What if I told you that there is a player in the league RIGHT NOW who has a PER of 23.6, shoots 67% from the field, possesses .227 winshares per 48, and scores 18 points per 36, yet only plays eighteen minutes a game? You would almost certainly not believe such an improbable claim. “A player of that quality,” you say, “would be hailed as the league’s next superstar, and his coach would have no choice but to play him at least thirty minutes per contest. Any other players on his team at his position would simply have to find employment elsewhere.”
If you prefer your mind not to be blown, now would be a good time to stop reading.
Brandan Wright is that player. Yes, it is true! If Brandan Wright got all the minutes that he has rightfully earned, he would be an all-star, and if you brought up the idea of starting Sam Dalembert over him, you would get laughed out of the room, if not executed immediately for your immense stupidity.
Okay, so maybe he wouldn’t be an all-star, as teams would start to gameplan for him, and he wouldn’t receive the constant stream of lobs that he currently gets. Still, #freeBrandan.