Washington Wizards Final Assessment of Every Roster Spot
The Washington Wizards closed their 2010-2011 season with a loss in Cleveland as they finished with a record of 23-59. This being the third consecutive atrocious season in Washington, in which their fan base is diminishing.
In another transitional year, the Wizards finally seem to be stepping in the right direction. Rookie John Wall has lived up to expectations, they traded away former face of the franchise turned team cancer Gilbert Arenas and giving young players a chance to show their talent.
Since owner Ted Leonsis bought the team, the Wizards immediately went into rebuilding mode and it is unrealistic to think Washington can attract marquee free agents, so they are going to have to restructure the organization the old fashioned way; the draft.
With the selection of a high-priced rookie, they can create a compliment to John Wall. Think of the way the Oklahoma City Thunder built their team with drafting players like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.
In pro sports, you often hear the term “It’s a copycat league” and the Thunder are a clear example of a team that Washington should emulate.
Although the Wizards are slowly making progress, they are still some major holes for this team, whether it is their overall talent or the lack of professionalism amongst the players.
In conclusion, the Washington Wizards are capable of beating any team out there, but they need to learn how to be winners.
Their immaturity is evident before, during and after the games and it will be very interesting to see what the front office will do going into the offseason with a lockout looming. I would expect to see many personnel changes as well as a potential coaching change.
As far as the roster is concerned, there were some mixed results, so I will examine every player on the current roster and assess their overall performance.
PG: John Wall
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Wall did have some rookie growing pains, which should be expected especially without a good supporting cast, but John Wall is going to be the future of the Washington franchise.
I just hope that team officials can draft or sign players to support him.
Additionally, Wall is phenomenal athlete, who is already quick enough to blow by some of the best defenders in the league.
However, anyone that has watched him play this season notices each defender giving him more than enough room to shoot.
Similar to another John Calipari product, Derrick Rose did not have a jump shot entering in the NBA. Since that particular skill has been improved he will most likely be named the MVP.
In my opinion, the two most important positions for a basketball team, is a point guard and a center and John Wall certainly has the potential to be a dominant All-Star in the future.
SG: Nick Young
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On a good night, Nick Young can easily drop 20-30 points a game. On a bad night, he will become disinterested while playing lackadaisically on defense and a terrible shot selection.
If Young could learn to be a consistent scorer and dependable on defense, then I see a good future for him, however, he’s been on the Wizards for four seasons and still hasn’t corrected this problem.
Nick is entering this offseason as a free agent, I believe he should be given a moderately priced contract, if there is a team out there that is willing to pay him the big bucks; then let them make that mistake.
Regardless of his shortcomings, I will admit that there was an overall improvement in Nick Young’s game compared to seasons prior, he has a ton of upside if he decides to fully dedicate himself physically and mentally.
SF/PF: Rashard Lewis
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I like Rashard’s intangibles more than his actual play. Once he was acquired from Orlando, Lewis became the veteran leader, which is an absolute necessity for this young and inexperienced team.
Regarding his play, I think he was an effective player when healthy, which turned out to be brief. He is a versatile athlete that can play either the small or forward position, which is highly valued for a team.
In my opinion the problem with Rashard Lewis is that his contract does not equal his play.
It looks unlikely that the Wizards will be parting ways with him and if he can return back his form two seasons ago, then I expect it to pay substantial dividends.
PF: Andray Blatche
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Where do we start with Andray Blatche? Throughout his season, Blatche has been the target of negative attention, whether it’s on or off the court.
Blatche has the body of a power forward, but has the mindset of a guard. Unfortunately, he does not have the skills to effectively perform like a guard is capable of.
His off the court reputation has not changed either, getting into an alleged altercation with fellow teammate Javale McGee.
Andray was rewarded last offseason for his play and was expected to come in and be a major contributor for a very young team. He has disappointed in every facet of the game.
It has been widely assumed that the Wizards will part ways with the disgruntled, yet talented player; however, he started to perform at a high level towards the end of the season.
In my opinion, it’s too late for Andray. If anything, Blatche helped his trade stock with his improved play, but it will be beneficial for both parties to end their relationship.
C: JaVale McGee
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McGee is featured almost weekly on SportsCenter’s “Top 10” highlights. Unfortunately, some of those highlights are featured on their “Not Top 10” specials. Given McGee’s size, it is incredible to see someone that athletic.
To be a successful big man in the NBA, athleticism can only take you so far. It’s a warzone to command the paint of a professional basketball game and McGee’s defensive strategy is either a blocked shot or a foul, not to mention he has continued to struggle against the pick and roll.
Offensively, he either will throw down a monstrous dunk or pre-determine his extremely inefficient hook shot/finger roll.
Has he improved from years past? Yes, but he still remains a very raw talent.
If he is properly coached, I can see McGee becoming a very good player. As of now, the jury is still out on JaVale.
PG/SG: Jordan Crawford
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When the Wizards acquired him mid-season, he was relatively unknown, as he was receiving limited minutes in Atlanta.
Crawford was given a chance to make a name for himself in Washington and he certainly took advantage of that.
He is a prominent scorer in the making and seems to have good chemistry with John Wall.
Jordan’s versatility is vital as well, with his ability to be a point guard too. Although he might not be a reliable every game starter yet, his role will be imperative to Washington’s growth.
SF: Josh Howard
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When General Manager Ernie Grunfeld started the rebuilding process and traded away Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks in exchange for Josh Howard and other Maverick bench players, he was hoping for Howard to return back to his All-Star form.
Unfortunately, Josh has not been able to remain healthy since he has been a Wizard. He might not be the scoring threat that he once was, but he still remains a good defender and a good presence in the locker room.
Despite the qualities Josh Howard possesses, I can’t envision Washington bringing him due to his lack of durability.
SF: Maurice Evans
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The trade of Kirk Hinrich in exchange for Jordan Crawford, Maurice Evans and a 1st round pick, turned out to be a good trade for the Wizards.
Although I don’t see Evans becoming a starter in Washington, I think he can have a clear role on the team.
He’s an asset to the team on and off the court, he’s a good defender and a three-point threat, additionally, he has been acknowledged for his veteran leadership amongst the younger players.
I would like to see The Wizards retain Evans for the 2011-2012 season.
SF/PF: Trevor Booker
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If Trevor Booker grows two more inches to his frame, then I think the Wizards will have their answer at the power forward position.
Sadly, it’s safe to assume that he’s done growing, however, I believe Booker proved to Wizards officials that he can become a good NBA player.
While his offensive game still appears to be inconsistent, he has shown his ability to guard either forward position. Even though his season was cut short due to injury, I still consider his rookie campaign to be a success.
For years, Washington has searched for a player like Trevor; that old-school type of player who’s willing to get his hands dirty.
I expect Booker to become an efficient player for years to come.
PF/C: Kevin Seraphin
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Even though Seraphin was drafted higher than Booker, Kevin had some ups and downs of the season.
I believe a player of his caliber is needed on every team: a big man that is very physical and aggressive down low (AKA “A Banger”) while giving and receiving hard fouls.
Kevin is going to have a lot of work to do in the offseason in just about every aspect of the game.
I can expect him to return next season; he is an obvious project that has the ability to fill a void that the Wizards have been searching for.
PF: Yi Jianlian
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Yi is another example of a player on this team that has a body of a small forward in a power forward or center’s body. It’s rare to find someone of his size, shooting range and athleticism and not find an effective way to utilize him.
I can now see why he has already been on three different teams in his short career.
Like many other Wizards on the roster, the last month of the season was an open try-out and I don’t think Yi solidified himself a roster spot for the following year.
His court awareness seemed to hurt him almost every game, defensively he would be outmatched and he has a very poor shot selection.
I know it will be hard to give away a player with Yi’s potential, but with the record the Wizards had this season, some players are going to suffer the consequences.
SG/SF: Cartier Martin
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Cartier was not given a lot of opportunities to advance with the team in the future and when he did earn playing time, his performance did not stand out.
In order for Martin to remain with the team and have a prominent role, he would have needed to really impress Washington’s front office and I didn’t see that.
He was known as a streaky shooter and he was unable to find his range during the season.
SF: Othyus Jeffers
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Who is this guy? By all accounts, the Wizards had a poor season, but the last month of the season they were actually enjoyable to watch. They didn’t have a lot of talent, but they performed well with their energy and hustle.
One of the players that stood out the last month was Othyus Jeffers.
While I think it’s a given that he’s not going to be an offensive threat, but he’s a solid defender and a high-energy player that come in and give you good minutes off the bench.
Jeffers is an unheralded player, getting offensive rebounds, taking charges and guarding some of the best offensive players in the league.
I would love to see Washington develop a way to utilize his strengths in the future.
PG: Mustafa Shakur
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Shakur was barely hanging on to his 10-day contacts until Mike Bibby received a buyout.
His role was to backup John Wall and considering that Wall played practically the entire game, he wasn’t given a lot of minutes to fully assess him, but I foresee the Wizards addressing depth at the point guard position in other areas.
Shakur simply does not have the talent to be a reliable bench player.
I would like to see Washington address this with their second first-round draft pick.
C: Hamady Ndiaye
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The former Big East defensive player of the year out of Rutgers spent the majority of his season playing in the developmental league.
Ndiaye is known for his excellent shot-blocking skills, which I think is a need for any NBA team.
Considering the Wizards already have a tremendous shot blocker in JaVale McGee, I don’t see a need to retain him.
If he isn’t picked up by another organization, than I think another year of development in the D-League could prove to be beneficial for both the Wizards and Hamady.
SF: Larry Owens
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Another player whose season was spent mostly in the D-League, but in his limited time in a Wizards uniform he showed the determination of an individual who wants a job in the NBA.
I wouldn’t be totally shocked if Washington had a spot at the end of the bench for Owens next season, but I don’t see it going any further than that.
