The Washington Wizards made some really big changes this 2020 offseason, trading away John Wall & bringing in Russell Westbrook.
This was a move many saw coming as John Wall was getting frustrated in Washington & wanted out. The Wizards front office were eyeing on a proper replacement for Wall & found the perfect man in Russell Westbrook.
Now with Westbrook added to the starting lineup, let's look at the rest of the squad and how they've been over the last season.
Let's start off with Bradley Beal, the Washington Wizards shooting guard. Beal's best aspect about his game is his 3point shooting. He can fill it up from beyond the arc and from the mid-range area. Due to his deadly 3point shooting, a lot of defenders overcommit on defense which lets Beal step past them and then finish around the rim. Beal has some traits of a point guard as he does see the floor well and feed the ball to his teammates.
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The Wizards power forward Davis Bertans had really picked up & improved on his role with Washington. He was an excellent role player when he was with San Antonio and has only gotten better with time. Bertans is a great shooter from the outside and his 6'10 frame helps him shoot over taller defenders as well. Bertans can also occasionally finish hard at the rim if you give him space.
Now the Wizards 2019 draft pick, Rui Hachimura has been on a tear for them. Standing at 6'9, playing small forward Rui Hachimura is athletic. He's quick, strong & versatile. He can run the floor, feed the ball & also be a great perimeter & inside defender as well. The ceiling of potential on this young guy is high which only makes me think that Rui Hachimura can be more than just another role player in the league.
At center is Thomas Bryant, a strong inside defensive presence for the Washington Wizards. Though Bryant is still working on much of his offense, he does contribute a lot on defense being an absolutely relentless defender both on and off the ball which helps him get a ton of blocks.
The Washington Wizards just missed the playoffs, getting the number 9 spot in the eastern conference but that also had a lot to do with John Wall missing out due to injuries otherwise the Wizards season record would've been a lot different and better.
Some other players who've made an impact for the team are Ish Smith, Isaac Bonga & Jordan McRae. Though McRae has been traded and Smith is now beyond the peak of his career, Bonga is a gem in the rubble for Washington in my opinion. Only time will tell how he'll develop over the years.
But with the addition of a much explosive tempo pushing point guard in Russell Westbrook, I believe it'll make Washington's record much better than it was last year.
Current Superstars - Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal.
Past Superstars - Gilbert Arenas, Antwan Jamison.
Past Legends - Elvin Hayes, Wes Unseld, Earl Monroe.
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