Washington Wizards Don’t Have An Easy Fix For The Struggles

The Washington Wizards dropped their fourth straight game to the Toronto Raptors at home last night. Their best player — John Wall — is having the worst season of his career. The team is currently 12th in the East with a below .500 record. Things…aren’t so good.

We all thought Randy Wittman‘s club would take the next step this season. We thought that Washington would compete for a top spot in the Eastern Conference. But, instead, they’ve found themselves at the bottom of the conference without a clear way out.

After playing small-ball in the NBA Playoffs and advancing to the semi-finals for the second consecutive season, Ernie Grunfeld went all-in this summer and signed numerous players to help them continue that trend. Washington, like many other teams around the league, have to adapt to the ever-changing game.

In order to succeed in the “modern” NBA, teams need to focus on improved spacing and increased pace. Teams have recognized the importance of the three point shot and have eliminated the inefficient mid-range jumper out of the game. They’ve played with three guards on the court and have added “stretch fours” to provide adequate spacing for the traditional center.

Washington had all the pieces to make a serious run towards the Eastern Conference Finals on paper. Wall and Bradley Beal finally had a system that catered to their styles. Beal will no longer be forced into taking deep twos and Wall will have the space to drive in the half-court and run in transition.

Except, things haven’t went according to plan.

Washington is in the bottom half of the league in both offensive and defensive efficiency. They’re atop the league in turnovers per game. They’ve lost their defensive identity and don’t have the pieces in place to restore it. Reverting back to the archaic style would be disastrous at this point.

So, how do the Washington Wizards fix their problems?

There isn’t a clear fix and the Wizards know that. They don’t have any movable players on their roster. Teams will not pick up their phones and inquire about DeJuan Blair‘s availability, believe it or not.

Washington has to figure it out on their own or else this season could be lost, to put it bluntly.

They have to start caring about every possession and value the ball.

Wall, in particular, has to do a better job of leading the team.

The Washington Wizards don’t have an Al Harrington or a Trevor Ariza on the roster and they certainly don’t have Paul Pierce. It’s time for Wall to step up as a leader, both on and off the court.

As Marcin Gortat put it, the Wizards are no longer a fun team. In fact, they’re quite depressing. They aren’t playing the game how it should be played: with energy, hustle and heart. While Wall and Beal hang their heads, the opposing team is actually enjoying the process.

The blame will continue to be put on Randy Wittman, and as someone who’s called for his firing in the past, it’s not entirely his fault. Ernie Grunfeld has put together a flawed roster and Wittman is forced to figure it out. Besides, is there anything positive that would result from firing Wittman? Is there a coach on the market who would save the club? I don’t think so.

This is who the Washington Wizards are. They’re a below .500 team with a struggling All-Star point guard. Things could turn around if the players become more committed and if their most important player actually shows up to the games. But, for now, the Wizards don’t have an easy fix.

It’s a long season and I’d be surprised if Washington continues to lose. All we can do is wait and see what happens.