clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Glenn Robinson III could be the help the Wizards need

Scott Brooks needs veteran assistance on the wing. Robinson could provide that for D.C.

NBA: Indiana Pacers at Sacramento Kings Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Depending on the time or date, you might see Washington Wizards fan favorite Isaac Bonga get some playing time. Sometimes, Garrison Mathews will start and play starter-type minutes. On other days, like on Tuesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, Mathews might start and play just seven minutes.

And maybe... just maybe... you might get a Troy Brown Jr. sighting.

The Wizards are heading into All-Star break near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, squandering some of their recent momentum with back-to-back losses to the Boston Celtics and Grizzlies. With those losses, head coach Scott Brooks has, again, been non-committal with a set rotation.

You can argue between Brown Jr., Bonga, Mathews and even Deni Avdija — but the common theme among them all is inconsistent minutes and youth.

Finding a veteran to patch up the erratic rotations and give the coaching staff a dependable player with experience might be a key to the Wizards finally unlocking their playoff potential.

Glenn Robinson III could be that player.

After an odd stint with the Sacramento Kings and a minor knee injury, the Kings waived GRIII before his contract became guaranteed.

Before Sacramento, though, Robinson showed the makings of a contributing 3-and-D player — the role Washington has lacked for years. Last year with the Golden State Warriors, Robinson averaged a career-high 13 points and 5 rebounds while knocking down 40 percent of his threes.

Unlike some of the younger players on the Wizards roster — see, Isaac Bonga, who missed all five of his open attempts against the Celtics — Robinson III is a consistent outside threat.

As mentioned by SB Nation’s Grizzly Bear Blues, “Robinson III was in the 84% percentile among small forwards after the trade deadline with 120.5 points per 100 shot attempts.” With similarities to former Wizards forward Martell Webster, Robinson was efficient from the corner three, making 42 percent of his tries from that spot.

Somehow, the Wizards — even with Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans and Mathews — find themselves ranked 24th in 3-point field goals made per game. The team is also 29th in 3-point percentage.

In a league that is almost entirely based on shooting, the Wizards are among the worst — and the record indicates that. Having knock-down shooters around Russell Westbrook could help the former All-Star age gracefully, and take some of the pressure off Beal, who finds himself driving to the basket without reliable shooters waiting for the ball on the perimeter.

Plus, at 27-years-old, Robinson knows who he is as a player — he has the size to defend multiple positions, and the experience that irons out some of the inconsistent wrinkles that inevitably come with players who have only one or two NBA seasons under their belt.

The fit in Washington, D.C. is better than Robinson III could find elsewhere. Like Alex Len recognized with the Wizards’ lack of consistent bigs, the Wizards need help — badly — on the wing. It’s something the front office should have taken care of in the off-season, yet the problem persists.

There are few shooters and veterans of Robinson’s caliber available in free agency, and even fewer teams that could use Robinson’s skill-set as much as the Wizards.