NFL
By: Joe Cardoso
Fans had high hopes for a Bradley Beal and John Wall reunion and an offseason of improvement from the young core of Thomas Bryant, Troy Brown jr, and Rui Hachimura. All offseason rumors of a Bradley Beal trade came and went, and with each workout video of John Wall, the excitement grew. Suddenly, around mid-November, we heard Washington could trade Wall for Rockets star Russell Westbrook.
Both sides claimed to not be in talks, and then on December 2nd, Washington sent Wall to Houston along with a 2023 first-round draft pick. Everything changed, and the burst of positive energy Westbrook has brought is being felt by hoop fans all over the DMV. No one is saying this is a championship team, but they say the playoffs are an expectation and maybe a chance to make some noise in the East. This is a squad with many young talent playing towards proving themselves and with vets who fill roles.
The Roster:
Guards: It starts and ends with Beal and Westbrook. They should become one of the best backcourts in the league. Ish Smith will be a good backup in a small sample size, and I like what I saw from Raul Nato. I will be keeping an eye on Jerome Robinson and the former Big Ten player of the year Cassius Winston.
Forwards: I will say it now, and I’m sure I will say it often I already LOVE Deni Avdija! The kid is only 19 and so far shows no fear of the league and being a key player. He will only get better, and that is the best part. Now that Davis Bertans got paid, he can focus on knocking down the triple and improving his defense, which he lost at customs.
His ability to force opponents to come out and guard will open the lane for drives and kick-outs. Troy Brown Jr made considerable strides in the bubble and hopefully can build off of it. His shooting improvement and size are just what the doctor ordered. Hachimura will need to increase his 14ppg and six boards. The new-look backcourt should open things up for him.
Centers: This is the year Thomas Bryant becomes the player Washington has wanted, or at least we hope so. All signs point to it; he is in great shape, and his play is on the come up. Staying out of foul trouble is vital. Also, the Wizards need Robin Lopez and Mo Wagner to rise off the bench with long minutes and bang in the paint.
New Era
It is a new era in DC led by Bradley Beal, and the human energizer bunny known as Russell Westbrook, who had his best years under the current coach. 2018 seems like so long ago, and making the playoffs would be a significant step. With seven international players on the roster, this team is a melting pot in proper DC form. Staying healthy and getting a few unexpected wins will go a long way. For me, something feels different about this team, and if we can play just a little defense, the Wiz will turn some heads. Make sure to follow @NutsandBoltsSP for more NBA content and me @JoeCardoso301 for Wizards talk. Merry Christmas and #RepTheDistrict
