Washington Wizards players are still disappointed they weren’t able to match up with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs. They felt they had the best chance at dethroning the King, and were excited for the opportunity. Halfway through the offseason, how do the teams match up now?
Kyrie Irving will likely be on a different team at the start of the next season, but as of now he remains a Cleveland Cavalier. Because no trade is imminent, this comparison will include Irving. The Cavaliers and Wizards both are largely bringing back their same core of players from last season, with the additions of a few new names.
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Regardless of where Irving ends up, or if he decides to stay put, the Cavaliers will be the team to beat in the Eastern Conference next season. Any potential return haul in an Irving trade would surely be enough to keep them atop of the chain. Also, that LeBron James guy is pretty good. James is probably good enough to get the Brooklyn Nets home court advantage in the playoffs.
Thus, the Cavaliers remain the squad that every other Eastern Conference foe is chasing. One of these teams is the Washington Wizards.
Many Wiz players claim that Washington could have given the Cavaliers a run for their money in the Eastern Conference Finals. However, we never got the chance to see this play out because the Wizards came up short against the Celtics. Reaching the Eastern Conference Finals was the proclaimed goal of last season according to John Wall and Co.
But a new season brings new opportunities. From front office dysfunction to a swirl of constant rumors, the Cavaliers appear weakened. The Wizards have the talent to challenge them, but have they improved enough to dethrone King James? The Cavaliers still harbor the best player in the world and one of the most talented rosters in the league.
Let’s see how the two Eastern Conference foes matchup.