuinely fair. Can't tell people to watch a bad product. 

That said, however, Washington's Bub Carrington is worthy of some attention.

The 19-year-old is productive, stocking up the box score at a rate of 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, while sporting decent efficiency (TS of 55.9%) for someone in his situation. At 6-foot-4, the combo guard offers a fair bit of interchangeability, something that will unquestionably assist him as his NBA career progresses. He's capable of playing on the ball, running the show for extended periods of time, while also moving around off-the-ball looking for holes in the defense.

He's probably a bit too perimeter-oriented at this point, rarely getting to the rim, and rarely getting to the foul line. That's fine if he eventually becomes an elite shooter, both from outside, and within the mid-range area, but it should be a point of emphasis when the calendar hits 2025 to see him expand his offensive arsenal.

Additionally encouraging is the fact that he's been able to handle a lot of minutes, due to Malcolm Brogdon having missed 11 of 13 games. With the veteran now back from injury, it'll be interesting to see how the rookie can benefit from having a veteran presence on the floor.

They share a lot of traits, after all. Brogdon is also a big guard, who can play both on and off the ball. He's had experience starting, and he's had experience as a sixth man. Carrington could see a similar career pattern, and let's face it, if he becomes a healthier version of Brogdon, that's a damn fine career. 

So, what's the plan for now? 

For the last month and change, it'd be wise to stick to Brogdon as much as he can, to fully absorb his teachings. When 2025 rolls around, it might be time to get a little bit out of the comfort zone he's spent the first half of the year establishing, if only to accelerate his own development. 

To not branch out would be a mistake. He's too important of a long-term piece for the Wizards to not lean into his upside. 

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.