Could Rookie Tre Johnson Lead Wizards in Scoring?

It’s not often that NBA rookies are able to make a positive impact for their squads in Year 1, much less do it as one of the top scoring options.

But No. 6 overall pick Tre Johnson is entering a unique situation, both having immense scoring skill and joining a team that somewhat lacks it.

In his lone season at Texas, Johnson scored nearly 20 points per game on 43% shooting, doing so at all three levels while leading his squad offensively. So far, it seems the very same scoring skill that made him a top-six pick is helping him to be one of the better rookies in Summer League.

Through two Las Vegas’ contests, Johnson has gone for 19.5 points per game on 58% shooting, hitting on a blistering 45% of his 3-pointers. 

Most simply, Johnson has looked like one of the best and most versatile scorers at the event, continuing to show off his ranged versatility, getting downhill with even better prowess than his collegiate time, and getting to the line with aggression.

He’s even done it with plenty of his NBA counterparts next to him, including Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George and a few more.

His white-hot scoring has raised questions about just how good a scorer he’ll be in Year 1. Could he realistically lead the team in scoring? While unlikely, it’s not as far-fetched as it seems at first glance. 

Johnson is undoubtedly the best scoring prospect on the team, but certainly not the best scoring player. Washington has numerous veterans on the squad that have proven themselves with long NBA careers, though they might not still be those players. CJ McCollum, Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart and more have all starred at various points in their career, and could certainly still provide a scoring punch.

The catch will be just how much the Wizards’ organization values early-career opportunity. Reps should theoretically be there for Johnson, though they may want to take things slowly.

If the Wizards are determined to give Johnson the reps and opportunity in a trial by fire first season, he very well could. Though the more likely outcome is that a veteran leads the team this season.