The Washington Wizards are currently second in the Eastern Conference and have matched their best start in franchise history with 19 wins and 6 losses. While much of their success could be attributed to John Wall having the best season of his career, this year’s Wizards team is a lot deeper than in seasons past.

Prior to the beginning of the season, Washington addressed their need for front court depth by re-signing Drew Gooden, Kevin Seraphin, and they also acquired Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair through trades using multiple exceptions.

Nene hasn’t been able to stay healthy since joining the Wizards in 2012, and Ernie Grunfeld made sure to find multiple replacements in the summer, just in case he missed some time. Nene has inevitably already missed some games this season due to plantar fasciitis, and Randy Wittman has opted to place Humphries in the starting five.

Although Nene and Humphries are two completely different players, both have shown be productive when playing with the starters. Humphries has replaced Trevor Booker‘s rebounding, but he’s also become a consistent threat from mid-range. His ability to run the floor has also made him a perfect fit along side Marcin Gortat.

But, now that Nene has returned to action and finally seems to have his legs back, it might be time for Wittman to make another change to the starting five.

According to Hoops Stats, the Wizards have the most efficient second unit in the NBA, and Nene’s presence off the bench certainly helps. With Nene on the floor with Andre Miller, Rasual Butler, and Otto Porter, Washington has been able to run a very potent offense. Humphries is able to contribute offensively, but he doesn’t command the same attention Nene does. Nene is one of the best passing big men in the league, while Miller, Porter, and Butler all do a great job of moving without the basketball.

With that said, the Wizards’ starting front court hasn’t generated much offense lately. Marcin Gortat is struggling to score in the post, while Humphries hasn’t been able to hit the mid-range jump shot with regularity over the past few games. While that’s not a reason to be concerned, since all players will struggle from time to time, the Wizards’ schedule is going to pick up very soon.

Starting December 29th, the Washington Wizards will head out on a west coast road trip. They’ll take on the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and New Orleans Pelicans.

All five teams are playing for playoff positioning, which could serve as a good measuring stick for the Washington Wizards. Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Serge Ibaka, Tim Duncan, and Anthony Davis are all match ups that the Wizards will have to prepare for on the trip. I don’t think Nene is ready to play 30+ minutes a night, but it might be a good idea to get him acclimated with playing along with the starters again before Washington begins that tough stretch of games.

Wittman is going to have to make some tough choices. Washington’s bench has been great and having Nene play with the second unit has obviously helped. But with the tough stretch coming up, the Wizards might need Nene back in the starting lineup.

Is It Time For Nene To Start Again? Yes, Washington Needs Him To Start

No, Humphries Has Played Well View Results