The Wizards are better than their record suggests. Right now they are 29-50, but star point guard John Wall was out with a knee injury for the first 33 games of the season. But with Wall in the lineup, they are 24-22.
The Wizards’ bench is one of the main reasons for their moderate success. With talented players like Martell Webster, Trevor Ariza, and Emeka Okafor, the Wizards have one of the strongest benches in the league.
They have beaten teams like the Heat (twice), the Thunder and the Clippers, three of the top five teams in the league.
This is not saying that they are perfect, though. They have a pattern of beating great teams, then suffering stunning losses to teams at the bottom of the league.
One of the reasons the Wizards have been snakebitten for the past ten years is because of their general manager, Ernie Grunfeld.
He has plagued the Wizards with terrible draft picks and player deals that have damaged their playoff hopes since stepped into office. He has drafted players like Andray Blatche, Jared Jeffries, Nick Young and most recently Jan Vesely.
If you don’t recognize these players, we don’t blame you. These players were all drafted by Grunfeld and were a waste of high draft picks.
Many people think that the Wizards are awful, and always have been. But when you look at the healthy lineup and the talent they have, they hold the potential to be a consistent playoff contender.
If the Wizards finally come to their senses, and fire Ernie Grunfeld, their may be some hope for the playoffs next year. If they bring in a GM with actual basketball knowledge, and draft a player with real potential, they’ll make the post-season without a problem.