The Wizards have already made one quick adjustment to their rotation, and the player they brought in to fill the opening doesn’t look ready to settle into it yet.
With Khris Middleton’s legs looking too stiff for the scoring role the staff had in mind, Washington turned to Will Riley sooner than expected. But after sitting out the season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, the rookie has only inched into the picture, and not exactly in a way that screams trust just yet.
Brian Keefe said the move was simple when asked why Riley got run over Middleton in Saturday’s win over Chicago: "We've got a lot of depth on the roster, so it was an opportunity to get Will in there and get some minutes. It's nothing more than that."
Riley has now appeared in back-to-back first halves on the Wizards’ road trip, playing a little over four minutes against both the Chicago Bulls and the Charlotte Hornets. The opportunity has clearly excited fans, but the on-court results have been uneven. Against Charlotte, he looked like a 20-year-old being asked to keep up with a much tougher game.
Brandon Miller made that matchup look especially rough. Riley got shaken loose on a perimeter jumper soon after checking in, and then, not long after Washington gave him the ball, he got trapped and turned it over. That was enough for the short stint to end.
Brandon Miller once again looking VERY comfortable as the #1 scoring option for Charlotte. 39 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL, 2 BLK, 15/28 FG, 5/10 3FG, 65 TS% pic.twitter.com/Q8OyEtNO0I
Riley’s situation is a little tricky. The version of him that flashed late in his rookie season came with more on-ball responsibility, where he could lean into his playmaking and his willingness to attack the paint.
That’s not the setup he’s in now. Washington’s current pecking order puts him behind Young, Davis, George and other guards, which means he has to survive more as a spot-up scorer than as a creator.
That’s where the fit starts to wobble. Middleton may not have the same burst anymore, but Riley has not yet shown he can reliably handle defenses that are ready for him every possession. He’s a thin, somewhat awkward defender, and his offensive game still looks too methodical for the role Washington is asking him to play.
Wizards rookie Will Riley last 4 games tapeWho does he remind you of? https://t.co/64ddimgbZJ pic.twitter.com/iZlwoSpSLR
Tre Johnson said last week that everybody on the roster can score, and the real separator is effort and defense. Riley has clearly done enough to stay in the conversation, but for now he looks more like another stop along Washington’s long development path than a finished rotation answer.
In Other News...
Wizards Get A First Real Glimpse Of Their Future In Cleveland
The Wizards head into Cleveland at 2-2, still early enough in the season that every rotation tweak feels like part of the evaluation process. One of those tweaks comes with Justin Champagnie sidelined by a right foot injury, leaving Washington a little thinner as it continues sorting out roles and looking for a steadier rhythm.
More importantly for the franchises bigger picture, AJ Dybantsa is expected to take the floor and give Washington its first real in-game look at the top pick from the recent draft. After sitting out the first four games, his debut adds another layer of intrigue to a trip that already carries some weight for a young roster trying to establish what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
AJ Dybantsa Puts Wizards Spotlight Squarely On Cavs Game
AJ Dybantsas next step is at least on the board for Washington, even if it is far from certain. The Wizards rookie is listed as questionable for the upcoming matchup with the Cavaliers after sitting out the first four games of the season, leaving the club to keep one eye on his status as tipoff gets closer.
The injury traces back to the preseason, when Dybantsa went down with a left ankle sprain and has yet to make his regular-season debut. Washington has not said whether he will be available against Cleveland, so his condition will be monitored closely before the game. [Read more 🡒]
Cavs Face Two Pressure Points In A Big Rocket Arena Test
The Cavaliers and Wizards are set for a 7:00 p.m. ET meeting at Rocket Arena, and the matchup brings a familiar layer of intrigue for Washington beyond the standings. Cleveland has been leaning on Donovan Mitchell and trying to sort through a couple of pressure points, while the Wizards come in with a chance to measure themselves against one of the leagues more complete teams in a building where the margin for error tends to shrink quickly.
For Washington, the frontcourt piece is especially worth watching because Anthony Davis is available and still settling into his role after the deadline deal that brought him to the Wizards last season. Cleveland has its own interior test waiting in Evan Mobley, who has been productive early and has the kind of game that can tilt the night if he gets rolling again. Pair that with Trae Youngs strong start to the season in the broader conversation around the East, and this one has enough star power to feel bigger than a midweek stop on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]