Washington Wizards want to go from 20 wins to a playoff push next season The Wizards" finish already has Crawford focused on something bigger next season, when the team will have the benefit of another high lottery pick, possible upgrades in free agency, offseason workouts and a full training camp. We want to be fighting for a playoff position. That's the goal," said Crawford, whose initial comments were rooted in the progress the team had made following a trade deadline deal that yielded a talented, veteran big man in Nene, but also a change in attitude and professionalism from a young team. The Wizards (20-46) didn't win many games immediately after the trade, but they were more competitive, played better defense and had given away a handful of games in which they built double-digit leads. The early bumps helped them win eight of their final 10 games, a run of success that the Wizards believe wasn't a fluke. "It's real," said Roger Mason Jr., who was waived after having season-ending surgery on his left index finger to make a roster spot in the final week but has expressed a desire to return as a free agent. I genuinely believe if we had the same team the last month of the season, we'd be fighting for a playoff spot. Nene's arrival at the trade deadline, along with signing James Singleton to a 10-day contract earlier this month, brought a veteran presence to the front line and they helped Kevin Seraphin and Jan Vesely become solid contributors. Nene has received a bulk of the credit, and with good reason, because the team was markedly different after the trade, and especially with him in the lineup. "I felt like he held everyone accountable," rookie Chris Singelton of Nene. Our team hasn't always been the most mature team. Since we got him and we got James and a couple of veterans they brought in, it's definitely helped us. In the 41 games before the trade, the Wizards were 9-32 and getting outscored by an average of 8.5 per game (102.3-93.8). In the final 25 games, the Wizards went 11-14 and outscored their opponents by an average of 1.4 points per game (93.4-92.0). In the 11 games that Nene actually played, the Wizards were 7-4 and outscored their opponents by an average of 10.3 points per game (95.8-85.5). When I came here, a lot of things changed. I'm very excited about next season. Good things will come," Nene said. We can surprise a lot of things in this league next season. I know that's the reason I'm here. John Wall is disappointed that he hasn't been able to help the Wizards reach the playoffs in his first two years, but he is encouraged by the late-season rally, believing that the team is a few more veterans away - either at small forward, shooting guard or point guard - from contending for the postseason.