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Oct 22, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) brings the ball up the court against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Former Lottery Pick Might Be Wizards' Odd Man Out

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Oct 26, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The first pair of games from the Washington Wizards' start to the 2025-26 season have already provided the fans with plenty to get excited about.

Kyshawn George, first and foremost, looks like the closest thing they have to a rebuilding cornerstone, averaging 27.5 points on 66% from the field and 66.7% from 3-point distance, good for an unreal 77% true shooting rate as the early go-to guy. Alex Sarr has played more like the physical center everyone wants him to be, using his body more on both sides of the court, while Tre Johnson's flashed some of that unrivaled shooting potential that saw him get drafted as highly as he did this summer.

But not every takeaway has been quite so positive. Bub Carrington was expected to have leveled his game up alongside George and Sarr, but he's fallen a bit deeper into some of his old habits. The guard prospect has struggled asserting himself as a reliable point guard, let alone a starting-level piece, and that's forced some questions surrounding his security within his role.

What Are Bub's Concerns?

He's a fan favorite for the smoothness with which he can get his buckets, regularly rising up with an aesthetically-pleasing jumper or turning to his one-dribble midrange pull-up, but the streakiness of his shot has historically dictated his impact more than it should for a point man.

Carrington places little pressure on the rim, and defenses know that. He's rarely a risk at penetrating or drawing free throws, making him easy to ignore when he can't even be impactful as a perimeter shooter. He got by statistically in the Wizards' season opener in knocking down three of four 3-pointers, but the ineffective side of his game reared its head in Washington's win in Dallas.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

He had a few chances to keep the threes flowing, but repeatedly passed up the semi-open three to try working into that pull-up or further isolation work, which rarely resulted in open looks and only found the net's bottom on one of seven field goal attempts. Only on his final shot attempt, when he finally pulled the trigger on a quick catch-and-shoot look, did he cash in. That was his first try from outside, and he'll have to make those sorts of plays more consistently to retain his starting position.

Wizards Have a Looming Starting Lineup Dilemma

Carrington's inability to frequently create scoring advantages for himself and his teammates are part of why he isn't considered a real point guard, despite his having retained the 1 guard starting spot since midway through last season.

George has had no problem keeping the ball moving, nothing four assists in both games thus far, and Washington's willingness to keep the ball in the point forward's hands has shown in the tracking numbers. The sophomore led the team in touches by a considerable margin in the season opener, and did it again on Friday night. He had 80 against the Mavericks, even more than he did in his debut, while Carrington finished with 30 fewer.

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Wizards also have a lot more mouths to feed besides Carrington, with many fans looking forward to Bilal Coulibaly's approaching return. He'd have previously contended with George in re-taking his starting gig, but he's proven indispensable.

CJ McCollum likely won't sit as the Wizards look to continue advertising his trade value, with his expiring contract making him a likely candidate for the front office to move in exchange for more draft capital, and his record of churning out 20 point-per-game seasons will buy him a little more time as he shakes off some rust. And Johnson can only ride the bench for so long, having already demonstrated some comfortability in getting his at the NBA-level.

It's up to Carrington to play more within the flow of the offense, providing some secondary value as a productive ball-mover and shot-maker. But as long as he continues providing little impact while his peers flourish, he'll continue sticking out as the rebuild takes a step forward.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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