2007-08 NBA Preview: Washington Wizards

Last season the Washington Wizards made a repeat trip to the NBA playoffs but were without the services of team lead scoring machine, Gilbert Arenas, who sat out the series with an injury. Due to this the Wizards were promptly knocked out of contention by the Cleveland Cavaliers, lead by Lebron James. Lebron and his Cavs went on to challenge for the NBA title, while the Wizards were left watching at home. For the upcoming season, the Wizards still feature a hungry and talented trio capable of making a deep run into the NBA playoffs, however they may lack the necessary depth to make it to the NBA Finals.

The Wizards, coached by Eddie Jordan, feature a "big three" in their lineup which consists of superstar guard Gilbert Arenas, and forwards Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. These three all-star caliber players make for a versatile scoring threat capable of running up the score against the likes of most NBA teams. Arenas is easily the team's greatest weapon in that he can run the show, and put up major scoring numbers to the tune of 30, 40 and even 50 point performances. When a player is capable of scoring half of the total team points, it makes for a dangerous threat for any opponent. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison provide scoring as well and front court solidarity, which is what makes this trio so dangerous. The only other team with 3 men of equal comparison would seem to be the new look Celtics with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

Beyond the big three the Wizards seem to lack the necessary depth to make a deep run into the NBA playoffs, preventing them from being NBA title favorites or contenders. They have Brendan Haywood and Etan Thomas, two centers who have spent many years with the team, but neither is considered near all-star quality. In addition, they have other players such as DeShawn Stevenson, Tony Massenburg, and Roger Mason who can be considered journeymen type role players who typically move from team to team. This is not to say they won't have an impact, but the bench is certainly a concern for the Wizards and could be strengthened. Antonio Daniels is a definite veteran bright spot for the team in that he has served in the NBA for 10 years and has proven leadership ability. Only Tony Massenburg on the team has played a longer NBA career. Three rookies were also added to the rotation but don't expect immediate impact from Nick Young (USC), Domenic McGuire (Fresno State) or European draftee Oleksiy Pecherov this season.

The Wizards are a definite playoff contender once again in 2007-08 but are still not considered favorites to compete for the NBA title. They are missing the addition of a better center, point guard and more depth on their bench before Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison can bring it to that next level of serious competition.