Washington Wizards Q&A

Point Guards – John Wall, Shelvin Mack
Shooting Guards – Jordan Crawford, Bradley Beal
Small Forwards – Trevor Ariza, Chris Singleton, Jan Vesely
Power Forwards – Nene, Trevor Booker, Andray Blatche
Centers – Omeka Okafor, Kevin Seraphin

- These 12 players are the only ones I see making any kind of impact this upcoming season. The roster could and probably will change, but as of right now these are the only players worth mentioning. How good will they be? It’s hard to tell. It all depends on a bunch of variables. Let’s do some Q&A for the Wizards.

1. Will Jordan Crawford or Bradley Beal start at Shooting Guard?

ANSWER: I think Crawford will start at the beginning of the season, but he is an ideal 6th man. Beal will eventually supplant him.

2. How good will Bradley Beal be?

ANSWER: I don’t know. If I had to create a stat line for him, I’d say as a rookie he will average 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal. The main thing I’m looking for is how many minutes he plays and what his shooting percentages are. Those are two very underrated stats that tell a lot about a player.

3. Will Andray Blatche contribute this season?

ANSWER: Yes, but not that much. He’ll get some minutes at Power Forward and Center, but as soon as he does something dumb he’ll be back on the bench. He is what he is. I don’t see him changing and now that we have better players at his positions, he won’t see a lot of court time.

4. Can Nene and Omeka Okafor play together?

ANSWER: I don’t think so. They’ve both played Center primarily throughout their career. I feel as though they both are going to clog the middle and make it hard for others to drive and slash to the basket.

5. How will the young team develop?

ANSWER: The Wizards are now a team of young veterans. Ariza, Nene, and Okafor are solid additions who should help the team mature in the right direction. They’ve all be to the playoffs and have had success in the league. The development of the younger players ultimately comes down to the coaching staff though.

6. What needs to be fixed?

ANSWER: Everything! I see only 30-35 wins for this team as presently constructed. I like all the pieces, but I don’t like how they fit. I also think each position needs improvement. The success of the team hinges on how everyone develops. If Wall and Beal are superstars, Crawford produces as a 6th man, Nene and Okafor can play together, and we get some solid production from the Small Forward position, than this team may sneak into the 8th seed. It’s highly doubtful though. Use this season to evaluate the younger players, see if Nene and Okafor can co-exist, and draft/sign/trade for an All-Star Small Forward.