Coming up short in a first-round series against familiar Eastern Conference foe Toronto Raptors, the Washington Wizards look ahead at a future that may not have a much higher ceiling than this. Though John Wall and Bradley Beal continue to be one of the league’s premier backcourts, that hasn’t been enough in years past and certainly won’t be in the future, setting the stage for what should be an active and vital offseason in the nation’s capital.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers fighting through adversity and inconsistency all season long, this could’ve been the perfect opportunity for the Wizards to skyrocket up the Eastern Conference totem pole, but they instead snuck into the playoffs as an unconvincing eighth seed. From there, they were promptly bounced in six games against the Raptors, a fitting end for an overall underachieving campaign.
The drive and determination appeared to be lacking from the start of the season with this year’s Wizards. They were often able to compete and matched up well with the league’s cream of the crop. However, the lower-tier teams served as Washington’s kryptonite. They played down to their competition far too frequently, and it showed, as 15 of their 39 losses were to teams that finished with sub-.500 records this season.
Perhaps the biggest storyline from Washington’s season was the injury troubles John Wall battled throughout the campaign. The superstar floor general was limited to playing in only 41 games due to midseason knee surgery, the lowest mark in his eight-year career. Though there were inane questions circulating about Wall’s fit with the team and his play before he got hurt, he quelled all doubts with his stellar play in the postseason, where he averaged 26 points per game and led the league in total assists with 11.5 per game.
Instead, skepticism is warranted regarding the rest of the roster. Bradley Beal blossomed into a legitimate star before our eyes this season and his first All-Star nod confirmed his rapid ascent. Beal himself continues to smash through expectations as he adds bits and pieces to his game each season. Now one of the most complete and lethal off-guards in the NBA, perhaps one of the only things Beal needs to work on is his shoddy play down the stretch. As the best pure scorer on this Washington team, his shortcomings in the fourth quarter to the tune of shooting 37 percent from the field and 32 percent from three need to be addressed.
Regardless, Beal and Wall will remain the lifeline for this team, but as has been the case for years now, they will need a third star to truly contend for the league’s mantle.
Washington may have thought the solution was already on the roster, as they threw max dollars at Otto Porter last season for still only marginal improvements in the regular season and injury complications in the playoffs. Along with an underperforming small forward, the Wizards may not even roster a starting-caliber center, but pay both Marcin Gortat and Ian Mahinmi upper-level salaries.
Both veterans are past their best days and on borderline ludicrous contracts; they should be the top two pieces Washington hopes to move. With Mahinmi raking in $16 million annually and Gortat $12 million, the issue is finding a suitable trade partner that won’t want a first-round pick or a young piece such as Kelly Oubre Jr., or maybe even Porter, as a sweetener in the deal.
An athletic and capable big has to be priority no. 1 on Washington’s offseason wish list but will be difficult to attain with so much money already committed to the center position. Without finding a way to dump either one or both of Mahinmi and Gortat’s salaries, Washington could remain in this vicious cycle of mediocrity until those deals eventually expire within the next couple years.
If this were the case, Washington’s window will likely have been slammed shut by then. Sure, Wall and Beal will still be in their prime in a couple of years, but this would mean much of their careers were wasted with below-average big men. Pair that with the looming Eastern-Conference takeover by younger teams such as the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers, and the Wizards aren’t going anywhere unless a franchise-altering acquisition is made.
The Wizards have been linked to center DeMarcus Cousins in rumors on previous occasions, largely due to his Kentucky connection with John Wall, but have yet to pull the trigger. Cousins would immediately address some of Washington’s most glaring issues and could provide the top-tier interior presence the Wizards are desperately in need of. Boogie is set to hit free agency this summer, but given that Washington hasn’t made a move in the past, the chances are even slimmer now with the added risk of Cousins coming off a debilitating Achilles injury.
Even if they did want to undergo a full-fledged pursuit of Cousins or another star piece, their salary complications will keep it from happening for the time being. However, the contracts of Ty Lawson, Tim Frazier, Ramon Sessions, Mike Scott and Chris McCullough all expire this summer, while Jodie Meeks and Jason Smith have player options.
Though it was their bench play holding them back in years past, the Wizards were actually improved in that category this season thanks in no small part to summer acquisition Mike Scott and the continuing development of Kelly Oubre Jr. Versatile and still-developing guard Tomas Satoransky also provided a spark and is under contract with Washington for at least two more seasons.
With the bench starting to round into form, and John Wall and Bradley Beal on the cusp of entering perhaps their best years as professionals, the clock is and has been ticking for GM Ernie Grunfeld and this Washington front office to make a major roster addition and catapult this team into title-contending territory.
