Washington Wizards: What’s the Wizards’ real problem?
By Matt Levin
The Washington Wizards have not had the season they expected. This article examines what could be the cause of the Wizards’ woes.
The Washington Wizards have not had the season they wanted or expected. Coming off a 2016-2017 season where the Wizards won nearly 50 games and came just one game short of the Eastern Conference Finals, it’s safe to say they had high expectations for this season.
Before the season began, John Wall was floated about as a potential MVP candidate. While Bradley Beal, said that the Wizards were the best team in the East.
Both Wall and Beal were even throwing shade, saying the Cleveland Cavaliers tanked from the one-seed last season to avoid the Wizards in the second round of the playoffs. Yet, they haven’t been close to living up to all their talk.
The Wizard’s are 27-22, fifth place in the East and only one game in front of the eighth place Bucks. They have had some terrible losses, for example, being blown out by the 14th seed in the West, the Dallas Mavericks, who held them to just 75 points.
The inconsistency in play, especially against teams below .500, has been notable all season.
Last season, it was the bench that held the Wizards back. They lacked true playmakers and were required to give up a first-round pick for a boost in their bench production.
Even then, their bench was not good enough, leading to their exit in the second round of the playoffs.
This season has been quite different. The bench, while not spectacular, has been efficient. Kelly Oubre is looking like a future star. While Mike Scott cannot miss a shot, shooting over 57 percent from the field.
Tomas Satoransky has looked like the Wizard’s backup point guard of the future. In their last game against the Hawks, Tim Frazier became the first bench player in NBA history to record 14 assists and three blocks. While there is some room for improvement, the Wizard’s bench has not been holding them back.
So why have the Wizard’s been struggling? They have struggled because of John Wall.
Wall is one of the best players in the NBA and is coming off one of the best seasons in Wizard’s history. However this season, Wall’s statistics are way down.
His field goal percentage it’s the lowest it’s been since his rookie season. He is also having problem at the free throw line.
Effort has often been raised as an issue. It seems like a regularity that the Wizard’s postgame comments usually involve that they played with no energy.
The effort all starts with Wall. He is the leader of this team. If he decides to stand still on defense, the whole team will stand still on defense. However, it is hard to tell if effort is the full extent of the problem.
Wall’s knee injuries have been a lingering concern for years. In the 2016 offseason, Wall underwent surgery on both of his knees. In November, Wall received injections to reduce inflammation in his left knee.
Over the weekend, it was announced that Wall would sit out against the Hawks with a recurring left knee issue.
It is hard to buy that Wall’s lack of effort is his problem this season. He is too good of a player and plays with so much heart to only put in effort when he feels like it. Wall’s knee issues seem to be a more likely explanation for his struggles.
If Wall’s knees truly are the root of the problem, it is best for him and the team to sit out until he is fully healthy. He is not helping this team injured.