En route to constructing one of the league's best and deepest rosters, the San Antonio Spurs had to make some difficult decisions. One such decision was letting go of [former 20th overall pick Malaki Branham.](https://airalamo.com/jeremy-sochan-distraught-reaction-spurs-trade-paints-sober-reality)
The Ohio State Buckeye was once a part of the rebuilding Spurs and looked to become a staple of the rotation. Unfortunately for him, things didn't go as planned. Now playing for the Washington Wizards, Branham has put to rest any doubt that the Spurs made the wrong decision.
Malaki Branham gave the Spurs a difficult decision to make
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Playing over 20 minutes a game in his rookie campaign, the youngster was off to a strong start. Branham averaged a little over 10 points per game and displayed promising grit and intensity. As time moved along, Malaki saw his points dip but found a new way to impress his coaches: shooting threes.
In his third season, the Ohio State product was shooting 40.5% from beyond the arc, suddenly presenting the Spurs with a tough decision. Even with a lack of playing time, his strong three-point shooting gave general manager Brian Wright options. Ultimately, he and Blake Wesley were traded for Kelly Olynyk.
The move led several Spurs faithful to question the decision, arguing that the 22-year-old still had more left to show in the NBA. As three-point shooting has become a premium in the league, many were left pondering why the Spurs would let an up-and-coming sniper go so early into his career. Well, it appears that his weaponry was fool's gold.
The Spurs clearly made the right choice
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Following Branham's exit from the Spurs, he set forth on a fresh start in Washington. This may have been his best opportunity to shine, given how poorly the Wizards have started the season. But despite the brutal lack of talent in DC, the fourth-year man has struggled to make an impact.
Branham has, in fact, gotten a chance to show that he was worthy of the 20th overall pick back in 2022, but he has completely fallen off the rails. With a 23% usage rate while on the court, Branham has a terrible -4 estimated plus-minus. This troubling stat ranks towards the bottom of all players in the NBA and highlights how much the youngster has struggled.
Further, the former 40% three-point shooter is now down to a staggering 22.2% from beyond the arc. This drastic a drop is unprecedented; it is clear that Branham may not have it.
At this point, Malaki Branham may be out of the league before we know it. It's an unfortunate story for the former Spurs first-rounder, but if you don't have what it takes to make a statement on the Washington Wizards, then your career may be over.
While Brian Wright has done an [excellent job piecing together a future contender](https://airalamo.com/spurs-monster-roster-overhaul-proves-brian-wright-doubters-wrong) in San Antonio, he has definitely had some misses; Malaki Branham will go down as one of them. Luckily, he righted his wrongs early and washed his hands of the mistake.