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The Wizards play the Suns tonight at 7 p.m. ET. You can watch the game on NBC Sports Washington. Listen to it on Federal News Radio 1500 AM or the Wizards mobile app.
Tonight, Washington welcomes back Kelly Oubre, who was at times viewed as Otto Porter’s successor. But that was because some people never were into uber-efficient players who don’t have to have a super high usage rate to be effective with the ball. Porter was exactly that.
Oubre is just a more athletic player who generally needs the ball a bit more than Porter, but he’s been a more consistent producer for the Wizards the last couple years. He will be missed.
Still, I wouldn’t say that going to the Suns is like a “Get out of jail for free” card. The Suns are in the midst of a seemingly endless rebuild that’s going nowhere. And their owner, Robert Sarver is apparently threatening to move the Suns to Las Vegas where the T-Mobile Arena is a new facility that’s ready for NBA basketball or to Seattle because they’re finally building a new arena too.
If you’re a WNBA fan reading this, seeing the Suns move to Las Vegas or Seattle could put the Phoenix Mercury in an uncertain situation. I would assume that Sarver would sell the Mercury since there are already WNBA teams in Las Vegas and Seattle though he could also keep the Mercury in Phoenix and own the team while relocating the Sun.
Sarver owned the Mercury since 2004 and would arguably be one of the best owners in the WNBA based on the team’s track record and talent on the court. Lynx and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is in a similar spot. And hell, Ted Leonsis could be in that camp too if the Mystics win a title. As constructed, they are winning a championship before the Wizards do.
But back to Kelly Oubre. He will certainly have an opportunity to shine with the Sun. However, it’s not like Phoenix is in a better situation than Washington when it comes to the Suns’ longer term future from an organizational standpoint. Hopefully, the Suns stay in Phoenix, but it will be interesting to see how that arena situation figures itself out.
Go Wizards.