Why it’s Time for the Wizards to Start Kelly Oubre Jr.
Kelly Oubre Jr. has had an impressive start to the season, averaging 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a game. He brings an energy to the team that is lacking when the Wizards face competition that they should easily beat. The Wizards have had a recent history of struggling against smaller competition. For example, they have already lost to the 1-10 Mavericks and they lost the the young Lakers, these are teams that with the talent that the Wizards have should easily defeat. Kelly Oubre Jr. is the defensive stopper that the Wizards need in the starting five, they gave up 113 points to a Mavericks team that they should shut down and he has shown the ability to slow down or shut down the opposing team’s best scorer. Oubre Jr. is also a floor stretcher, often he gets open for threes and really stretches the floor for the Wizards, something the Wizards have to do if they want to compete with the great teams in the East. Moving Oubre Jr. to the starting five would have positive effects on the whole team, this move would effectively move Markieff Morris to the bench and would improve a struggling Wizards bench. Morris last year averaged fourteen points last season and would provide the scoring that the bench so desperately needs.
Coach Scott Brooks would be smart to make this move as the Wizards would be able to compete with the great teams in the east such as the Cavaliers, the Celtics, and the Bucks. Kelly Oubre Jr. has shown the ability to guard the opposing teams top scorer, for the Cavaliers he could guard Lebron James, for the Celtics he could guard Kyrie Irving or Jaylen Brown, for the Milwaukee Bucks he could guard Giannis Antetokounmpo. Putting Oubre Jr. in this role will force him to show up and give one-hundred percent every night, which would bring the best out of Oubre Jr. and hopefully fulfill his high potential. If Oubre Jr. capitalizes on the opportunity and maximizes his potential this move could very well propel the Wizards to elite status in the Eastern Conference.
