Biggest Questions and Answers for Washington Wizards This Offseason

As almost every offseason has been for the Washington Wizards in the past several years, there are a number of questions heading into next season. 

At this time, there certainly aren't clear-cut answers to any of these questions, as it will take several months to play out. The Wizards first must go through the NBA draft in June and the free-agency period after that. 

However, the majority of these questions must be answered properly if the Wizards are to improve as much as their fans would like them to.

Washington has a number of free agents it needs to evaluate and determine whether they will be back, and general manager Ernie Grunfeld and the rest of the front office need to make a number of decisions with the current players already under contract.

This ranges from the biggest stars on the team such as John Wall to role players such as Emeka Okafor.

Different outcomes may result depending on how the team addresses each of these critical questions. Yet the answer to each must make the most sense for the team's immediate and future improvement.

Who Will the Wizards Draft with the No. 3 Pick?

The Washington Wizards finally had some luck two weeks ago when they received the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA draft via the lottery. 

Washington, which was projected to receive the No. 9 pick with only a three percent chance to win the No. 1 pick, now has a number of options in the draft.

Rumors abound as to which player will go No. 1 overall to the Cleveland Cavaliers. This would obviously narrow the players available for the Wizards at No. 3. 

These players include Nerlens Noel, Otto Porter and Anthony Bennett. 

Of the three, Porter seems to be the best option for Washington because he fills a need at small forward, and, as a former Georgetown Hoya, he is a hometown guy.

In his final season with the Hoyas, the sophomore Porter averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game, finishing the season with seven double-doubles.

The 19-year-old may never be a superstar in the NBA, but he has the potential to be a perennial starter in the league, and would further bolster the promising young core in Washington that already features guards John Wall and Bradley Beal.

Who Will Start at Small Forward?

Heading into the offseason, the Wizards currently lack a starting small forward.

Martell Webster, who started the majority of the games at small forward this season, is currently a free agent and there haven't been any reports of Webster discussing a new contract with the Wizards.

However, Webster's status with Washington depends upon their status in the draft. If the Wizards land Otto Porter with the No. 3 pick, then the small forward position is solved. 

But if Porter isn't there and Washington ends up taking Nerlens Noel or Anthony Bennett, it leaves the small forward position open. In that event, Washington should seriously consider re-signing Webster.

Webster really came on strong in the second half of the season when John Wall returned from injury. During the month of March, he averaged just under 15 points per game. For the season, Webster averaged 11.4 points per game on the season, while shooting 44 percent from the field. 

Porter is the better, younger option at small forward, but if he is unavailable Webster is certainly a solid alternative. 

Will John Wall Receive a Max Contract Extension?

Back in March, John Wall said he was deserving of a max contract extension.

Now that the season is over, the Wizards have the opportunity to decide if he truly is. 

With only one year left on his rookie contract, it's almost time for Wall to receive a new contract anyways. Now is the perfect time for the Wizards to commit to Wall, because if they want to become a winner, Wall is the only player currently on the roster with the talent to lead them in that direction.

After returning from injury, Wall had one of his best seasons in 2013, averaging 18 points and seven assists per game.

Between Wall and Bradley Beal, the Wizards have a promising future and a young core to build around.

Washington would be making a huge mistake to not give Wall a max contract extension.

What Will Happen with Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor?

After Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor were originally brought in to clear the cap space that Rashard Lewis' contract was taking up.

Now, it's Okafor and Ariza holding the Wizards back from making moves in free agency.

Okafor ($14.5 million) and Ariza ($7.7 million) will have the two highest salaries on the team next season. Should Ernie Grunfeld decide to trade the No. 3 pick prior to the draft, Okafor and Ariza could be trade pieces.

This offseason, Grunfeld should try to package Ariza in a trade, as he's underachieved since joining Washington and will see his role decreased should the Wizards select Otto Porter in the draft.

However, the Wizards should keep Okafor at least for one more season, as he was the team's best defensive player, leading Washington to the eighth-best scoring defense in the league in 2012-13.

Next offseason, the Wizards need to let both Ariza and Okafor go no matter what; Washington's cap space will go way up with both of their contracts gone. 

Will Washington Make Any Moves in Free Agency?

Outside of the draft, the only other way the Wizards can improve their team is through free agency. However, Washington has cap-space issues, and it's unclear what kind of moves it could actually make this offseason.

If they find a way to clear up some space, they could go after a few players, including Jarrett Jack.

Washington lacks a true backup point guard, and getting Jack means having a scoring threat off the bench and someone who could fill in should John Wall again go down with an injury. Jack made about $5 million this season with the Golden State Warriors, so he might be out of Washington's price range.

Another option is Kyle Korver, who is an unrestricted free agent. Korver spent this season with the Atlanta Hawks and made $5 million while averaging 10 points per game.

Should the Wizards bring back Webster at small forward or draft Otto Porter, Korver would be a good veteran backup. 

In the end, however, it might be best for Washington to sit tight in free agency. They have almost no cap space and should focus on building through trades and the draft instead of mining the free-agent market.

Who Will Start at Power Forward?

Who Will Start at Power Forward?

Between the aging Nenê and the laughingstock that is Jan Vesely, Washington's power forward position is a concern, but not as serious as some of the team's other questions. 

Nenê is getting up in age, and it's starting to wear on him. Vesely is also turning out to be a complete bust. However, Nenê is a formidable starter and is under contract for the next few years.

Until the Wizards can figure out a way to dump Nenê's contract, the power forward position is pretty much set.