Washington Wizards Fail To Make Playoffs In Eastern Conference

Washington Wizards fans may not like to see this prediction after acquiring Russell Westbrook, but here is why the Wizards will not make the playoffs in the 2020-21 NBA season despite the recent blockbuster trade with the Houston Rockets.

Outside of Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal, the Wizards have virtually no scoring. Teams will catch on to Davis Bertans only being a perimeter threat and with rookie Deni Avdija not playing a single game in the NBA yet, this Wizards team is in no position to make a run at the playoffs. 

When looking at the Eastern Conference standings from a season ago and looking at what some of the teams in the East did this offseason, the only team that will likely fall out of the playoffs are the Orlando Magic, leaving one spot up for grabs. The Magic and Wizards will have to compete with the likes of the Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, and Atlanta Hawks, and to be honest, Washington may fall behind all of these teams. 

The Atlanta Hawks had one of the best offseasons out of any team in the league and with Trae Young leading this perimeter-oriented team, they should without a doubt be a playoff contender, not just a team that makes the playoffs. Assuming no other teams from last year’s standings fall out of the playoffs, that is enough right there to keep the Wizards out of the playoffs.

Washington will have to win at least 35 games this season and finish 35-37 or better to be considered as a fringe playoff team in the Eastern Conference and with the East getting better, it is hard to imagine the Wizards could pull this off. They just do not have enough firepower with just Westbrook and Beal to be able to keep up with other teams on the offensive end of the court and unless they bring in another big time player, Washington will be just a little better than they were last season.

Russell Westbrook is not a guy who will join the Wizards and all of a sudden make them a 40-win team. If Washington is to get to this point over the next few years, they will have to trade for a big name near the trade deadline, otherwise there will be no playoffs for the third consecutive season in our nation’s capital.