Two Ways Wizards Can Unlock Alex Sarr

Alex Sarr has had a good rookie campaign. While some critics were ready to call him a bust after five Summer League games, he has progressed on a weekly basis and is in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. He's showed promise, but is far from a finished product. How can the Washington Wizards unlock Sarr and turn a hopeful rookie into a building block star?

Excel in the Paint, Use Jumper as Complimentary Skill

Sarr can no doubt shoot the rock. Whether it's from three-point range or mid-range, he can stretch the floor and shoot over shorter defenders. He can be a little dependent on his jumper though, and many would love to see him participate and even dominate in the paint more.

As a seven-footer, he needs to have more of a presence in the paint. He has promise as a rim protector and swats more shots than an elephant swats flies, but he still has ways to improve.

He tends to ball-watch a lot and falls for pump fakes too often. He could definitely help himself with adding some strength and a little muscle in the offseason, but defense is a mentality, and if he plays with more aggression in the paint, he could create more of a presence and have more of an impact on the game defensively.

Speaking of aggression, his offensive game could use some, too. While he's shown more touch and presence in the lane, he still tends to hang around the perimeter instead of posting up, boxing out and preventing other teams from extending possessions. If he can fine-tune his paint skills on both sides of the ball and play with controlled aggression, he'll blossom into a two-way star.

Make Sarr a Lob Threat

One way to get Sarr more involved in the offense would be to use him in pick-and-roll opportunities. He is still too dependent on his jumper and is still learning to use his leverage in rebounding to make up for his developing strength. Once he does get stronger, he could eat just on put-backs alone. When you look at the speed and elusiveness of guards Jordan Poole, Bub Carrington and AJ Johnson, he could become a serious lob threat and could add to the capabilities of the Wizards.

The Wizards tend to live and die on the perimeter. They rely too much on their three-point shot and don't utilize proper ball movement or moving without the ball.

If you watch Sarr, he moves well without the ball, but the team fails to capitalize and often overlooks him when he rolls through the lane. He could also post up more without being just a pick-and-roll participant. Once he learns how to play with his back to the basket and get more involved with rebounding, it'll catch defenses off-guard and guessing.

When it comes to Sarr's offensive development, he should learn from the paint and then push his skills to the perimeter. His jumper should be a complementary skill, not the main attraction. Once he becomes more of a well-rounded center, he'll be a star in Washington. It just takes time.

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