Takeaway #3: Troy Brown’s Potential

Troy Brown may not have been the most heralded rookie in the 2018 NBA Draft class, but he could turn out to be one of the better players to emerge from this year’s crop. Brown has a great deal of upside and potential to grow into a very good player for the Washington Wizards. He enters the NBA still a teenager, meaning that the next few years will allow him to determine exactly what kind of player he needs to be at the professional level, all before truly entering his prime. Brown is the fourth-youngest player currently on an NBA roster (only the Lakers’ Issac Bonga, Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson and New York Knicks’ Kevin Knox are younger), which gives him plenty of time to develop.

At 6-foot-7, Brown is able to play multiple positions on the floor, versatility that the Wizards are in need of. At times, it seemed that the Wizards didn’t have enough capable guards last season, a problem only made worse when John Wall missed a large chunk of the season. Brown has both the height and frame to play as a forward, and the dexterity and the athleticism to play as a guard. Head coach Scott Brooks can feature him in several different kinds of lineups this season, depending on what the team needs from a situational standpoint.

Brown played well in the Summer League, and the Washington Wizards will surely hope that trend can continue into the regular season. The rigors of an NBA schedule can be taxing, especially for a rookie as young as Brown. But with veteran teammates focused on success like John Wall and Bradley Beal, the transition into the league for Brown might be smoother than you would expect.