Wizards Should Still Be Excited For Next Year

By Josh Wilson | May 21, 2015

May 15, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards guard John Wall (2) attempts a shot as Atlanta Hawks guard Dennis Schroder (17) looks on during the second half in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /

The Washington Wizards 2014-15 season is over, and now all Wizards fans and players can do is watch in envy as other teams compete for a ticket to the Finals. We all wonder, how long will it be until the Wizards make it that far? Will we even see them in the conference finals during this era? Both this year and last year, they were eliminated in round two, and this year stung even more than last year, following an impressive sweep in round one over the Toronto Raptors.

More from Washington Wizards

It’s not just fans that are incredibly upset about not seeing the Wizards in the Eastern Conference Finals. John Wall will be in Cleveland for hand rehab, the same city that some of the ECF games will be in, but says he wants to be as removed from that as he can be. He knows that it would kill him to see where he could be if he was able to do more.

Bradley Beal also told the media that he does have a pick for the Finals, but it’s that no one wins. He does not want to see any team besides Washington win, but who could blame him?

Bradley Beal on his pick to win NBA title now that #wizards are gone: "I hope nobody wins. I’m a sore loser."
— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) May 19, 2015

Now, the typical offseason topics come up. Will Drew Gooden leave for another team as a free agent? He was a decent off the bench player down the stretch, it’d be a shame to lose him. At the same time, Paul Pierce has expressed that he is exhausted, and can’t take going this far and losing. The idea of him retiring has been tossed around. Speaking to the Washington Post, he said:

"“These rides throughout the NBA season, throughout the playoffs, are very emotional. They take a lot out of not only your body, but your mind, your spirit.”"

Things like this have a negative connotation, and have quickly led to fans and analysts questioning the impact that the Wizards will be able to have next year.

There’s definitely something happening in Washington. Just a couple years ago in 2012 the Wizards had a terrible 29-53 record. Now, they locked up the number five spot and were able to swiftly sweep the Raptors in round one. They’ve come a long way, and from the looks of it, they’re not even close to being done.

Though this fire is blazing, it has to be fanned. Sitting back and relaxing with the current roster is dangerous. Looking to free agency to find some more weapons is an option, and will definitely be looked at if Gooden and Pierce leave.

There is an assuring sense of team loyalty and pride from the players. As discussed, Wall and Beal are so loyal they won’t even entertain talking about someone else winning the Finals. While this can be seen as, “bitter,” it’s good to see some loyalty from the team’s biggest stars.

Wall leads the team to wins, and obviously wants to take this winning to the next level. Hindered by a hand injury late this year, he’s going to be ready and motivated for next season, and hopes to rehab his hand in the offseason. Wall can be dangerous, especially with the motivation that he got from making it this far in the playoffs this year, and coming up short.

Imagine Wall even more motivated than usual. It’s actually pretty scary to think about if you’re a fan of another Eastern Conference team. Although his point production did go down a bit this year, he still consistently scores over 15 points per game every season. What really improved this year was assists, going up to 10 per game this year compared to 8.8 last year.

Where is the ceiling on Wall? He continues to sharpen his game every year in one aspect or another, and continues to be a swift moving player on both ends of the floor. It’s tough to guard him, and it’s tough to be guarded by him. He’s a thriving young player that still keeps improving, five years after his NBA debut.

This motivation from Wall is going to get passed around to other players as well. When guys see the team leader clearly motivated to win, they will follow suit, and be working hard just like Wall does.

Beal is one of these players. He’s close to Wall, and works very much in conjunction with Wall, which leads me to believe his motivation will rub off on Beal the most. He’s only been in the league three years, but already shows promise of being a great guard with 15.3 points per game and a 40% three-point rate.

Randy Wittman is also a key reason to get excited. His fire in huddles is something that motivates players, and can fuel 10-0 runs in the fourth quarter of crucial games. Although he’s not recognized as one of the great NBA coaches yet, I think he could be getting to that point. His relationship with players is key, as we often see him sticking up for his guys and being the defender to the media.

When Wall’s hand was injured, Wittman practically scolded the media when they questioned Wall and his undermining of the team doctors.

Wittman is also always looking at ways to make his team better, and even after they were knocked out of the playoffs, he took the opportunity to realize what needs to be done next season, and is already compiling a strategy. He’s not sulking in the loss, he’s moving on, ready to attack for next year.

This no-sulking attitude is important. Players need to see this and realize it’s not about this year anymore. It’s time to move on, regroup, and get ready to contend again next year.

Another reason fans can be excited is that the nation’s capitol is now a great sports city. Bryce Harper is absolutely tearing it up for the Nationals, and the Wizards are finally known as contenders.

Previously, it was merely the Capitals holding up the success as far as sports goes in Washington D.C. Now, all of the teams are winning, and although there’s no statistical proof, they seem to be feeding off of each other’s successes and energies.

It’s a great time to be a fan in Washington, and as far as basketball goes, the Wizards are here, and here to stay.

Next: Wizards Top Five 2014-15 Moments

More from Hoops Habit

Home/Washington Wizards