5 Questions Facing the Washington Wizards for the 2011-12 Season

The Washington Wizards enter the 2011-12 season hoping to build upon the last season and make some noise in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards face questions coming into the year that they hope to address.

While they have a lot of young players to build for the future, what will the Wizards do this year?

5. Will JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche Mature?

JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche have a lot of talent and potential. However, will they be able to tap into that potential?

Will the two be able to mature and put the work in to becoming the players that they can be?

It would be a shame to see these two never accomplish what they possibly can in this league. I that think they will get it together throughout the year and continue to improve.

4. Can Flip Saunders Bring Together His Young Team?

Flip Sauders has to find a way to get his young players to play as one and buy into his system. Flip Saunders preaches defense, but that is the one thing that this team lacked last season. In order to improve this year, the Wizards have to improve defensively.

Bringing the team together will include McGee and Blatche, among others, following what Saunders is feeding them and playing at a high level. If this team can play consistent defense throughout the season, they will be able to possibly contend for the playoffs.

3. Can John Wall Limit the Amount of Turnovers?

Despite John Wall's great rookie season, he turned the ball over quite a bit, and was reckless with the rock in some games. Wall will need to take better care of the ball and limit his turnovers.

Wall will continue to improve his overall game, and that includes cutting down the amount of turnovers. Wall looks to make plays and setup his teammates, so turnovers are to be expected. He just needs to know that sometimes he cannot put his team in situations where he gives the opponents more possessions.

2. Will the Wizards Play Better Defense?

The Wizards finished last season No. 24 in the league defensively. Being a poor defensive team will not help in winning many games. While the Wizards can score with almost any team in the NBA, the have to be able to stop teams as well.

Defense is something this team needs to get better at. Flip Saunders will make sure that he does all he can to improve his team in that aspect.

1. Will the Wizards Make the Playoffs?

At the conclusion of last year, John Wall guaranteed that the Washington Wizards would make the playoffs: http://www.iamagm.com/news/2011/04/12/john.wall.guarantees.wizards.will.make.playoffs.next.season.

The question is, can the Wizards really make the playoffs?

They have a lot of young talent and great pieces for the future, but if they want to continue playing into late April and May, they have to be willing to play defense.

Though the Wizards have a lot of hope for the future, I think they are still another year away from being a playoff team.