:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26781471/20140111_mta_sb4_030.0.jpg)
The Wizards are coming off two disheartening losses at home, and in response, Randy Wittman has punted on a strategy once seen as a solution to the Wizards' bench woes. After sitting out four games and coming off the bench for the next 12, Nene will return to the starting lineup when the Wizards face the Bulls.
Nene has been on a minute limitation & hasn't started since Dec. 6 vs MIL. #wizards went 7-9 with Trevor Booker in the starting lineup.
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) January 14, 2014
It remains unclear if this means that the minutes limit that Nene has been placed on since he suffered an injured Achilles has been lifted.
Nene ultimately replaces Trevor Booker, who emerged as a decent rotation player in the 16 games. The Wizards went 7-9 in those contests and 6-6 in the 12 games Nene came off the bench. But the Wizards were still outscored by 3.3 points/100 possessions in those 12 games, and any gains from the bench were offset by the drop-off in the starting lineup.
Hopefully, the Wizards keep limiting Nene's minutes to a sensible number instead of running him into the ground. Perhaps he can come out at the six-minute mark, then return to anchor the second unit.
