Story By: Sol Tucker
Photos By: Sol Tucker
Washington, D.C–
Over the past 25 seasons that Pointed Magazine has covered the Washington Wizards, there have been lots of training camps, lots of new faces and each year it is a new optimism about the upcoming season. However, something feels different about this squad.
Perhaps, it’s the presence solid veterans added in the offseason in guys like Taj Gibson. Maybe it’s healthy Rui Hachimura, or even having Bradley Beal and contract numbers finally off the table. Either way, whatever the feeling may be, the pre-season is right around the corner and the Wizards have a little bit of getting to know each other before the trip to Japan.
Guys like Monte Morris, who has followed his childhood friend Kyle Kuzma to D.C. to provide Washington with a solid starting point guard and good chemistry with a proven scorer in Kuzma.
Will Barton, who came over in the same trade from Denver as Morris, is also a scoring threat, however Wizards Head Coach Wes Unseld Jr. has not really said a lot about the balance of the rotation. “The trip to Japan will give us a chance to see how we can fill out the roster and make this team competitive night in and night out, said Unseld.
Another returning asset to this team is Kristaps Porzingis. He is another proven scorer and if the Wizards can keep him healthy all season long, the combo of him and Beal could be a problem for the strong Eastern Conference.
“We’re trying to do the best job we can,” Porzingis said. “But I think we’re making moves in the right direction.”
Everyone in the locker room believes that this can be a playoff team this season. With everyone healthy all season, this team shouldn’t disappoint fans, but we have said that in the past.
Stay tuned, we have all had a chance to ride the Wizards roller coaster before.
