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Year after year, I get made fun of because my team, the Washington Wizards, are consistently at the bottom of the league. Even with the greatest player of all time, the Wizards still couldn't make the playoffs.

Hearing "The Wizards SUCK!" has gotten annoying.

Despite the badmouthing by my peers the Wizards are my life and this year is definitely looking up. Bringing in Antawn Jamison helps bring in an established player at the small forward spot. He can score on the block and is a good offensive rebounder. I'm not sure if his backup, Jared Jeffries, will be an impact this year, as he didn't show much improvement from his rookie year to last year. However, the Wiz boast a nice guard rotation with Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, and second year star Jarvis Hayes.

Hayes will have a breakout year. And barring injury, Gil will make the Eastern All-Star team in a packed, guard-talented conference.

Free agent Anthony Peeler will also help the Wizards on the perimeter and add more veteran experience to a young team.

Kwame Brown obviously has not yet lived up to the hype, but he did have some flashes last season. I'm not saying he needs to go Jermaine O'Neal on the league, but I'd be happy with a consistent 14 points and 10 rebounds and becoming more of a presence on D.

Brendan Haywood will be Brendan Haywood until he learns how to catch the ball when someone throws it to him in the post. That being said, I do think the Wizards have a huge upside guy in Etan Thomas. The Bucks tried to pry him away, but the Wiz resigned him - that definitely shows his importance to the team. He's one of the up-and-coming big men in the league and he'll push Haywood and Kwame for the 4 and 5 spots.

The Wizards also signed free agent big men, Michael Ruffin and Samaki Walker. I have no problem with Ruffin, but I have no idea what GM Ernie Grunfield was doing signing Walker, who is good at getting called for fouls, and doesn't do much else.

As for the Wizards' new division, I thought we had a good chance to take it because it's the weakest division in the league, but then Shaq got traded to Miami, which doesn't bode for the Wiz. Either way, they should do good enough to make a push for the 7 or 8 spot in the East.

Come on Wiz, prove me right.