Discuss the Grades Here

Three weeks removed from the end of another dismal season, a sufficient amount of time has passed to look back objectively. It has now been long enough since the Wizards won their 26th game to reflect on the year without such immediacy, without the innate impulse that comes with watching a 56-loss team for a full season—to either bash it for yet another loss, or unjustly praise it for an improbable win.

By almost any team’s standards, a 26-56 record is awful. Even in the Eastern Conference it takes a solid 11-16 extra wins to reach the playoffs. But the Wizards are not just any team, and it would not do the season justice to give it one sole grade based on the fact that their record was so sub-par.

Considering pre-season estimations that Washington’s health and depth could result in a 50-win campaign, the season deserves a D. However, do not forget the bizarre multitude of scandal, injuries and roster shake-ups between October and April. In light of the team’s ridiculous lack of stability, there is an argument to be made that the Wizards’ 26 wins are somewhat impressive, maybe worthy of a B+, especially when considering last year’s win total was just 19.

Still there is no excuse for the franchise-high 16-game losing streak, which lasted all of March and killed any momentum that may have been spurred by February’s trade deadline. For that month: F.

Then again, the Wizards finished the season winning four of their final seven games, and five of their last nine, including a drubbing of the Celtics in Boston. For April alone: B-.

But what does it all mean for the future? For the most part, nothing. Just six players of the 27 that suited up for the Wizards this season remain employed by the franchise. Of the 21 no longer under contract, there is little chance that more than four will end up in Washington next season. The handful of possibilities however, seem to have management excited to move forward.

As 27 different players are far too many to ponder, and several of those 27 were little more than sign-and-waive trade acquisitions, below you will find a final analysis of each Wizard who finished the season in Washington, and what can be expected going forward.

Gilbert Arenas: B+
Gun slinging aside, there was very little to complain about in regard to Arenas this season. Many feared his multiple knee surgeries would greatly impact his ability to produce, but his 22.6 points and 7.2 assists per game quickly put that talk to rest. Arenas’ 3.66 turnovers per game as well as his inability to play defense are still a concern, though at this point in his career, they come with the territory of his employment.

Andray Blatche: A-
Forget the first 50 games of the year in which Blatche appeared no better than he was three years ago. With Antawn Jamison’s mid-February exit, came a whole new player. After the trade deadline Blatche averaged 22.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. His somewhat iffy shot selection, as well as unpredictable attitude and general behavior take him down a notch. At his low price however, he is a low risk/high reward asset for Washington, and it will be exciting to watch him try to put together his first full season as a top-two option next year.

“I want to continue doing what I was doing in the second half of the season, next season,” Blatche said following the season finale win over Indiana. I see how Gil and Antawn worked together and that was great so I’m excited about next season working with Gil.”

Earl Boykins: B- (Free Agent)
Signed several weeks into the season, Boykins came to Washington and proved he can still play with the fiery style that has served him over the past eight seasons. Though he struggled to run the offense at times, Boykins was also the catalyst for several wins even while Arenas was still active. Though there is nearly a zero percent chance of Boykins returning to Washington next year with a logjam at the point guard position, he certainly deserves a roster spot in the league somewhere.

Randy Foye: B (Free Agent)
Coming off a 16-point, 6-assist season as the starting point guard with Minnesota a year ago, Foye took on a different role to start the year with the Wizards. Playing spotty minutes behind Arenas through December, his numbers were unimpressive. Thrust into the starting role in January, however, Foye demonstrated several times why he was the Timberwolves starter a year earlier. Posting the first 20 point/10 assist game by any Wizard not named Gilbert Arenas since 2004, Foye along with Boykins proved to be a formidable point guard tandem.

He has expressed lukewarm interest in returning to Washington next season, though with Arenas on the roster and the prospect of the Wizards courting Shaun Livingston, Foye’s return is unlikely.

Josh Howard: N/A (Free Agent)
Following the trade that sent Caron Butler and friends to Dallas, Howard arrived in Washington energized. Free from Mark Cuban’s talons, Howard appeared excited to rebuild with the Wizards. Four games into his tenure in DC, he tore his ACL, shutting down his season. Howard traveled with the team sporadically the rest of the year, and reports have claimed that his rehab is ahead of schedule. Although he is no longer under contract, expect Howard to be one free agent that Wizards show considerable interest in this summer.

Cedric Jackson: D+ (Free Agent)
Jackson, a D League call-up, played just four games with Washington. Though he did hit the game-winner to beat Indiana, there is no reason to believe he’ll be anywhere other than the D League next season. He appears to have a little Damon Jones in him. Interpret that anyway you wish.

Shaun Livingston: A- (Free Agent)
Having not played in nearly three full years, Shaun Livingston brought no expectations when he was signed by the Wizards in February. While the 6-7 point guard, originally drafted out of high school in 2004, had been compared to Magic Johnson by ex-Clippers’ coach Mike Dunleavy, he had yet to reach anywhere near his potential before ravaging his knee in 2007.

Eight games into his time with Washington, Livingston stole the starting point guard position from Randy Foye, and played arguably the best ball of his career over the final month of the season. Spanning the final nine games of the year, he averaged 13.8 points on 68 percent shooting, 6.6 assists, and 3.6 rebounds, earning himself a contract for next season. Though he has been reluctant to say he will return to Washington, Wizards management will surely pursue him as strongly as any team in the league this summer.

Cartier Martin: B- (Free Agent)
Martin, a late-season D League call-up, showed flashes of belonging in the NBA. He is athletic, strong, and can leap as high as anyone at the two-guard position. In a league where guards are as plentiful as tattoos, however, he’ll need a little luck to find a guaranteed contract by October. Washington might be his best bet.

JaVale McGee: C
McGee can jump, everyone knows that. He can block almost any shot, and finish almost any oop within five feet of the basket. In that respect, he is very Dwight Howard-esque. The comparison stops there. Two years in college, two years in the NBA, and a life’s worth of training from a WNBA mom should have McGee’s fundamentals and coordination miles ahead of where they are. Additionally, his basketball IQ is near the bottom of the spectrum, as he shoots the ball and leaves his feet every chance he gets.

While other teams might have given up on him at this point, he may be lucky to be in Washington with an understanding coach and front office, both of whom see growth from the young center.

According to coach Flip Saunders, “JaVale got to the point where he learned how to push himself, which he had never done before. I think four of our last six games he had asked to come out of the game because he was trying so hard.”

Mike Miller: B- (Free Agent)
Thought to be a big part of this year’s potential success, a fourth piece to add to the Big Three, Mike Miller was a bit of a disappointment this season. Miller missed 28 games due to injury, and appeared reluctant to shoot most of the year. His 48 percent success rate from behind the arc, however, was good enough for second in the entire league. Though he may never again score 17 points per game, at the right price he is an excellent veteran locker room presence and a reliable shooter. A free agent, Miller remains open to returning to Washington next season.

“There are definitely some loyalties here,” Miller said after the season’s final game. “They traded for me and Randy (Foye) and traded away a high draft pick. So you also have to look at that and be loyal to the organization for giving you the opportunity.”

Fabricio Oberto: C (Free Agent)
Oberto’s numbers may not have been pretty (1.5 points, 1.8 rebounds per game), but the fact of the matter is, he did the job he was paid to do. He banged in the middle, provided veteran support, and proved able to stabilize the offensive flow at times throughout the year. From a statistical standpoint, he is completely expendable. Should the Wizards end up drafting or otherwise acquiring a foreign player this summer, however, don’t be surprised to see Oberto back on the roster in a mentor role.

Quinton Ross: C-
Should Ross remain on the roster next year, it will only be by default. He clearly has no place in the rotation, nor do his skills warrant one. Ross is under contract for one more year, though he is an easily tradable peace should Washington try to package him with another player.

James Singleton: B (Free Agent)
Playing his first consistently substantial minutes of his career over the last 30 games of the season, Singleton proved exactly the role that he can play in the NBA. He is a banger, an energizer, and a decent shooter. He likely will not get any better than his 7 points and 7 rebounds per game, though as a back-up he could be quite attractive to playoff contenders league-wide. With his 17-rebound season finale atop his resume, he will certainly find a home next year, possibly in Washington.

Al Thornton: C+
Thornton struggled to gain a rhythm or find a niche within Washington’s offense after being traded from the Clippers mid-season. Compared to last season, his best as a pro at over 16 points per game, this was certainly a down year for Thornton.

“First of all I need to be in better shape (to increase my numbers again),” Thornton said the night the season ended. “That is one of the main keys with me: pushing myself hard in the off season so I can play much longer and play harder minutes and be more consistent.” Should he be successful in that, the thought of pairing him with Arenas, Blatche and possibly Howard for a full year is certainly enticing. It is also a situation which Thornton sees as a potentially easy cross-over considering the parallels between Arenas and Clippers point guard Baron Davis.

“They are similar guards as far as their athleticism and quickness and pushing the ball so it will be an easy transition,” he said.

Nick Young: C+
Young’s third campaign was riddled with inconsistencies. Literally on the inactive list one night in December, and in the starting lineup the next back home in Washington, he seemed to be playing it by ear all year long. There were times when his shooting was good enough to warrant starter’s minutes, and others when his turnovers and lack of effort landed him square on the bench where he belonged. It’s a matter of exertion with Young. Should he drift toward the side of less effort, as he’s been prone to do, he’ll likely end up fizzling like former teammate DeShawn Stevenson. On the other hand, he appears to have the skills, when he cares, to put together a nice NBA career. It’s the guys in his position with the drive, like Cartier Martin, who may step in his way if Young doesn’t learn to take advantage of his opportunities.

Coach Flip Saunders: B
It’s hard to fault Saunders for almost anything that happened this season. He may be guilty of becoming complacent when things got tough, but to his credit, he devised a completely new offense just a month before the season ended, and re-crafted a losing team into one that won five of its last nine games.

“It’s maybe not what I signed up for originally when I came, but as all coaches, you love a challenge,” Saunders said as the season came to a close. “Through every adversity and every challenge there’s opportunity and I feel good with where we’re at right now. I feel we’ve got good ownership here, we’ve got good management and we’ve got players that want to get better.”

The Wizards have will have three draft picks in the top 35 this summer, with the exact position to be determined this month. Check in with us at the end of May for Wizards draft lottery coverage.