WASHINGTON — Several questions followed the Washington Wizards’ acquisition of Anthony Davis. Mainly: How would he pair with fellow big man Alex Sarr, and how would Washington mitigate potential spacing issues with two bigs who shot 27% and 33.3%, respectively, from three last season?
The Wizards want teams to adjust to their size, not the other way around. But through 10 games, Washington’s double-big experiment hasn’t worked. The numbers tell the story.
Washington sports a 106.9 offensive rating and is shooting 28.8% from three with both Davis and Sarr on the floor. Those figures rise to 122.2 and 31.1%, respectively, with just Davis in the lineup, according to databallr.com.
The team’s offensive rating jumps to 108.4 when Sarr is the lone big man and 113.4 with only Deandre Ayton. It’s not surprising that Sarr’s best showing — a 15-point, 14-rebound performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder — came the second Brian Keefe abandoned the double-big lineup. And it doesn’t get much better with Ayton involved.
Washington has posted a 93.5 offensive rating and made zero 3-pointers in the 15 minutes Sarr and Ayton have played together. The only double-big combination that’s somewhat worked is Ayton and Davis. The Wizards have a 111.7 offensive rating and are shooting 42.9% from three in the 42 minutes those two have played together.
