The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[JoeWolf990]

Juwan Howard is the biggest thief in the history of the NBA

its not his fault that this franchise got weak in the knees and overpaid for him.

Ike Austin is a thief, imo. Juwon just took what he was offered. He didnt even want to be here. I often wonder how his career would have turned out had the Heat signed him in 1996.

I think he would have been a multiple time All Star.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

its not his fault that this franchise got weak in the knees and overpaid for him.

Ike Austin is a thief, imo. Juwon just took what he was offered. He didnt even want to be here. I often wonder how his career would have turned out had the Heat signed him in 1996.

I think he would have been a multiple time All Star.

We should have one of those celebrity death matches: Ike Austin vs Kevin Duckworth

[Warhead36]

I don't blame guys for taking overpaid contracts. If my company offered me half a million to do my job I'd take it in a heartbeat and laugh straight to the bank. I mean Howard to his credit still gave it his best effort, he was a good player but he was never gonna play like a superstar.

[pjfootballer]

Good win last night.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I don't blame guys for taking overpaid contracts. If my company offered me half a million to do my job I'd take it in a heartbeat and laugh straight to the bank. I mean Howard to his credit still gave it his best effort, he was a good player but he was never gonna play like a superstar.

Yeah I agree. I don't blame someone like Howard who got a fat contract, played hard and was just overpaid. I do blame folks like Austin or Duckworth who show up in contract years, get their money and then stop putting in the work. That's the lowest of the low.

Edited February 9, 2015 by G.A.C.O.L.B.

[Destino]

Charlotte dominates us... And follows it up by losing to Philly and Indiana. :/

[Going Commando]

Charlotte dominates us... And follows it up by losing to Philly and Indiana. :/

Eh we crapped the bed in the last game, should have beaten them easily. The universe is righting itself again with them. Their January pace screamed a regression to the mean was coming soon.

[Mocountyskins]

I say Juwan is a thief because he didn't sign a contract with the heat till April and didn't even come off the bench in the playoffs and then he holds up the trophy like he is a champion. gtfo lol

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

J. Michael        ✔ @JMichaelCSN

Wiz arent trying to get Kevin Martin (see salary). Wolves do want Kevin Seraphin. That wont happen #WizardsTalk #NBA #WizWolves @CSNWizards

 

 

 

J. Michael        

✔ @JMichaelCSN

Said on our pregame show last nite, Wiz are looking at FA from overseas & players bought out 1st #WizardsTalk #NBA #WizWolves @CSNWizards

 

 

J. Michael        

✔ @JMichaelCSN

A trade offer could come that's attractive, but was told by multiple ppl last nite, hasnt happened #WizardsTalk #NBA #WizWolves @CSNWizards

 

 

 

 

 

 

J. Michael @JMichaelCSN · 

Keep big picture in mind: NOT tying up salary long-term so FAs/player buyouts more attractive #WizardsTalk #NBA #WizWolves @CSNWizards

Edited February 9, 2015 by BRAVEONAWARPATH

[Going Commando]

7.4 million player option for the summer of '16. That takes Martin out of consideration. Good, glad Ernie is reluctant to add new salary that summer.

But we do need to figure something out with Seraphin. If we can't afford to keep him, then letting him walk for nothing this summer seems a shame.

The only way I think we can afford him is by getting rid of Webster and Blair. That'd shed 7 million in salary. But dumping them off is not going to be easy.

For example, trading off a first rounder to get rid of Webster to keep Seraphin doesn't feel worth it.

[RonArtest15]

If we're going to let Seraphin walk, I would love to see what the asking price of John Henson would be. 

[Going Commando]

I like Henson too. You thinking a trade for him based around Seraphin?

[Rocky21]

Wait a minute. Antawn Jamison is 3 months younger than Andre Miller!?!

Man did we need that win this weekend.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Click to read the rest

http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/ray-allen-will-bynum-4-wizards-top-free-agent-targets

 

 

Morning tip: 4 of Wizards' top free-agent targets

 

 

The March 1 deadline for players bought out of their contracts still looms as the more important one, though that date only applies to players who have played in the NBA this season. The Wizards could find a player from overseas who hasn't played in the league this year who they could sign after March 1 and still have him eligible for the postseason roster. Finding a free agent returning from his season China is more likely than the D-League, which doesn't have many attractive options:

 

Will Bynum: This 6-0 guard is the primary target among overseas talent. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, also has Bradley Beal. Bartelstein contacted the Wizards to gauge if there was any interest in Bynum when he returns from China, where he's currently playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers. Bynum was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Boston Celtics, who waived him, this season and hasn't played in the NBA. This is why the Wizards can wait for him and aren't confined to the March 1 deadline. Bynum has been a pro since 2005, playing two seasons in Israel after spending his first season with the Golden State Warriors when he played in just 15 games. Bynum spent 2008-14 with the Detroit Pistons where he averaged 8.4 points and 3.4 assists. There's "a lot" of interest in Bynum but this is clearly the guy the Wizards want if Allen doesn't pan out. And there's no indication at this point that Allen will. 

 

Bobby Brown: A 6-2 guard who has bounced around the NBA since 2008 -- Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans and L.A. Clippers -- he's playing in China for the Dongguan Leopards and doing well. He's active, can score and has vast experience overseas, including in Europe. Plus Brown is 30, the type of experienced pro coach Randy Wittman really likes and respects. 

 

Dominique Jones: A 6-4 guard who was a first-round pick in 2010, he was part of the Dallas Mavericks' 2011 championship team but stayed on the bench. Jones has never shot above 40% in a season and the time just hasn't been there for him to develop as he hasn't appeared in more than 33 games in a season. If he hung around Rick Carlisle's team for that long, there had to be some promise but he never made it past his rookie deal. He can score and uses his brute strength to get to the basket but hasn't proven to be a reliable shooter. He's playing in China for the Jilin Northeast Tigers. 

 

Toure' Murry: A 6-5 guard, he played in 51 games with the New York Knicks in 2013-14. He was on the Utah Jazz's roster this season but only appeared in one game after being assigned to the D-League. Murry plays for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the D-League, but he resembles Temple in his skill set so the Wizards have cooled on him. They already pay Temple more money to do a similar job. Because Murry did play in the NBA this season, the March 1 deadline would apply to him if they were to reverse course.

Edited February 9, 2015 by BRAVEONAWARPATH

[RonArtest15]

I like Henson too. You thinking a trade for him based around Seraphin?

 

Not sure....But he's someone still on his rookie deal, so I think $ wise, it could work (I think LOL).  I'm just trying to think of players we could bring in, if Seraphin is off the table, that wouldn't mess things up financially in '16. 

[Skin'emAlive]

Here is the problem Steve:

 

We invested a lot of time and resources into developing Seraphin into a good player. We traded for him first off. Wittman doghoused him to the nether realms, and even more suprisingly, he responded! Name one big that Wittman has coached that took his approach and got better. Additionally, we let Booker go last season to keep Seraphin around. ( Though this could be debated as one could say it was for salary implications). Someone is going to have to replace Nene. We arent even listening to trade offers for him. So now we are 5 or 6 years in, and the patience has finally paid off, and we are just going to let him go? What a waste. I would pay the 8 mil for him and find a way to let go of others.

Henson is going to get atleast 6 mil on the market and he has no offensive game at all. Hes a long armed dude with some defensive upside and thats about it. He can not replace Seraphin.

[Skin'emAlive]

Bad teams that are looking to clean house will take 1 year contracts to clear the books. ( see 76ers, Philadelphia). Ernie has also had great success on trades. I trust that he could figure something out that doesnt involve trading our first or Otto. I personally dont see Durant coming here. But we could certainly attract another high quality FA that year if all else fails. No reason to get rid of a great, young offensive big with an unblockable shot, ever.

[Predicto]

I forget about Deron Williams. The NBA's most irrelevant max player?

 

 

I'll take Amare Stoudemire for 1000, Alex.

[TradeTheBeal!]

I'll take Amare Stoudemire for 1000, Alex.

 

Wait…is Agent Zero still on payroll?

[Going Commando]

Here is the problem Steve:

 

We invested a lot of time and resources into developing Seraphin into a good player. We traded for him first off. Wittman doghoused him to the nether realms, and even more suprisingly, he responded! Name one big that Wittman has coached that took his approach and got better. Additionally, we let Booker go last season to keep Seraphin around. ( Though this could be debated as one could say it was for salary implications). Someone is going to have to replace Nene. We arent even listening to trade offers for him. So now we are 5 or 6 years in, and the patience has finally paid off, and we are just going to let him go? What a waste. I would pay the 8 mil for him and find a way to let go of others.

Henson is going to get atleast 6 mil on the market and he has no offensive game at all. Hes a long armed dude with some defensive upside and thats about it. He can not replace Seraphin.

What we invested in him before isn't really relevant to whether or not we can afford to pay him 8-10 million annually now. That's a numbers game and we do not have the room to sign Seraphin to that kind of contract and still have max cap room for 2016.

Make no mistake, the team would be absolutely crazy to sacrifice the chance at Durant to keep Seraphin. Ernie isn't crazy. There is a reason he's not trading for Kevin Martin right now despite the fact the guy could absolutely help us is because he's not adding cap commitments for '16.

The only way you can afford to keep Seraphin at that number is to drop an equivalent number of '16 cap commitments from other contracts. That means dumping Webster to start. And it probably means either letting Humphries walk or dropping Porter's contract too.

If you're worried about wasting an investment, dumping Porter's salary to keep Seraphin would be a tragic waste. And letting Humphries walk in 2016 loses us a quality big playing for maybe half what he's really worth. And it means we'd have no power forwards on the roster at all and our only options at the position would be recent draft picks and vet min players.

And to be clear, Seraphin isn't a replacement for Nene. Nene is a 6'11 power forward who is probably the most impactful defensive player on the team. Seraphin is a 6'9 C who definitely can't defend the PF position like Nene. Even if they had similar offensive ability (they don't, Nene is a worlds better passer), the difference in their defense makes them very different players. Seraphin is not a credible option at PF.

And one more clarification, Webster has two years left on his deal after this season, so it won't be an expiring until 2016. This is unless he misses 22 more games from injury before the summer of '16 so that his cap number for 2016 could drop to 2.5 million because of an early buy out clause. He's not an expiring that can easily be dumped to tankers. It's going to be hard to deal him unlesss he actually starts playing like an NBA player again. Right now he's just a terrible contract.

Now maybe J. Michael is wrong and Seraphin doesn't get 8-10 million offers this summer. Maybe he's just in the full MLE range, in which case you can talk about affording him. For one thing that kind of money wouldn't be an overpay. Second, we'd only have to drop Webster's contract to keep our '16 commitments neutral. We'll see how the market plays out, but I suspect J. Michael might be right.

I'll take Amare Stoudemire for 1000, Alex.

So irrelevant I forgot he was even still in the league. Is he still in the league?

[Predicto]

 

 

 

J. Michael @JMichaelCSN · 

Keep big picture in mind: NOT tying up salary long-term so FAs/player buyouts more attractive #WizardsTalk #NBA #WizWolves @CSNWizards

 

 

 

We got a nice used David Lee right over here.   Reasonably effective player, and one year away to a huge expiring contract.      

[Skin'emAlive]

Nene being our second facilitator is an outlier. While it is a good thing that he is one of the best passing bigs in the league, he shouldnt be our second man running the offense. That role *shoud be going to Beal. And if Beal doesnt make that leap, the man we bring in should take the role. I dont expect any big replacing Nene to be playing his style, as almost no other big in the league right now does that anyways.

 

Nene's defense is terrific. There is no doubt about that. We arent replacing his play. I just dont see anyone doing that. But offensively speaking, you cant sell Seraphin short here. He has really stepped up his game in all facets. Beyond his growing offensive game which has been relatively consistent for two seasons now, he has learned how to pass from the post. Some of his passes this season have been terrific.

 

Yea, 8-10 mil on the cap does hurt our ability to land Durant. Im not saying give up on that. But Seraphin is a really good player that right now runs our bench and is pretty much the only other guy (wall) that can create his own shot. Im not a cap expert, but i think that Ernie does a decent job at FA acquisitions. Surely he could figure something out here. Yea 8-10 mil is high. But all bigs are overpaid. Look at our starting bigs and tell me that Gortat and Nene have lived ( or will live) up to their contracts.

 

Im just really hesitant on giving up on one of our *very few young talents. Soon we will be extremely old and unable to run with the rest of the league with no time to waste on more rookies during Wall's prime. ( insert otto in the starting lineup already wittman.)

[Chachie]

Going to the game tonight. Crappy seats but they were free. We'd better win this one.

[StillUnknown]

Going to the game tonight. Crappy seats but they were free. We'd better win this one.

 

if we lose, the regulars of the thread shall greet you like this:

 

[Mocountyskins]

Personally I think KS has great potential to be a solid 1st big off the bench who can come in play maybe 18 minutes a game and average like 10&8 ish. Problem is that he is on and off. I'd like to have KS on this team as a 1st or 2nd big off the bench but I would not pay him the 9mil per year that was reported either in this thread or BF (Can't remember) that front offices are going to be willing to pay him. If that is true i'd want to trade him to at least get something back for him because we won't pay him that money and I'm sure he would go somewhere else to take that money.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Mocountyskins