Marcin Gortat looking forward to more small ball
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Version 0 of 1. When Marcin Gortat agreed to spend the next five years of his career with the Washington Wizards last summer, the affable center understood he was enrolling for an operation incompatible with his skill set. Gortat assumed he would play alongside a traditional big man, in this case Nene, most of the time, and not in anything that resembled the groundbreaking pace-and-space systems he loved performing in with the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns. And he didn’t mind, at least not enough to reject $60 million. The Wizards had been successful in his first year in the District, advancing to the postseason for the first time in six years, and Gortat was a vital component. But his opinion changed last season. He noticed teams had figured out how to defend him and Nene. Defenders stuffed the interior, stifling guard penetration and torpedoing the frontcourt’s efforts. “It was just too crowded,” Gortat said. The Wizards improved from 44 to 46 regular season wins, but the offense remained below average and a restraint on their potential. That all changed in the postseason, when the Wizards unleashed Paul Pierce and Drew Gooden III at power forward for long stretches. The modification yielded an unrecognizably prolific offense. The team’s offensive rating jumped from 101.8, which ranked 19th in the NBA, to 103.3, and the sport’s continued evolution prompted the organization to prioritize adding the proper personnel over the offseason to implement the strategy for the upcoming campaign. John Wall and Bradley Beal are the obvious and most important beneficiaries of the perimeter-oriented configurations. Wall can break down defenses easier and, as a pass-first point guard, prey on them when they collapse with dishes to open teammates. Beal can capitalize on the extra space while shooters patrol the three-point line. But there is perhaps nobody happier with the development than Gortat, the only Wizard who hasn’t even thought about expanding his game beyond the three-point line. “That’s why you need me,” the Poland native said with a smile. “There’s a lot of people in this league that want to shoot jumpers and stand on the three-point line and shoot jumpers and pick and pops. I don’t have problems moving to the basket. I know it’s a tough job.” Gortat, 31, reveled in the small-ball offenses under Stan Van Gundy as Dwight Howard’s backup with the Magic and under Alvin Gentry as Steve Nash’s pick-and-roll partner with the Suns during his first six NBA seasons. He became a pick-and-roll specialist — Wizards forward Jared Dudley, Gortat’s teammate for two-plus seasons in Phoenix, professed Gortat is one of the best rollers in the league — and accumulated easy baskets by running the floor, utilizing the extra room available by having a three-point threat at power forward stretching the defense. “That’s how I made a living in this league,” Gortat said. “I don’t have a problem rolling to the basket, sprinting the floor, running [like a] gazelle, especially with John.” Gortat showcased his comfort with the style in the playoffs, shooting a staggering 62.8 percent from the field during Washington’s 10-game appearance, and has continued in training camp. At one point during practice Saturday, Gortat assisted on a basket. The seemingly unimportant event was noteworthy for Wall, who commented on how rarely Gortat tallies an assist. But Gortat, who averaged 1.2 helpers last season, theorizes the new system should make him a better passer, too, though that isn’t high on his list of concerns. “I’m glad he’s averaging 10. That’s the most important part,” Gortat joked. The optimism emerges after the most turbulent season of Gortat’s career. His scoring, rebounding, blocks and minutes all receded slightly, but the turbulence extended beyond numbers as he shouldered the burden of his new contract. He hit the nadir in February, when he was regularly benched in the fourth quarter and questioned his role in the offense. Gortat was irked and couldn’t conceal it as his gregarious nature vanished. After the season, Gortat revealed he had battled some personal strife. With a new uniform number — he switched from No. 4 to No. 13 following Kevin Seraphin’s departure in free agency — Gortat is moving on. “It’s going to be a huge opportunity for me to work on my game,” Gortat said, “and prove that I’m a better, dominant big man in this league.” |