10 Expectations for the Washington Wizards' 2010-11 Season

The Washington Wizards' 2010-11 season is going to be filled expectations that may or may not be met, strides that should be made, and questions that need to be answered.

For example

• Will John Wall's rookie season be as successful as his NBA Summer League showing?
• Will Gilbert Arenas come back motivated to prove that he is still a top 10 player?
• How much has JaVale McGee's game progressed?
• Has Andray Blatche matured and is he going to become an elite power forward?
• Will Al Thornton finally fulfill his promise as one of the better small forwards in the league?
• Can John Wall and Gilbert Arenas play well together and, more importantly, make the rest of the team better?
• Will Kirk Hinrich bring the leadership the Wizards desperately need?
• Can Josh Howard return to All-Star form?
• Will the bench players play better than opposing teams' bench players?

With all of these questions, and more, let's take a look at the 10 biggest expectations for the Wizards upcoming season.

Expectation #10: Just What the Doctor Ordered

Abe Pollin, may he rest in peace, passed away last year. Under his ownership, the Washington Wizards/Bullets organization saw many ups and downs. Unfortunately, there were many more downs.

After winning the 1978 NBA Championship, the Washington Wizards began three decades of mostly bad management decisions, played bad on the court, all accompanied by a lot of bad luck.

Abe Pollin was a loyalist, who hired people he loved, admired, and in most cases, people who were not qualified for their jobs. Management always seemed to sign, trade for, trade away, or draft the wrong players: Mitch Richmond, Rod Strickland, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Calbert Chaney, Kwame Brown, and many others bring up bad memories for the fans.

Extremely talented players were either selfish divas, or self-imploding time bombs: John "Hot Plate" Williams, Bernard King, Chris Webber, Juwan Howard, Gilbert Arenas, among others.

Untimely injuries have affected the Wizards' best teams with players such as Chris Webber, Gheorghe Muresan, Gilbert Arenas, etc.

Abe Pollin's philanthropy in Washington, D.C. is what kept the fans from turning on ownership and management, much like the Washington Redskins fans turned on Daniel Snyder and Vinny Cerrato last year. He was considered a great human being, and he never deserved for his team to suffer so long. So, as if he reached down from the heavens and hand picked the NBA lottery ball himself, the Washington Wizards received the first pick in this year's draft.

Who did new owner Ted Leonsis pick to represent the Wizards at the draft lottery? Abe's wife, Irene. To many fans and former employees, this was a way of thanking the Pollin's for all they did for the city of Washington and its people.

Ted Leonsis inherited a Wizards franchise that was sick. Leonsis was a minority owner of the Washington Wizards before becoming the majority owner, and is the majority owner of the Capitals hockey team. It seems as though he makes excellent decisions for the Capitals franchise, as they have become one of the best teams in the NHL.

People are expecting him to do the same for the Wizards, and he has already set a plan in motion. Wizards' fans have high expectations of Leonsis, and I do not believe he will disappoint them.

Expectation #9: Flipping the Wizards

Flip Saunders will need to meet or exceed the expectations set by the media, Wizards' ownership, and the fanbase.

Most people believe that the Wizards should be in contention for the seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs this year. That will be a tough task, but if Flip can convince this team of just how good they are, it shouldn't be a problem.

The Wizards play in what may be the toughest division in the NBA. Orlando, Atlanta, Miami, and Charlotte all made the playoffs last year, and most expect at least three, if not all four, of those teams to make it back this year. Flip Saunders will need to show that he can turn the Wizards' fortunes around, or he may be looking for a new job next April.

Expectation #8: Wizards Bench Stepping Up

This is easier said than done. The Wizards bench play will be vital to the success of the Wizards. With a very talented starting five, the Wizards should be in many close games this year. The play off the bench is what will carry them over the top many of those nights. Solid contributions from Kirk Hinrich, Nick Young, Yi Jianlian, Kevin Seraphin, Hilton Armstrong, and Trevor Booker can take this team from mediocre to above-average.

We all know what Hinrich can do, but is Young ready to step up and be the scoring and energy punch the Wizards have been waiting for? Young has been inconsistent, despite showing signs of being a strong sixth man. If he reaches his potential, and comes to play every night, he could be the next Manu Ginobili.

Jianlian and Armstrong should be decent backups at power forward and center, respectively. Jianlian, like Young, is another player with loads of potential, but no consistency. Solid play from him two out of three games would be a good start.

Can Booker and Seraphin make a name for themselves in Saunders' system? These two will be judged by how hard they hustle, play defense, and rebound the ball. Provide those three benefits to the team, and they will play 12-15 minutes every night. Don't, and they will be watching a lot of games from the bench.

Expectation #7: Josh Howard's Return

Josh Howard is coming off of a torn ACL in his left knee. Not sure of when he will return to the team, the Wizards will be relying on Al Thornton to start at small forward.

When Howard returns to play, the Wizards should bring him back slowly, as not to disturb team chemistry. If the Wizards are playing well, and have a winning record, Howard may be sitting on the bench for the remainder of the season. If he is needed, Thornton and Young aren't playing well, and can give the Wizards what he gave the Dallas Mavericks a few seasons ago, then he may be able to regain a starting role.

Expectation #6: Follow the Leader

In what may be the steal of the summer, the Wizards acquired Kirk Hinrich in a salary-dumping move by the Chicago Bulls. (The Bulls were hoping to sign two of the big-name free agents this summer, but only ended up with one, Carlos Boozer.)

Hinrich was considered a leader in the locker room and on the floor, as well as a mentor to Derrick Rose, and the Wizards are expecting more of the same from him. He is a solid defender, and can play both guard positions. He will be the first man off the bench, and could provide a third guard if Saunders goes with a three-guard set. Hinrich may also be the glue to keep this team together.

Expectation #5: Every Rose Has Its Thorn(ton)

Al Thornton is going to get his shots this year. With Gilbert Arenas and John Wall driving to the hole, and getting double-teamed, Thornton should be able to take advantage of many open looks. Will he deliver? Only time will tell, but this may be his best chance at showing off his talents. If he can provide some scoring relief for Arenas, Wall, and Andray Blatche, he will settle comfortably in the starting small-forward position for many years to come.

Expectation #4: McGee's House

"Get that outta here!"

Hopefully, the Wizards will be hearing a lot of those chants from players and fans when opponents drive the lane against JaVale McGee. McGee is looking to have a breakout year running the floor, rebounding the ball, and blocking shots.

He may still be one year away from becoming a dominant presence in the lane, but the Wizards need him to turn into their own version of Dwight Howard soon.

McGee has a 33-inch vertical leap, can handle the ball well for a big man, is 7'1" tall, finishes well at the basket, and can block shots. McGee could easily average 15 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals a game with his mix of athleticism and skill.

Expectation #3: Son of a Blatche!

Will the real Andray Blatche please stand up?

Blatche is so talented, people are comparing him to a young Kevin Garnett. I don't like comparing players, but when Blatche is playing well, there is no doubt that their games are eerily similar.

The problem is that Blatche has his moments when he isn't mentally in the game, or doesn't want to listen to his coach. But if Blatche can grow up, and realize his potential, we could be looking at the next 20-point, 10-rebound power forward in the NBA.

After the All-Star break, Blatche averaged 22.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. Of course, he will have to learn how to blend his game with Arenas and Wall, but they all know his level of talent, and should be able to get him the ball.

Andray, your time has officially come.

Expectation #2: You're My Wonder Wall

John Wall is the real deal.

His first year in the league will be filled with success and disappointment. He will dish out a ton of assists, but turn the ball over too much. He will blow by defenders, but may find the big guys down low like to foul hard.

Wall has all the tools to average 17 points and 10 assists every night. The biggest concern is going to be his relationship with Gilbert Arenas on the court. As of now, all signs point to this being a successful relationship. Wall may have to take a back seat to Arenas at times, but if he learns how to manage this team on the court, he will be the Rookie of the Year.

Expectation #1: To Be Arenas or Not To Be Arenas?

That is the question.

The expectations for Gilbert Arenas are threefold: play at an All-Star level, learn to share the ball with John Wall, and make your teammates better.

People have been saying that Gilbert just doesn't have it anymore, he won't be able to coexist with Wall, his ego is too bruised, the Wizards need to trade him as soon as possible, he can't lead a team to a championship, etc.

Arenas has heard his critics loud and clear, and he wants to prove everyone wrong. There is a Washington Post report about how good Arenas is looking this summer, and Arenas is being very quiet about his return. If these reports and actions are any indication of just how serious Arenas is approaching this season, the Wizards better fasten their seat belts and hold on for the ride.