Wizards NBA Future: Coming Season a Proving Ground for Coach Wes Unseld Jr.

While some are already prepared to cut ties with Washington Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. he'll be around for at least one more season, and it could be a make or break one in D.C.

The Washington Wizards are in a rebuild after trading away guard Bradley Beal on top of many other swaps executed during the offseason. 

In fact, the Wizards didn't only trade away Beal, they traded guard Chris Paul as well. And in years past you'd assume the team got a massive haul in exchange for the two guards.

Alas, what truly came from all the trades is a reset in Washington that looks about two or three seasons away from becoming a true competitor if all goes well between now and then.

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Within all of that comes a critical year for coach Wes Unseld Jr. who may be entering into a make-or-break season where he needs to show new leadership he's the man to take the Wizards into the next era of DMV hoops.

"The Wizards feel a little like last season's Jazz, a similarly motley crew that came together in the wake of two big trades and had a winning record through 53 games," NBA.com's John Schuhmann recently wrote about Washington. "Most of the starting lineup will be comprised of guys who (on a good team) would be best suited coming off the bench, but this team certainly isn't devoid of talent...This season could give us a good idea of how good a coach Wes Unseld Jr. is."

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With what appears to be a combination of compliment and insult, Schuhmann ranks Washington 13th in his Eastern Conference power rankings following the busy offseason. 

Behind the Wizards are the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons respectively.

Young players like forward Kyle Kuzma and newly acquired guard Jordan Poole are going to be looked at as the future of the franchise as 2023 first-round pick Bilal Coulibaly gets acclimated to the NBA. 

While all of that happens it's hard not to see where Schuhmann is coming from, while remaining hopeful Washington has the makings - and coaching - of a team that will soon 'Rep the District' better than versions of this team have in recent years.

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Find David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82

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