The Washington Wizards are five games into the season and already John Wall and Bradley Beal are calling out their teammates for having their “own agenda.”
Following an embarrassing loss to the Sacramento Kings 116-112, Washington is now 1-4 on the season. A new improved bench has not yielded the results the Wizards were hoping for in large due to a lack of defensive effort. The Kings laminated the Wizards’ issues on the defensive end, much like Miami, Toronto, Portland, and Golden State did.
The Wizards are now 29th out of 30 teams in points allowed, surrendering 122.8 points per game. There was a total lack of effort for much of Friday’s loss. Beal was not happy with the defensive effort.
“Sometimes we have our own agendas on the floor whether it’s complaining about shots, complaining about playing time, complaining about whatever it may be,” Beal told reporters per Candace Buckner of the Washington Post. “We’re worried about the wrong [expletive] and that’s not where our focus needs to be and it’s just going to continue to hurt us.”
Those were strong words from the Wizards’ leading scorer. And his backcourt mate and leader of the team, Wall, echoed the same sentiments. Wall called over reporters to add to Beal’s comments according to Buckner.
“That’s the proof in the pudding, Wall stated per Buckner. “Everybody on their own agenda and we showed glimpses when we do stuff as a team, we show how good we can be and then we go back to trying to do it individually and that’s mostly on the defensive end. Not helping each other out, not team rebounding and that’s what’s killing us.
It’s great to see both guards on the same page. Unfortunately it comes at the expense of their teammates.
“It’s just communication. Just putting effort,” Wall added per Buckner. “We got guys who’s worried about who’s getting shots, where the ball is going on the defensive end. We should never worry about that. No matter if we’re missing or making shots, we got to be able to compete on the other end and if you can’t do it on both ends of the floor, you don’t need to be playing.”
First thought of mind is wasn’t this issue supposed to be corrected with the trade of Marcin Gortat?
Seemingly it did not. Also, what particular players are they implying?
Hard to tell, the entire team has struggled on the defensive end. Even when the Wizards make stops, their small ball lineups have been overpowered on the boards. Sacramento collected 14 offensive rebounds.
At times it’s simply guys leaking out at the release of a shot instead of making sure the rebound is secured. There’s the late rotation, and over switching. There’s also no intentions of denying the basketball and taking away passing lanes.
There’s a lot, and as in most cases, effort is at the root of defensive issues. It’s a broken record in Washington. These complaints were made last season and the season before. The team has retooled its bench and supporting cast each of the last three seasons to no avail.
The season is early. There’s a lot of basketball to be played. The Wizards have not yet seen Dwight Howard on the floor with Wall and Beal. Howard, at his best, would eliminate some of the back end issues and possibly negate the offensive rebounds. In the meantime, he isn’t there still nursing a sore piriformis, while the team struggles.
With or without Howard, effort needs to corrected. And while it’s commendable that the Wizards leaders took a stand with public comments, one can only hope that same stand is or was made in the locker room with the players. And that it resonated to the point they’ll change the narrative of a season that’s looking more and more like others.
The Wizards will get their chance to atone their early woes against that old friend Gortat and his new team the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday at the Staples Center.
