Washington Wizards: 5 goals for Kelly Oubre Jr. in 2017-18

Washington Wizards forward Kelly Oubre Jr. is on the brink of a breakout season. Here’s a look at five goals that can help him break through.

The Washington Wizards already have All-Star John Wall, sharpshooter Bradley Beal and forward Otto Porter Jr. locked down for the future. Kelly Oubre Jr. looks to be next up as an emerging star for their squad.

Oubre Jr. saw a drastic improvement in his numbers under new head coach Scott Brooks as the Wizards went 49-33 and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference. This season, the bar is set a bit higher with upgrades on both the Boston Celtics‘ and Cleveland Cavaliers‘ rosters.

As expected with every new season, the expectations grow for players like Kelly Oubre Jr. He fared well in his second season with the Wizards, averaging 6.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 0.7 steals in 20.3 minutes per game. He made 79 appearances for Washington in 2016-17, starting in five contests.

Oubre Jr.’s role is expected to expand in 2017-18, especially with forward Markieff Morris set to be out 6-8 weeks due to injury.

Here are five goals for Kelly Oubre Jr. as he enters Year 3 of his tenure in the NBA. He may not crack the starting lineup, but he has the length and athleticism to be a valuable asset off the bench for Washington this season.