The Distinct Future of the Washington Wizards 

After being eliminated for awhile now, a buzzing question around the nation is what direction the Wizards will head in.  After their heartbreaking series loss to the Boston Celtics, the franchise has been sent back home to prepare for the NBA Draft. With that, what exact holes does the team need to fill in order to become a contender?

Coaching

The coaching staff for the Wizards seems to be in tact with the head coaching skills of Scott Brooks, as he’s finished with a winning record in just about every year since his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Tony Brown is one of the assistant coaches of the Wizards, and has been on a number of different teams over the years. Brown started out as a scout for the Milwaukee Bucks, and has since evolved to become the head coach the Brooklyn Nets for part of the 2016 regular season. 

The Draft

The Wizards have the 22nd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The organization could select a decent player that does them justice, but they may also look into moving up in order to receive a higher pick, and hope a superior rookie can help them in the long-run. 

Even if they ended up trading up for someone during the draft, the Wizards need more size in their lineup. The team needs a Jayson Tatum-type player, as in someone who is efficient from mid-range, has decent dribbling ability, and can get the dirty work done down-low.

Depth Chart

The Wizards need more size, mixed with some talent as well. The franchise also is in need of big men that can work in the paint, as well as from mid-range. Yes, Gortat is efficient, but they need a lot more. The blunt truth is that Markieff Morris can not get the job done when Gortat is sitting out. 

Morris is only 27-years old, and is going up against better veterans such as Marc Gasol. The Wizards will need a more trustworthy frontcourt if they are hoping to improve in the 2017-18 season. 

On top of it all, the Wizards will also need to be hunting for more pure shooting guards. Bradley Beal is a solid starter, but he physically can’t play all 42 minutes per game. Other role players such as Otto Porter are fine too, but the team needs to seek out better options. With that, the Wizards will need to be very careful with their selections in the upcoming draft.

The Offseason 

Scott Brooks will need to get his players in the practice facility as much as possible during the offseason, which will include putting his team through workouts, innovating new plays, and everything in between. The organization needs to prepare as much as they can for next season already. 

With more rookies coming through, it will be important to get them prepared to play, because they’ll always need to be ready to hear their name called. Brooks needs to get everything rolling during the offseason, and it starts by getting the veterans clicking with the rookies.

John Wall

Next season, Wall will need to be the leader for the team once again in order to make a serious run. Everyone will need to fill some big shoes next season if they want redemption, but Wall is the biggest variable in the formula. I feel like if the draft goes well, the Wizards will have a good shot next year at success within the postseason.

John Wall and the Wizards era may come to an end if he’s not satisfied with the results of next season. I think it’s time Wall gets what he deserves, which is a ring. If Wall believes the Wizards can’t get him there, his era will likely end in Washington, and he will attempt his mission with a different contender.