NLL | NBA | WNBA | NBA 2k19 | NLSC
Username :
Password:

NLL Insider - Team by Team: Washington Wizards

by vt, updated on Sunday, November 29 2009, 03:36 am EST

Team by Team: Washington Wizards
2008-2009 Finish: 56-26

What went well

Lots! The Wizards could never be accused of being tight (in the money department). They have sat well above the luxury tax for some time and never knocked back the chance to add a quality player with a high salary that fills a need. 08/09 was a bit of a mixed trading year for the Wizards (more on that later). Personel-wise, they sent the aging but still contributing Shawn Marion away for Corey Maggette - unfortunately Maggette had some injury woes. They also gave up Joe Johnson and his big salary for Tyson Chandler and stocking fillers (and some picks involved - again, more on that later). Chandler filled a need for a short time - until the Wizards decided Jermaine O'Neal and his monster salary filled that same need better. So it left the Wizards with a high quality starting lineup - O'Neal, Gasol, Bulter, Maggette, Billups - certainly a lineup that would challenge for a title. And that they did. The Wizards finished #1 seed in the east.

What went bad

First round of the playoffs was a breeze - the Wizards accounted for Charlotte 4-0. On to round 2 - surely it was all systems go when they went up 3-0 against the Raptors. Maybe not! In a stunning turn around, the Raptors came back from the brink to win 4 straight and send the Wizards on an early end of season vacation. Of course the Raptors then went on to win the title, so maybe losing a 7 game series from 3 games up wasn't as bad as it seemed at the time. So a promising season ended early for the Wizards - lots of $$$s on the roster, but nothing much to show for it. Time to set about cutting some cap.

Possibly the 2nd round exit wasn't the worst thing to happen to the Wizards in the past 12 months. They traded up and coming PG Ramon Sessions for the Warriors 1st round pick at the start of the season - at that point it seemed a decent pick, although the Warriors certainly weren't the worst team in the league. They then sent that pick to the Lakers in the Johnson-Chandler deal mid-season, receiving the Lakers 1st pick in return. THAT GSW 1st pick, later turned into the #1 draft pick, Blake Griffin. Wouldn't the Wizards be exstatic to have a lineup this season of Gasol-Griffin-Turkoglu-Bulter-Billups. Oh well, not to be.

Star

- Paul Gasol, C/F -

Its hard to identify a stand out star on this roster. They are a team that seem to share the scoring quite well - and so they should be, every player is capable of making a contribution in any given game. But Gasol is also a major force on the boards and almost averaged a double-double for the Wizards last season. Jermaine O'Neal had a strong season also when he got on the court, But Pau is their man up front.



- Chauncey Billups, G -

He's the glue that sticks all the high quality players together. Again, like Gasol, he wasn't a stand out scorer for the balanced Wizards offense, but being hte main ball handler, he helps make the team look better. The Wizards will be expecting big things from him next season with a slightly less star studded roster.


Goat
- the pick that got away –

Sorry - just had to mention it again. They brought in O'Neal to go all out and try and win a title. That didn't happen. That pick may have got them one in the coming seasons though. Bummer!


Looking to the future

The big spending Wizards decided to change their big spending ways - well they cut their payroll a fair bit. Shipped out were the big contracts of and Maggette, for a small return. That opened a door to something that the Washington management have never really seen before - cap space. They used it as the 3rd wheel in a trade that saw them land Hedo Turkoglu. Can Turkoglu live up to his long and expensive contract extension? The Wizards hope so - although there are rumblings about him being shipped out already.

Nick Young came, for a short time, and went in another trade. Ryan Anderson was shipped off as part of the Maggette trade. And the Wizards used their only 1st round pick on the speedy French PG, Rodrigue Beaubois, who, you guessed it, also got traded.

To fill the void at PF the Wizards looked long and hard for a trade partner. They eventually acquired Charlie Villanueva in a deal involving Beaubois. Is Charlie really going to take the Wizards to the promised land? He's a step down from the strong inside presence of O'Neal. I guess they still have Gasol to be the legit mig man inside.

So it will certainly be a new look Wizards lineup. Some questions hang over Turkoglu and Villanueva, but its still a high quality starting 5. Plus the Wizards spent all the cash they could muster to bring in an experienced bench including Antonio McDyess and Michael Finley. So expect the Wizards to be very competative once again, but maybe not the powerhouse they once were. At least they will save some money on the luxury tax this season.

Archive

· NLL 2010: Best Draft Picks Part 1

· Team by Team: Washington Wizards

· Team by Team: Utah Jazz

· Team by Team: Toronto Raptors

· Team by Team: San Antonio Spurs

· Top Free Agents

· Team by Team: Sacramento Kings

· Team by Team: Portland Trailblazers

· Team by Team: Phoenix Suns

· Team by Team: Philadelphia 76ers

 

 

 

© 2001-2019 nbaliveleague.com | All Rights Reserved | About Us | FAQ | Sign Up | Contact Us | Site Statistics