The Wizards have struggled this season and Bradley Beal believes he needs do his part in displaying leadership in order to turn the season around, David Aldridge of NBA.com writes. “It’s up to [John Wall] and I to do a better job of leading,” Beal said. “We have to show by example. It falls on us at the end of the day. The responsibility goes on us. We have to be able to pick up our teammates, pick up ourselves when we’re not having the game we want or each other’s not having a good game, we have to be there mentally and vocally to pick each other up.”
Here’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Despite Washington’s struggles, it would not be wise to deal Wall, Aldridge contends in the same piece. Aldridge argues that if the Wizards trade anyone, it should be Marcin Gortat. The team handed Ian Mahinmi a four-year, $64MM contract— a deal worth more than Gortat’s— during the offseason and Aldridge speculates that the addition is something that bothers Gortat. The scribe believes that trading the 32-year-old for some reinforcements off the bench may be the best move for the franchise.
- Roy Hibbert is enjoying his time playing for the Hornets and he doesn’t have an issue with coming off the bench for the team, as he tells Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports. “Everything has been going well,” Hibbert said. “It’s a really good group of guys who want to win. It’s a good organization. Everybody is all about winning.”
- Hibbert had some interesting comments on David West signing with the Warriors, Agness adds in the same piece. “It’s a good opportunity for him,” Hibbert said of West’s decision. “It’s a good team over there, obviously. He played for two good organizations, San Antonio – and he’s playing for a good one now.” West and Hibbert played four seasons together on the Pacers.
Ah passive aggressive comments from Hibbert. If he hadn’t bitched out as a Pacer they might have had a championship. He can be mad as he wants at the Pacers but at the end of the day it’s all on him.