2019-20 NBA season: Record predictions for every team

Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards continue to spiral downward at uncontrollable speeds. A Bradley Beal trade feels inevitable, John Wall’s future is murky, and the supporting cast is among the worst in basketball. There’s a major need for a rebuild in D.C.

Once you move past Beal, the list of key rotation pieces is grim: Rui Hachimura, Ish Smith, Davis Bertans, Thomas Bryant, C.J. Miles.

Until Wall returns, Washington will rely on Ish Smith (and eventually Isaiah Thomas) to run point. Neither is a proven, positive-impact player in 2019.

For Beal, it’s a chance to drive up his trade interest. He continues to express his happiness in Washington, but it’s not hard to picture a future scenario where Beal a) asks for a trade or b) happily accepts the Wizards’ desire to move on. It’s time.

Washington’s best bet is to run-and-gun offensively. Allow Beal to dive into his bag, all while utilizing Bryant as a rim-runner, Bertans as a spot-up shooter, and Smith as the change-of-pace, waterbug scorer at point. The Wizards need to generate matchup advantages, something fast-break opportunities promote.

Beal’s talent alone earns a 27-win projection for Washington. It’s atypical for teams with such a prominent, experienced star to project so poorly, but the Wizards are unique. A confluence of factors — injuries, poor management, bad timing — have led to this mess.

It would take an upset of massive proportions to keep Washington out of the Eastern Conference basement. The Wizards, once a stable and consistent playoff threat, have fallen from grace. It’s time for a total reboot.

Final record prediction: 27-55, Miss NBA Playoffs

You can read last season’s record predictions here.