NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Washington Wizards should be mentioned with the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. However, trades and bad coaching have them in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference for the better part of the last few years. The team was never short on star talent with Bradley Beal, John Wall, and Russell Westbrook, and yet, they still struggled. Well, it appears that the 2022 season will finally bring change.
Last season was a colossal mess for the Wizards in terms of wins and losses. But it was the building block they created. After Westbrook was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Wizards quietly began to build a team instead of a bunch of individual talent. While Beal only played half the year, it was Kyle Kuzma who stepped into the leadership role with averages of 17.1 points and 8.5 rebounds.
While Kuzma was balling and finally living up to his potential and Beal was on the bench nursing his injuries, the Wizards continue to lose but started to build character as a unit. Then another building block was added at the trade deadline. The Wizards made a deal with the Dallas Mavericks that landed them Kristaps Porzingis. While many scoffed at it, Porzingis, in his 17 games with the Wizards averaged 22.1 points and 8.8 rebounds. Games were still lost but you could begin to see where the Wizards were heading with this.
All that was left was making sure Beal resigned with the team during the offseason. Once Beal made his decisions, it was time for the Wizards to begin to fill out the rest of their roster with what they deemed as the missing pieces. In doing so, they managed to make a trade with the Denver Nuggets by giving up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith for Will Barton and Monte Morris.
It seems small compared to what other teams did but a closer look will reveal that the Wizards came out on top of that. Yes, Caldwell-Pope and Smith were valuable members of the team, especially with their perimeter shooting but Morris is the PG the Wizards lacked. Last season, while starting for the Nuggets, Morris averaged 12.6 points and 4.4 assists while shooting .395 from beyond the arc. He’s an upgrade over Smith.
Can The Wizards Count On The New Guys
Barton is a scorer. There is no debating that. Last season, he averaged 14.7 points while shooting .365 from deep. It doesn’t matter where Barton fits into the rotation, he’s going to get buckets. The reason the Wizards have flown under the radar is due to the big splashes other teams made this offseason. But the Wizards have made the necessary moves to make the playoffs.
But not everyone is a believer. According to Bleacher Report, they have the Wizards finishing the season at 40-42. It seems fair but how are the Toronto Raptors predicted to be better? How are the New York Knicks predicted to finish with an identical record? There is no respect for them as the writer goes on to cite injuries. If the Wizards can stay healthy they should make the playoffs he said. Well, that’s true for every team in the league.
Look at the possible starting lineup for the Wizards. Morris (12.6), Beal (23.2), Barton (15.7), Kuzma (17.1), and Porzingis (22.1). And how can we forget the bench production? Last season was not a total waste. It provided the younger guys an opportunity to play solid minutes. Rui Hachimura (11.3), Corey Kispert (8.2), and Daniel Gafford (9.4) are valuable players for the 2nd unit.
Of course, chemistry will be their biggest hurdle. But what team this offseason will not have to deal with that? On paper, they are solid. They have everything an organization could ask for. They have a true star in Beal, and two great secondary scoring options in Porzingis and Kuzma. Good rebounding, a solid bench, and they have players who have been in the thick of things and won.
The Washington Wizards may not get all the respect in the preseason, but by the end of the year, don’t be surprised when they become the team everyone is now talking about.
