Roundball Wrap-Up: Wednesday February 26th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
James Harden - We had Houston take the Team of the Week before the All-Star game, but Harden is right now playing like a top five player in the NBA. Sure, he cannot play defense, but it is the perfect recipe for him as he can let guys go in the lane and see Dwight Howard whom has reverted back to 'Good Dwight.' Harden been impressive in the last couple games including his 43 point performance last night where 40 of his points came before the five minute mark in the third quarter. Since the All-Star Break, Harden is averaging 33.5 points per game and shooting 50.6 from the field. If Houston finds themselves to be the one seed in the Western Conference, Harden deserves some consideration for MVP. I do not think he deserves it, but man, he had quite the year with the Rockets. This is a dangerous team.

Carmelo Anthony - If you listen to The Solid Verbal, they had a thing going with Nick Foles when he played in college called 'Nick Foles in a losing effort.' I think it is time we need to create 'Carmelo Anthony in a losing effort.' The Knicks are putrid, but Melo is anything, but. In the last four games, Carmelo is averaging 41.5 points a game. FORTY POINTS A GAME. The man is out of his mind right now and also 53.1 percent from the field. In two of those games, Carmelo made six or more threes as well along with grabbing multiple rebounds. People are forgetting how good Melo has been this season because the Knicks are so goddamn bad. If New York was a three seed and Carmelo put up these numbers, I think there is a discussion for MVP.

This week in Kevin Durant
Not really much to report about KD as he only played two games since the All-Star Break and Oklahoma City lost both games. Durant had gaudy numbers against Los Angeles Clippers in a shootout going for 42 points and 10 assists, but that's about it. KD's assist numbers are definitely something to keep an eye on.

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
Raymond Felton - New York is a complete mess as noted in the Melo graph, but Ray Felton made it worse with getting arrested for waving his gun around at his probable ex-wife. I guess despite New York City's tough gun laws, Felton will not be seriously charged like Plaxico Burress or Lil Wayne, but still this is yet another stain for New York. To make matters worse, Felton will start tonight for New York. I do not really think I am putting Felton in the lineup after catching a gun charge, might want to wait a couple days, see how things play out.

Team of the Week
Charlotte Bobcats - HERE COMES THE CATS. Charlotte has won five of their last six games and found themselves in the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference with four games under .500. They are only a half game out of the sixth seed. Bobcats beat Memphis in an impressive victory last night being led by Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has become one of the better defenders in the league, and this team could at least frustrate a team in the first round. Although poor Charlotte as their next four games is a three-game road trip against San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Miami with coming home to face Indiana.

Team of the Weak
Atlanta Hawks - I do not think people are realizing how bad Atlanta has been for the month of February. They began the month with a win and a 25-21 record. Since then, they have won a single game and now four games under .500 being the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference right now. They are giving a ton of points right now. In five of their losses, Atlanta gave up 105 points or more which is not good whatsoever. In Atlanta's defense, they have played Indiana twice, Chicago twice and Toronto once which they lost all those games. It could be Atlanta just is not very good.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Iman Shumpert - There was some talk that Shump would have been on the move to Oklahoma City but New York did not want to give him up for a first-round pick which is bizarre, but okay. Shumpert turned around and hurt his knee putting him out until early March. Somehow the Knicks found a way to dominate a Roundball Wrap-up with being 10 games under .500. I am sorry folks, not a ton of injuries, Felton being a dumbass and Melo playing well. I do not make the rules here.

NBA's week in Images, GIFS, Instagram, Vine, Links, anything else. 

Honestly, I do not like to encourage Heat fans, but I found this kid hilarious.



Thomas Robinson had the block of the year.



Brad Stevens get the most calm ejection of all-time. Honestly, I have no idea what he did wrong there.



DIRKUS CIRCUS STRIKES AGAIN.  

RT @HoustonRockets: @JHarden13 addresses media wearing the latest in a recent series of amazing shirts. #FlowerPower pic.twitter.com/BnAQJTTYdG
— Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) February 24, 2014

It appears James Harden has stole my Grandma's couch.

Charlie. 

Bucks Buzz: February 6 - A Family Reunion

Even though it has been a bad year for Milwaukee thus far, Mitch Pratt and Charlie Tritschler will provide you with a bi-weekly update on the Bucks ranging from recaps, links and other neat stuff. 

Quick Recap:

Monday vs. New York (W): Bucks 101 Knicks 98 

I say this about every team the Bucks actually beat but how bad are the Knicks? Carmelo Anthony and JR Smith were chucking threes on their way to 36 and 30 points, respectively. The rest of their squad could only muster 32 points? Tim Hardaway was only 2-10 from the field and Raymond Felton was just 1-7. This really doesn't surprise me, it's just that I need to make fun of another team other than the Bucks. 

Speaking of those Bucks, this was easily the best game of the season for them. It was the first game Bucks' rookie Giannis Antetokounmpo got to play in front of his family. The Antetokounmpo's had some visa issues to work out but are now finally Stateside for good and now it seems as though Giannis will finally be able to relax and play ball (or, as Brandon Jennings would say: "just hoop"). Yanni played well in front of Mr. and Mrs. A (highlights below, the last up and under layup is unreal), scoring 15 points on 5-9 shooting and was 5-8 from the line. Further, I feel like he's going to forever be a Knicks killer, which we all should love.

Appropriate YouTube video: Giannis Highlights versus the Knicks. Chills for days.

His little brother Kosta is on the left. He's 16 and is 6'7". What do they feed these kids?

Welcome to Milwaukee, Antetokoumpo's!

Wednesday at Denver (L): Nuggets 110 Bucks 100

The energy was pretty good in this game, once again. They played a solid Nuggets team all the way through and didn't roll over after a bad third quarter. Small victories like this are nice to see when your team is 9-40. Larry Sanders had his best game of the season scoring 25 points (a new career high) and grabbing 15 rebounds in the losing effort. 

LARRY SANDERS! might have earned that stylization back after his recent stretch of games. He's averaging 13.4 points per game (57.7 percent from the floor) and 10.4 rebounds per game over his last five games. He fouled out of the game on Monday but, in typicaly Larry fashion, he got the crowd on their feet before he exited, nearly getting a technical in the process.

If you want him to be traded, you're doing it wrong. Many people will hopefully come back around on the 25 year old big man after this recent stretch.

Links

An article by Charles Gardner of the Journal-Sentinel about Giannis and his family being here for good. You can tell he's so happy now and it sounds like his family will be at every home game. Let's get those roots firmly planted in the 414. And for the love of God, draft his brother, Thanasis, in the 2014 draft to get them all in Milwaukee. (Ed. note: Can we get Kostas to Marquette please? Thanks. - CT) 

Here's a post from Fansided about the Bucks potentially having interest in the Cavaliers' Dion Waiters, who has fallen out of favor in Cleveland. I'm not sure how I feel about him. He doesn't have eye-popping numbers in his short career and is a bit of a head case. However, as long as they don't make a stupid trade to get him, I might be alright with it. He's the kind of guy the Bucks' might want to target. He's only 22 himself and could possibly turn it around in a new situation.

What to watch

One thing I'm going to keep my eye(s) on is the continuing play of LARRY SANDERS! and Khris Middleton. Those guys have been on-fire over the last handful of games. Middleton is shooting 58.3 percent from beyond the arc over his last five and is scoring 16.6 points per game over that stretch.

Sanders just needs to play within himself and keep everything else in check to have a large impact.

What's next?

The Bucks have just one game over the weekend as they'll host the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. This is a somewhat controversial night for Bucks' fans as it's "beard night" and the team is conveniently playing against NBA superstar James Harden, who's known for his beard. Additionally, it's going to be a "red out" night as the Bucks are giving away a red shirt with a beard on it to all fans. 

Think of it what you will.

Roundball Wrap-up: Wednesday January 29th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
Carmelo Anthony - We gave him this award a couple weeks ago, and I almost disagreed with myself doing it yet now this is a deserving award for Melo. He dropped 62 points on Friday against Charlotte, which is more impressive than you think because Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a much better defender than a causal fan might believe him to be. To see Melo in a zone like that is something special, and something only a few guys can do in the NBA. People love to give Carmelo a hard time, but it is hard to say he does not fill up the stat sheet. Anthony gets criticized a bunch, but this is yet another example that he is a top ten basketball player without question. Melo followed it up this week with 35 points against Los Angeles Lakers and 24 points with nine rebounds in a win against Boston. Melo might get some MVP votes if he wills this New York team to a five or sixth seed as this is not a good team besides Carmelo.

LaMarcus Aldridge - Honestly, many contenders for this one as Terrence Ross' 51 point effort deserves some love, Anthony Davis playing strong and Stephen Curry doing the damn thing yet I went with LAM. I do not think it is a coincidence Aldridge had a career-high 44 points with 13 rebounds against Denver after he did not get selected as an All-Star starter. Aldridge pulled down another big game against Memphis' big men having 27 points and 16 rebounds. On Friday, he only had six rebounds which is his lowest total since January 7th. Aldridge is averaging 13 rebounds a game this month which is a whole rebound above his yearlong average. LAM is playing like the man.

This week in Kevin Durant
A new segment I am introducing because we need it at this point. I could have gave Kevin Durant another player of the week honor. I mean the man is a MONSTER right now comparable to Buster Bluth and his hook hand. Durant had a triple-double on Saturday to lead Oklahoma City in a victory over Boston and then he dropped 41 points against Atlanta on Monday night including a game-winner over THREE Hawks defender. Durant has 30 points or more in this last eleven games, the last player to do that was Shaquille O'Neal and oh yeah, he plays Miami tonight. EVERYTHING IS COMING UP DURANT. Here's the GIF of the game-winner. (H/T @SBNation GIF)

'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
NBA Fans - Goddammit. It never fails that the All-Star game voting has one insanely dumb player selected to be a starter. This year it is Kobe Bryant. I understand Kobe has a great deal of fans, but... THIS GUY TOLD YOU NOT TO VOTE FOR HIM. Kobe stated 'Let one of the young guys in' a la Damian Lillard. It sounds like no matter what, Kobe is missing the All-Star Game. Reports were he was out four more weeks with a knee injury meaning Bryant will likely not be ready for the All-Star Game. I am happy fans will not have the satisfaction of seeing Bryant out there with guys who have played their asses off this season.

Team of the Week
Oklahoma City Thunder - We already talked about Durant, and yes, he has a great deal to do with it. Yet the Thunder are red hot. They have pulled away from the pack in the Western Conference as they won nine of their last ten games. Oklahoma City is beating good teams during the streak as they took down Houston, San Antonio, Golden State and Portland. It is one thing to win nine of ten against the inferior Eastern Conference, and it is another thing to beat four Western Conference playoff teams. Oklahoma City is easily the best team in the Western Conference right now, and they are doing it without Russell Westbrook.

Team of the Weak
Detroit Pistons - I honestly have no idea how they did not make it last week. I mean we needed to point out New Orleans struggles, but Detroit have lost five of their last six games with two of those losses being to Utah and Milwaukee, the league's two worst teams. How Maurice Cheeks still has a job is amazing. I mean I want that job security life. Same goes for Joe Dumars, maybe more so with Dumars. This man gave an asinine amount of money to Charlie Villaneuva and Ben Gordon along with not controlling Josh Smith whose on pace to shoot 300 three-pointers. Last part is more on Cheeks than it is Dumars, but both these guys should be gone.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
San Antonio Spurs - What's really weird about San Antonio is with how good this team has been through the last decade, it seems recently they go through a stretch where everyone is injured leading to everybody giving up on San Antonio. Kawhi Leonard is out with a broken finger for a month. Tiago Splitter has a bum shoulder, but might be back soon. Danny Green is not coming back for a month. Manu Ginobili's hamstring is giving him problems right now. This team is banged up to the highest degree.

This Week in GIFs, Vines, Tweets, Instagrams, Videos, Links, Pictures and anything else


This should have been a DOY. We all make mistakes. Sick dunk from Damian Lillard.

LaLa Anthony says her husband, Carmelo Anthony, will stay in New York and explains why he does not get pregame sex which leads me to a question... What's the percentage of NBA guys having sex before a game? (Larry Brown Sports) 

Charlie. 

Roundball Wrap-Up: January 15th

Your favorite inconsistent NBA post is back from last year!  I never really had a full grasp on how to do this blog, but I think I have figured it out. There will be similar elements from Bucks Buzz, but in reality, it will be its own post on Wednesday (Or Thursday). I do not really have a time for when it will be up but there will be all sorts of random shit I happen to come across on the Internet plus some thoughts about the week that was.

Players of the Week 
DeMarcus Cousins - BOOOOGIE! I swear I hear Jalen Rose's voice every time I talk or hear Cousins name but the guy is flat out ballin' right now. The last time Cousins did not achieve a double-double was December 20th against Miami. That's nearly a month ago. He is playing his ass off, and deserving of an All-Star spot. In half of his January games, Boogie has 30 points or more and on an incredible run right now. Sacramento is 10 games under .500 and the second-worst team in Western Conference yet the future I feel like is better than ever before. I know they have Rudy Gay whom seems to wreck teams, but Cousins is a top five young interior player without question.

Carmelo Anthony - Sure they lost to Charlotte in a back-to-back last night, but Melo is playing pretty well in this recent stretch for the Knicks where they have won six of their last eight games. People rag on Melo that he cannot be a leader and all of his narrative bullshit yet Anthony has looked inspired this month. I have no idea what clicked for him and the team, but it is entirely different than what we saw in the first two months. The numbers might not show he deserves a POW honor, but the fact he helped rally this Knicks a bit is a significant development for them. Also this is a fantastic post-game interview from him. Vine via @netw3rk



'I am not mad, I am disappointed' Player of the Week
LeBron James - I have a hard time reading into James' comments about Kevin Durant. He told ESPN's Tom Haberstoh about how he is 'jealous of Durant's shot attempts', and I am completely dumbfounded. He had this in Cleveland where he could shoot 30 times a game if he wanted to and left for a super team that delivered him two championships. If James want to jack 35 shots, will anyone freak out? Oh shit, that's right people freak out if LeBron gets mayo on his sub instead of mustard so of course people would lose their collective minds.

Team of the Week
Toronto Raptors - SEE WHAT I MEAN ABOUT RUDY GAY... Toronto has won 10 of their last 13 games including eight of their last ten games. Also since Gay has been traded, this team found new life and now sits in third spot of the Eastern Conference with an alive fanbase. This team was supposed to tank this season. The plan started when they traded Gay, and then this team starting winning games. DeMar DeRozen is playing great basketball along with Kyle Lowery and Jonas Valanciunas the three seed in the Eastern Conference. Is this team legit?  Absolutely. They are saying all the right things as well as taking care of business against the weak Eastern Conference. Do I expect the Atlantic Division to get sneaky good by the end of the year with Toronto, New York and Brooklyn going at it? Yup I do in a weird way.

Team of the Weak
Los Angeles Lakers - HERE COMES THE SPIRAL. I hate to give into our writer Mitch's conspracies but it is really setting up perfectly right now. For those wondering, Mitch believes the Lakers will miss the playoffs and end up getting the top pick in the draft. Imagine this team with Kobe Bryant and Joel Embiid?  Los Angeles has lost five straight, and the last nine of ten have been losses for them. They now embark on a seven game road trip due to The Grammy's and come home to Indiana after it. While they play Eastern Conference foes after Phoenix, I would not expect much from Los Angeles in this road trip. I would be shocked if Los Angeles is not picking from the top five next year.

Sportandfashion-news Medical Injury Report  
Eric Bledsoe - Probably my least favorite injury of the year. While all of them are horrible, you hate to see this from an emerging Suns team having sort of a dream season. Bledsoe might be able to return after the All-Star Break as he is battling knee issues. If Bledsoe's meniscus removed, it could drastically change what happens with Bledsoe and his contract in the upcoming summer. It also affects how talented of a player he can be in the future.

This Week in GIFs, Vines, Tweets, Instagrams, Videos, Links, Pictures and anything else 
For whatever reason, GIFs are not working today so I have Lance Stephenson channeling his inner Skip To My Lou and Marc Gasol with a happy ass slap.  

Charlie.  

Sportandfashion-news Future NBA Power Rankings: 24.) - 20.)

by Adam Hatlak, edited by Charlie Tritschler.  

Late December/early January is generally when the NBA starts to heat up. For this NBA season, this is especially true. With all of the injuries to major stars and one of the most anticipated draft classes in recent memory coming up, the landscape of the NBA is in store for a major shakeup. Due to all the changes, now is a good time to look at what the NBA will look like for the next 3-5 years. These Power Rankings were made from a fan’s perspective including many different variables: probability of future success, likeability of organization, trust in front office, and ability to acquire/retain quality players. All of the criteria are applied for the next 3-5 years, as anything further into the future is increasingly more difficult to predict.  

24.) New York Knicks
Key Assets: Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Iman Shumpert, Tim Hardaway Jr.

Reason for Hope: Despite questions about his leadership ability, and chances to ever win a title, Anthony is still a major player in the NBA. Along with a player of Anthony’s stature, comes the ability to get hot at the right time, and have a player take over at the end of games. Additionally, if the Knicks ever get salary cap flexibility, Anthony and the New York market, will be able to attract free agents. If Chandler can stay healthy, he still can be a defensive anchor and rebounding machine. Shumpert and Hardaway are nice young wing players, especially if the team is able to limit their roles.

Reason for Concern: Melo can be a free agent, and seems like the type of player who might be willing to jump ship to a new situation. Amar'e Stoudemire unfortunately never seems like he is going to get back to the player he once was. Chandler continues to get older, and as one of the players who came straight to the league out of high school, he has more miles on his legs than his age may indicate. Shumpert and Hardaway seem to be the only young players that have a future with the Knicks, and both seem likely to be traded for immediate help. To top it all off, the Knicks have given away so many of their draft picks; they will not be able to take advantage of their own potential lottery situations.

Key Decision Looming: Does Melo stay? There have been rumors that the Knicks are interested in trading Anthony, as well as reports that Anthony would be interested signing elsewhere as a free agent such as Chicago or Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony tried so hard to get sent to New York while he was in Denver, but it seems that the partnership is near its end. The Knicks need him to resign with the team even with questions about his ability to win a championship since he is their best chance at getting there with so few assets of value for the future. The Knicks would be wise to either trade him for a superstar or sign him to a max contract again.

23.) Los Angeles Lakers
Key Assets: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Steve Nash.

Reason for Hope: While the end of his career is near, any team with Kobe Bryant is not out of the race; his sheer competitiveness and ability to take over a game needs to be respected until he retires. If Bryant is willing to be a sidekick to either a new superstar, or a young player developing, the Lakers could rise in the standings. Despite all the trades they made to put together a super team, Lakers have their draft pick this season therefore they will be able to get a stud if they place high in the lottery. If Gasol is able to improve his game slightly over the next few weeks, he could bring a decent haul of future assets, or prove capable of being a leader at a reduced cost in the future. Although the key free agents might not be available this year for the Lakers, the cap situation in L.A. is clean enough that they will be ready to get a few key free agents in the next couple of years to propel the next great Lakers team.

Reason for Concern: Bryant is old and injured, Gasol is old, and likely on his way out, and Nash is old and injured, but other than that, the veterans on the Lakers are in good shape. It is no surprise to anyone that follows the league that Los Angeles are in trouble moving forward. There are valid concerns Bryant will ever be able to get back to the player that was able to carry a team to the playoffs, much less go far in those playoffs, and Lakers have an uphill climb to find players to surround him enough to support him. Bryant’s salary is also huge, and he, Nash, and Robert Sacre are the few players that are signed long-term. Gasol has been unhappy the past few seasons in Los Angeles, and likely could find a contender that would utilize him in an offense he is happier with, a fact that could potentially cause Gasol to move on.

Key Decision Looming: When does Gasol leave? It has been years since the Lakers first tried to trade Gasol, and since then the team has been littered with rumors about him going to another team. This season has been no different, as he was rumored to potentially leave town for the right to waive Andrew Bynum’s contract. Gasol's performance slightly dwindled  as he has aged and played in a system he is not comfortable in. If the Lakers can move him at the deadline, they should, but he might not bring back any value. It is likely Gasol will leave town as a free agent, and we can only hope that he does not resign with the Lakers creating all sorts of new rumors for the rest of his career.

22.) Memphis Grizzlies
Key Assets: Marc Gasol, Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Ed Davis.

Reason for Hope: Defense is one of the most predictable aspects of basketball, and the team has plus defensive players at two very important positions, center and point guard. Conley appeared to take a step forward in last year’s playoffs, and has assumed a bigger role since the departure of Rudy Gay. Gasol gets a lot of credit for his defensive prowess, but he also has an underrated offensive game, possessing great court vision for a big man. The team’s front office placed a greater emphasis on analytics within the last year, a decision that may be able to add a few wins above what their talent level suggests they’re at right now.

Reason for Concern: This team got old very quickly, as it seems like just a few years ago, they were an under the radar contender. Randolph is still a beast in the post, but he is losing some of his ability to carry a team, something that is necessary when players like Gasol are lost. It was a wise move to get rid of Gay and his inefficient offensive game, but they have struggled to replace the wing scoring with the likes of Mike Miller and Tayshaun Prince. Quincy Pondexter’s injury did nobody any favors, and the team seems very thin now. Potentially the biggest issue is that this team seems destined for dreaded NBA purgatory, not bad enough to win the lottery, not a big enough market to attract a star free agent, not enough cap space to over pay a star, and not enough talent to sneak into the conference finals. After a few fun years of playoff basketball, Memphis is in trouble.

Key Decision Looming: When is it time to let go? The Grizzlies rise to being a contender was fun to watch, they played good defense, they had a fun identity, but they were still underdogs. Unfortunately time and the salary cap has caught up with them. Rudy Gay was already traded from the team, and it seems that Randolph’s remaining time is limited. Do the Grizzlies continue trying to add to this season and next, hoping to recapture what they had or chose instead to invest in the future, hoping to make a run in a few years. It might be smarter to play for the future, as Gasol and Conley could conceivably be veteran leaders for a future Grizzlies team. 

21.) Utah Jazz 
Key Assets: Derrick Favors, Trey Burke, Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Enes Kanter, 2 first round picks in 2014.

Reason for Hope: Thankfully for the Jazz, they are no longer stuck in the middle of the Western Conference. With Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, this was a team that was having issues getting a high lottery pick, as they would contend for the eighth seed in the playoffs. Luckily they will have a high pick this season. Favors appears to be a potential defensive anchor in the middle, and Hayward and Burks still have some potential if not the main option on offense. Burke has a lot of potential, and could be a very capable leading point guard in the future. There is still a lot of young potential in Utah, they need one star in order to fulfill it, and that player may be coming this draft.

Reason for Concern: Two years ago, this team would have been much higher on this list, and losing Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson is not what knocks them down, they were expected to leave. Millsap and Jefferson were allowed to leave so that Favors and Enes Kanter could finally get the opportunity to play more minutes, ideally developing into legit building blocks. Favors has fared better than Kanter, but both have failed to exceed expectations, as the team is off to a slow start. Burks and Hayward seem to be slow to develop as well, a troubling sign for such a young team. The team may look to move on from Ty Corbin soon, as he has underwhelmed as coach, and the team lacks development.

Key Decision Looming: Who do they draft in the 2014 NBA Draft? Utah currently projects to pick in the first three of the upcoming draft. Who they select will determine the future of this franchise. There are bound to be some busts in this draft, but selecting high should help the Jazz avoid that. Ideally, they would be able to select Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker, since they desperately need a star on the wing rather than help at point guard or center.

20.) Washington Wizards
Key Assets: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Nene.

Reason for Hope: The Wizards have played well this season, and that gives fans a lot of hope. They have one of the most promising young backcourts, with Wall and Beal providing a solid one-two punch. If both can continue to improve, and even rise to stardom, this team can go far in a weak Eastern Conference. Nene brought a toughness to the Wizards, and when he is on his game, he proves to be one of the better inside presences in the conference. Depending on the matchup, the Wizards might be able to make it to the second round of the playoffs, something that many fans would not have considered an option before the Martin Gortat trade.

Reason for Concern: Wall has been better this season, but still brings doubts as to whether he can be the face of a contending franchise, and is now being paid like he should be. Both he and Beal form a potentially dominant backcourt, but both have had some issues with injuries. Speaking of injuries, Nene is one of their best players, but injuries have troubled him throughout his career, making it tough to see him anchoring the post for this team long term. The Wizards gave up their next first round pick in order to get Marcin Gortat, who can leave after this season, if they are unable to resign him to a reasonable deal, the trade could end up a huge waste.

Key Decision Looming: How do they acquire one more sidekick for Wall? Nene, Beal, and Wall is not enough to truly contend, regardless if the young guys improve, but Washington is going to face some difficulties acquiring players necessary to take the next step. Free agency seems like the best option now that they are without their first round pick this year, since it was used to acquire Gortat. If they can upgrade at small forward, this team may take a leap, but finding someone is the true question.