Mar 27, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) handles the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

Ben: I think so. John Wall has been playing out of his mind as of late, and has finally received the national recognition he deserves. Averaging over 25 points and 7 assists this month, John Wall is turning into the player we all expected him to become out of Kentucky. When Wall is knocking down jump shots at a consistent rate, like he’s been doing lately, he’s virtually unstoppable. Indiana Pacers head coach, Frank Vogel, has even compared Wall’s improvement to Derrick Roses’. The NBA is filled with talented point guards, but I have to include John Wall in the top 10. If he sustains his ridiculous play, he’ll be ranked even higher for years to come.

James: If you would have posed this question in January, anyone with two eyes and a brain not washed by the geographical location of their birth or by whom they root for would submit to you that John Hildred Wall was a middling basketball player who was incapable of doing anything better than he was when he first entered the league. And then the last 15 games happened and Wall’s ceiling appears to be more limitless than made of glass. Even so, who is to decide which 15 games matter most: the last 15 of the first 15? Either way, Wall has shown he’s at least the 10th best PG in the league and maybe better. Hell, ESPN thinks he’s a top 25 player total. I was questioning whether he was even a top 15 point guard as early as December, so what do I know?

Nithin: It’s a testament to John Wall’s dedication and subsequent progression that this question is now a no-brainer. I am, admittedly, a homer of the highest proportions and tend to get a little too excited (both positively and negatively) when the wheels start to turn. But what we’ve seen from Wall over the last month and a half is clearly an anointed star making the leap that everyone has been waiting for. It’s fair to question whether his jump shot is really a product of a hot shooting streak or improved mechanics. And maybe teams are laying off as the season draws to a close, either to better position themselves for the lottery or get healthy for the post season. But Wall has been doing this long enough for me to think it’s just a supremely talented individual finally making good on all the potential. His statistics, both basic and advanced, have improved across the board from Years 1 and 2 and the team’s performance has done the same since his return on January 12th. The future is bright for this young star, and oh yeah – he’s definitely a top 10 point guard in today’s NBA.

2. If the Wizards were to re-do the 2012 draft, is Bradley Beal still the right choice at #3?

Ben: Bradley Beal is without a doubt still the right choice at #3. In hindsight, I’m sure the Charlotte Bobcats would even be reluctant to pass on Beal at #2. With John Wall, the Wizards have the best young back court in the league. Not only does Beal fit into the Wizards system, but he’s helped change their dynamic in the locker room. Beal is just 19 years old, but has shown massive improvement from when he first entered in the NBA. If he remains healthy, Beal will probably have a chance at becoming an NBA All-Star. It’s been a long time since the Wizards front office got a draft pick correct, but they certainly got this selection right.

James: Beal was the right choice and still is. I can’t think of a better mate for a non-jump-shooting PG than a knockdown shooter to help space the floor. Now if only there was a big guy who could space the floor…

Nithin: When sizing up the 2012 Rookie Class, there are a few guys who rose above the cut (including Beal) such as Anthony Davis, Damian Lillard, Andre Drummond, and Dion Waiters. I debated this question for a second, considering Drummond as a high-impact low post player who could give the Wizards some sorely needed athleticism from the 4/5 spot. But ultimately, Washington’s biggest void over the last few years has been outside shooting and Beal has proved himself to be a wonderful knockdown jump shooter. So I think the Wizards made the right choice at the #3 spot, and have formed a true backcourt of the future (and present when they were both healthy).

3. Based on this season’s performance, should Grunfeld/Wittman be retained for 2013-14?

Ben: This is probably the toughest question of all. I’m a huge supporter of Randy Wittman, but he does have his flaws. His rotations still remain suspect and the Wizards are one of the worst offensive teams in league under Wittman. I applaud Wittman’s efforts because he’s been able to turn a bottom feeding team such as the Wizards, into an elite defensive team. Wittman has also been able to keep his players interested in the task at hand, which is something Flip Saunders wasn’t able to do. It’s hard to keep a 20+ win team focused, but Wittman has been able to do just that. The players enjoy playing under him. I support him and wouldn’t mind seeing him back on the sidelines next season.

Now on to Ernie Grunfeld:

By drafting Bradley Beal, trading for Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor, and signing Martell Webster, Ernie Grunfeld had put together a playoff caliber team in the offseason. Grunfeld and Wittman both have one year left on their contracts, so I expect them to be in a packaged deal. If Grunfeld and Wittman fail to lead the Wizards into the post season next year, I fully expect them to get the boot. Ted Leonsis has been adamant about making the playoffs. I think they will both return next season, but we’ll have to see improvement next year for them to receive yet another extension.

James: I’m on the record that Grunfeld catches more flak than he deserves, and that it’s unfair to judge him based upon the pupu platter of Gilbert Arenas / Rashard Lewis (which I don’t blame him for), but I still gave him an awful rating for this season all because he missed on James Harden. Anyway, what’s the point of firing him now? This team has some major problems but they are less major than they were just 18 months ago. Zombie Grunfeld may still be in zombie mode, but there’s no non-zombie in the world that is going to take this team and turn it into a contender in the next year.

Nithin: If financial criteria was not part of the decision making, under no circumstances should Grunfeld or Wittman be back next season to lead the Wizards to the promised land of the 10th pick. I’ve covered my gripes with each in the past so I won’t get into specifics. But we’ve seen enough blown draft picks and stagnant offensive schemes to know that the franchise needs innovative minds in charge to make the right personnel decisions and take the reins off one of the more athletic teams in the league. No, it’s not possible to turn this thing around in one year to make the team a title contender, but why hold on to inferior employees any longer than necessary?

4. What areas does the roster most need to improve?

Ben: As noted, the Wizards are one of the worst offensive teams in the league. They will need to add players which will take some of the offensive burden off John Wall and Bradley Beal. Nene is on the tail end of his career, so I’d like to see the Wizards possibly add another decent big man. Washington doesn’t have talent to draw free agent interest, so they will need to execute in this upcoming draft or trade for another big man. Adding another backup point guard is also essential. A.J. Price has had a decent season, but adding another guard in case of injury is a must. If the Wizards fail to resign Martell Webster, they will probably need to draft/trade for yet another small forward. Washington has to improve if they want to make the post season next year. I’ll be interested to see what route they take, since they’re locked up financially.

James: Aside from an entirely new bench, this team needs a three-point shooter off the bench and a big guy who can knock down a mid-range shot. These player archetypes would space the floor for Mr. John Wall. At this point, that’s all that matters.

Nithin: This roster needs a multitude of upgrades to execute a successful overhaul. First and foremost, a semblance of a bench squad would be nice, as production falls off a cliff when the starters come out. More specifically, the Wizards need another playmaker (so Wall doesn’t have to do everything), another shooter (so Beal doesn’t have to do everything) and a stretch 4 (so we can stop watching our big men attempt 15-footers that they can’t make). And if we are to part with Ariza in any type of trade this summer, we’d need another perimeter defender who can come in and lock up an opponent’s top offensive option.

5. What players on the current roster should be considered keepers?

Ben: John Wall and Bradley Beal.

Outside of Washington’s young back court, I can’t see any “keepers” on today’s roster. Nene is aging, Okafor and Ariza will become expiring contracts, and the Wizards 2011-2012 draft selections all seem to be destined for failure. I was really hoping Jan Vesely would become a “keeper”, but I have completely lost faith in him. Sadly, the Wizards don’t have very many “keepers” on this roster. Hopefully, they will draft a decent player this year who will fit in that category.

But as for now, Wall and Beal are the only “keepers”.

James: Piggybacking off of my answer to number 4, this team needs an entirely new team to go with from John Wall and Bradley Beal. That said, no one should be untouchable. I’d still trade Beal for Harden and I would be open to offers for Wall to have options aside from the max, which he will now undoubtedly get. Only one of Nene and Okafor should be in the starting lineup after next season, and, due to the contract situations, it will likely be the declining Nene. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this team have eight guys in 2015 that aren’t on the roster this year. Cartier Martin, Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton, Jason Collins, Leandro Barbosa, and Garrett Temple, likely don’t have roles on winning teams in the NBA and I expect to see them go.

Nithin: Unfortunately, only Beal and Wall are keepers moving forward. Webster thrilled fans all year by outperforming our expectations, but will that look differently when he’s making $5 million a year instead of $1.7 million? Nene and Okafor are good veteran presences and both strong defensively, but they can’t play on the floor at the same time if the goal is to be effective offensively. Ariza is a nice piece but with an expiring contract of $7 million, he has more value as a trade chip. The rest of the squad is a bunch of role players, reserves, and journeymen who would never see the floor on a contending team. Time to move on.

March 1, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Randy isn’t so happy. . Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Last week, we started our annual season evaluations by evaluating the Washington Wizards front office. Instead of doing player profiles before the regular season has concluded, I thought it would be a good idea to move on to Washington’s coaching staff.

Randy Wittman is quite the interesting head coach. Washington Wizards fans tend to have a variety of different opinions when it comes to Wittman. Akbar Naqvi joined me as we continued our season evaluations.

Akbar Naqvi:

Randy Wittman. What a polarizing figure amongst Wizards fans.

He has frustrated us all with his inability to stick with a rotation, his inexplicable benching of players, and his tendency to keep bench players in a game for too long. However, Wittman has surprised me this season. While many will point to his abysmal winning percentage, Wittman has helped in the culture change in the locker-room. His hardline approach has reached the players and they all respect him. He brings a teacher-like perspective to the game and does not play favorites. His most positive impact, however, is how he was able to turn this team into a top 10 defense. While Emeka Okafor’s presence in the paint combined with Nene’s superb pick and roll defense helped, Wittman has schemed the team defense perfectly. The players are effective on switches, close out well, and communicate brilliantly on that end. My feeling on Wittman is, despite his faults, he has done more than I could have imagined him doing with the roster and its clear that the players all highly respect him. I do not however, think he is a longterm option for this team as head coach. His rotations are inconsistent and he never plays his offensive strengths. Emeka Okafor having the offense running through him is likely the most well-known of these examples. Unless his Xs and Os are leading to well-executed offensive schemes, Wittman will remain an average to below average coach.

January 4, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Randy Wittman gestures from the sidelines against the Brooklyn Nets in the second half at Verizon Center. The Nets won in double overtime 115-113. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Most head coaches are not often given additional opportunities to master the craft when their career record sports a .326 winning percentage and zero total playoff appearances.  In fact, catching on as an assistant somewhere or even as a ‘team consultant’ might prove to be a challenge.  Unless of course one of two things happens: Either A) previous stints had some obvious and justifiable reasons for failure or B) the organization doing the hiring is run by Ernie Grunfeld.  Sadly for Washington Wizards fans, the latter is the one we’ve been lucky enough to witness.  The aforementioned coach, Randy Wittman, was retained for the 2012-2013 after he steered the team to an 18-31 record last year following Flip Saunders’ dismissal.  This was deemed worthy enough for Nation’s Capital and the contract papers were written up.  As we’ve reached the halfway point of this season, it seems fair to put a label on the job done so far.  I think three words should mostly summarize it – it’s not working.

Look, Wittman strikes me as a really nice guy and someone who gets through to his team.  He’s gotten them to play extremely hard all season despite trying times and their effort is apparent (for example, we are only .5 games up on Charlotte in the standings but the average margin of defeat is 3.5 points better).  I think I’d enjoy having him as a friend, but maybe not as a head basketball coach in a league that requires you to match wits with Gregg Popovich and Rick Adelman.  The reason itself for removing the ‘interim’ label was curious.  For starters, six of those wins last year came at the tail end of the season when playoff teams were resting starters and lottery teams were researching how to assist Anthony Davis in trademarking his unibrow.  Secondly, Wittman was backed strongly by the team’s two stars, John Wall and Nene.  These two seem particularly unqualified to weigh in on the coaching decision.  Wall was a 21-year old point guard who saw his numbers maintain at the exact same level from Year 1 to Year 2 and Nene, albeit a veteran, played a grand total of 11 games in a Wizards uniform.  But Grunfeld went ahead and extended him and now sitting at 11-33 it may be time to return to the coaching search this summer.  I’m not intending to be overly critical or blame all of our struggles on the coach.  In fact, as a huge fan it pains me to criticize the team in the first place and not just look at the positives (such as posting a 7-5 record in our last 12 games).  The front office also deserves a share of the blame, but reviewing the mess the GM has created might take its own website, much less a separate column.

The season may not have been what it was had a healthy Wall and Nene been available all season, but the personnel shouldn’t be given a pass either.  The roster has not been constructed in a way to withstand injuries in any fashion, but the coaching decisions that have been made by Wittman and his staff have been comedic at times, and play a big role in yet another season toiling away.  The main issue in the schemes we employ is the complete lack of understanding of who is on the roster.  For a team that can’t really shoot jump shots, an absurd 74% attempts come from that spectrum (in case you were wondering, our effective FG% on those shots is 40.3).  We’ve turned Emeka Okafor into a pick-and-pop guy, which has led to disastrous results (although he’s finally being used properly.  And the results are evident in the month of January).  We allow Trevor Ariza to show a potential future in the construction business by getting his brick-laying started early.  And of course there’s never a shot that either Jordan Crawford or Kevin Seraphin met that they haven’t fallen in love with.  The offense has shown improvement upon Wall’s return, but we are still pushing historic rates of incompetence with an Offensive Efficiency of 94.7.  Maybe a team that struggles this much in the half-court set but is loaded with athletic wings should…run a little more?  We’re 13^th in the league in fastbreak points after ranking 3^rd and 4^th in the last two seasons respectively.  Can someone show this team a tape of ‘Coach Carter’?  I might have it on Blu-Ray if we want to get fancy.

The second area of bafflement with our coaching involves Wittman’s substitution patterns, or the lack thereof.  There often isn’t a rhyme or reason to why someone gets 30 minutes a night or 15.  And rather than gradually roll out the backups, our bench squad will come in as a 5 man unit and often loses the lead or extend the gap.  This would be a successful strategy if we had reserves like the Clippers, or even the Pistons but the offense becomes extremely stagnant and often times crucial opportunities are missed by the time the starters are back on the floor (it doesn’t help that the bench includes gunner-extraordinaires Crawford and Seraphin.  For the full details, please reference the Kevin Seraphin Decision Tree by WizofAwes’ James Straton).   In addition, the 1^st and 3^rd most commonly used lineups have yielded a plus/minus rating of -97 combined and a Win % of 14.2 and 0 respectively, as per 82games.com.  I don’t even think I can bring myself to elaborate any further.

There are other examples to cite, whether it is our play calling after timeouts/stoppages or the insistence that Nene bulldoze his way to the basket while everyone hangs out on the other side of the court.  But the message remains the same; hire a new coach at season’s end at lets field a respectable team on the court in 2013-14.  Yet another top 5 pick will join the fray and it’s time to change the losing culture that has inflicted the Wizards since the departure of our Big 3.  Wittman will probably make a great addition to a staff somewhere around the NBA as he has proven to be successful in player development; but to truly compete at the highest level I believe we need someone else leading the charge.