Washington Wizards: DeMarcus Cousins or the Dirty Dozen?

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Apr 26, 2017; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (M) is introduced prior to the Wizards’ game against the Atlanta Hawks in game five of the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

Fantasy Team or a Dream Team

Washington has to start looking at the big picture, and not at what glitters.

Look at the Celtics. With the exception of Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford, if the Wizards didn’t play Boston, half of Washington wouldn’t know the rest of the players’ names – Jaylen Brown, Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart, Gerald Green, etc.

Boston doesn’t go for the big lights, they go for who can shoot out the lights.

Boston didn’t say, “well you know, Thomas and Cousins played together in Sacramento, maybe we should go and get him.”

This is not the buddy system. Washington neither has the luxury or the luxury tax to go after Cousins right now. The weakest link is their second unit and that must be Washington’s foremost priority.

The front office needs to focus on getting a solid backup for Wall, a starting center with Gortat coming off the bench, a backup shooting guard for Bradley Beal, and a small forward who alternates starter minutes with Porter.

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During the semifinals of the playoffs, the Celtics played almost all of their players. And in one matchup, only had one player listed as DNP-CD (Do Not Play Coach’s Decision). Washington was essentially playing 5 against 14. Or 4 against 14 if you don’t include Porter, who added 0 points in an elimination game Game 6.

The numbers don’t lie. Washington because of its second unit, is not a full squad.

How long must John Wall and Bradley Beal carry this team? Those 2 can get you to the playoffs, but their arms will be too tired to shoot, because they’ve been holding up this team for so long.

Washington’s lineup as it stands is not sustainable. The Wizards will barely make the playoffs next season, since each team in the league is going to make moves to get better, and the Celtics are going to make even bigger moves.

Cousins is not the answer to what ails Washington. Don’t lose focus. It is unequivocally the bench.

The second unit prevents the starters from resting, and having fresh legs during the. regular season and the playoffs. The bench loses the sizable leads, that the starters built up during games.

It’s an undeniable fact, the bench is a liability. In addition, it doesn’t allow for a variety of rotations, so in addition to the starters not getting rest to close out the game, the opposing team always knows Washington’s gameplan, because there are only so many sets they can run.

Don’t you recall the days of the 80s and 90s? When a starter would go down, it didn’t determine the outcome of the game? You still didn’t know who was going to win.

But, in Washington’s case, if Wall or Beal doesn’t play in a game, you know that the Wizards are going to lose that matchup.

When I wrote about Washington’s winning formula, I mentioned that Celtics President Danny Ainge is old school. Ainge structured the Celtics in such a manner, that their bench and starting lineup is interchangeable.

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Therefore, even if a starter is not injured, Celtics’ coach Brad Stevens could put in someone off the bench to start a game, if he believes that player matches up better to the opponent on the floor.

The Wizards need to adapt that mindset – to build a bench, such that its players are of such quality that they could be starters on other teams.

You know who else is old school? While Washington is watching game film, you know what Thomas studied the day before Game 7 against Boston – the 2008 Celtics playoff series against LeBron James and the Cavaliers:

Thomas flipped the pages back to the Celtics’ last championship run, turning to the 2008 NBA Playoffs for some inspiration. Isaiah studied Boston’s seven-game series against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Thomas said after Game 7 against Washington:

"“All night last night and day I watched 2008 Paul Pierce versus LeBron, and how special that game was. Two superstars going at it, guarding each other, and it was a historic game. I definitely did my studying, and I knew it was going to be a big time game tonight,”"

The Celtics are looking towards championships right now, and people are looking towards DeMarcus Cousins?

Washington has to go all in, if they are truly serious about getting to the Eastern Conference Finals next season.

Please step away from the remote. Stop believing 2K is real life.

You could continue with this Cousins movement, and if successful, the Wizards will not make the playoffs.

Next: Is Re-Signing Otto Porter Otto-Matic?

Or Washington should address the matter at hand, which is the bench. And after that is fixed, and the Dirty Dozen carries the Wizards to the ECF, then and only then, can you start thinking about a fantasy team.

Wizards, it’s your move. Please move your pieces wisely, otherwise it’s Checkmate.

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