The Wizards dealt for 30-year old center Emeka Okafor over the summer and he will be the new starting center. He played in 27 games (all starts) for the Hornets last year and he averaged 28.9 minutes, 9.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game. Okafor has now played in 511 games (507 starts) in his first 8 years in the NBA and he is averaging 32.6 minutes, 12.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game. He will approach a double-double for the Wizards in 2012-13, if he can just stay healthy. 22-year old Kevin Seraphin will be Okafor’s caddy in 2012-13. Seraphin played in 57 games (21 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 20.6 minutes, 7.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, 0.6 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 115 games (22 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 15.7 minutes, 5.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. 31-year old Earl Barron will be #3 in line at center this year for the Wizards. He played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Warriors last year and he averaged 4.5 minutes, 2.0 points and 0.5 rebounds per game last year. Barron has now played in 112 games (28 starts) so far in his NBA career and he is averaging 15.0 minutes, 5.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CENTERS IN 2012-13: B

30-year old Nene’ Hilario will be the starting power forward for the Wizards in 2012-13. Nene’ played in 39 games (33 starts) for the Nuggets and Wizards last year in which he averaged 28.5 minutes, 13.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He has now played in 566 games (457 starts) in his first 10 years in the NBA and he is averaging 29.6 minutes, 12.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game. 25-year old Trevor Booker is going to be #2 in line for the Wizards at power forward in 2012-13. Booker played in 50 games (32 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 25.2 minutes, 8.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Booker has now played in 115 games (46 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 20.2 minutes, 6.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. He has a nice upside. 22-year old Jan Vesely will be #3 in line at power forward in 2012-13, and he also has a nice upside. Vesely played in 57 games (20 starts) as a rookie last year for the Wizards and he averaged 18.9 minutes, 4.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. 31-year old Brian Cook will be sitting near the end of the bench. Cook played in 32 games (0 starts) for the Clippers and Wizards last year and he averaged 8.6 minutes, 2.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. He has now played in 421 games (74 starts) in his first nine years in the NBA and he is averaging 13.4 minutes, 5.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. 28-year old Shavlik Randolph is a longshot to make the roster. Randolph last played in 2009-10 with the Heat and Blazers in the NBA. He has played in 95 games (7 starts) so far in his first five years in the NBA and he is averaging 8.2 minutes, 2.4 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE POWER FORWARDS IN 2012-13: B+

The Wizards dealt for 27-year old Trevor Ariza in the off-season and he will be their starting small forward in 2012-13. Ariza played in 41 games (all starts) for the Hornets last year and he averaged 32.9 minutes, 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He has now played in 499 games (239 starts) in his first 8 years in the NBA and he is averaging 25.6 minutes, 9.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He is going to help the Wizards on both ends of the basketball court, especially on defense. 25-year old Martell Webster will likely be the top backup in 2012-13. Webster was signed as a free agent over the summer. Webster played in 47 games (26 starts) for the Timberwolves last year and he averaged 24.3 minutes, 6.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. He has now played in 394 games (191 starts) in his first seven years in the NBA and he is averaging 23.4 minutes, 8.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. 27-year old Cartier Martin will likely be #3 in line at both shooting guard and small forward this year. Martin played in 17 games (2 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 23.0 minutes, 9.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.6 assists per game. He has now played in 120 games (6 starts) in his first four years in the NBA and he is averaging 13.2 minutes, 5.0 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. 22-year old Chris Singleton will have to work his way back up the depth chart after he turned in a tough rookie season in 2011-12. He played in 66 games (51 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 21.7 minutes, 4.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Singleton had issues with his shooting as he only hit 37.2% from the floor, 34.6% from three point range and 68.2% from the free throw line last year.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SMALL FORWARDS IN 2012-13: C+

19-year old Bradley Beal was picked in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft last June out of Florida. He played in 37 games in his only season with the Gators and he averaged 34.2 minutes, 14.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Beal is going to have to improve his shooting from the floor if he’s going to win the starting job at shooting guard for the Wizards in 2012-13. 23-year old Jordan Crawford isn’t going to just give away the starting job at shooting guard without a fight. Crawford played in 64 games (32 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 27.4 minutes, 14.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. He has now played in 106 games (50 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 26.2 minutes, 13.5 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. But, he is only shooting 39.4% from the floor so far in his NBA career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SHOOTING GUARDS IN 2012-13: B-

The Washington Wizards have improved the roster over the summer, so they are hoping that John Wall will take this team to the playoffs. Wall played in 66 games (all starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 36.2 minutes, 16.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Wall has now played in 135 games (130 starts) in his first two years in the NBA and he is averaging 37.0 minutes, 16.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. But, he can’t shoot from long range as he has only hit 23.6% of his shots from 3-point range so far in his career. He was simply awful from behind the arc last year, hitting only 3 of 42 (7.1%) shots from long distance last year. 25-year old A.J. Price and 23-year old Shelvin Mack will duke it out for the #2 point guard job in training camp. Price played in 44 games (1 start) for the Pacers last year and he averaged 12.9 minutes, 3.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. He has now played in 150 games (3 starts) in his first three years in the NBA and he has averaged 14.9 minutes, 6.0 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. But, Price hasn’t been much of a shooter to this point in his career as he has only hit 37.5% of his shots from the floor and 30.9% from three point range. Shelvin Mack played in 64 games (0 starts) as a rookie last year and he averaged 12.2 minutes, 3.6 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE POINT GUARDS IN 2012-13: B+

23-year old center JaVale McGee is a player on the rise for the Washington Wizards. He played in 79 games (75 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 27.8 minutes, 10.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 2.4 blocked shots per game. Blatche has now played in 214 games (108 starts) in his first three years with the Wizards and he is averaging 20.1 minutes, 7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.4 assists and 1.7 blocked shots per game. This could be McGee’s big breakout season for the Wizards. 21-year old Kevin Seraphin will backup McGee at center this year. He played in 58 games (1 start) as a rookie last year and he averaged 10.9 minutes, 2.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.2 assists per game.

25-year old power forward Andray Blatche really stepped up last year and the Wizards hope he keeps up the good work in 2011-12. Blatche played in 64 games (63 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 33.9 minutes, 16.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He has now played in 383 games (163 starts) in his NBA career so far and he is averaging 22.6 minutes, 10.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. 24-year old Trevor Booker looked pretty solid as a rookie last year for the Wizards. He played in 65 games (14 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 16.4 minutes, 5.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Booker has a nice upside so the Wizards will find a way to get him more P.T. in 2011-12.

32-year old Rashard Lewis is going to be the starting small forward this year. He played in 57 games (52 starts) for the Magic & Wizards last year and he averaged 32.0 minutes, 11.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. Lewis has now played in 906 games (812 starts) in his NBA career and he is averaging 34.3 minutes, 16.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. 21-year old Jan Vesely out of the Czech Republic was a high first round pick of the Wizards last June in the NBA Draft. He calls Blake Griffin the American version of him. That’s a lot of talk to back up but the Wizards hope that he is accurate. 21-year old Chris Singleton was another first round pick of the Wizards last June out of Florida State. The Wizards will likely bring Singleton along a little slower than Vesely.

23-year old shooting guard Jordan Crawford stated that he was going to be better than Michael Jordan over the summer. That is pretty big talk coming from a second year player. Crawford played in 26 games (18 starts) for the Wizards last year after coming over in a deal with the Hawks and he averaged 33.3 minutes, 16.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Crawford played in 42 games (18 starts) overall with the Hawks & Wizards and he averaged 24.5 minutes, 11.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Crawford has a huge upside and the Wizards essentially stole him from the Hawks in the Kirk Hinrich deal.

21-year old point guard John Wall had a very solid rookie year in 2010-11 for the Wizards, when healthy. Wall played in 69 games (64 starts) for the Wizards last year and he averaged 37.8 minutes, 16.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game. The Wizards hope that Wall has worked on his shooting during the lockout. He only shot 40.9% from the floor, 29.6% from three point range and 76.6% from the free throw line last year. 21-year old rookie Shelvin Mack out of Butler (a 2nd rounder) will get a shot to backup John Wall if a veteran isn’t signed before the 2011-12 season begins.