Washington Wizards: Tomas Satoransky stepping up for John Wall

Washington Wizards point guard John Wall is out again for an extended amount of time, but that hasn’t stopped Tomas Satoransky from stepping up.

The Washington Wizards got some not-so-good news when it was announced point guard John Wall would miss an extended amount of time once again due to season-ending heel surgery, but backup point guard Tomas Satoransky has been here before. In an offseason where he questioned his role, things seemed to have worked themselves out once again in Sato’s favor.

With his 6’7″, 210-pound frame, Satoransky has shown off his skill-set in a variety of ways as a floor general, defender and scorer off the basketball. Last season in place of Wall, he posted 10.7 points, 5.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game in his 30 appearances in the starting rotation. It should come as no surprise that Satoransky is once again stepping up in Wall’s absence.

In the Wizards’ most recent loss, Satoransky struggled a bit — a rarity since Wall has been out. He went 2-of-8 from the field on the road in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night.

The game prior, however, he put up 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists on the road against the San Antonio Spurs. Despite both results being losses, Sato continues to put up productive stat lines.

Satoransky put up solid numbers against the Golden State Warriors last Thursday night, with 20 points, 10 assists, three rebounds and three steals. Washington lost by eight points, but he shot 8-for-13 from the field and 3-for-5 from behind the arc.

As a starter this season, Sato is averaging 11.0 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game through 21 starts. He’s shooting 50 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from 3-point range as well.

He posted the first triple-double of his career back on Jan. 11 against the Milwaukee Bucks (without Giannis Antetokounmpo) in a 113-106 victory. Sato put up 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor in the win. He’s led quite the competitive edge into battle and it’s shown in recent games.

So far, the Wizards are 8-7 without Wall in the rotation and have lost three of their last four games. With a record of 21-28, they’re currently 10th in the Eastern Conference standings, 3.5 games behind the Charlotte Hornets for eighth place. Their biggest woes have come on the road. This season, they are 6-20 away from home and went 1-2 on their most recent road trip.

If the Wizards can make a push into the playoff picture, look no further than Tomas Satoransky as to why. While Kelly Oubre Jr. and Austin Rivers have both been dealt via trade, Satoransky is one constant that’s always remained in the rotation. It’s no surprise the Wizards are in talks to sign him to an extension. Sticking with his role has proven to be a blessing in disguise these past two seasons, and now it should grow into a long-term role for him.

Satoransky has certainly waited his turn and it’s paid off given his production. Last year, he was used minimally during the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors. He’ll need to continue to step up his play if Washington hopes to make a push towards the postseason.