Gary Payton II: B
Considering he came in mid-season on a G League call up, Gary Payton II gave the Wizards a real spark when he first arrived. He showed off his active hands and ball-hawk potential right away. For a team that needed a defensive presence at the point of attack, he filled in nicely. He also only shot 28.3 percent from 3-point range.
Unless they are elite distributors, it’s difficult for guards to stay on the court if they can’t make shots. It’s hard to imagine him taking minutes away from John Wall or Ish Smith or even playing next to them next year. He’s also 27 years old so he may not have much more room for growth at this point. But he was certainly fun to watch when he joined the roster!
Admiral Schofield: B-
It’s almost impossible to grade Admiral Schofield strictly on his performance for the Wizards because his minutes were so limited. When he did play, he competed hard and didn’t back down from any physical challenge even when playing as a small-ball center at times.
Unfortunately, he shot 29.8 percent from 3-point range, which isn’t going to get the job done for a 6-foot-5 wing. By all accounts, Schofield is a hard worker so it’s pretty likely he will continue to adapt to the longer NBA 3-point line. Even if he doesn’t, he’s a great character guy and “good for the culture” as they say.