The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[method man]

16 minutes ago, Hersh said:

 

TYou do understand that Kuminga is only 20 and is already showing he can be a big time player with good range. 52/37 splits with eFG of 57%. GS doesn't want to go young so they will move him to reset that rookie clock. He's putting up great numbers on the Wiz from the jump. Some how it would be better to roll the dice on a college player that shoots 30% or worse from three? To each their own. 

Yep. I would totally do that trade. I think Kuminga could blow up here. Kuminga can put up huge numbers here as the guy. No issues giving him an extension if he is what we think he can be. 

I would think about KP for Poole, Kuminga, one  of Baldwin Jr or Moody and the #19 pick. They really could use a big center with size and KP would thrive there

[Hersh]

4 minutes ago, method man said:

Yep. I would totally do that trade. I think Kuminga could blow up here. Kuminga can put up huge numbers here as the guy. No issues giving him an extension if he is what we think he can be. 

I would think about KP for Poole, Kuminga, one  of Baldwin Jr or Moody and the #19 pick. They really could use a big center with size and KP would thrive there

 

Too good to be true but they do need to move Poole to bring Dray back. No matter what they say those two cannot co-exist on a team and be successful. 

[Fergasun]

Talking trades.  

 

Maybe this FO will trade the 8 plus Kispert (probably our best prospect?) into the 4/5 range to get a player they believe in more than Black or Wallace or someone else?  

 

or maybe they will trade back? 

[Hersh]

I'd be open to a trade back. Maybe the Thunder want to move up and grab their guy and the Wiz pick up a future first. 

[Warhead36]

I don't hate the idea of taking on bad contracts if it means getting 1st rounders as well. There is always the chance of a domino affect of a player on a bad contract overperforming and you perhaps flip him for more assets later on down the road. 

 

The next couple off seasons need to be about building up assets.

Edited June 20, 2023 by Warhead36

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

 

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by BRAVEONAWARPATH

[Mooka]

Thought this was funny:

 

Fadeaway Sports: Bradley Beal's Agent Is The Father Of The Phoenix Suns CEO

 

Quote

Bradley Beal is represented by Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports. And after new owner Mat Ishbia took over, the man he appointed as CEO for the Phoenix Suns in April 2023 is Josh Bartelstein, the son of Beal's agent. 

 

[Renegade7]

6 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

I don't hate the idea of taking on bad contracts if it means getting 1st rounders as well. There is always the chance of a domino affect of a player on a bad contract overperforming and you perhaps flip him for more assets later on down the road. 

 

The next couple off seasons need to be about building up assets.

 

Feel like I have no choice but to agree...it hurts to realize that when we finally did nuke the franchise we didn't come close to the haul say Houston, Brooklyn, or OKC has. 

 

Those franchises got first rounders for days, we're lucky our first rounder next year is protected or we wouldn't even have one.

 

The idea of trading the few picks we have doesn't sit well with me in many of the conversations I've seen over last couple pages.  I'm not interested in getting re-hosed for players with potential, I'm only interested in trades that get us higher picks then what we have.

 

First test passed by new regime by getting rid of Beal almost immediately, now the hard part of proving they can finally draft better.  We goin nowhere fast unless we considerably improve at drafting and development.

 

I'm also not seeing a very interesting free agents market until 2026...we should have our **** together by then...and hopefully have enough assets to pull what Mystics did with trading for Delle-Donne if we don't see or want to make a free agent move that year.

[@DCGoldPants]

9 hours ago, Warhead36 said:

I don't hate the idea of taking on bad contracts if it means getting 1st rounders as well.

Agreed. Doesn't mean those bad contracts get max minutes here if you have younger guys you want to get run. Even if the guys on the bench are better paid. You're putting Deni, Kispert, Davis, etc. out there for starters minutes. Why not? 

[Going Commando]

The first rounders that come with bad contracts are going to be late, unless we get really lucky.  Piling up late firsts isn't that useful.  What we need is to hit the lottery on an early first, which is only going to come from our own pick.  We need to move up in a draft class, and get lucky on a big who becomes a transcendent player.

[@DCGoldPants]

22 minutes ago, Going Commando said:

The first rounders that come with bad contracts are going to be late, unless we get really lucky.  Piling up late firsts isn't that useful.  What we need is to hit the lottery on an early first, which is only going to come from our own pick.  We need to move up in a draft class, and get lucky on a big who becomes a transcendent player.

 

Looked at a few opinion pieces of the best pick from each draft the past 20 years. I'd guesstimate 3 out of 4 times its someone in the Top 3. Then every 4th time it's after that. From 7 with Steph to 13 with Booker, 15 with Leonard , Antetokounmpo also at 15. I won't even pretend you'll find a Jokic at 41.

 

a top 3 pick is the sweetest of spots but you there are always guys after that with a mix of luck and scouting. 

[Ball Security]

32 minutes ago, @DCGoldPants said:

 

Looked at a few opinion pieces of the best pick from each draft the past 20 years. I'd guesstimate 3 out of 4 times its someone in the Top 3. Then every 4th time it's after that. From 7 with Steph to 13 with Booker, 15 with Leonard , Antetokounmpo also at 15. I won't even pretend you'll find a Jokic at 41.

 

a top 3 pick is the sweetest of spots but you there are always guys after that with a mix of luck and scouting. 

Hmm.

 

If you go by win shares:

2010 - George (10)

2011 - Butler (30) 

2012 - Lillard (6)

2013 - Giannis (15)

2014 - Jokic (41)

2015 - Towns (1)

2016 - Sabonis (11)

2017 - Tatum (3)

2018 - Doncic (3)

2019 - Clark (21)

 

Now, I’m not claiming win shares is the end all, be all. As I’d defy say Morant is better than Clarke. And one can make a case that Anthony Davis is better than Lillard. But this does make a strong case that you don’t need to have a top 3 pick to get top end talent.

2015 had Booker at 13.

2017 had Mitchell at 13 and Bam at 14.

2018 had Gilgeous-Alexander at 11.

 

BTW Gafford has the third most win shares in the 2019 class. 💪

 

 

[Warhead36]

2 hours ago, Going Commando said:

The first rounders that come with bad contracts are going to be late, unless we get really lucky.  Piling up late firsts isn't that useful.  What we need is to hit the lottery on an early first, which is only going to come from our own pick.  We need to move up in a draft class, and get lucky on a big who becomes a transcendent player.

They can be potentially used if packaged together to move up or acquire talent if our rebuilding is expedited and we're ready to push faster than we think.

[abdcskins]

I echo Renegade - drafting and developing. That is what good front offices and coaching staffs do in every sport, but particularly the NBA. I don't need to remind you all of the horrid Wizards draft history. That is the main reason we suck. It's that simple. Guys like Winger are paid to scout and draft the best players. It isn't luck. Wizards don't have the money (maybe) nor are attractive enough of a destination to make flashy free agent signings.

 

Occasionally you can get lucky and sign a Gilbert Arenas, but how often does that happen? Rarely. 

 

 

[Warhead36]

Just now, abdcskins said:

I echo Renegade - drafting and developing. That is what good front offices and coaching staffs do in every sport, but particularly the NBA. I don't need to remind you all of the horrid Wizards draft history. That is the main reason we suck. It's that simple. Guys like Winger are paid to scout and draft the best players. It isn't luck. Wizards don't have the money (maybe) nor are attractive enough of a destination to make flashy free agent signings.

 

Occasionally you can get lucky and sign a Gilbert Arenas, but how often does that happen? Rarely. 

 

 

Yep the last few championship teams show you can win that way without being a prime FA destination. Denver. Milwaukee. Toronto. Heck even Golden State, they were never a prime destination until very recently and even then other than Durant they're mostly a homegrown draft/develop team.

[Forehead]

Heard on the radio this could involve as many as five 2nd rounds picks from the Suns.  I don't know if that was fact or speculation but if so, draft and stash all the Euros!

[@DCGoldPants]

 

 

 

[Ball Security]

1 hour ago, @DCGoldPants said:

 

 

 

Hopefully they can get something nice for him in a sign and trade.

 

They’ll likely have three second rounders on Thursday. I’d like for them to use one on a flier for Emoni Bates.

[mhd24]

24 minutes ago, Ball Security said:

Hopefully they can get something nice for him in a sign and trade.

 

They’ll likely have three second rounders on Thursday. I’d like for them to use one on a flier for Emoni Bates.

 

 

If we use #59 on Bates, then fine I guess.  I'm not using the earlier 2nd rounder on him though.  Too unathletic.

[abdcskins]

I'd like to see them go after Isaiah Wong with their second rounder. A do-it-all type player, plays good defense. 

[mhd24]

DA was on Sheehan and today and reinforced my opinion on why Leonsis is so bad as an owner.  Apparently, the new practice facility that we built in Southeast is OK (DA's codeword for sucks).  It is too small, is forced to share space with several of Leonsis's other entities, etc.  By comparison, the new Suns owner is building a state-of-the-art practice facility solely for the Suns only.  Just another example of why this team is such a MOM & POP operation.  Hopefully Winger can get cheapskate Ted to build a Wizards only practice facility.

 

DA is probably referencing his excellent article he wrote about the subject along with Josh Robbins:  https://theathletic.com/4521654/2023/05/16/washington-wizards-ted-leonsis/

 

"

In 2018, in partnership with the D.C. government, the Wizards opened a new practice facility, the Entertainment & Sports Arena, in Southeast D.C., on land that once was part of the St. Elizabeths Hospital campus. ESA’s 4,200-seat arena is the home for the WNBA’s Mystics, who won the 2019 title there, and the G League’s Go-Go. The Wizards, Mystics and Go-Go all practice there as well, on courts just steps away from the main arena.

In recent years, however, other franchises have also built new practice facilities that far outstrip ESA in terms of amenities. Those franchises include the Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.

Many of the executives we spoke with are familiar with the Wizards’ practice facility and, if they were interviewing for the Wizards’ job, would ask about making upgrades.

“I haven’t seen their whole facility they’ve built —  I’ve been in there, done a quick pass-through,” Executive E said. “But I’ve talked to people there, and they don’t have the space that they were hoping for. I almost look at that facility, at this point, the way the other teams are in our league, that should be your WNBA team and G League facility, and you should build a new NBA (practice) facility that’s bigger and better. …

“I don’t know if Ted’s going to invest. He feels really proud of what he just built. You hate to go in there and trash it. But you need more space. I heard they don’t even have enough office space there. So how are you supposed to have your staff in there comfortably, and create the environment to be successful, when you don’t have the space to do it?”

As Executive B said: “I wouldn’t say, ‘We’ve got to build a new one. This isn’t good enough.’ That would be almost embarrassing to the people that built it. But maybe there’s something you can do to upgrade it.”

He continued: “One of the questions I would have is: What capacity do we have for growth within this facility? Is the facility just it and we’re not going to go any further with it? Or is there a capacity for growth there? Because I think it’s really good that they have the Go-Go there and the Mystics there. But I heard that they had some clunkiness getting the office environment built up to the right standards. I would want to see that whole facility and get a feel for it and really have an ability to break down the opportunities for growth within the facility.”

"

[Fergasun]

At least there's the whole WFH thing going on.

 

Are Kuzma and KP sign and trade's viable?  Perhaps to get them onto playoff teams?  This is assuming KP doesn't opt in....

[CRobi21]

Kuz gone as well and we get nothing in return. Tommy and Ernie can rot in GM Hell together...

[ixcuincle]

Did you forget Tommy rid the terrible wall super max and Westbrook contract