The Washington Wizards are confident that they'll win more games in the upcoming NBA season.
It has been a long time since the team entered the season with high expectations. In the previous NBA playoffs, the Wizards managed to beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round and survived up to six games against the No. 1 seed, Indiana Pacers. Following the lead of John Wall, the Wizards are transforming themselves into one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.
In a report by Wizofaws.com, the team continued to look for opportunities to improve their roster during the summer to improve their record. In terms of defense, the Wizards were in the top 10 after coach Randy Wittman replaced Flip Saunders in 2012. Recently, Trevor Ariza was traded off to the Houston Rockets but the Wizards expect to get some help offensively with their recent acquisition of Paul Pierce.
Of course, John Wall and Bradley Beal are expected to be the cornerstones of the team. The addition of Paul Pierce will add depth to the team as well as flexibility, considering how Pierce can play small or power forward. Pierce signed a deal with the team for two years, worth $11 million. Although he is now 36 years old, Pierce is expected to rack up points and make great plays for the Wizards, in a report by NBA.com.
Otto Porter and Glen Rice Jr. are expected to have more playing time in the 2014-2015 season. The two have improved significantly over the summer and their style of play is also very compatible with coach Wittman's approach. Both players are good at scoring and are also very effective defenders. Other reliable players in the roster include Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair.
According to isportweb.com, it was a great move for the Wizards to re-sign center Marcin Gortat. Gortat signed to extend another five years with the team for $60 million. Gortat, however, needs more help in the paint after Ariza left. Melvin Ely was acquired by Washington from the Pelicans. Despite his age, he is expected to fill in the gap left by Ariza as well as give Gortat a few minutes' rest during games. Humphries and Blair further beefed up their roster and are expected to help much in rebounding and closing the paint area. Furthermore, Gooden was re-signed by the team.
Overall, the Washington Wizards did a great job during the free agency period. Although they are not expected to be among the top three seeds in the Eastern Conference, they are still a good team to watch featuring a combination of veterans and budding talents
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