Cooks, Muscala, and Gill: A three

Apr 16, 2024

Filed under:

We’ve been putting the Statistical Doppelgänger Machine to work over the past month, and today is it’s biggest test of the year. Can the fraying duct tape and shredding twine keep things held together while running the numbers on three (3) players who will potentially be on the roster for some of the 2023-24 season? Let’s find out.

Quick note: the Statistical Doppelgänger Machine factors age and an array of pace-neutral statistical categories like minutes played, usage, preferred shot types, offensive and defensive rebounding, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, fouls, scoring, and an overall measure of the player’s production relative to era.

Since I’m running three guys, I’m capping the comps at top five.

Xavier Cooks joined the Wizards later than usual because he was busy in Australia’s NBL winning MVP and leading the Sydney Kings to a second championship in as many years. It was an odd acquisition because he was already 27 years old, and while he’s a very good basketball player in broad terms, that’s not quite the same as being a good NBA player. He has the game of an NBA center, but at 6-8 and 183 pounds, he’s built more like a wing or a big guard.

To the comps:

Other notable comps for Cooks: Derek Strong, 1995-96; James Singleton, 2005-06 (yes, that James Singleton, but this was a season with the Clippers); Trevor Booker, 2017-18 (with the Sixers); Edjuardo Najera, 2003-04. Interesting that the doppelgänger machine’s comps for Cooks are mostly from previous decades.

By all accounts, Anthony Gill is a mensch and an all-time elite teammate. Overseas, he shot well. In the NBA, his shooting drooped, and he seems reluctant to pull the trigger. He’s likely to be on the roster for a third season because he’s that good as a supportive teammate, leader, and quasi-assistant coach.

A few other comps for Gill that seem in the “about right” category: Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Ben Poquette, Michael Curry, Major Jones, Larry Stewart.

A journeyman big who shoots well, and...that’s kinda it. Another good guy and good teammate, who’s liked by everyone who gets to work with him. Muscala was a second round pick in 2013 and has 10 seasons and five teams (not counting the Wizards yet) on the odometer. He’s been basically not bad for a backup center. At 31 last season, his production slipped in both Boston and Oklahoma City.