Washington Wizards: Grading Every Player 3/4 Way Through the Season

While the Wizards currently sit in second-to-last place in the NBA, not all of their players are slumping. Some have been outperforming their original expectations. 

These are the grades for each member of the Wizards excluding Brian Cook and Nene, as they have just joined the team. 

On the last slide I will average out the grades like a GPA to get the overall grade for the Wizards this season. 

Andray Blatche: D-

Andray Blatche came into this season with big expectations from both Wizards fans and himself. The two most significant things that have happened to Blatche this year include being booed at home and recently being benched because he is too out of shape. 

Having supposed to transform into one of the leasers on this young team, Blatche has transformed into the fans most hated player. 

While Blatche certainly deserves some of the hate he is receiving for his poor play, he is a young player who still has room to grow. The NBA is filled with problematic youngsters who grew up to be solid players.

While this year has been a disaster for Blatche, the way that he responds in the offseason and next year will be the real test of his character. 

Trevor Booker: A

Booker started the season on the bench but has emerged into the best low-post scorer the Wizards have. With the addition of Nene, the Wizards have a tandem that hustles and plays hard on every play.

Already very polished for only his second year in the league, Booker is able to handle the pressure of being one of the few down low options for the Wizards. 

He needs to improve on his shooting if he is to become a better player, but for now he has done an excellent job proving that he can be a building block for the future of D.C.

Jordan Crawford: B-

A high-volume shooter, Crawford is going to have great shooting nights and off nights, but lately he is starting to emerge as a solid player for the Wizards.

After they shipped Nick Young out, Crawford has stepped up his game, not scoring lower than 20 points in his last four games.

Besides scoring, Crawford doesn't bring much to the table, but he could eventually mature into a James Harden or Jason Terry kind of streak-shooter. 

Washington would be best served to have Crawford come in off the bench next season as the scorer on their second unit, but for now he is doing a fine job of playing the 2-guard.

Maurice Evans: F

Besides being the Wizards player representative during the lockout, Mo Evans has done virtually nothing for Washington this season.

Having only played in 16 games this season, Evans' only positive has been his veteran leadership. Having someone like him in the locker room is always a plus, but the Wizards were looking for some to produce form the bench and that is just not Evans. 

Rashard Lewis: D-

Kobe Bryant, Rashard Lewis, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. These are the four highest paid NBA players. While it can be argued that the skill set of all of these players has decreased, the have all found different ways to change their game and still be productive members of their team. Except for Lewis. 

7.8 points per game is fine for a role player coming off the bench, but is just plain unacceptable form the second highest paid player in the league. 

Lewis might still have some value somewhere down the line, but his contract is going to take a very skillful trade to make it fit for the value of the player the Wiz will be getting back. Amnesty is always another option, but whatever happens, Lewis' future in D.C. does not look very bright. 

Shelvin Mack: C-

Mack has had an up-and-down year for the Wizards, but it's really his game which is inconsistent. Mack has shown great strides on the defensive end of the floor, but has had trouble controlling the offense when Wall is out of the game.

A decent backup this season, Mack is going to have to work on his offensive game. Part of that will come as he ages. In only his rookie season, Mack has shown enough promise to keep his backup spot in the Wizards rotation. 

Roger Mason: D

Mason was another player brought in to provide veteran leadership, but for someone known for this three-point shot, his shot has not been falling. 

Mason has been fairly average this season. He was not bringing anything special to the table but not really doing stupid things that hurt the team. He would get the average grade of C, but because his shooting has been off this season it gets bumped down to a D.

Kevin Seraphin: C+

If Kevin Seraphin played up to his potential each night, this would be a B+ or A. Instead, his inconsistencies have plagued him throughout the season. 

His good games this year give hope for a great piece of the future, but for now Seraphin remains a solid backup to Nene.

Hopefully as he develops, the Wizards can ride him for more minutes like they have in his great games this season.

Chris Singleton: C-

Coming into the NBA with the reputation as an elite defensive player, Singleton has struggled to contain on the perimeter this season. 

He had a strong start to the season, but has regressed into looking confused on both offense and defense at times. 

Averaging only 4.4 points a game, Singleton needs to step it up if he wants to stay in the Wizards rotation for next year. 

John Wall: B-

Wall is one of the best young players in the league, but has struggled mightily at times this year. He has not gone through the improvement this year that everyone assumed he would, but he remains the best Wizard and the leader of the team.

One thing that should help Wall's growth is the Wizards around him improving. With Nene and whomever they take in the 2012 NBA Draft, Wall should have more options for next season. 

Everyone knows that Wall's speed and court vision are elite, but he still has a long way to go until he is considered a great point guard. Getting his team out of the lottery is the first step. 

Jan Vesely: D

Jan Vesely is a project that the Wizards are going to need to develop over the next few years. His athletic skills are off the charts and his versatility may be even too much for the Wizards, as they can't figure out where to play Vesely. 

This season, Vesely has only averaged three points per game. While he has shown flashes of brilliance throughout the season, he needs to be much more consistent for the Wizards to earn value from drafting him sixth in the draft. 

Conclusion

Wizards average: D+ to C-.

This helps to explain how they are among the worst teams in the NBA.

While Washington does have some solid parts to build around, the Wizards must be active in free agency and have a good draft if they wish to get out of the lottery next season.