Wizards Facing Difficult Lineup Decision

The Washington Wizards must make some decisions regarding their lineup.

Nov 22, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) drives to the basket as Boston Celtics forward Xavier Tillman (26) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards are ushering a youth movement, headlined by four first-round picks from the past two drafts.

At the beginning of the season, the Wizards didn't hesitate before throwing these young players into the fire. Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly have started every game they have played, while Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George have also seen some action in the starting five.

However, since Malcolm Brogdon entered the lineup following his recovery from thumb surgery, the Wizards have been opting to play him more than Carrington and George, who have since reverted back to the starting lineup.

In Wizards coach Brian Keefe's eyes, the ideal starting five for the time being includes Brogdon, Jordan Poole, Coulibaly, Kyle Kuzma and Sarr. However, that might not be the best lineup for the Wizards' overall development of that young core. Perhaps a starting lineup with the four young Wizards and Poole makes the most sense.

There is a benefit to playing Brogdon over the rookies. As a veteran point guard, Brogdon knows the game at a level far advanced compared to Carrington, and he can set up the rest of the team for success. But is that the best for Carrington's development? Probably not.

But is it in the best interest to play Carrington too much and not be able to give the rest of the team the best chance to develop as he learns the ropes? Also, probably not.

The Wizards have to find the right balance of playing time between the rookies and veterans. It's not a process that will be solved in a game or two, but the coaching staff should be able to mix and match before finding out what works best for them.

The Wizards are back in action tomorrow against the Chicago Bulls in their NBA Cup game.

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