Three reasons why Wizards make playoffs in 2021-22 NBA season: Spencer Dinwiddie, more depth will make impact

The Washington Wizards scrapped and fought for his or her place within the playoffs final season after impressed play down the stretch of the common season vaulted them into the play-in and secured the No. 8 spot within the East. As soon as there, by means of, it was apparent they had been no match for the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers, and had been ousted in 5 video games. 

Since that ultimate loss again in June, Washington bought busy reshaping its roster for the upcoming season, highlighted by transport off All-Star level guard Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers. In return the Wizards bought again a number of productive function gamers to fill out their roster, and made a splash by signing former Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie in free company. There have been additionally some adjustments to the teaching employees, as Washington agreed to half methods with Scott Brooks after 5 seasons with the workforce. Filling his sneakers shall be first-time head coach Wes Unseld Jr., who most just lately served as an affiliate head coach for the Denver Nuggets.

With a brand new coach, revamped roster and nonetheless having Bradley Beal in tow — for now — the Wizards mission to be a greater all-around workforce than the squad they rolled out onto the ground a season in the past. Forward of coaching camp, right here is the Wizards roster and three the explanation why  they need to make the playoffs this season.

Washington Wizards roster

Guards: Bradley Beal, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jordan Goodwin, Aaron Holiday, Caleb Homesley, Raul Neto, Cassius Winston

Forwards: Deni Avdija, Davis Bertans, Anthony Gill, Rui Hachimura, Corey Kispert, Kyle Kuzma, Garrison Mathews, Jordan Schakel, Isaiah Todd

Facilities: Thomas Bryant, Jaime Echenique, Daniel Gafford, Montrezl Harrell, Jay Huff

1. Dinwiddie and Beal are an thrilling offensive duo

Beal has now shared the backcourt with two All-Stars, one being a former league MVP. In each instances they had been traded. John Wall’s accidents saved him and Beal from ever really seeing how far they may take the Wizards, and Russell Westbrook’s contract blended along with his inefficient model of play wasn’t the appropriate match for the Wizards. 

Enter Dinwiddie, who’s coming off an ACL tear in his proper knee, and can attempt to show that he can nonetheless function on the degree we noticed him enjoying at earlier than the harm. The final time we noticed a full wholesome season from Dinwiddie, he was a borderline All-Star, placing up 20.6 factors, 6.8 assists and three.5 rebounds. Now he’ll be part of Beal within the backcourt in D.C., and whereas a backcourt of those two guards shall be slightly shaky, offensively, Beal and Dinwiddie are going to place up numerous factors. 

Beal is coming off a season the place he fell simply wanting profitable the scoring title after placing up 31.3 factors (Stephen Curry finally gained that title at 32 factors an evening), and though rumors will proceed to swirl this season as he is enjoying on his ultimate yr of his contract — if he turns down his participant choice this summer time — for proper now he is dedicated to the Wizards and making it work with Dinwiddie. 

What shall be attention-grabbing to observe is how the 2 gamers steadiness one another out on offense, as Beal is a participant who can create off the bounce or be efficient with out the ball in his palms. Dinwiddie is a extra ball-dominant guard, and is most harmful when he is attacking the rim, just like Westbrook. Additionally just like Westbrook is Dinwiddie’s low effectivity from 3-point land. In his seven-year profession, Dinwiddie’s shot simply 31.8 % from deep on 4.3 makes an attempt per sport. Nonetheless, the distinction between this season and final for the Wizards is that they’ve extra capturing depth now that Dinwiddie’s lack of ability to attach on 3s will not be a distinction. Talking of which …

2. Extra depth on the roster

In buying and selling Westbrook, the Wizards bought a big improve in different areas on their roster. They bought again Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell from the Lakers within the deal, making them a extra balanced workforce. Caldwell-Pope helps with 3-point capturing, as he linked on 41 % of his 3s — a profession excessive — final season. That can absolutely assist a Wizards workforce that ranked twenty third within the league in 3-point proportion, and had nobody who tried over three 3s a sport shoot over 40 %. Davis Bertans, the workforce’s resident sharpshooter, was simply shy of that mark (39.5 %), however that quantity regressed within the playoffs (34.8 %). 

Including Pope into the combo, along with drafting ahead Corey Kispert, who shot 40.8 % from deep over his 4 years at Gonzaga, together with a blistering 44 % in his senior yr, will give Washington a number of capturing weapons this season. Then there’s Kuzma, who proved final season that he could be slotted within the beginning lineup or come off the bench and nonetheless make an influence. He began in 32 video games for the Lakers final season, and averaged 14.8 factors, 6.3 rebounds and a pair of.3 assists. Whether or not he comes off the bench or begins, Kuzma ought to get extra alternative with the Wizards, which implies we might see extra manufacturing out of him this season.

Different additions give the Wizards a chance to be extra dynamic on offense. A pick-and-roll combo of Harrell and Dinwiddie is usually a lethal mixture. Total, the Westbrook commerce gave Washington extra freedom not simply in cap house, however of their capability to produce other scoring choices exterior of simply Beal.  

3. New coach, recent begin

There have been many adjustments that occurred to the Wizards roster, however one of many greater workforce strikes was changing Scott Brooks with first-time head coach Wes Unseld Jr. One of many emphasis he made throughout his introductory press convention was prioritizing protection and creating an offense that includes extra ball motion to restrict the one-pass, or no-pass possessions the Wizards usually executed.

“I believe your finest protection begins on the finish of your offense,” Unseld said. “So, the standard possessions, attempting to remove a number of the no-pass or one-pass possessions. And we talked about it. Nice gamers are gonna [save] powerful conditions late within the clock, however attempting to restrict these one-on-one conditions within the meat of the possession, the place you have bought 9 guys locked in on you spatially — how does that work in your favor?

“So, I believe these are nuanced issues, however they’re vital. We at all times speak about it: Possessions that begin poorly often finish poorly, so how can we collectively be extra environment friendly in what we’re attempting to do?”

That is encouraging to listen to as Washington ranked twentieth in defensive ranking, and ranked within the high half of the league in opponent 3-point proportion (37 %). If the Wizards can turn into even a median defensive workforce, then it is going to assist them vastly on the opposite finish of the ball.

Unseld may have stress to win proper now given Beal’s impending free company this summer time if he opts out of his participant choice, however he comes into Washington as a extremely regarded coach and from a Nuggets franchise that is only one yr faraway from making the Western Convention finals in 2020. Whereas Brooks was effectively favored by lots of the gamers in Washington, Unseld will carry a recent new look to a Wizards workforce that’s attempting to re-establish itself as a profitable franchise.