Even after a top seed in the Eastern Conference became impossible to reach, the Washington Wizards wanted to sneak into the NBA Playoffs.
Their chances of beating the Cleveland Cavaliers were nonexistent, but given how well the team played last year, not making the postseason at all would have been an even bigger disaster than getting swept in the first round.
To increase the team’s chances of making the playoffs, Ernie Grunfeld acquired veterans Markieff Morris, J.J. Hickson and Marcus Thornton to fill holes that he originally created before the season began.