ATLANTA HAWKS
The Atlanta Hawks are selling their future, which lies with rookies Trae Young, Kevin Huerter and Omari Spellman. Hawks GM Travis Schlenk, in his time in Golden State, is clearly using the Warriors’ blueprints to construct this Hawks roster — with Young, Huerter and Spellman serving as the Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green figures in their rebuild. The comparisons, no matter how outrageous they might seem, won’t go away. The Hawks have purged the roster of nearly every piece from the previous regime. So the new foundation is undoubtedly Schlenk’s vision and has his fingerprints all over it. The heavy lifting rests on the shoulders of new coach Lloyd Pierce and it will be a roller-coaster ride in the early going.
ICYMI
Carmelo Anthony and Vince Carter, two of the greatest players of their respective generations, both became Hawks in a season of upheaval for the franchise …Anthony’s tenure was brief and only lasted as long as it took for the Hawks to complete the trade with Oklahoma City and buy out the remainder of Anthony’s contract (he’s in Houston now). Anthony’s acquisition was the vehicle that allowed the Hawks to rid themselves of Dennis Schroder, which was their most critical offseason task …Carter, on the other hand, will be relied upon for veteran leadership and whatever on-court contributions he can make as the oldest active player in the league. He’s been excellent in a similar role in his last two stops (Memphis and Sacramento) and should be able to do similar things on this youthful Hawks roster.
THREE POINTS
1. Young won’t get keys to the kingdom — yet. Anyone who thought that might take a few months of the regular season has not been paying attention. The Hawks are betting on Young’s talent, skill and drive from the very start. They have Jeremy Lin lined up to serve as his backup/sounding board and who better to show Young how to deal with oversized expectations than the man who survived Linsanity?
2. Don’t forget about John Collins and Taurean Prince. Both are key to the Hawks’ future. Collins might be the team’s most impactful player this season, given the vast improvement in his game since the start of his rookie season. Prince has also taken a huge step in his development. They exemplify the youth, athleticism and potential on this roster. Their continued development is as important as the development of any of the prized rookies.
3. A fresh start for Alex Len. The former lottery pick will have an opportunity to rehabilitate his reputation if he shows himself to be a quality contributor for the Hawks. There is plenty of opportunity for him to find his way into the rotation on a team with a dearth of seasoned frontcourt talent. Len’s production has never matched his raw talent, so maybe Pierce and his staff get the best out of him.
MAN ON THE SPOT
Schlenk is betting his reputation on the Hawks’ rebuilding process. His blueprint is a picture-perfect mirroring of the plan used by the two-time defending champion Warriors, who were as fortuitous as they were calculated in charting their rise to the top. Play comparisons offer a theoretically reliable way of selecting talent, until you realize that the comparisons were way off base.
STARTING FIVE
Trae Young | 27.4 ppg, 8.7 apg, 3.9 apg (Oklahoma)
Stephen Curry comparisons will be tough to live up to, even for a player who led NCAA in scoring and assists in his lone college season.
Kent Bazemore | 12.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.5 apg
The highest-paid player on the team survived a summer roster purge to make it back for another season.
Dwayne Dedmon | 10.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 0.8 bpg
Veteran center had his best season as a pro in nearly every significant statistical category in his first season with the Hawks.
Taurean Prince | 14.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.6 apg
Showed all the signs of being a legitimate starter in his second season in the league.
John Collins | 10.5 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.1 bpg
A potential walking double-double this season if the progress he made as a rookie and through the summer is any indication.
KEY RESERVES
Kevin Huerter | 14.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg (Maryland)
Injury kept the rookie out of Summer League action. But he’ll be one of the surprises of the class with consistent minutes.
Alex Len | 8.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.2 apg
Former No. 5 overall pick has a chance to shake the bust label that has accompanied his name throughout his first five seasons.
Jeremy Lin | 18.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg, 4.0 apg
Injuries have limited the one-time breakout star to just 37 games over the past two seasons, both in Brooklyn.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Hawks have been here before, staring at the long end of a franchise overhaul and the painstaking process that comes with it. But that was under a previous regime and during a completely different era. A brutal 13-win season was the result in the first season of that aforementioned rebuild in 2004-05. The core of that team helped the franchise to a 10-year playoff run that culminated in a 60-win season and a trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 2014-15. The remnants of that highlight season are long gone. The Hawks are in the embryonic stage of the process and have to be careful not to revisit such a dreadful low point in Pierce’s first year on the job. Lock these Hawks in at 19-63 this season
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
The Charlotte Hornets know what it looks like when the chemistry is right. Maintaining that, however, has been a struggle. The absence of that consistency leads to a lack of continuity that, in this case, resulted in Mitch Kupchak coming aboard to run the Hornets’ basketball operation and James Borrego taking over as coach when Steve Clifford was fired after last season. Charlotte also made significant changes to the roster and attempted to improve team chemistry, too and Kupchak’s history of championship team-building with the Los Angeles Lakers will no doubt come in handy. The same goes for Borrego’s understanding of title runs his years in San Antonio. The best change agent, though, comes from within. And the Hornets will test that theory to the fullest this season.
ICYMI
Borrego’s presence along with Nicolas Batum’s status as one of the Hornets’ leaders led to future Hall of Famer Tony Parker signing on in free agency to serve as Kemba Walker’s backup. He’ll be a valuable piece to the backcourt puzzle, albeit in a limited role compared to his prime years in San Antonio … The offseason trade of Dwight Howard eventually netted the Hornets Bismack Biyombo, providing the rare opportunity for the rekindling of a relationship that worked well for both parties earlier. However, Biyombo is back in town with a much larger price tag and with higher expectations …The Hornets are hoping that high-flying rookie Miles Bridges (12th pick in the June Draft) is the future star that has eluded them repeatedly in the lottery. All of the physical tools are there. It’s a matter of finding the right position fit for him at the NBA level.
THREE POINTS
1. Trade talks still swirling around Kemba Walker. He has endured trade rumors in each of the past two offseasons and remained steadfast in his desire to remain with the only franchise he’s known in the league. The rumors were actually a compliment. As the lone All-Star on the team in recent years, he was the only player on the roster capable of bringing back anything of value in a potential deal. However, he will continue to see his name in trade rumors this season.
2. Malik Monk’s talents are undeniable. He’s a shooter with the potential to go off at any time from long range. It’s his availability that has not been what the Hornets had hoped or needed from the 11th pick in the 2017 draft. Monk played in just 63 games his rookie season, shooting 34 percent on 3-pointers and struggling to find any sort of offensive rhythm. A thumb injury dashed his NBA Summer League opportunity. The Hornets need him to make up for lost time this season.
3. Devonte’ Graham’s could figure into things nicely. His journey back to his native North Carolina took a celebrated turn to Kansas for college hoops and had an unexpected twist on Draft night. That was when the Hawks selected him with the 34th pick, only to have him end up with a division rival via trade. His fit as the third point guard, behind Walker and Parker, could be an advantageous situation for all involved. Graham has experience at the highest level in college and is also bigger and more physical than Walker or Parker.
MAN ON THE SPOT
So much has been made of the value Cody Zeller brings when he’s not available. Now it’s time for him to show that the reality matches the hype. Howard is gone and the starting job should be his and his alone. He only played in 33 games last season, all in a reserve role. But after five years in the league, it’s time for Zeller to fulfill some of the promise that made him the fourth pick overall in the 2013 draft. He’s always been more mobile than the average center. His deficiency was that he wasn’t strong enough to battle around the basket consistently. He’ll be 26 when the season starts, in his physical prime. So, there shouldn’t be anything holding him back, especially with a new coaching staff around that won’t hold him hostage to his past — good or bad — in the league. It’s a season to show and prove for Zeller.
STARTING FIVE
Kemba Walker | 22.1 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.6 apg
The face of the franchise, Walker has played at an All-Star level consistently over the past three seasons.
Nicolas Batum | 11.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 5.5 apg
An injury-free summer and the addition of Parker should prove critical in a bounce-back season for the veteran swingman.
Cody Zeller | 7.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 0.9 apg
A healthy and productive season from Zeller might be the difference between the playoffs and the lottery for the Hornets.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist | 9.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.0 apg
He needs to become more than just a defensive stopper to justify his minutes with this new regime.
Marvin Williams | 9.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.2 apg
His versatility and defensive awareness keep him in the mix after all these years in the league.
KEY RESERVES
Jeremy Lamb | 12.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.3 apg
The third-leading scorer behind Walker and Howard last season, Lamb continues to build his profile as high-level reserve.
Bismack Biyombo | 5.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Biyombo provided solid production in limited minutes with the Magic while showing his durability in playing in all 82 games.
Frank Kaminsky | 11.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.6 apg
A floor-stretcher with his shooting prowess and size, Kaminsky must impact the game in more ways to reach his potential.
THE BOTTOM LINE
For a team with as many veteran pieces as the Hornets have on the roster, there are simply far too many questions marks surrounding this bunch. Sure, there’s an entirely new system to learn in Borrego’s first season. And the decision-makers eyeballing the roster now are not the same ones responsible for drafting or acquiring the bulk of the personnel. To avoid a complete overhaul, these Hornets have to find a way to come together quickly in a revamped Eastern Conference. If Walker gets the veteran assistance needed and at least a couple of the youngsters are ready for prime time, there’s a chance. Bottom line, the Hornets won’t be any worse than they were a year ago in Clifford’s final season. But it’s not clear if they’ll be much better in Borrego’s first campaign. Pencil them in at 35-47.
MIAMI HEAT
Barring a shocking run to the Eastern Conference finals, Dwyane Wade’s farewell tour will overshadow most anything else the Miami Heat do this season. The end of Wade’s sure-fire Hall of Fame career deserves the proper send-off. And what better way to usher the franchise’s best player into retirement than with another playoff campaign, preferably one that ends deeper than last season’s first-round tussle with the Philadelphia 76ers? Heat boss Pat Riley is convinced that Wade can serve as a catalyst for a huge season, much as he has throughout his career with the Heat. Riley said as much when Wade signed his final contract with the franchise a week before the start of training camp. And since it remains unclear who will fill Wade’s role as the face of the franchise moving forward, perhaps another season with Wade as the most high-profile member of the team makes sense. So what if he’s no longer the Heat’s best or most impactful player? He’ll be their unquestioned leader, along with good friend and Heat stalwart Udonis Haslem, who also signed as a free agent for one final season with the franchise. The celebration of Wade’s storied career allows Riley one more season to prepare for the future and the transition to the next era.
ICYMI
The Heat took their time putting the finishing touches on the roster for training camp. They didn’t know for sure what Wade was going to do, waiting until his Sept. 17 announcement that he was returning for another season to present him with a new contract … Wayne Ellington’s new deal came much earlier. The Heat kept their veteran sharpshooter in the fold with a new deal signed in early July … Dion Waiters’ return from foot surgery that limited him to just 30 games last season will not come before training camp or the start of the season. Riley announced that Waiters is “unlikely to be ready” for the start of the regular season in mid October. He made that statement the same day Wade’s deal was signed, which was no coincidence. Granted, the Heat don’t have a shortage of bodies to work with in their wing rotation. But Waiters is certainly expected to be in that mix at some point this season.
THREE POINTS
1. Can the Heat remain patient with Hassan Whiteside? His uneven playoff performance last season was just the latest and most glaring example. Whiteside wasn’t up to the challenge against Joel Embiid in the first-round series against Philadelphia, averaging a pedestrian 15.4 minutes and being thoroughly outplayed by the Sixers’ All-Star center. Even with confirmation from both sides that the plan going forward is for Whiteside to serve as the Heat’s low-post anchor, there will be plenty of skeptics.
2. If Whiteside can’t work, other options available at center. If the Heat explore more of the “small ball” lineups that have become all the rage in the league, second-year center Bam Adebayo continues to make huge strides in his development. He has exhibited the mentality that seems much more in tune with the Heat’s culture. Should there be a crisis of confidence in Whiteside at some point this season, Adebayo is waiting in the wings.
3. James Johnson could be poised for a breakout season. Johnson was a monster in the playoffs, ranking No. 1 on the Heat in assists and was second in rebounds and fourth in scoring. He did all that while showing off the fierce competitive nature that has made him a staple in Spoelstra’s rotation. Don’t be surprised if he locks down the starting job at power forward.
MAN ON THE SPOT
Goran Dragic is the leading scorer and floor general for the Heat. Wade is the soul of the franchise. But the Heat’s most versatile and perhaps best player this season just might be Josh Richardson. He certainly qualifies as the Heat’s true unsung hero last season, starting all 81 of his regular-season appearances, doing the dirty work on the opposing team’s best perimeter player while also serving as the emotional game-changer they needed when Waiters was lost for the season. Richardson is another product of the Heat’s storied player development program. He can play multiple perimeter positions and continued to expand his offensive game to well beyond the 3-point line, making him a greater threat on that end. He’ll be crucial to Spoelstra’s maintaining his rotation integrity as the season goes along.
STARTING FIVE
Goran Dragic | 17.3 ppg, 4.8 apg, 4.1 rpg
The Heat operate at the tempo set by Dragic, who has blossomed into a fantastic floor leader.
Josh Richardson | 12.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.9 apg
An underrated and versatile two-way player that serves as the linchpin to a variety of different lineups.
Hassan Whiteside | 14.0 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 1.7 bpg
Talent galore and a huge contract don’t always produce superstar results. Whiteside still needs polishing on and off the floor.
Justise Winslow | 7.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.2 apg
Rugged swingman plays bigger than his listed size and is an improved shooter from long range.
James Johnson Jr. | 10.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.8 apg
Pound-for-pound the Heat’s, and perhaps the league’s, toughest, and most competitive player.
KEY RESERVES
Dwyane Wade | 12.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.1 apg
The future Hall of Famer could just as easily start at shooting guard. He will be on the floor to close out games.
Kelly Olynyk | 11.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.7 apg
The quintessential stretch four, Olynyk is a better all-around player than he’s given credit for.
Tyler Johnson | 11.7 ppg, 3.4 apg, 2.3 rpg
Feisty but undersized guard who plays quality minutes at either backcourt spot on both ends of the floor.
THE BOTTOM LINE
With quality depth at every position and an aging superstar ready for his last round in the league, the Heat might be the best underdog story in the Eastern Conference this season. A full and final season with Wade should be an emotional ride for the franchise and its faithful. But the reality, as the Sixers exposed in the playoffs last year, is that the Heat still have some work to do before they challenge for a top four spot in the playoff chase. Wade’s going to go out with a bang, provided he holds up physically (which shouldn’t be an issue with an extremely detailed maintenance plan in place). There is just enough raw talent in the youngsters to provide the energy boost needed to fuel Wade’s last ride. And the Heat will ride that wave to a 46-36 finish.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Orlando Magic fans know the story well: the team drafted a potentially transcendent young talent near the top of the lottery. He, plus the team’s talent and youth, will end the franchise’s long playoff drought. Yet no team in the Eastern Conference has spun its wheels the way the Magic have recently, running through lottery picks, coaches and front-office personnel in their pursuit of the synergy and success they enjoyed after drafting Dwight Howard in 2004. Orlando has only won 30 or more games once in the six seasons since Howard left in 2012. The Magic have that young potentially transcendent talent again in the form of rookie 7-footer Mohamed Bamba, the sixth pick overall in the June draft. They’ve got a budding star in power forward Aaron Gordon and a new coach in Steve Clifford who will attempt to succeed where everyone else before him has failed. Maybe the story has a different ending this time.
ICYMI
The Magic took care of their own business in free agency over the summer. They needed roughly 21 hours to come to an agreement on a four-year, $76 million deal with their restricted free agent forward Gordon, who took a major step in his development last season … In what seems like a never-ending search for the right point guard fit, the Magic acquired Jerian Grant from Chicago in a multiplayer deal that also saw Timofey Mozgov join the Magic after they sent Bismack Biyombo and second round picks in 2019 and 2020 to Charlotte … The Magic added a former first-round pick in Jarell Martin in a late July trade with Memphis. A 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forward, Martin averaged a career-best 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while starting 36 games for the Grizzlies last season.
THREE POINTS
1. Clifford knows his competition. His familiarity with the rest of the Southeast Division provides the Magic with a coach who is well-versed on the teams that will be fighting to dig out of the cellar in the conference. His teams in Charlotte couldn’t overcome injuries and locker room drama (courtesy of Howard in his lone season with the Hornets), issues that should not be an issue in his new job. He’s working with an eager bunch this season and can point to his previous playoff work in Charlotte as proof that his system works when executed properly.
2. Jonathan Isaac’s development seems to be on track. The second-year forward was noticeably bigger and stronger at Summer League than he looked throughout his underwhelming rookie year. He played with a patience and force during his Summer League stint that has to inspire confidence that he’s well on the road to being the player the Magic front office envisioned when they selected the Florida State product with the sixth pick in the 2017 draft.
3. Jonathan Simmons is always ready to go. He was an impact player in his first season with the Magic after two hard-scrapping seasons fighting for time in San Antonio. Simmons is the sort of high-energy, two-way player Clifford will need to help transform the Magic into a defensive-minded group. Attitude is everything when it comes to making that transition and Clifford will find he has an ally in Simmons.
MAN ON THE SPOT
Nikola Vucevic has weathered all challenges to his hold on the center position for the Magic with the sort of grit and determination you’d expect from a player who wears his 260-plus pounds like a coat of armor. He’s been a consistent double-double performer in his six seasons in Orlando. Clifford is known for his preference of building around a dominant big man, and he would appear to have exactly that in Vucevic, who has been slow to stretch his game out beyond the 3-point line. He did average 3.6 attempts from deep last season, a career-high. But as the Magic’s younger big men continue to develop, the need for him to operate in that space won’t be there. That means Clifford can focus on Vucevic diving back into being a dominant low-post presence, even though he’s not an elite shot blocker in a league where those types of players are far and few between. If there is room for Vucevic’s game to grow at 28 years old, a big man tutor and specialist like Clifford is sure to help bring it out of him. And with Gordon ready to take off and talented youngsters like Isaac and Bamba pushing for time in the frontcourt rotation, Vucevic will have to reinvent himself to maintain that hold on his position.
STARTING FIVE
Jerian Grant | 8.4 ppg, 4.6 apg, 2.3 rpg
Has the size and athleticism to be an impact player on the defensive end as well as a competent distributor/playmaker.
Evan Fournier | 17.8 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.9 apg
Team struggles in recent seasons have overshadowed his rise as one of the more consistent shooting guards in the East.
Nikola Vucevic | 16.5 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.1 bpg
The Magic’s anchor in the middle for six seasons (and counting) will get a boost from new coach and big man guru Clifford.
Terrence Ross | 8.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.6 apg
Injuries prevented him from showing off the full scope of what he brings as a two-way wing.
Aaron Gordon | 17.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.3 apg
Poised to take off now that he’s got a new contract and the confidence and security that comes with it.
KEY RESERVES
Jonathon Simmons | 13.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.5 apg
No-nonsense performer will be a tone-changer off the bench or as a starter if Clifford goes that route.
Jonathan Isaac | 5.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.1 bpg
Kid gloves will come off now that Isaac has grown into his frame a bit more and is playing more physically.
Mohamed Bamba | 12.9 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 3.7 bpg (Texas)
Rookie is more advanced offensively and should immediately be a rim-protecting presence with his elite length and timing.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Magic will spend the early part of the season digesting a new system, so patience will be needed. They are not equipped for a giant leap in the standings, as they simply do not have the pieces for that step right now. But if they can develop some chemistry among their core group, including impact minutes from both Isaac and Bamba, they’ll be on the right path. Frank Vogel never did capture the locker room in Orlando. That was clear in how unevenly his teams performed. Clifford should not have that problem as the Magic claw their way to a 32-50 record.
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
John Wall and Bradley Beal are acutely aware of the talent vacuum that has sucked some of their fellow All-Stars from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference the past two summers, most notably LeBron James from Cleveland to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency this summer. They know that the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers are the teams mentioned most often as heirs to the Cavaliers’ throne. But they also know it doesn’t mean the Wizards aren’t ready for prime time now. There are new pieces that have been added — veterans Dwight Howard, Austin Rivers and Jeff Green as well as rookie Troy Brown — to improve the depth on the roster significantly. It remains to be seen, however, if that infusion of talent will be enough to push the Wizards to the truly elite level Wall and Beal think they belong.
ICYMI
Marcin Gortat basically talked his way out of town when he questioned publicly whether the Wizards were better without Wall, who was out with an injury at the time. The Wizards were in the midst of one of their better stretches of the season. Wall didn’t appreciate the suggestion and Gortat didn’t back down. He was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Austin Rivers … Dwight Howard was signed as the replacement for Gortat, who spent his first four seasons in the league as Howard’s backup in Orlando … Thomas Bryant was claimed off waivers July 2, giving the Wizards yet another big body to add to their frontcourt mix. Bryant spent his rookie season with the Lakers, who waived him to create cap room for their free agent pursuit of LeBron James … Jeff Green is coming home to D.C., joining the Wizards after spending last season in Cleveland. The former Georgetown star can play either forward position and brings a wealth of veteran savvy to the locker room.
THREE POINTS
1. A stronger bench in D.C. Green and Rivers, along with Kelly Oubre Jr., Ian Mahinmi and Tomas Satoransky, give Wizards coach Scott Brooks will have a more potent reserve crew to work with. The Wizards haven’t boasted this kind of size and depth off the bench since their starting unit matured into the complete group they’ve become the past three seasons. Wizards owner Ted Leonsis proclaimed this the “deepest team we’ve ever had,” over the summer. The reserves will be able to hold their own on both ends of the floor, which will be a welcome relief for Wall and Beal in particular.
2. Otto Porter Jr. remains steady as ever. A question mark earlier in his career, Porter’s game has matured nicely, including his shooting stroke from deep (he shot 44 percent from 3-point range last season). With defenses focused on Wall and Beal on the perimeter and Howard inside, Porter could be the greatest beneficiary of the divided attention. He’s just coming into his own physically and he’s an underrated two-way player on a team with several players who can work at a high level on both ends of the floor.
3. The Wizards’ aim at the top of the Eastern Conference standings is admirable. If you’re going to plot a course for this season, it might as well be for everything. A more realistic target, though, is just to make sure they finish in the top four in a crowded race to the top. The Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors and Philadelphia 76ers, in whatever order you prefer, rank as the East’s best going into this season. It’s that fourth spot that is truly up for grabs. The Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Wizards are in that next group that should be primed to battle it out for that fourth seed. None of the other three teams in that second tier has two All-Stars to lean on the way the Wizards can with Wall and Beal.
MAN ON THE SPOT
How could it be anyone other than Howard? He’s a long way from his days as the most dominant big man in the league. In fact, he’s not even in that conversation anymore. But he’s still good for a double-double every night. Despite all the wear and tear on his body, Howard talked this summer of playing until he’s 40. The knock on his game has never really been about his physical abilities. Even when he was dealing with injuries Howard was still a force to be reckoned with around the rim. The real issue has always been about what’s going on mentally and emotionally with Howard. When he was fully engaged and focused in the first eight years of his career, Howard couldn’t be stopped. As he’s drifted from team to team since then, his inability to lock in and focus on doing what he does best has been a hit and miss proposition. The Wizards need his best, whatever that is at this stage of his career. More importantly, they need a mature Howard to emerge from the rubble of the past few seasons. And you better believe that Wall will let him know as much, basically whenever he deems it necessary to remind the big fella that this might be his last chance to prove he’s worth all the fuss.
STARTING FIVE
John Wall | 19.4 ppg, 9.6 apg, 3.7 rpg
One of the five best point guards in the game when healthy, Wall is eager to prove he’s at the top of the list.
Bradley Beal | 22.6 ppg, 4.5 apg, 4.4 rpg
Finally made the transition from good player to All-Star last season … he’s just getting started.
Dwight Howard | 16.6 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 1.6 bpg
Howard always put up impressive numbers but the Wizards need that and more from their veteran big man.
Otto Porter Jr. | 14.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.0 apg
Any concerns about Porter living up to his big contract were eased with his strong performance last season.
Markieff Morris | 11.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.9 apg
Physical power forward provides the edge the Wizards need when no one else is willing to go there.
KEY RESERVES
Austin Rivers | 15.1 ppg, 4.0 apg, 2.4 rpg
Fearless competitor gets a fresh start with a team that needs exactly hat he brings to the party as instant offense off the bench.
Kelly Oubre Jr. | 11.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.1 apg
Gritty and athletic wing is ready for a breakout season as the leader ion a bench crew that was beefed up considerably in the offseason.
Jeff Green | 10.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.3 apg
Veteran forward returns to his DMV roots to provide quality depth behind Porter Jr. and Morris.
THE BOTTOM LINE
No team is more desperate to make noise in the standings than these Wizards. They’ve been close before but haven’t had a true breakthrough season (50-plus wins or a trip to the conference finals) during the Wall-Beal era. The opportunity is there this season with the power shift in the conference. The Wizards need only stay focused and healthy (enough) to use all of the tools at the disposal of Brooks, who knows a thing or two about blending forceful personalities in the same locker room. Howard has to continue to be productive, not spectacular, to provide an upgrade at center. Wall and Beal will do the rest as the Wizards indeed make a little noise and finish 48-34.
