Wizards Face Roster Uncertainty After Newest Addition

Gill’s Return

Anthony Gill, who was cut at the end of June, was brought back on a one-year, veteran minimum contract. Gill, who will turn 33 before the regular season begins, is the longest tenured Washington player with five seasons under his belt. Over his five seasons, Gill has played a total of 230 games with 15 starts on an average of 9.4 minutes a game.

Over his time in Washington, Gill has averaged 3.4 points, 1.7 rebounds, and half an assist per game. He’s never been a big contributor, but is known as a locker room guy around the league, and does a lot of giving back to the community. While never winning real hardware, he’s been the recipient of the team’s E.B. Henderson Team Award twice for his continued work in the D.C. area.

Washington re-signing Gill brings back a strong veteran presence for this young core and a fan favorite among fans. However, it now puts a new weight on the front office.

Washington’s Roster Dilemma

With Gill returning, Washington faces a problem heading into the latter phases of the offseason. With 16 total players, the Wizards will need to cut one player from the current roster. Gill will no doubt be on the roster. With that, there are a few players who could be looking at being the odd man out.

One player is Corey Kispert, who could be considered one of Washington’s more attractive trade assets. Kispert would make a solid addition to a team’s bench, with consistency being his main strength. Kispert has averaged over ten points in each of the last three seasons. His shooting splits may have stagnated, but he’s capable of being a decent shotmaker, having a season shooting 42.4% from three in his second year.

Another player would be a newly acquired player in Dillon Jones. The Wizards traded for Jones earlier this offseason; however, now with other additions like Cam Whitmore and Washington’s rookie trio, he may be sitting on the other side of the fence. While Marvin Bagley III is another possible option, Washington would be short on bigs. It would come down to Jones and Malaki Branham. However, Jones would have a slightly smaller cap hit if he were to be cut.

The Last Word

Anthony Gill is no doubt a good veteran for the Wizards to keep around. He’s well-liked by the younger players around him and consistently gives back to the community that happily supports him. However, it does put Washington in that plus-one predicament. If the front office decides to deal Kispert, Washington could get a pick in exchange. If they decide that cutting someone is better, watch Jones as a prime candidate to see his time in Washington end. While there are a few questions the Wizards have, this is the biggest one heading into the season.