John Wall (Photo : Streeter Lecka / Getty Images Sport)
The Washington Wizards have supposedly has an extra-incentive on performing this season.
Their success would be the best sales pitch to Kevin Durant to choose to sign with them in free agency. But that will not be very enticing.
Marcin Gortat, the Polish Hammer who's usually in high spirits, has complained about the negativity to CSN.
"We got to cut the negativity that we have coming from players, coaches, staff, media. We just got to cut that," said Gortat, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds. "It's not even fun coming here anymore. It's so much negativity. I understand we're losing games but damn, we just got to cut that right now. It's not fun at all."
Gortat also complained about the high expectations and the Durant storyline cast a shadow that added to the pressure. Even their superstar, John Wall, is starting to crumble. However, he still makes bold pronouncements right before they face their rival, the beast of the East Cleveland Cavaliers.
"I know people are gonna panic, and I get a lot of Twitter trash-talks, but that doesn't bother me, because when we get back to playing well, and I'm playing well, they'll all be back on the bandwagon," Wall said.
The Cavs game is important as it will show how the Wizards fare against the reigning and possibly perennial Eastern champs.
According to Sporting News, the general feeling is that Durant will choose only between the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Washington Wizards. Citing an unnamed Eastern Conference GM:
"But I think everyone knows that it is going to take a lot to get him out of OKC, and if it isn't OKC, it's going to be Washington. Stranger things have happened, but going into it, I think it will be down to those two places."
The Wizards need not be a better team than the Thunder, because Durant is with OKC now. But the way they are playing, with a 4-game losing streak, it may not be enough to have KD looking the other way.
