Revisiting the Ramon Sessions and Andre Miller Swap

The Washington Wizards have won four straight games, including an impressive victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at home. While things may seem fine right now, it wasn’t long ago that we were bashing the panic button.

The Wizards had previously lost six straight games, including losses to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers. At that point, the sky could’ve been falling and it wouldn’t have made a difference for Washington’s fan base.

What made Washington’s losing streak even worse was their lack of improvement before the NBA Trade Deadline.

While teams were making moves, solidifying their roster before the playoffs begin, the Wizards sat back and made one minor trade: Ernie Grunfeld decided to swap fan-favorite Andre Miller for Sacramento Kings guard Ramon Sessions.

Like virtually every other Wizards fan, I was angry at the deal. I mean, how could Washington’s front office see value in that deal? Despite the age difference, Andre Miller is clearly the better player. Sessions was playing the worst basketball of his career in Sacramento, yet George Karl and Co. seemed to swindle Washington’s brass.

Fastforward a month or so, and I can admit that I was wrong.

I still believe that Andre Miller is a better player than Ramon Sessions, and I think most would agree with me, but I failed to see what Sessions provided beyond the boxscore.

Unlike in Washington where he was asked to play a very small role, Andre Miller has played major minutes under George Karl. With Daren Collison out, Miller and Ray McCallum have split the minutes. Miller has played 20+ minutes in virtually every game since arriving to Sacramento. In D.C., Miller received three straight DNP-CDs in February and played a combined 8 minutes in 5 straight games.

Miller believed that he was doing what the coaches were asking him to do, which was to play spot minutes behind John Wall, who’s currently 9th in minutes per game:

“I guess I got the bad end of the stick. For a guy to only play 10 minutes a game you figure why would I be the one to get moved? But I try not to individualize it. I try to look at it as a team kind of hit a stretch where we struggled a little bit.”

Miller is right. He was doing exactly what the Washington Wizards were asking him to do. But, with that said, it was clear that Washington needed to make a change.

The Wizards have played at a much faster pace since acquiring Ramon Sessions, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

Miller plays at a very calming, slow pace that helped Washington make a push for the playoffs this past season, but this year, the second unit needed a different look.

Last year, the bench was called the ‘AARP Unit’ for a reason. Miller’s style of play work along side Drew Gooden, Al Harrington and even Martell Webster. When John Wall takes a breather, though, the Wizards have to find a way to continue the pace.

Ramon Sessions has averaged about 6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists over the past five games. Those stats certainly don’t jump off the screen, but his play has gone beyond the stat-sheet.

Sessions, similar to John Wall in his rookie season, attacks the basket recklessly, often drawing fouls in transition. His finishing ability isn’t stellar, but he’s done a good job of getting to the free throw line, which is an area the Wizards struggle at.

Sessions has also played with Wall in spurts. Miller’s reluctance to shoot the ball made him a bad fit with Wall, and it certainly hurt the second unit’s offense. When Kevin Seraphin is your only option to score, you’re probably going to have a tough time sustaining leads. Ramon Sessions isn’t a knock-down shooter, but he’s thrived in transition and gives Washington another creator that they desperately needed.

Neither Andre Miller nor Ramon Sessions are long term options for their respective teams. Still, both teams got what they were looking for. In terms of production, Miller is an upgrade over Sessions for the Kings. He’ll provide the calming presence their team needs and his familiarity with George Karl’s system has allowed him to transition seamlessly.

On the flip side, the Wizards got a quick, young burst of energy off the bench from Ramon Sessions. He’s also making about half of the money Miller will earn, and is under contract for next season as well.

After a few weeks of watching both players take on their new roles, I think it’s safe to say both teams got what they were looking for. Professor Miller will always be missed, but Razor Ramon has given the second unit a new look that it needed.