Wizards need to add more size and defense to give themselves a chance
By Cem Yolbulan
Yes, the Washington Wizards are rebuilding. Yes, this season is not about wins. Yes, it’s more about development.
All of these things are true. However, they don’t negate the fact that the Wizards are not giving themselves a chance to compete because of the way their roster is constructed. A team can focus on development and rebuilding without getting blown out every other game. In fact, one can argue that looking like a real NBA team and playing close, competitive games helps with player development immensely.
The main area of concern for the Wizards so far this season is the defense. They rank last in the league in defensive efficiency by a wide margin. The primary reason for that is the lack of size, length, and strength. There is not a single seven-footer on this roster, and the Wizards are undersized in almost every position. This not only results in porous perimeter defense but also allows the opponents to overwhelm them physically.
The Washington Wizards are the league’s worst rebounding team. They grab the least amount of boards on both ends of the floor. They also have no interior presence to wall off or protect the rim. In fact, the opponents shoot 74.7% around the rim against the Wizards, the second-best percentage in the league. Washington also gave up the second-most dunks, and second-most layups to opponents through the first 16 games of the season. This results in the opponents’ shooting 50.3% from the field when they play against the Wizards, the worst defensive field goal % in the NBA.
To sum up, the Wizards can’t rebound the ball, can’t protect the rim, or can’t stop penetration. That is the recipe for a disastrous defense.
Not playing a traditional center other than Daniel Gafford has clearly not worked. This needs to change. Mike Muscala is probably not the solution either. So, it behooves the front office to acquire a traditional center with size who can help anchor the defense, even if it’s in limited minutes. If they can also find a forward that can rebound and defend, that would similarly be helpful.
If they don’t end up making any moves, these problems with the interior defense should persist. Getting overwhelmed physically night in and night out is not an ideal developmental situation for any young player. It’s time the Wizards gave themselves at least a fighting chance to stay in these games.
