After a tough or disappointing season, the fans of a team or an organization will often say "Oh well, there is always next year." The phrase expresses the annual optimism of fans or a front office that believes next season can be better than last season.
Sometimes teams go a long time without winning a championship. The Chicago Cubs went 105 seasons in between World Series wins. The Boston Red Sox went 96 years in between World Series titles. The Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners have never won a World Series.
In the NBA the Sacramento Kings have gone 68 years without winning a championship. The Atlanta Hawks have gone 58 seasons without a championship title. In 48 seasons the Los Angeles Clippers have never won a title. The Milwaukee Bucks last won a title 47 years ago, while the New York Knicks were champions for the last time 45 years ago.
The Washington Wizards won the NBA championship 40 years ago. They were then known as the Washington Bullets. They defeated the Seattle Super Sonics in 7 games to in the 1978 NBA championship. They lost the following year in the finals to the Sonics in 6 games.
Since that championship 40 years ago, the Bullets/Wizards have been saying "Oh, well, there is always next year." The Wizards organization and their supporters have been motivated by the optimism that is associated with the future.
During the offseason, Washington has added Dwight Howard, Jeff Green and Austin Rivers to the roster. The organization hopes that these three players will supplement a core that includes John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, Jr. and Markief Morris. The Wizards are especially hopeful that the talented, but mercurial Howard can help the Wizards win at least one playoff series.
Howard has played for 5 teams in 14 seasons. The Wizards are his fourth team in the last four seasons. Both Howard and the Wizards are hopeful that this partnership lasts longer than Howard's tenure with Atlanta and Charlotte, the last two teams he played for.
At his press introductory press conference, Howard said all of the right things. Athletes who sign lucrative contracts with new teams always say the right things at introductory press conferences. It would be noteworthy if they said the wrong things when they are introduced to a new fan base.
Howard said he would like to retire with Washington. However, he said he would like to retire with Atlanta and Charlotte respectively when he had his introductory press conferences with those teams. Yet, he only played one year with both teams. If Howard wants to retire a Wizard, he needs to be a team player and make sacrifices for the good of the team. Words are easily spoken, but sacrifices are difficult to make when the rubber hits the road.
Howard is good at participating in the pick and roll, which is one of the Wizards' most popular plays. If he works well with Wall on this play, then he could help Washington's offense. Howard could set a screen for Wall, which would help Wall to roll to the basket and score. Additionally, Howard could roll to the basket for a score. Either way, Howard could help the Wizards' offense.
Howard could also help the Wizards' defense by protecting the rim and by blocking shots. He can box out and get offensive and defensive rebounds. Howard could help the Wizards' defense and rebounding.
However, Howard's attitude in the locker room is going to be very important. He needs to be a team player and he needs to respect the coach. Howard needs to support his teammates and the coaching staff. He needs to be a supportive presence in the locker room, not a divisive presence. Ultimately, it is Howard's attitude that will make the difference in whether or not he contributes to the Wizards' success.
Rivers will be a back up guard for Washington. He could lead the second unit as a point guard or shooting guard. He can make three point shots, which is important in today's NBA. There may be times when Wall, Beal and Rivers play on the court at the same time. A three guard line up could help Washington to make more three point shots.
Green will also play on the second unit. He will play the small forward position. Green can play help defense in the paint. Green can also bring the basketball up the court and drive into the lane. Green is good in the open court and can change hands as he goes in for a lay up. He also has the strength to post up his opponents and score. In a word, Green is a versatile player. He makes the second unit stronger. Green could come of the bench and give Porter, Jr. the opportunity to rest.
Adding Howard, Rivers and Green makes the Wizards more talented. However, their contribution to the Washington Wizards will depend on the attitude that each player has.
The Washington Wizards are a talented team, but they need to play like a team in order to advance in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The talent is there, but now the Wizards need to apply themselves on the court in order to achieve success.
The Wizards' organization and fans are hoping that next year will be a year to remember. They are hoping that at season's end that they do not have to say "Oh, well there is always next year."
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