Aside from a desire to form super-teams and chase rings, a constant theme in each case was that the Wizards were not only spectators, but Washington wasn’t even on the superstars’ GPS systems as a possible landing spot.

In a half-hour news conference on Thursday, Leonsis again stressed his plan to build a championship-caliber team by drafting and developing young talent but also added that he expects the Wizards to eventually attract all-star talent to pair with John Wall.

“I hope to have our team get to being considered a destination where players want to play,” Leonsis said. “Everyone knows that this is a fantastic city. If we can get the place rocking with lots of energy and we have an environment where they’re not just talented players, they’re welcoming, they’re embracing of people that join the team, word gets out and people will want to play here.”

In the meantime, Leonsis is focused on watching one of the league’s youngest teams — and Wall, still the Wizards’ youngest player at 21 — continue to show some growth from a season that resulted in just 23 wins and a third consecutive trip to the lottery.

Washington almost didn’t have the opportunity, because of a five-month-long lockout that threatened to eliminate the entire season, before owners and players reached an agreement that led to a 66-game schedule. Leonsis laughed off reports that depicted him as a hard-line owner, mentioning one account that labeled him a “hawk” following a meeting that he didn’t even attend because he was at a funeral.

“I voted yes for the deal,” Leonsis said. “It’s a partnership with the players, we’re in it together. As I said to the players at lunch, I only know of two relationships that I have 50-50 implications, one is with my wife, the second is with the basketball team and so I’m going to love them like they’re family, but I expect that same amount of love back. We all laughed and know we’re in it together, so I’m happy. I want to move on.”

“My biggest issue in all of the discussions and negotiations was about competitiveness. I want to be able to build a team and keep it together, and I think that’s what the fans, before the fans can fall in love with your team, they need to know that ownership’s committed,” Leonsis said. “I anticipated a new system when I bought the team, that we could keep that team together, and I think we made some progress on that front. . . . I want to be more loyal to the players I know.”

Leonsis said he feels “a real sense of optimism” with his team, which has added veterans Roger Mason Jr. and Ronny Turiaf and will bring back a healthier Rashard Lewis, who was acquired in the Gilbert Arenas deal nearly a year ago. He added that he expects “good things” from Andray Blatche, described JaVale McGee as “erudite” and saved his highest praise for Wall, the foundation of the rebuilding efforts.

Washington Wizards majority owner Ted Leonsis addressed the media on Thursday afternoon, covering many topics during his roughly half-hour news conference, including elevated expectations for this season, the process of constructing a winner and peering ahead rather than dwelling on past missteps.

Leonsis began by talking about a documentary he watched recently on the founder of Ferrari and specifically how he became the first racecar owner and driver to scrap the rearview mirror.

“When they asked him why, he said, ‘I don’t want anyone looking back. I want my drivers only looking forward,’ ” Leonsis said. “I think that’s an appropriate way to kick off the season.

“We just came off a couple of months where there was lots of angst and drama and discussion and pixels being generated. I don’t care about any of that. I care that tomorrow’s the first preseason game and the 26th is the kickoff of a new season. I’m very excited. I’m very positive.”

Leonsis was referring to the NBA lockout that threatened to cancel the season until the sides finally reached an accord. With a settlement reached, teams are set to play 66 games during a compressed season that will include many sets of back-to-backs and even at times three in a row.

Leonsis briefly discussed his involvement in those negotiations and some media reports labeling him as a hard-line owner. According to Leonsis, who voted yes on the deal, one account suggested he was “a hawk” following a particular meeting. Leonsis in fact had not even attended that meeting because he was at a funeral.

“I have to chuckle at some of the characterizations,” Leonsis said. “There’s lots of things that were written where you could look at and say, ‘I’d like to set the record straight or settle the score,’ but that would violate the Ferrari [call to] pull off the rearview mirror and only look forward. I think that’s in everyone’s best interest.”

As for the Wizards, who were 23-59 last season, Leonsis said he’s enthusiastic about the young players, particularly No. 6 overall pick Jan Vesely and 18th-pick Chris Singleton, has seen dedication from Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee and that the long-term plan is progressing smoothly.

“I want to see upside. I want to see improvement. I want to see chemistry being developed, and I want to see how the young kids play,” he said. “The only way we’re going to know if we drafted and we developed well is if they get the minutes, and so I’m more concerned with process right now than output, although we’re here to win, so I want to see us winning more games.”

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2011 was a disappointing year across the board for Washington D.C. sports. The Capitals flamed out early in the playoffs, the Nationals finished another sub .500 NL East basement year, and the Redskins appeared to be years away from contending. Even DC United finished an abysmal season, failing to advance to the MLS playoffs. For the Washington Wizards, the outcome on paper was no different. But the hope for the future is perhaps the brightest for the Wizards than it is for any other professional athletic organization in the DC area. These 2010-2011 events hold the key to that bright future.

New Ownership

Abe Pollin was a giant. His legacy will never be replaced. But the transfer of ownership to Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports & Entertainment in June 2010 represented a new era for the Wizards, and Leonsis has had no qualms about ushering that new era in. It all started with …

The Lucky Lottery Pick

Perhaps it was the basketball gods smiling down on the Wizards franchise after a number of years. Perhaps it was the universe equalizing bad b-ball karma. Or perhaps it was just pure luck. Either way, the winning of the first overall draft pick was the most surprising thing to happen from last season. Personally, I found out in retrospect, assuming that we would have won the 5th pick or later. It never occurred to me that we would win the 1st pick, allowing us to select …

John Wall

There was speculation even before Wall was selected (there was never any doubt that Wall would be the guy) that it meant a change of guard. The old guard was out and the winds of change were a blowing. Could Wall and Gilbert Arenas play on the same team? Even if they could, that was not a direction Leonsis wanted to go, which meant …

Trading Gilbert

Gilbert was the last member of that old guard to go. Antawn Jamison was out. So were Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood and Deshawn Stevenson. It was only a matter of time until Gilbert was dealt as well. As a younger fan who really got into the Wizards when Gilbert and the team were at their peak, I was disappointed to see all these players go. The Big Three hadn’t been the big three for years, there were new names all over the roster and it seemed sad that this era, with all its flaws and disappointments was ending. But it was time for a new team. Which meant it was also time for …

New Uniforms

One of the most effective ways to start rebuilding is to begin with rebranding. The new red, white and blue uniforms won’t improve our players’ game. It won’t make the shots fall or calls go our way. But as a fan the most vivid memories are the ones we see, and what we see when they happen. As this team turns a page and starts a new decade it will do it in the red, white and blue of our nation’s flag. Hopefully that new decade is the one we’ve all been waiting for.

Thomas is a 21 year old college student living smack in the middle of Cavalier country, representing the Wizards as best he can.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The head of Washington’s basketball operations since 2003, Grunfeld needs to be correct about the group he assembled. This is just the second season of Washington’s latest rebuilding project, but Wizards players still must display progress in their roles for Grunfeld to deserve to remain in his. Grunfeld must provide owner Ted Leonsis with strong evidence the Wizards are pointed in the right direction — or Leonsis should find someone else to take the wheel.

Eight months ago, I wrote that Grunfeld deserved to continue in his position. Despite the Wizards’ last-place finish in the Southeast Division and the franchise’s overall lack of success during his first eight seasons (Washington missed the playoffs four times), Grunfeld made enough good moves last season, in my view, to remain in control. Obviously, Leonsis felt the same way.

Now, it gets tougher for Grunfeld, who should receive a contract extension only if the Wizards take the positive steps he’s convinced they can.

Washington begins training camp Friday at Verizon Center, and “we are gonna win more games than we did last year,” Grunfeld said during a phone interview Wednesday. “We’re all expecting to see progress.”

In a bottom-line business, a team’s win-loss record is its barometer of success.

But I don’t share Grunfeld’s optimism. And as for the Wizards’ talk about making the playoffs during the lockout-truncated 66-game season, that’s not happening.

Playing 82 games in 2010-11, the Wizards went 23-59. Looking at their projected starting lineup and rotation, I don’t see how they produce more victories during a brutal, jam-packed schedule.

And playoffs? Playoffs? The Wizards aren’t close to cracking the Eastern Conference’s top eight.

Instead of evaluating Grunfeld on whether the Wizards experience a big bump in victories or earn a highly unlikely playoff berth, Leonsis should judge him, in large part, on the on-and-off-court development of two key Grunfeld guys: power forward Andray Blatche and center JaVale McGee.

Has Blatche finally grown up? Is McGee ready to end the silliness?

There is no bigger test for Grunfeld than Blatche. Grunfeld has supported Blatche and rewarded him with two contract extensions despite a series of knuckleheaded moves and questionable actions that repeatedly have embarrassed the franchise.

When Grunfeld looks at Blatche, he sees a skilled, cost-effective post player with enormous scoring and rebounding potential. If Blatche could just mature a little, Grunfeld often tells himself, he could be a cornerstone piece of the turnaround Leonsis expects.

Despite Blatche’s cap-friendly contract and ability, Grunfeld should have removed him from the roster because teams can’t win with guys who simply don’t get it. Instead, Grunfeld has waited and hoped.