Washington Wizards: Ian Mahinmi's Injury Increases Johnny O'Bryant's Chances Of Making Team
Washington Wizards: With Ian Mahinmi out, Johnny O’Bryant’s chances of actually making the roster have increased significantly.
Next man up.
That’s how NBA teams operate when an injury occurs.
On Saturday, the Washington Wizards announced that Ian Mahinmi, who they signed to a $64 million deal in the summer, will be out four to six weeks after undergoing knee surgery.
Mahinmi became the Wizards’ top target after Ernie Grunfeld failed to convince Al Horford to join the team.
As a starting center for the Indiana Pacers, Mahinmi became a top-10 defender in the NBA. Washington hoped that acquiring Mahinmi would help the team regain their defensive identity after falling out of the NBA postseason picture this past season.
Washington has struggled defensively in the preseason, allowing numerous big men to have outstanding games without much resistance. The likes of Hassan Whiteside, Richaun Holmes, Joel Embiid, DeMarcus Cousins and Willie Cauley-Stein all dominated the Wizards in limited time.
Somehow, the Wizards are going to have to replace the production that Mahinmi would have given them. It will ultimately have to be done by committee. Marcin Gortat, in particular, has to become more aggressive and protect the rim better than he’s been doing in preseason.
Without Mahinmi in the lineup, the Wizards will turn to Jason Smith more than they normally would have.
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His absence, however, will also give Johnny O’Bryant an increased chance to make the roster.
The former Milwaukee Bucks big man has been one of the many players that are on non-guaranteed contracts that have played well for Washington during the exhibition games.
In the games he’s played over 15 minutes, O’Bryant has averaged 10 points and has made 8 of his 12 total shot attempts.
More importantly, he’s provided energy and defense off the bench; perhaps even more than some of the players that are guaranteed roster spots.
Similar to Trevor Booker during his time with the Washington Wizards, O’Bryant has found a way to make the most of his minutes by doing the “little things.”
Much of his contribution doesn’t even show up on the box score. Against the New York Knicks, for example, O’Bryant stopped Kristaps Porzingis from getting any easy looks and helped the Wizards get much-needed momentum defensively.
As I’ve said in the past, every team should have room for a player like O’Bryant.
In a league that’s become more focused on offense, it’s difficult to find players that accept their role and allow the game to come to them instead of constantly forcing the action.
O’Bryant will never have a play called for him nor will he ever isolate against a defender. He’s still managed to score, rebound and make his presence known.
Mahinmi, in many ways, is similar. He’s not a Whiteside-type shot blocker, but he was still an elite defender with the Pacers. Mahinmi knew how to utilize his size effectively and didn’t always go for the highlight worthy play. His game isn’t predicated on athleticism, either. It’s purely based on positional standing and remaining physical. The same could be said for O’Bryant.
When the Wizards first signed O’Bryant, it didn’t look like he had a shot to make the team. The Wizards already had five healthy bigs on the roster. Things have changed, as he might actually have a chance to earn a “JOB” in the nation’s capital.