Wizards' Bub Carrington May Be Auditioning for More Security

Bub Carrington's reputation around the league never quite seem to line up with how well he's actually playing on the court.

The Washington Wizard's strong rookie season finish helped shield him from just how hairy his first month of the 2025-26 season really got, but by the time the masses were really starting to pile onto the inefficient shooter, he'd rediscovered his groove with more on-ball touches. Now, a midseason rally and the second Rising Stars nod that have lined his start to 2026 appear to be protecting Carrington from another slump, especially untimely now that he's really beginning to run out of runway.

Should he continue missing the kind of shots he's blowing to close out the final third of this ongoing regular season, his position as a fixture within the Wizards' upcoming plans may be put in jeopardy. And now that the front office is making their decisions public as to which contributors they'd like to hold onto and build around, Carrington's ability to prove himself is shooting to the top of the list of end-of-season storylines.

Carrington's Shooting Struggles

The guard is correctly regarded as a strong 3-point sniper, as he remains above 38% from distance amidst his waning accuracy. This month certainly hasn't seen his best ball, as Carrington's posted 36.1/27.3% splits across February, revealing just how ineffective he is when the outside shot isn's hitting.

Washington Wizards Guard Bub Carrington — Feb 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) sits on the floor after being fouled during a game against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

He wasn't exactly a slasher as a rookie, attempting a shot at rim just once per every 10 field goals, but he's cut that down to 5.2% of all shots without jumping as a finisher. That lack of paint pressure has sufficiently changed how he's being guarded as opponents know he's unwilling and incapable to take anyone to the hole, and his diminished pull-up midrange game hasn't helped.

The prospect isn't without his advantages; he's still yet to have missed a game, and his shooting stroke, serviceable defensive hands and passing eye each offer reasons to remain excited in his potential. But while his upside as a starter seem more like a long-shot than it had by this point last season, he needs to prove his best qualities to the team as they move forward to the next phase of their rebuild.

The Young Core's Shared Timeline

Most of the players that the Wizards have hand-picked since taking a purposeful nosedive into the game's basement have done good in repaying the Wizards' initial excitement. While Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson continue looking like franchise pillars, rookie Will Riley's own flash and vision at his size will keep his own intrigue as a strong rotational gamble alive and well. Even their second-round swings in Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins have begun cashing in on their supplementary value.

Carrington, unlike his extension-worthy draft classmates and low-risk deep-cut options, only has one more year until his second contract becomes a real talking point in his future as a Wizard. He's not quite in the Bilal Coulibaly zone, as the third-year pro is actively auditioning for more security amidst his own close to the season, but even he's shown more recent promise than the guard has.

Washington Wizards Forwards Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George — Dec 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) celebrates with Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) after scoring while being fouled by Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (not pictured) in the final seconds of the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Washington's pedal will be to the metal next year when the lineup becomes even more crowded upon the additions of Anthony Davis and Trae Young, proven All-Stars who will expect that the young talent assists their shared goal of quickly winning. Should Carrington continue toiling away as winter turns to spring, he could find it difficult to find meaningful minutes to start his third Wizards campaign.

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