Who should be part of Washington Wizards long-term core?
By Leo Versel
2: Moritz Wagner providing 3-point accuracy, showing improvement
The player who has arguably shown the greatest growth with the Washington Wizards this season is 6’11” German center Moritz Wagner. The former University of Michigan star has been a notable contributor to Washington’s reserves this season.
Wagner is capable of hitting 3-point shots consistently and drawing charges from opposing players. He is currently shooting the 3 at a 47.5 percent clip and leads the NBA in drawn charges with 13.
Remarkably, Wagner is just 22 years old and this is his second NBA season. During his first year with the Los Angeles Lakers, Wagner averaged 4.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game.
In 2019, he is averaging 12.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.7 blocks in 19.2 minutes per game. Wagner is deserving of recognition for development in each of these categories.
If he continues to stay with the Wizards, ideally for the long run, Wagner only stands to gain more experience and develop into a better overall player.
Wagner is playing at a high level at the moment. If he continues to do so, he will convince Washington to keep him longer than the end of this season, when he becomes a free agent.