John Wall: Wizard on the Rise

      In 2010 the Washington Wizards had the 1st pick in the NBA draft. The Wizards needed a new face of the franchise to get away from the Gibert Arenas era in DC in which they did not advance to the Eastern Conference Finals from 2005-2008. Well DC needed a player to help rebuild the franchise into creditably in a city that is crazy about their Washington Redskins and their hockey team the Capitals. That player they picked now made the Wizards from this dormant franchise to now a playoff team and they are my playoff sleeper.

            Now I know what you are going to say that he can't shoot. He is just there to make the highlights for Sportscenter on ESPN. Well sorry to disappoint the doubters out there but have you watched John Wall and the Wizards play. There are currently 30-28 they are the 5th seed and there are 1.5 games behind the Chicago Bulls for the 4th seed and home court in the first round in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

            Coming to this year I put the Wizards on my hot seat this year. Why you may ask? Only because for the fact that Wall have all the talent in the world to put this team on his back and now he has the pieces in place to make this work. This year Wall is having career highs in points 19.8 , assists with 8.6 which is second in the NBA just behind Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and his 2.0 steals per game is 4th in the NBA. He is now shooting at 42% and his 32% shooting from downtown is a career high. All because he now has a good midrange jump shot that he is been working on during the offseason that is paying off.

            Wall does have help in his backcourt mate who reminds me of a young Ray Allen in Bradley Beal. He was the 3rd pick of draft last year out of Florida. He is averaging 16.8 per game and shooting 41% from downtown. This man is not the shooter of a Curry or a Durant but he is close. Also they have a center in Gortat in which they got in a trade from the Phoenix Suns for Emeka Okafor.  This season he is averaging 12.7 points. However in his last ten games his averaging nearly 17 points per game. He is giving the Wizards an inside presence that they never had. Sorry Knicks fans this will pain you but you had this player in 2004 but then GM and head coach Isaiah Thomas traded him to Orlando in the Steve Francis deal. That guy name is Trevor Ariza. Who has won a ring with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009. He brings them a presence that is need in a playoff push and he shoots 41% from downtown. When you have shooters in Beal along with Wall who can drive the lane and dish that makes a defense stay on its heels.

            Washington Wizards head coach Randy Wittman was on my hot seat because all that young talent needed to take that next step to be a good team. I know when you have a young team there are times that you have to be patient. His is running a up-tempo style that best fits his players and if gets the 4th or the 3rd in the East. He might me a Coach of the Year candidate such as Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix, Dwane Casey in Toronto, Terry Stotts in Portland, and Tom Thibodeau in Chicago or Frank Vogel in Indiana.