The Wizards Future is Now: Start the Kids

Three rookies were on the court for the opening tip-off in the Washington Wizards last two games, both of which ended in defeat

Outside of the result— no different from what transpired when the so-called veterans largely filled out the initial lineups throughout the downtrodden season— there is nothing but positive news in that first sentence.

Now the organization needs to take the next step. It's time to put four or even five rookies out there from the word "go."
     
Start them all. Together. Now.

Seriously, why not? The season, at least with the inevitable negative overall result, has been dead-on-arrival certain since before the yearly calendar flipped (basically when the terms "Gilbert Arenas" and "guns" became intertwined). The constant losing was a constant well before Charlie Sheen ever became linked to "winning." Duh. 
   
Nobody living in the real world should be knocking the organization for the substantially below .500 record. But worse than the setbacks is the undeniable fact that collectively, this team isn't lovable, let alone watchable.
  
Outside of John Wall, the only embrace of the players observers want to make is the occasional wringing of a neck. The on-court knucklehead factor is something out of an Adam Sandler movie, but the laughs are not intentional and are often demoralizing. At least to the paying crowd.

I'm not at every Wizards game, but when I've visited the Verizon Center, the atmosphere inside the phone booth is closer to morose than joyful. The thing is, fans will stick with struggling teams if there is a perception of effort, if the sincerity about improving is legitimate.

You don't have to have a constant purveyor of local newspapers, talk radio and blogs to know that's not the current takeaway.

But there is a fix. A relatively easy one: the pieces to this puzzle of little enthusiasm are sitting on the bench. 

Heck, coach Flip Saunders already teased the Wizards-watching world by sticking the team's (let's not call them the "Fab") five rookies —Wall, Trevor Booker, Jordan Crawford, Kevin Seraphin, Hamady Ndiaye—on the court together in the middle of a March 8 loss to Milwaukee. Take the next step.
  
Wall has been a fixture in the lineup since selected as top pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. The electric point guard has flashed plenty for the faithful to believe in.

Booker has been starting with the yet-to-mature Andray Blatche injured and the rookie with the pogo stick hops has been vigorous on the glass (career-high 13 rebounds last week versus Oklahoma City). 
  
Crawford, the third rookie in the opening lineup against the Bulls, has the potential for scoring bursts similar to the the current starter at shooting guard Nick Young, sans the focus on his changing hairstyles.

The power of French import Seraphin has emerged in spurts, like when the 6-foot-9-inch forward scored 12 points against the Thunder in 22 minutes, but he has yet to find consistent minutes in the Wizards rotation. 
  
Since Ndiaye, the only non-first round selection of the bunch, is not close to being an even a modest NBA contributor, maybe it makes some sense to leave JaVale McGee in as the lone holdover. Anyway, the uber-athletic, third-year center often plays like he is still learning the NBA basics, so he won't be an odd fit with the wet-behind-the-ears lineup.

Whether this group wins or loses is not relevant. You can gain from suffering if the desire to achieve collectively exists. 

Anyway, more defeats  mean more ping pong ball in the NBA Draft lottery. Even if the expected incoming crop of prospects does not have an obvious LeBron James or Kevin Durant in it, the draft remains the best hope for a rebuilding franchise. Besides, the current makeup of the organization is not convincing impact free agents to bring their talents to the Nation's Capital. 
   
Starting Sunday against another NBA bottom-feeder New Jersey, the Wizards have 15 games left to not only see what these rookies can offer, but to generate some positive buzz before the season and the likely lockout/labor stoppage begins.

Outside of Wall, none of the other youngsters are definite NBA starter material, but there is promise. That's something that cannot be said for the rest of the season, if the lineup stays with the veteran status quo.

When the injured returned, let them keep playing, but off the bench. Trust me, that's a move everyone around town would lovingly embrace.