Predicting the NBA Eastern Conference standings: Washington Wizards
CEILING: Play-in tournament, first round exit
FLOOR: Top-5 pick
It is this writer’s opinion that Washington improved this summer, jettisoning Russell Westbrook for Spencer Dinwiddie and a nice collection of versatile role players. Depth was a huge problem for the Wizards. Consider it solved. Westbrook had a good season in D.C., and his historic run of triple-doubles after the All-Star break was a real treat. Even so, he looked lost in the playoffs.
Getting a broader collection of role players around Bradley Beal is the right move. It’s fair to question whether Beal alone can lead Washington to any sort of playoff relevance, but Westbrook’s behemoth contract and ball-hogging style was not well suited for this Wizards team. Wes Unseld Jr., the new head coach, as a list of real options in the second unit, as opposed to Ish Smith and the two backup centers who saw minutes in their first round loss to Philadelphia.
The Wizards probably aren’t going anywhere particularly interesting, and there’s still a chance Beal will demand a trade before the deadline. He wants to win and this roster probably won’t do much better than .500 basketball, even if Spencer Dinwiddie can find another gear post-Brooklyn.
That said, the Wizards were a fun team last season, and this year should be no different. They’re built to play fast, with Beal controlling the tempo and spearheading a motley crew of shooters and vertical spacers. Beal will probably lead the NBA in points per game, and Dinwiddie is a real joy to watch when he’s given space to operate. The Wizards are good T.V., if not a particularly good NBA team.