After taking the Boston Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Washington Wizards signed John Wall to a contract extension, re-signed Otto Porter, and improved their bench depth in free agency. While all the talk has been about the Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, Bradley Beal has other ideas.

Beal, who is coming off a career year, feels the Wizards are the best team in the conference according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN:

“I feel like we're the best team in the East, I really do,” Bradley Beal said. “That's how we feel coming into the season.”

While Markieff Morris will miss the start of the 2017-18 NBA season due to a sports hernia injury, the Wizards kept their starting lineup intact. To go along with one of the better starting lineups in the league, they improved their bench with Tim Frazier, Jodie Meeks, and Mike Scott.

Although Beal and Wall are one of the best backcourts in the league, it remains to be seen if they are better than the Cavaliers and Celtics. While it is rare to see the two top teams in a conference make a trade, both teams feel they have improved.

As the Celtics have two All-Stars in Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, the Cavaliers have improved their depth with Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Derrick Rose, and Dwyane Wade.