Twelve months and just 15 wins later, the Wizards no longer find themselves in an awkward transition period. Euphemisms are no longer required. Instead, Washington has plunged head first into a rebuilding effort with a pair of intriguing teenagers — Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington — as this summer’s Sin City headliners.
Youth movements in the NBA bring promise and pain: Sarr and Carrington, the No. 2 and No. 14 picks in June’s draft, experienced healthy doses of both during their first week on the court.
In the Wizards’ summer league opener Friday, a 94-88 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, Sarr claimed bragging rights over his French countryman Zaccharie Risacher, who went No. 1 in the draft. But Washington was blown out by the Houston Rockets, 109-91, on Sunday, and a Carrington-led comeback came up just short during an 82-80 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. Taken together, the first three games made it clear why the Wizards targeted Sarr, a 7-foot big man, and Carrington, a 6-5 wing, but also signaled a long season of development is ahead.
Sarr, 19, impressed with his end-to-end speed, lateral quickness and instincts on defense, looking comfortable defending in the post, roaming as a helper and stepping out to the perimeter against guards. He registered nine blocks in his first three games, rising high against Atlanta and Portland to swat shots hard off the glass. He added another block, plus 11 rebounds, in Thursday night’s 73-69 win against the Sacramento Kings.
“I always try to protect the rim,” Sarr said. “If I have to smash it off the backboard, that’s what I’ve got to do.”
Cody Toppert, coach of the Wizards’ summer league team, hailed Sarr as the team’s defensive “anchor” and a “really smart kid” while challenging him to be a more vocal leader.
Few big men in Las Vegas could match Sarr’s defensive versatility, but he struggled mightily on offense in a showcase setting that typically favors shot-creating guards. Playing in game action for the first time since his season in Australia’s National Basketball League ended March 13, Sarr couldn’t find his shooting touch and found it difficult to create driving lanes when he operated on the perimeter.
Through three games, Sarr shot just 8 for 41 (19.5 percent) from the field, including a miserable 0-for-15 in his matchup with Portland’s Donovan Clingan, the No. 7 pick who won back-to-back NCAA titles with Connecticut. The 7-foot-2 Clingan’s presence inside encouraged Sarr to operate outside the paint, which is his natural preference.
Unless he can generate more scoring opportunities at the rim or exercise more careful shot selection, Sarr appears headed for an inefficient rookie campaign as a scorer. However, his comfort on the perimeter has enabled him to show off a nice passing touch to cutting teammates.
“We’re definitely experimenting with how we use him,” Toppert said. “He’s got to continue to get in the fire and get in the battle. We dropped him off in the deep end, and he’s working on everything. He had some really good looks [against Portland]. I think fatigue got the best of him a little bit.”
Sarr brushed off his poor shooting against the Blazers as an “off night.” Washington’s decision to sign veteran center Jonas Valanciunas to a three-year, $30 million contract should ease the pressure on Sarr to deliver offense right away and give Coach Brian Keefe the ability to pack the paint with lineups that feature both big men together.
“I will have more of a hybrid role,” Sarr said when asked whether he expected to play power forward or center more often this season. “I don’t see myself as a fully outside player or a fully inside player. I’ll just take what the defense gives you and adjusting to every play.”
Carrington, meanwhile, hardly looked like an 18-year-old who just completed a one-and-done season at Pittsburgh. The smooth scoring guard boasts advanced skills as a shot-creator thanks to his ballhandling ability and well-honed shooting motion. Though he was streaky at times, he looked comfortable shooting off the dribble from beyond the arc.
The Baltimore native tallied 19 points and eight assists against Atlanta, then notched 18 points in the loss to Houston. His teammates and coaching staff were left impressed by his ability to handle defensive pressure and keep Washington’s offense organized. With Malcolm Brogdon and Poole projected as the Wizards’ lead ballhandlers this season, Carrington should find time as a complementary scorer in a wing rotation that lost Deni Avdija.
In another display of Carrington’s composure, he posted 20 points and five assists in the loss to Portland despite being held in check throughout the first half. In the closing seconds, he came up with a steal in the backcourt and nearly forced overtime with a pull-up jumper that rimmed off at the buzzer. Toppert praised Carrington’s ability to “stay in the present moment” and avoid letting “past frustrations” dictate his decisions, adding that his confidence makes him an “X-factor” in late-game situations.
“I’m about competing to the end,” Carrington said. “I grew up that way. I was bred that way. I’ve always been taught to play to the last whistle. I wish I would have hit the shot. I’m showing people that the Wizards traded for me [on draft day] for a reason. I’m showing people that I belong in this league, too.”
Because the Wizards prioritized prospects and future flexibility this summer, they will probably be among the leading contenders in the race for Cooper Flagg, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft. The Duke freshman, who stole the show during USA Basketball’s recent training camp in Las Vegas ahead of the Paris Olympics, has been scouted by Wizards personnel since he was 15 and is regarded as one of the top American prospects of the past decade.
Playing “Capture the Flagg” could require that Washington’s next season be even more challenging than last. Sarr and Carrington, who communicate daily in a text message group chat with fellow rookie Kyshawn George, can take heart knowing they are in it together.
“We get along well,” Sarr said. “That helps on the court when we communicate. It’s nice having someone like that in my corner.”
