Nobody picked the Washington Wizards to top the Eastern Conference this season. Few even picked them to top 30 wins. So when the Washington Wizards announced this offseason that development would be the goal this season and not wins, few were surprised.
Even fewer were upset. In a season without John Wall for at least a few months and a roster full of unproven parts, development should be the goal this season. The Wizards, however, haven’t always had the best track record with letting their young prospects learn on the job. It’s been one of the biggest complaints against head coach Scott Brooks, who preferred Trevor Ariza over Troy Brown Jr for much of last season and only found Thomas Bryant because of injuries to the team’s top centers.