Paul Brandley

Paul Brandley - Baltimore Sports Writer Covering the Washington Wizards

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Paul Brandley: Washington Wizards 2014-15 Season Preview (updated)

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With the preseason set to begin on October 6th, there’s lots to be excited about in the Washington Wizards world. After an impressive 2013-2014 campaign that saw five players average double figures in scoring, John Wall average nearly nine assists and two steals per game, and a first round playoff victory against the Chicago Bulls, the Washington Wizards are again set to make a run into the playoffs. Here’s how:

 

Defense
Paul Brandley Washington Wizards Center Marcin Gortat
Marcin Gortat – Washington Wizards Center
Last year, the Wizards ranked ninth in points allowed, a nod to their defensive ability at each position. Down low, Marcin Gortat averaged a respectable 1.49 blocks per game (9th among pure centers) while Nêne averaged 1.2 steals per game. On the perimeter, the Wizards are stacked with young talent starting to play like NBA stars. In addition to the aforementioned two steals per game from John Wall, Bradley Beal has held down the shooting guard position (both averaged 1.5 steals in the postseason). The athleticism of this bunch, especially John Wall, makes it extremely difficult to play a two way game against them—opposing players, after chasing and containing the Wizards on defense, are simply too tired to bring it to the Wizards’ defense.

 

Offense

Offense has always come naturally for the Wizards. John Wall has the speed to create a shot every time down the floor and Bradley Beal eats corner threes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But what makes this group special is that they haven’t even reached their potential.

Paul Brandley Washington Wizards John Wall
John Wall – Washington Wizards Point Guard

Sure, it’s easy to say that John Wall averages 19.9 points and 8.8 steals per game and that should be good enough for him–not so. What about those 3.6 turnovers per game? This was a slight uptick from the 3.2 turnovers per game that he averaged last year, so I think he can not only get back to 3.2, but drop below 3 TOPG per game for the first time in his career. That would be a huge boon to the Wizards, who are secretly one of the better passing teams in the league (Gortat and Nene are underrated in this regard).

 

Wild Cards

While Otto Porter and Glen Rice, Jr. didn’t show us much last year–Glen Rice, Jr. played in only eleven games–they looked great in this year’s Las Vegas Summer League. If Otto Porter can adapt his game to play as a second- third- or even fourth-option on offense, he can be one of the most versatile players in the league.

Paul Brandley Washington Wizards Glen Rice, Jr.
Glen Rice – Washington Wizards Wildcard Shooting Guard

 

Wizards Expectations for 2014-2015 Season

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The Washington Wizards finished with 44 wins last year – their highest total in nearly 10 years. Due to high draft picks for the last four seasons, Washington has put together a young core that has lots of potential. Guys such as John Wall have turned out to be All-Star caliber players that are not only very skilled but also entertaining to watch.

Washington has also brought in some great veterans such as Marcin Gortat and Nene. Now, the Wizards bring in the most seasoned veteran of them all – Paul Pierce. While Pierce is certainly over the hump, he has lots of playoff experience (and an NBA Championship ring) which will prove to be invaluable as the season goes along.

While things are looking up for the Wizards, I want to make sure that I provide you with realistic expectations for next season. Here’s a breakdown of the Washington Wizards.

John Wall is entering his fifth season in the league and is emerging as a superstar. Wall was selected for the USA Team tryouts, getting cut in the last round of players. Wall was electric last year by averaging nearly 20 points and nine assists while also recording 1.8 steals per game. His improvements on offense also opened the floor for Bradley Beal due to penetrate-and-kick scenarios.

Beal, who is entering his third season, had a breakout year during his sophomore campaign. Averaging 17 points a game while also shooting over 40% from three means that Beal and Wall are one of the best guard combos in the league. And Beal continued to perform in the playoffs – showing that he has matured into a clutch player while still very young. This kid’s confidence is through the roof.

Down low, Washington has two bruisers in Gortat and Nene. Gortat is an old-school center, living in the lane, while Nene has some of the quickest feet for a guy his size.

The addition of Paul Pierce will provide veteran leadership to a team that has shown immaturity in the past.
The addition of Paul Pierce will provide veteran leadership to a team that has shown immaturity in the past.

The Wizards have brought in Dajuan Blair and Kris Humphries to prove the Wizards with some depth in the frontcourt. Both players should be able to contribute about 15 minutes a game. Add in Paul Pierce and you have a very respectable team that could make a playoff run.

One major problem, however, is having Randy Wittman running the show. Wittman has been criticized for his in-game adjustments as well as the way he runs his offense. One stat that many point to: the Wizards lost 12 games last year in which they had a double-digit lead. That’s not good – and a lot of the blame can be placed on Wittman’s shoulders.

Also, Wittman has forced some of the ballhandling duties onto Beal instead of letting Wall initiate the offensive sets. This has proved to be ineffective due to Beal’s value as a shooter.

The other issue with the Wizards is injuries. Paul Pierce is breaking down – he needs a rest every three or four games. And Nene is notorious for getting injured, missing 20+ games in each of his last three seasons.

Regardless, the Wizards have put together a very nice team – one that should finish anywhere from third to fifth in the conference. Who knows what the playoffs will hold?