The recent Kobe for Gilbert trade rumors (shot down yesterday by Ernie Grunfeld — not that that means anything) should give you an indication that the Washington Wizards are at a crossroads season in regards to the franchise’s future. Gilbert Arenas has gone on record saying he will opt out of his contract at the end of the season and Antawn Jamison is in the final year of his deal. Something’s got to give in order for the team everyone fell in love with last season to stay together. Say it with me now: Second round or bust.
But, you say, for a time last year the Wizards had the best record in the East. Won’t more of the same be in order this year? Perhaps. But can the team stay healthy this year? Gilbert, Jamison and Caron Butler all went down at one point at the end of the season, leaving the team to finish their season with a whimper in a first round sweep at the hand of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Questions abound with this year’s Wizards squad, but one issue hangs above everyone’s head like no other. Defense. If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a thousand times from head coach Eddie Jordan. THIS will be the year they buckle down and concentrate on defense. We’ve heard similar sentiments from training camps past with little results, so I doubt anyone reading this is holding their breath. The Wiz figure to score plenty (they averaged just over 104 points per game last year, good for fourth in the NBA) but until they learn how to get some stops (they gave up over 104 points per game as well) it figures to be more of the same in the Phone Booth. It’s hard to believe defense is at the fore of the gameplan, however, when Gilbert says the key to beating the newly revamped Boston Celtics isn’t to man up, deny passing lanes and crash the boards. Nope. Gilbert just wants to run them ragged.
Photo by Kyle Gustafson
