Reviewing a Less-Than-Magical Season in Washington
Deni Avdija (9) against the New York Knicks on April 8, 2022. (Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
Springtime serves as a transition between the chill of winter and the scorch of summer in the same way that the play-in tournament serves as a transition between the NBA regular season and the playoffs. And even though the Washington Wizards ushered in spring with the announcement of their cherry blossom jerseys, they will not be transitioning to the postseason.
The cherry blossom jerseys won’t debut until the 2022-23 season anyway.
Tragically, and perhaps as was expected based on their inconsistencies this season, the Wizards’ season ended on April 10th, after a turbulent 82 games. They finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a record of 35-47, their last game a loss on the road against the Charlotte Hornets (124-108).
Bradley Beal only played for 40 of those games, before he suffered a season-ending wrist injury. Beal tore a ligament in his left wrist and the required surgery brought his season to an early end. Prior to his exit in the 2021-22 season, Beal was a consistent contributor and averaged 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game.
Beal also previously held the record for most three-point shots scored by a rookie, a record that was broken by Corey Kispert on Sunday, March 27th.
For better or for worse, the Wizards showed promise without Beal. Kristaps Porzingis played his first game with the Wizards when they hosted and defeated the Indiana Pacers on March 6th (133-123). The Latvian power forward/center was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Wizards in February, with Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans being traded to Dallas. Porzingis’ stats were mostly consistent with Beal’s, averaging 20.2 points and 2.3 assists per game. Social media rumblings suggest that Porzingis’ presence on the Wizards could be the key to their future success, especially if Bradley Beal returns and Porzingis plays to more of his potential.
If Beal, an unrestricted free agent as of summer 2022, chooses to leave the Wizards, then that puts a stop to this projected, magical partnership with Porzingis. And even if Beal chooses to remain in D.C., chemistry with Porzingis isn’t guaranteed. One area where Washington struggles is with their team chemistry, and it seems like they’re still getting to know each other as a team.
Meanwhile, at least one promising leader is developing in D.C. I’ve written previously about the promise of the Washington Wizards and the strength of their young talent, and I still stand by my claims that Washington’s future lies in continuing to develop their young players.
After the Wizards’ loss to the Denver Nuggets on March 16, Deni Avdija seemed to recognize the lacking communication on the team and noted, “I’m trying to be vocal.” It was in that same game that Avdija scored 19 points, his season-best at the time.
Avdija, the small forward in his sophomore season, played all 82 games that the NBA regular season demands and showed consistent promise over the course of these 82 games. He was one of only five players across the entire NBA to earn a perfect attendance record, which is especially impressive after returning from a season ending injury last season.
Deni Avdija (9) against the New York Knicks on April 8, 2022. (Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
Speaking about his perfect attendance after the Wizards’ last home game (which was a loss to the Atlanta Hawks, 114-92), Avdija said “I felt like me missing a game is me leaving my teammates behind or my coaches behind. They need me, so I’m going to be there for them. Even if I’m not 100 percent, I’m still locked in.”
That sounds more like leadership to me than Krisitaps Porzingis admitting to only playing at 60-65% of his potential over the course of the last season, but the Wizards’ stars are promising a big offseason.
Now, to reduce all of what I just wrote to a single letter grade for the Washington Wizards’ season. Overall, the Wizards had some struggles and some bright moments, and I have confidence in their young talent (Rui Hachimura and Kispert also showed exceptional drive on the court) and think that the franchise has potential if they continue to put in the effort.
I will generously say that their performance this season was average, and leave them with a grade of C/C+.
