Preseason NBA Power Rankings: Philadelphia 76ers look like Eastern Elite

16. Washington Wizards

If the Detroit Pistons are a team that’s added some much-needed consistency in 2018, the Washington Wizards have taken the opposite approach: they’ve become a whole lot more combustible.

Though the Wizards did address the infighting that almost tore the team apart last season by finally broke up the contentious pairing of John Wall and Marcin Gortat, they did so by added a pair of talented, yet incredibly troubled players who could do wonders on the court, but create even more off-the-court issues in Austin Rivers and Dwight Howard.

What could possibly go wrong?

While Rivers and Howard are immense upgrades on the court who in theory should make the Wizards all the more formidable, as they’ve sorely lacked a dynamic third guard off the bench, and could use an elite post presence to slam down a gaggle of Wall alley-oops, this team could seriously collapse by the trade deadline and implode in impressive fashion.

Could the Wizards finally take that step past the first round and finally deliver the Nation’s Capitol a deep playoff berth? Sure, but they could just as easily end up in the lottery for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. Regardless, I doubt the Wizards have enough firepower to get past the 76ers and will likely finish out their season in a very similar situation: eliminated from the playoffs in the first round.