Wizards add Jonathon Simmons, Va. Techs Justin Robinson to the roster
The Washington Wizards started the NBA draft with a threadbare roster of five healthy players and only one pick in the first round. However, following the selection of Rui Hachimura with the ninth pick, the team added depth with several moves late Thursday night.
Washington completed a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers for wing Jonathon Simmons as well as the draft rights of the 42nd pick, Tennessee’s Admiral Schofield, for cash considerations. Also, the Wizards agreed to a contract with Virginia Tech point guard Justin Robinson, who was not drafted but impressed the team enough to scoop him up after the 60th and final pick.
“He’s exciting. He’s a player that we worked out,” said Tommy Sheppard, the team’s interim president of basketball operations. “He came through. Everybody watched the [NCAA] tournament games that were at [Capital One Arena].”
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“He was injured most of the year. He came back and sacrificed himself to be able to play,” Sheppard continued. “He’s someone, again, you admire so much about his game and everything. A kid that we worked out and kind of one of those guys: ‘Hey look, I hope you get drafted. I hope your dreams are realized. If you don’t, I promise you, we will figure out a way.’”
During his senior season, Robinson appeared in 24 games, the fewest in a single season in his collegiate career, but averaged 13.5 points and 5.0 assists. To begin his professional career, Robinson probably will play a significant portion of the season with the G League Capital City Go-Go.
“We can bring players in with the Wizards and kind of expedite their growth with the Go-Go,” Sheppard said. “The Go-Go need a great point guard for the players we’re going to sign, and automatically I can tell you, Justin Robinson will be very familiar with the inner workings of that whole franchise and our whole franchise. He has an opportunity to play for the Wizards, but it’s going to be because of the work he’s going to do with them, the Go-Go.”
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Simmons, at 6-foot-6, has played four seasons in the NBA but also started as an undrafted player. Simmons paid $150 to attend an NBA D-League tryout and caught the attention of the San Antonio Spurs. After two seasons in San Antonio, Simmons enjoyed a career year in 2017-18 with the Orlando Magic, starting 50 games and averaging 13.9 points. Simmons landed in Philadelphia as part of the February trade that sent former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz to Orlando.
Schofield averaged 11.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists during his four seasons at Tennessee. Last season, Schofield led the SEC in field goals made (238) and his team in three-pointers (74).
Read more on the NBA draft:
Rui Hachimura’s selection by the Wizards breaks barriers and raises expectations in Japan
2019 NBA draft: Winners (Pelicans, Hawks) and losers (trade rules, Warriors)
Zion Williamson picked No. 1, Hawks move up for De’Andre Hunter in trade-filled NBA draft
Zion Williamson got hit with a $100 million lawsuit just before the draft
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