Hersh

The in-season tournament is a great idea. The courts themselves suck as do a lot of the city jerseys. 

4 hours ago, Ball Security said:

I just get the feeling as they bottom out, we’ll have a draft like 2013 where the superstar is unidentified and the top of the draft is filled with non impactful or non-franchise changing players.

This is the first of two years of unofficial tanking. While the top of the 2013 draft wasn't very good, it still produced one of the best players in the game in Giannis. 

17 minutes ago, Ball Security said:

This is considered to be weaker class overall with no clear number one, right? Who should they target?

Not a clue, but I'm certain they will take whomever they think it best player available regardless of position. 

The Wiz might not win 20 games this season, but if all the young guys play like they did in the 4th against the Hawks, that's all good. Wiz need to trade some of the vets over the next couple months and need to hit on their future top-3 draft pick in 2024. 

1 minute ago, capcrunch98 said:

 

My angst about him not contributing despite taking up so much cap space was probably worded too harshly, but it's been a frustrating past year as a Caps fan (sorry, "fan") so cut me some f'ing slack.

 

It was worded too harshly and with you acknowledging it probably was, I apologize for my "fan" comment. 

1 hour ago, Dr. Do Itch Big said:

 

I don’t know if anyone really considered them contenders. 
 

I might be just being picky tho. 

That's fair. I view it from the perspective of a Wiz fan that would love having Embiid and Maxey as a core. 

The end of the process has resulted in the 76ers being a contender for multiple years and they may have their best team in a while this season after that trade. The problem was how long it went on for and they took tanking to the extreme. I don't mind the Wiz doing it for a couple years if they are playing younger guys that will contribute in the future, but it shouldn't be longer than two years with a good front office.

WUJ is a terrible head coach. The rotations were laughably bad. I know there are lineup limitations, but damn, he's terrible. 

4 hours ago, BigDibbs31 said:

So many bad contracts too. Going to be a long rebuild

Depends on who the GM is going to be long term. The team is likely to be a bottom-5, maybe even a bottom-3 team the next two seasons. That will had two excellent prospects to go along with Leonard and Miro as a potentially really good/great core. Add that massive amount of cap space they will have in a couple of seasons and a GM with a real vision could turn this team back around quicker than most might think. 

1 hour ago, capcrunch98 said:

 

*Backstrom is absolutely dog crap, I get sick thinking we're paying him close to $10 mil for a couple more seasons. I don't know why so many great athletes refuse to acknowledge they're past their expiration date. It's a disservice to the team, to the fans, and to their legacy. The only thing it's good for is their wallet. I didn't think Nicky was like that.

 

I agree with a lot of what you said except this. Backstrom isn't a top-6 forward anymore but I never expect athletes to give back money that a GM was willing to give. Dude has helped this team for years. He doesn't owe money back to the owner nor will this impact his legacy as an all-time capital great. 

11 hours ago, ixcuincle said:

Sixers trying to trade Embiid lol maybe you should try trading that other "fat guy" on the roster...

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10094622-knicks-rumors-joel-embiid-trade-package-would-include-julius-randle-picks-more

 

If Joel Embiid gets to a point where he wants to leave the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks already have a trade package in place they are willing to propose for the reigning NBA MVP.

Per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Knicks are willing to offer a package of three players among Julius Randle, R.J. Barrett, Evan Fournier and Mitchell Robinson plus two or three future first-round draft picks to the Sixers for Embiid.

That's a terrible trade package. The 76ers would laugh at that. 

Chapman with a little payback. I have no issues with that after another hit batter by a guy that should've been suspended. 

Probably wouldn’t have mattered but Dusty Baker is having a terrible game. It’s like he’s throwing the game at this point. 

3 hours ago, ixcuincle said:

 

 

I'm surprised they have money for a sponsorship. 

35 minutes ago, Ball Security said:

I agree.  It’s just so wacky to me that $13M+ is considered chump change.

Don't get me started on salaries. We are so backwards as a society I try not to think about it. But I'd also rather players get it than owners. 

3 hours ago, Barry.Randolphe said:

Should have let him walk at the end of the season or tried trading him to get something of value back...it frustrates me so much knowing we could have had Halliburton, but we took him.

That's the approach that has kept the Wiz terrible for a really long time.

With this FO we have 22 year old who fits the rebuild, on a contract that doesn't hinder the rebuild or a potential trade in the future. Nothing but upside for the Wiz with a deal like this. 

What a difference a competent GM makes. That’s a nothing contract that can easily be moved and becomes a bargain if he ever develops an outside shot. 

Wiz need to makes some consolidation trades soon. I suspect Cooks and Gill are gone to get down to 15, but guys like Rollins and JD need rotation minutes. This season is all about development and getting a top-3 pick. That development should also include Poole running the point more often. Dude is electric. 

I'm firmly in the camp that they could've retooled over the last few years and still remained competitive but they allowed their emotions to dictate too many moves. The Caps went all in on getting older despite the results in the playoffs after the Cup. When was the last time the Caps didn't have a legitimate goalie prospect? They certainly do not at the moment. 

Anyway, this team is headed for a bottom 5 finish in the league. It's likely to be a very painful two seasons as far as on ice play. 

2 hours ago, Captain Wiggles said:

 

Tesla ain't the only game in town. 🤷‍♂️

While I hear what you are saying and it's all valid, what are the other companies doing to get charging stations for big rigs built? I hate Musk, but I will continue to support the mission of Tesla. 

11 hours ago, PokerPacker said:

I don't fully agree.  I think Chara was a great player for us and cost practically nothing in terms of salary (which was important given our cap situation).  The problem was that we had a coach with limited vision.  If we had someone that would rest from time to time to keep him fresh while rotating in young guys like Siegenthaler to get experience, it could have worked out really nicely.  But instead Laviolette played him night in and night out so he'd be beat up and tired by the time playoffs started, and Siegenthaler was no longer on the team because he quite reasonably requested a trade since he was given zero ice time through no fault of his own.

That's my point, there was no plan. GMBM seems to never have spoken with Lavi about that kind of approach. And if they did speak and he didn't get a commitment to be cycling in younger players, than he could've not signed Chara. But that takes a GM having a vision on how to rebuild. 

2 hours ago, PokerPacker said:

Just imagine, if Lundqvist's heart didn't explode, we would have had him backstopping us in goal for the playoffs instead of beavis and butthead, and we wouldn't have had the cap space to sign Chara so Siegenthaler wouldn't have been forced out of the lineup (or stapled to the bench until 30 seconds left in the game; Jesus, what a ****-show)

The Chara signing is the perfect example of doing things the wrong way. GMBM has really had no plan for years. 

48 minutes ago, DCSaints_fan said:

Unfortunately I don't think the team is willing to commit to a rebuild as long as #8 is on the roster

 

If we could have started the rebuild 3 years ago when it was apparent that 2018 was the last gasp for that core, there would be a shot for another Cup run before Ovechkin retires, sadly this becoming all but impossible unless he can play until he's 43.

This is GMBM's greatest failure, a lack of vision. There was a great opportunity to do this and sell this to the great 8 as a way to really contend again. It's really amazing he traded Siegenthaler at the exact time the Caps should've been getting younger. The impact of that trade is still felt today with the less than stellar defense. 

3 hours ago, TheGreatBuzz said:

Oh I'm sure I'll watch still.  I've just accepted I'm pretty morally bankrupt.  I figured there would be more talk about it.  That's all I was trying to say.  Not judging.

Bettman is the worst commissioner in sports. The Hurricanes have an awesome pride night and I am hoping they do it again just to give a big **** you to the Bettman. Their policy is cowardly and wrong.