John Wall came back January 12th and the Wizards have been rolling since. They are 5-3 since Wall's return and even in their 3 losses (by a combined 12 points) they have looked more like a team. As much of a Wizards fan as I am, I am starting to worry about the Wizards draft pick. We all know Ernie Grunfeld will try his best to screw things up, but if they keep winning and they fall out of the top 3 who knows what direction Grunfeld will go. It is nice that the team isn't the worst in the NBA now (Charlotte is a half game worse), but do we really want to hope that Grunfeld doesn't pick another Vesely or hope for the top pick and nail down a definitive pick?
The Wizards are 6-4 in their last 10 games. In the Eastern Conference, from 8 to 15, no one is better over their last 10 games. The Wizards can go 500 from here on out and easily move up the rankings in the East. They are only 9 games out of the 8th and final playoff spot. Would I like for them to make the playoffs, absolutely, but at what cost? I would like for them to have a shot at a Cody Zeller (assuming he comes out). I don't want to pick in the teens and then end up with another player in Europe who won't be around for years. If they finish in the bottom 5 in the league, I would have to assume that Grunfeld will be fired. I like Randy Wittman, but he isn't the guy for this team. I honestly don't like how he has used his players. The Wizards don't have 10 players worthy of playing, yet 10-12 guys play nightly.
The Wizards need to find a coach with experience, but one who can teach these young players how to play and ensure that they grow. They need a GM that knows what he is doing. Grunfeld hasn't been relevant since John Starks was relevant. The ship sinking would be the only way to ensure (or so I hope) that Grunfeld is out. Bring in a young, up and coming GM who is hungry. Grunfeld has brought in too many bodies that do the same thing. Too many forwards that are the same player.
Sure the draft is still a lottery, but do we want to try our luck as 10 worst team or the 3rd worst team in the league? Cody Zeller, Alex Len, Mason Plumlee, just a few names that could work for the Wizards. You need a big guy that can and will score. Sure you have Nene and Kevin Seraphin, but Nene can hardly stay healthy. We can't count on Vesely by any stretch of the imagination, other than to foul out, and Okafor won't be here past the 2013-14 season. It is somewhat imperative to finish in the bottom 5 of the league just to ensure the future of the organization.
I don't want to sound like a downer here, I want the Wizards to make the playoffs and do good. As of right now, and the state that the team is in, it is in their best interest to lose. They are in dire need of an actual power forward and the best way to get one is to have a top 3 pick in the draft. This organization hasn't had much luck in the past decade, other than lucking into Wall, but with some luck this team could become a top 4 team in the East. There is no reason that this team can't contend with the Nets or Hawks or Pacers for the fourth spot, if they get that dominant scorer. Wall and Beal are two parts, but you need at least someone down low (see the Miami Heat with Chris Bosh). Let's just hope the Wizards don't screw up their ping pong balls too much and finally get that dominant down low threat that the team has lacked for decades.
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