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Overall
Win/Loss Record : 20-46 fourth place Southeast Division
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29
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Projected 2012/2013 Finish
19
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Last season’s
Team Statistics and League Rank
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Returning
Individual Statistical Leaders
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Projected Starters Based on Last Season’s Performance, Veteran Seniority and Projected Impact
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Key Reserves Based on Last Season’s Performances, Veteran Seniority and Potential Impact.
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2012/2013 Projection: 41-41 second place in Southeast Division,
finally coming out of the basement for the first time in close to a decade.
Analysis:
The Washington Wizards have
finally become relevant again after spending close to five years mired in
controversy and bad press. They
finally have gotten rid of the bad eggs and have decided to take the team in
a new direction. Instead of spending
another season languishing in the bottom of the standings hoping for a
miracle, the Washington Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld along with team owner Ted Leonsis decided to take action and place the future in their hands. It started last season as they shockingly
shipped the team’s leading rebounder and shot blocker, JaVale McGee to the
Denver Nuggets for a much older and overpaid Nene. The Wizards also jettisoned resident
knucklehead Nick Young trading him to the Los Angeles Clippers for next to
nothing and in doing so, caused a chain reaction that was felt throughout the
DC Metropolitan Area.
With the departures of McGee
and Young, the team’s outlook, chemistry and overall mentality turned a
complete 180 degrees. The Wizards
shifted from being a young, immature and intellectually deficient team to one
that was a focused, more professional and more cohesive unit. Players that Wizards fans had all but given
up on sudden came out of nowhere and simply exploded—the most prominent of
them was Washington big man from France, Kevin Seraphin. Upon entering the league, nothing much was
expected from Seraphin as he showed little if anything to proved that he was
good enough to play in the NBA; however, that all changed once Washington
gave the heave ho to the “League of Dumbasses.” The same player that everyone essentially
had given up on became a scoring and rebounding machine as his numbers spiked
to record breaking level.
From being a fringe player that
produced little if anything, Seraphin exploded in the last month of the
season going from averaging just 3 points and 3 rebound per game at the start
of the season to posting 15 points and 7 rebounds per game. Jordan Crawford also underwent a similar
transformation as he went from struggling shooting guard to a solid
complement to John Wall as the season came to a close. Thanks to more consistent minutes with the
departure of Nick Young, Crawford’s confidence in his game improved along
with his production as he finished the season second on the team in
scoring. Jan Vessely, whom the Wizards
picked 6th in the 2011 NBA Draft, proved that he was more skilled
than the Wizards could have ever hoped for as he exploded at the end of the
season averaging 8 points and 7 boards per game while shooting close to .560
from the field. Altogether, there was
no other time last season where the Wizards played so in sync than the Month
of March when Grunfled and Leonosis jettisoned two players that Washington
earlier planned to build on.
The Washington Wizards
continued their overhaul into the off season sending of expiring dead weight
contract of Rashard Lewis to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for center
Emeka Okafor and swingman Trevor Ariza.
In Okafor and Ariza, the Wizards acquired to players with strong
professional reputations—veterans who always worked hard on the court win or
lose. Along with Nene, both Okafor and
Ariza add seasoned veterans with strong characters to strengthened the
Wizards’ new culture and serve as mentors to an eager and ready young roster
looking to take that next step. Some
may criticize the Wizards for adding these three players because they take
away any if not all salary cap flexibility in the future; however, one can
counter by saying that the Wizards were not going anywhere to start
with. In addition, with the sad state
Washington was in the last few seasons, no free agent would even consider
settling in the Nation’s Capital.
Who better to play alongside
their star in the making, John Wall, than three veterans known for their
professionalism and hard work ethic? Even Nene, who is approaching his 30th birthday and is owed 65$ million over the next five years, is a far better investment
than giving it to a player who the coaching staff will hope to be as
consistent and professional as Nene has been his entire career.
The same goes for Okafor or Ariza who may not produce much in terms of
scoring, but will provide maturity and guidance along with consistent effort
on the defensive end that the Wizards need.
If Nene manages to maintain his production in scoring and rebounds,
which there is no reason to think that will not happen, his bloated contract
will still be worth it in the long.
With him, Okafor and Ariza, the Wizards have taken their future into
their hands instead of leaving it to fate and will come into this season
stronger and ready to play hard every game.
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Wednesday, September 19, 2012
SDH's 2012/2013 NBA Worst to First Previews and Predictions: 19. Washington Wizards
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