Wizards Notes: Brown, Workouts, GM Search

Ben Standig of NBC Sports Washington sat down with Wizards rookie Troy Brown Jr. to discuss his first year in the NBA, which began with an overwhelming welcome at the combine and finished with Brown becoming a calmer, wiser, 19-year-old man.

“I wouldn’t say I was lost (in regard to the 2018 NBA Combine), but I didn’t know what to expect,” Brown said. “I was just kind of going about things, trying to do everything the best I could. …I knew I was going to get drafted, but it was more about the work that I put in. Is it going to happen? I want to go this number (in the draft). There’s a lot of stuff running through your brain.”

Immediate expectations for Brown’s rookie season were not very high, as Washington came into the season with playoff aspirations and more. But after a disappointing 2018/19 campaign, Brown may be the most important player on the roster long term after All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal.

“It’s definitely weird not knowing who is going to be back and knowing our whole roster (might) be different… (but) (a)t the same time, you know it’s a business… I’m kind of use to it now. I had 24 teammates in one year.”

There’s more out of D.C. tonight:

• The Wizards hosted six players for workouts today, per a release from NBA.com. The players are Duke big man Marques Bolden, Houston guard Armoni Brooks, South Carolina guard Tre Campbell, South Sudanese forward Matur Maker, Buffalo forward Nick Perkins, and former Kansas guard Lagerald Vick.
• The Wizards will host six more prospects tomorrow, per NBA.com – LSU big man Kavell Bigby-Williams, Nevada forward Jordan Caroline, UCF guard Aubrey Dawkins, Australian guard William McDowell-White, Virginia Tech guard Justin Robinson, and Clemson big man Elijah Thomas.
• Candace Buckner of The Washington Post speculates that the delay in the search for the Wizards’ new head of basketball operations could be a sign that the team is focused on hiring someone who currently works for the Warriors or Raptors, perhaps even Toronto’s current lead man Masai Ujiri. We discussed the possibility of the Wizards targeting Ujiri on Wednesday.