Wizards Veteran Key Part of Youth Movement

The Washington Wizards have value in a seldom-playing veteran.

Sep 30, 2024; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards forward Anthony Gill (16) poses for a portrait during Washington Wizards media day 2024 at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards' upcoming season is all about the youth and how to develop them in order to become better players.

It's also about figuring out which players fit the timeline for the team's future and learning which players don't. Chances are that Anthony Gill, who turns 32 later this week, isn't part of Washington's future. However, the fifth-year veteran re-signed with the Wizards on a two-year deal this offseason.

Gill has never been a key player for the Wizards, and the fact that he is still in the NBA at this point in his career is a miracle in itself. The undrafted free agent out of Virginia wasn't meant to be in the league for long after no team signed him following the 2016 NBA Draft. Yet, he grinded overseas after playing one year in Turkey for Yesilgiresun and three seasons for Khimki in Russia before the Wizards brought him back stateside in a return to the DMV.

Gill has only played in 179 games across his first four NBA seasons, and a majority of his appearances have come in garbage time. That being said, he can still play a vital role for the Wizards this season in a year where the youth and future are being prioritized.

The NBA is more than just what happens on the court. There is a lot that goes unseen off the court that adds value to the team. While Gill won't play a whole lot for the Wizards this season, he brings value as a hard-working veteran who can keep the team level-headed through what could be some difficult times.

If the preseason losses have foreshadowed any of what the Wizards will face in the upcoming season, it could be a long year, and Gill is aboard in order to keep the team from falling too low.

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