Wizards looking to make splash

By Brian Ault Sports Central Columnist

Michael Jordon is back once again for the 2002-2003 NBA season, once again cementing something that is slowly beginning to be known all across the league. Amidst all the talk coming from the West ranging from Chris Webber's legal battles to Shaquille O'Neal's big toe, the Washington Wizards have slowly been building a playoff contender.

The inkling started during the draft in June when they picked up Juan Dixon, Rod Grizzard, and Jared Jeffries. Now, add in No. 23 and an already impressive backcourt with guys like Tyrone Lue and Chris Whitney, and D.C. might be energized for more reasons than Steve Spurrier's offense.

The first thing you look at with Washington is this offseason's moves. To be honest, I don't know if that many teams had as good an offseason as these Wizards. They received Jerry Stackhouse from the Detroit Pistons in a trade for Richard Hamilton. During the World Basketball Championships, they signed one of the best players from the tournament in Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro.

There was also the big pickup of free agent forward Byron Russell from the Jazz. He hasn't looked that impressive over the past few years, averaging a little over 10 points a game last year, but he can still contribute to the success of a team. Then, of course, there's the recent M.J. announcement, but I don't need to beat around the bush on that one.

Besides just players, though, the coaching staff got a great boost. Shortly after Patrick Ewing announced his retirement from basketball, he became an assistant coach with the Wizards. There are three guys on this team in Brendan Haywood, Kwame Brown, and Jahidi White that can benefit from the experience Ewing has. Who else can teach them not only how to play effectively on the court, but how to stay out of trouble off the court?

The only thing troublesome about this team going into the year is the fact they face the two teams from the finals in the first five games of the season, hosting New Jersey and going into Los Angeles. But they are in a conference that is about as open as a nudist on a street corner. And looking at the fact that the core of the Wizards is still intact from last year, with exception to the aforementioned Richard Hamilton who's in Detroit, they have the chance to weave some magic this year.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.