Washington Wizards' Miserable March Doesn't Change Their Uncertain Future

Things couldn't get much worse for the Wizards, who have seen their season go from bad to worse since the turn of the new year. The March Madness associated with college basketball stood as the antithesis to the March Washington just finished.

Seventeen games, 16 losses, and an array of problems. But what else is new for the Wizards these days?

After being suspended for the season and getting a lenient sentence for felony gun charges, Gilbert Arenas is supposedly welcome back in Washington next season. So much for obliterating his likeness from the Verizon Center, right? His return means the upcoming draft will be more difficult to predict, or even plan for.

How many other players keep their contracts after displaying firearms in the team locker room?

The Wizards were over their roster purge hangover when March began, but looked more dysfunctional despite having more team chemistry than before. So how did they manage just a single win in the month?

Sheer luck, I imagine, but it is the 16 losses that deserve attention here.

Perhaps it was the disconnect between coach Flip Saunders and meteoric Andray Blatche that stemmed from Blatche refusing to get back on defense. Blatche proceeded to take himself out of the game and remained out for the rest of the night.

Saunders stated afterwards, "I'm more disappointed in him than I've ever been with a player in my coaching career."

How does that sound for the highest scoring player on the roster since the trade deadline?

Before it was certain what Arenas' future with the team would be, Blatche looked like a real pro instead of the kid with all the potential but none of the sense to use it. He flashed back to the latter, but seems to have settled lately despite the lone win in March.

Beyond Arenas and Blatche, the rest of the roster is constantly rotating new names in these days.

The Wizards have tapped the D-League and free agency to deal with injuries and get as many looks at as many players as they can heading into the offseason, with so few players contracted for next year. The influx of untapped talent has made every game interesting, even if the result isn't always a win.

Alonzo Gee made his mark on the Wizards with a pair of 10-day contracts, before being signed for the rest of the season by the San Antonio Spurs. Cedric Jackson was a depth signing, and likely won't see much time.

The real interesting players are Shaun Livingston and Cartier Martin.

Martin made his presence known against New Jersey on April 4 with 16 points while displaying an ability to get to the basket and create offense. He played with the Warriors earlier this season and did well in his time there. He could earn a spot on someone's roster next season, even if only for depth.

You may remember Livingston from the gruesome video of him dislocating his knee, tearing his ACL, PCL, and spraining his MCL. It isn't often that a player returns from a flurry of injuries such as that.

Livingston showed the Wizards enough to earn a contract for the remainder of the season.

Since that time on March 19, Livingston has logged substantial minutes and scored in double figures five times, including a 21-point, five-rebound, eight-assist output in the win against the Warriors on April 6.

Very few casual fans would be able to name more than a few players on Washington's roster. That number may spike or bottom out when the season ends, but one thing is for sure, change is in order for the Wizards.

What does all the roster turnover mean if the thorn in their proverbial paw (Arenas) stands between the team and a true rebuild?

It means the new owner, Ted Leonsis, will have to work his magic. The same magic that turned the Washington Capitals from one of the worst teams in the NHL to Stanley Cup contenders. That is, assuming he has the same level of involvement.

The Washington Wizards are in an advantageous position with decent room under the cap and plenty of holes to fill.

There is likely to be speculation about their potential involvement in the mouth-watering free agency class scheduled for the summer, but the draft is a much better option with three picks. Two first-rounders could make a big difference for Washington.

Fans can only watch as the season drags to a close. The Wizards are out of playoff contention, if they weren't already a long shot, and everyone is playing for their job with the remaining games. Once the season ends, the draft may finally be an exciting time for the Wizards.

And may they put the Kwame Brown debacle of the last decade behind them in the process.