Poll: Will The Wizards Make The Playoffs?
Heading into the 2013/14 season, we’ve polled Hoops Rumors readers on whether a handful of contenders will reach the playoffs. So far, you’ve weighed in on the Cavaliers, Bucks, Lakers, and Trail Blazers, but none of those teams could use a postseason berth quite as badly as the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards haven’t appeared in a playoff game since the 2007/08 season, meaning the club hasn’t made the postseason since owner Ted Leonsis assumed control of the franchise in 2010. Leonsis hasn’t been shy about spending to contend, having inked John Wall to a max extension earlier this offseason, and approaching tax territory for Washington’s 2013/14 team salary. The Wizards owner has made comments indicating he’s tired of appearing in the lottery and expects the team to be in the playoff hunt this season.
Do the Wizards have the talent to finish in the top eight in the East? That answer will largely be determined by Wall’s health and development, but the team played well in the second half last season, and added third overall pick Otto Porter to the fold this summer. With continued improvement from the club’s young players, including Bradley Beal, and contributions from veterans like Nene, Trevor Ariza, and Martell Webster, Washington should definitely be in the mix for a postseason berth.
Of course, health is always a concern. Emeka Okafor and Chris Singleton have already suffered injuries, leaving the Wizards a little thin in the frontcourt. Wall and Nene have also missed time with injuries in recent years, and would put a serious dent in the team’s chances if they were to do so again.
What do you think? How will in the Wizards fare going up against teams like the Pistons, Hawks, Cavaliers, Bucks, and Raptors for a spot in the back half of the East’s top eight? Will Washington end its postseason drought and make the playoffs this season?
Will the 2013/14 Wizards make the playoffs?
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No 51% (224)
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Yes 49% (212)
Total votes: 436
Southeast Notes: Magic, Oden, Cole, Wizards
The Magic have 19 players under contract, but only 12 fully guaranteed deals on their books, meaning there could be a couple regular-season roster spots up for grabs in Orlando. And as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel notes, camp invitees Solomon Jones and Mickell Gladness took advantage of their audition on Monday against the Mavericks — Jones scored 11 points and grabbed eight boards, while Gladness blocked six shots in just 16 minutes of action.
As Jones and Gladness continue to compete for NBA jobs, let’s check out a few other items from around the Southeast Division….
- One of the reasons Greg Oden chose to sign with the Heat over a host of other NBA suitors was because Miami doesn’t have any motivation to rush him onto the court, so a fast start for the Heat this season will help keep the team from hastening his return, writes Ethan Skolnick of Bleacher Report.
- In his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel suggests Norris Cole‘s performance in 2013/14 could significantly affect the Heat‘s decisions at the point guard position. Cole is the only Miami player on a guaranteed contract beyond this season, while Mario Chalmers will hit unrestricted free agency next summer.
- With a new five-year max extension under his belt, John Wall talks to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report about his increasing expectations for the Wizards‘ coming season and for the long term in Washington.
- Michael Lee of the Washington Post takes a look at Pops Mensah-Bonsu‘s uphill battle to regain a spot on an NBA roster. Mensah-Bonsu is currently in camp with the Wizards.
Odds & Ends: Tanner, Wizards, Teague, Heat
Agent Jim Tanner, who had previously been a partner at Williams & Connolly LLP, is opening up his own sports and entertainment management business, according to Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg Sports. Tanner will be taking all of his clients, including Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, and Jeremy Lin, with him to the newly-created Tandem Sports & Entertainment. You can view our full list of the new agency’s clients right here.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- There hasn’t been much playing time available for the Wizards‘ camp invitees in the preseason, writes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Considering Washington already has 15 players on guaranteed contracts, the team’s non-guaranteed players will likely just be waived before opening night.
- Following up on a report that the Timberwolves had shown interest in Marquis Teague, Darren Wolfson of ESPN 1500 Twin Cities tweets that David Kahn may have had interest in the young point guard, but Flip Saunders hasn’t inquired with the Bulls.
- The Heat‘s opening night roster may look fairly set, but Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel cautions that the team usually keeps its options open for at least one meaningful in-season move.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside has the details on a handful of prospects set to enter the D-League’s draft.
Lowe On Spurs, Randolph, Rockets, Raps, Cavs
Zach Lowe’s latest piece for Grantland is a lengthy one, as he breaks down all 30 NBA teams by tiers heading into the 2013/14 season. Amidst his evaluations of each club, Lowe also includes several tidbits related to teams’ trade options and cap situations. The entire piece is worth checking out, if only to see where your favorite team lands, but we’ll round up a few of the more interesting notes right here:
- While the Spurs didn’t shake up the roster much this offseason, they’re in good position to make an in-season trade if need be, says Lowe. San Antonio has a couple movable expiring contracts (Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner), as well as a number of prospects stashed overseas.
- Lowe believes Zach Randolph will finish the year with the Grizzlies, but notes that Memphis’ front office is willing to make bold moves and probably recognizes that Randolph’s trade value will be highest this season.
- The Rockets are a a “very strong bet” to make a trade or two during the season.
- Both the Wizards and Pistons are among the candidates to make an in-season panic trade, due to increasing pressure to make the playoffs. However, Detroit may not have a ton of appealing trade bait unless the club is willing to dangle Greg Monroe, according to Lowe.
- With Kyle Lowry and Rudy Gay both potentially entering contract years, the Raptors could end up being deadline sellers if they get reasonable offers and aren’t in position to reach the postseason.
- Although they have plenty of assets of value, the Cavaliers‘ trade options will be somewhat limited if they intend to keep their books clean in the hopes of landing LeBron James next summer.
- Moving even one mid-tier salary during the season could create “serious cap flexibility” for the Kings.
- The Sixers figure to gauge the market value for veterans Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young before the deadline.
- While a Rajon Rondo trade isn’t entirely out of the question, it’s much more likely that the Celtics attempt to move players like Courtney Lee, Brandon Bass, and Kris Humphries, writes Lowe.
- In Lowe’s view, “everyone is available” on the Suns, except for perhaps Eric Bledsoe and the team’s rookies.
Southeast Notes: Big Three, Beasley, Maynor
Today's look at the Southeast Division..
- Heat president Pat Riley and owner Micky Arison have a great deal to do with the future of the Big Three, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Arison has to be willing to spend an astronomical amount of money to keep all three in place because of the luxury tax and Riley, who turns 69 in March, may not want to keep his job in Miami forever.
- In today's mailbag, a reader asks Winderman if offseason acquisition Michael Beasley is engaged in Heat practices. If the low-risk signing fails, Winderman says that it won't be because of a lack of effort as Beasley is working hard to get himself ready for the upcoming season. What could hurt him, however, is making the transition to being a complementary player which will call for a greater emphasis on passing.
- After signing a two-year, $4MM deal with the Wizards this summer, Eric Maynor's goal is to be a steady complement to John Wall, writes Michael Lee from the Washington Post. Washington was sloppy on offense last season and the addition of Maynor, who has a career 2.81-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, should help to straighten out the offense.
- Rookie Victor Oladipo is ready to help the Magic turn things around, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
Odds & Ends: Wizards, Karasev, Sixers, West
Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld and coach Randy Wittman are both on expiring deals, and owner Ted Leonsis wants the team to show improvement this year, notes Benjamin Standig of The Associated Press.
"I expect us to be a playoff-caliber team," Leonsis said. "I think our fan base expects that too and that's the pressure I've placed on our organization, that we have to meet the expectations of our fans — and it's time."
Leonsis also said that he believes upgrades to the team's facilities will help the Wizards attract free agents in future offseasons. While Washington strives to leave the lottery behind, here's more from around the Association:
- The Cavs were sold on Sergey Karasev before the draft, and they tried unsuccessfully to trade up from the 19th pick this June, thinking it was necessary to land him, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Instead, Karasev fell to Cleveland at No. 19, and Lloyd believes that the Cavs' claim that they were surprised he dropped so low — an oft-repeated refrain about NBA draftees — rings true.
- The Sixers' decision to keep Royce White at home for their trip to Europe raised a few eyebrows, but he's not the only player the team left off the plane, notes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- The pressure's on Delonte West to produce in China after he did little to woo NBA teams during his D-League stint last season, opines Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside.
- The Suns have 16 players on fully guaranteed deals and Dionte Christmas on a partially guaranteed contract, so it's no shock that coach Jeff Hornacek says it won't be easy for the team to decide on the opening-night roster. Matt Petersen of Suns.com provides details.
- The market squeezed plenty of productive veterans into bargain deals this summer, and Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com names six whom he thinks will be particularly valuable.
- Mavs camp invitee Renaldo Balkman is trying to overcome the stigma of the violent outburst that led a league in the Philippines to ban him, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News examines.
Eastern Notes: Kirilenko, Bucks, Collins, Magic
Let's round up a few Tuesday items out of the Eastern Conference….
- In a column on the Nets' addition of Andrei Kirilenko, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report details the veteran forward's time on the open market, which initially saw him turn down overtures from the Nets. According to Zwerling, Kirilenko drew some interest from the Warriors and Spurs, and was in talks with three non-playoff teams for larger salaries before he reconsidered Brooklyn's mini mid-level offer.
- Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel rounds up several comments from Bucks owner Herb Kohl about the possibility of a new arena in Milwaukee, the offseason roster overhaul, and his aversion to tanking.
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein explains why Jason Collins isn't in camp with an NBA team, and identifies three clubs that could be fits for the big man once the season gets underway, including the Wizards and Nets.
- Player development is the primary focus in Orlando, but Magic executives tell Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that the team doesn't view developing young players and winning games as mutually exclusive.
- Pistons rookie forward Tony Mitchell is probably headed for a D-League stint at some point this season, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Southeast Rumors: Porter, Williams, Wizards
The No. 2 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Otto Porter, suffered a right hip flexor injury, reports the Associated Press, and was limited in practice. Fortunately for Wizards fans, Nene Hilario and John Wall are healthy, but as Michael Lee of the Washington Post points out on Twitter, Trevor Booker was also limited in practice with a sore right knee.
Here's more on the Wizards and Hawks…
- As J. Michael of CSN Washington summarizes, the Wizards have been suffering from the injury bug as training camps open around the league. Emeka Okafor (herniated disk) and Chris Singleton (left foot/toe surgery) are already out and now Booker and Porter are limited.
- Wall added to Lee's piece that after watching footage from the 2012/13 season, he's confident of the team's success this coming year. "We know what we're capable of as a team," Wall told him. "We just got to play like we did last year, be a great defensive team, be a faster team, get out in the open court," said Wall.
- On the injury front, the Hawks scoring guard (Lou) Louis Williams has no timetable on a return from the ACL tear he suffered last season, reports Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution [subscription only].
- Vivlamore adds that former Hawk Damien Wilkins is liable to make the team if Williams isn't able to go right away. After suffering the torn ACL in his right knee in January, the recovery period is 9-12 months and Williams has yet to participate in any scrimmaging with the team before training camp opens.
- Vivlamore goes on to include that a new coach, Mike Budenholzer, means there will be a new system in place for even the veteran Hawks to learn in this month's training camp.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes that Kemba Walker, after two years of losing in Charlotte, led a "jump-start" on the Bobcats' training camp.
Odds & Ends: Union, Turner, DiLeo, Nowitzki
The NBPA has retained Reilly Partners Inc. to help conduct a search for a new executive director to replace Billy Hunter, the union announced today (link via The Associated Press). Steve Mills was reportedly the leading candidate for the position before he accepted the Knicks' GM job this week. According to Brain Mahoney of the Associated Press (via Twitter), the union may want to build a list of about 10 candidates before making a decision. That's far from the only position up for grabs around the league as training camps open. Here's the latest:
- Evan Turner told reporters at Sixers media day today that he "was ready" to be traded at one point and was just hoping it would be to someplace warm, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media (Twitter link). It appears as though Turner was bracing for the possibility, rather than hoping for it.
- Former Sixers GM Tony DiLeo is set to become a scout for the Wizards, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link).
- Dallas GM Gersson Rosas indicated today that Dirk Nowitzki could play another four or five years in a Mavericks uniform, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. "The vision for us is we want to maximize Dirk's career here,'' Rosas said.
- Rosas, who has experience as the GM of the Rockets D-League affiliate, also wants to make the D-League a key component of his strategy with the Mavs, Price notes.
- Jared Jeffries tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that multiple NBA teams offered him the chance to continue his playing career, but the former lottery pick decided to take a scouting job with the Nuggets that puts him "on the fast track" to becoming a GM.
- Three NBA clubs have shown interest in guard Tre Kelley, agent Giovanni Funiciello tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Kelley is without official NBA experience, but he went to camp with the Thunder in 2009 and the Grizzlies in 2010.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Eastern Links: Wizards, Pistons, Heat, Raps, Bulls
The Wizards have a number of option decisions due before the end of the month, and not all of them will be easy, as J. Michael of CSNWashington.com writes. Jan Vesely is coming off a disappointing year, and Chris Singleton has been sidelined by foot surgery, but president Ernie Grunfeld says the team already has a pretty good idea of where its players stand.
"We have a good feel for where [Singleton] is and what he brings to the table and it is an important year for these guys," Grunfeld said. "That's a decision we'll make at the appropriate time which will probably be at the end of [October]."
Here's more from around the East:
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News breaks down a few of the issues the Pistons need to address during training camp, including Brandon Jennings' fit, Greg Monroe's contract situation, and coaxing positive contributions out of Rodney Stuckey.
- The Heat had been hoping to bring in Rodrigue Beaubois "for an audition," but a wrist injury prevented it, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. It's not clear whether Miami would have invited Beaubois to camp or just had him in for a workout, but either way, the possibility doesn't seem to be on the table at the moment.
- In his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel discusses the importance of a title for the Heat's potential 2014 free agents, and examines the possibility of a Joel Anthony trade.
- New GM Masai Ujiri is taking a patient approach to retooling the Raptors' roster, and tells Eric Koreen of the National Post that he hopes to eventually wake a "sleeping giant" in Toronto.
- The Bulls may not be the favorites to come out of the East, but there's certainly no shortage of talent and depth on the roster as Chicago prepares to open camp, says Sam Smith of Bulls.com. Smith also fields readers' questions in a mailbag.