Washington Wizards: Shabazz Napier has made the most of his opportunity

Shabazz Napier’s time with the Washington Wizards may be over, but if it is, he’s made the most of the opportunity at hand.

The NBA season is on hiatus. But they may just return for playoffs. Or they may cancel the year altogether. No one really knows just yet. For the Washington Wizards, that’ll mean saying goodbye to some faces that have spent years with the club, and for others like Shabazz Napier–just months.

Washington traded out Jordan McRae to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Napier, one of just two trades the Wizards pulled on the day of the deadline.

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The other was sending veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas to the LA Clippers in exchange for young, defensive stud Jerome Robinson.

But if the season’s truly over, this may be it for Napier’s Wizards career. He’s on an expiring deal, and after how he’s played with both the Minnesota Timberwolves and Wizards this season, he should have a decent size market for his services in free agency.

Say what you want about rentals; maybe general manager Tommy Sheppard knew that bringing in the 28-year old guard was nothing more than a place holder until the end of the year.

But Napier has made the most of his opportunity in Washington. Most recently, he was named the starting point guard for the last eight games. And in his last two, he’s scored 48 total points.

His fit with the Wizards was clear from the jump. As opposed to his starting point guard predecessor Thomas, Napier has the energy and more importantly, mobility they needed at the point.

He’s provided a scoring option that no longer permits opposing teams to send double teams at star shooting guard Bradley Beal. Napier has been a one-man offense some nights, all but warranting his own double team of defenders.

Of all the lineup changes head coach Scott Brooks has made to the starting lineup this year, his promoting Napier may have proved the most beneficial.

Washington’s 4-4 in their eight games with the point guard in the starting five, and Napier’s averaged 12.9 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.9 steals in that span.

He’s thrived from the three-point line, but also at the rim; where Thomas strongly lacked mobility in his finishes due to the same hip injury that essentially derailed his entire career.

Napier’s layup package is vast, and his finishes at the rim were a huge boost in the Wizards most recent comeback win over the New York Knicks, just before the hiatus commenced:

Here you can see Napier’s speed and handle on full display. He finished the drive and reversal (with his left, mind you) layup over Frank Ntilikina, who’s a great defender.

Then there’s this much more flashy layup off a steal from Napier, highlighting not only his vision of the floor but the speed and strength to finish out the tough move:

Napier was an instrumental piece in four key wins to this season. Victories they needed not necessarily for morale, but for their star guard’s hopes of continuing his career in Washington, for their many free agency pitches this summer that will be lacking the pizzaz of others.

And for Napier, he’s made an even larger market for himself. Any team that needs a backup point guard, contending or sitting at the bottom of their respective conference, will come calling.

It’s been a fun ride if this is it. Shabazz Napier’s tenure with the Washington Wizards has been energetic, eventful, and what very well may prove instrumental in their transition to next year.

If the NBA returns in full-fledged, scheduled play, right where they left off-well then savor the end of the season fans. Shabazz has been a bright light among few this season in Washington Wizards.