The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[mhd24]

3 hours ago, method man said:

I don’t know why anyone thinks adding Kuz back removes them from the running for a top 3 pick. When you look at the rest of the Eastern conference, outside of the Magic, this may still be the worst roster.

 

I think we learned the past couple years that Kuz is a great locker room guy (if you were not Dinwiddie lol), a hard worker and an easy guy to root for. It was also obvious he wanted to be here and he loves DC.

 

With the 4th year, he is not a guy who will be easy to move this trade deadline but he will be movable next offseason or the offseason after if his game does not fall off. Now why did they retain Kuz instead of KP? It is because the latter is a ticking time bomb when it comes to injuries. Lest we forget that the Mavs threw in a second for us to take on KP for Dinwiddie and Bertans

 

Orlando has a way better roster.  Paulo & Wagner are a core we'd love to have.  In terms of the EAST, I'd say we have the worst roster due to a combo of players and coaching.  WUJ is on borrowed time.  Doubt he's here next year.  This FO didn't hire him.  Cheap Ted just won't let them fire him.

 

EAST:

Obviously better (in no particular order):

1). Boston

2). Bucks

3). Miami

4). Knicks

5). Cavs

6). Philly (assuming Harden somehow stays)

7). Hawks (Snyder will get them playing better)

8). Raptors (although they have zero shooting on that team)

 

Play-in contenders:

9.  Nets (no incentive to tank because they don't own their pick)

10). Pacers

11). Magic (really talented front court.  Need to trade away some of the backcourt for some vets)

12). Bulls (The new Wizards.   Treadmill team definition.  Still, have a solid roster than contend for the play-in)

 

The dregs

13). Detroit (completely unknown with Cade's injury.  Expect Ivey & Duran to improve rapidly.  If not and they are busts, this team could actually be worse than us).

14). Hornets (completely dependent on health (iffy), and Bridges resigning).

15). Wizards (will play hard, but are overmatched on most nights)

 

 

 

[Ball Security]

I don’t know. They tied for 11th in the East after quitting in mid May going 3-10. One could make the case that this is a better balanced roster than last season. Their range of outcomes is pretty wide. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made the playoffs or if they have the most ping pong balls.

[method man]

2 hours ago, mhd24 said:

 

Orlando has a way better roster.  Paulo & Wagner are a core we'd love to have.  In terms of the EAST, I'd say we have the worst roster due to a combo of players and coaching.  WUJ is on borrowed time.  Doubt he's here next year.  This FO didn't hire him.  Cheap Ted just won't let them fire him.

 

EAST:

Obviously better (in no particular order):

1). Boston

2). Bucks

3). Miami

4). Knicks

5). Cavs

6). Philly (assuming Harden somehow stays)

7). Hawks (Snyder will get them playing better)

8). Raptors (although they have zero shooting on that team)

 

Play-in contenders:

9.  Nets (no incentive to tank because they don't own their pick)

10). Pacers

11). Magic (really talented front court.  Need to trade away some of the backcourt for some vets)

12). Bulls (The new Wizards.   Treadmill team definition.  Still, have a solid roster than contend for the play-in)

 

The dregs

13). Detroit (completely unknown with Cade's injury.  Expect Ivey & Duran to improve rapidly.  If not and they are busts, this team could actually be worse than us).

14). Hornets (completely dependent on health (iffy), and Bridges resigning).

15). Wizards (will play hard, but are overmatched on most nights)

 

 

 

The Bulls do feel like this team the past few years. Apparently Lavine and Derozan don’t get along and Lonzo’s career appears to be over

 

You are probably right about the Magic being better. Bridges does appear to be coming back for the Hornets and they will have Lamelo and Miller

[Renegade7]

12 hours ago, Hersh said:

 

The Wiz need to accumulate top of the draft talent. Last year at this time no one said Bilal would be top-7 and here we are. Point being, it's tough to know in a year who will be looking good for a top-3 or top-5 pick. 

 

Step back for a second, do you see this team winning more or less games then last year?

 

If same or less (like I do), this isn't worth stressing about.  Trying to figure out how to be jus bad enough to get highest odds possible in a draft lottery at same time trying to build a winning culture seems like question not meant to be solved, I don't believe you can do all those things at the same time.

Edited July 1, 2023 by Renegade7

[TradeTheBeal!]

I thought we had all agreed that the 24 draft was butt and not worth really tanking for.

[Hersh]

1 hour ago, Renegade7 said:

 

Step back for a second, do you see this team winning more or less games then last year?

 

If same or less (like I do), this isn't worth stressing about.  Trying to figure out how to be jus bad enough to get highest odds possible in a draft lottery at same time trying to build a winning culture seems like question not meant to be solved, I don't thing you can do all those things at the same time.

I’m not stressing about it. OKC generally uses their cap space to take bad contracts in return for draft assets. Wiz still have some room for that but this does change things strategy wise. I’m happy with Coulibaly but going forward for a couple years I’d like to see them not have the 7-10 pick 

[mhd24]

9 hours ago, Ball Security said:

I don’t know. They tied for 11th in the East after quitting in mid May going 3-10. One could make the case that this is a better balanced roster than last season. Their range of outcomes is pretty wide. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made the playoffs or if they have the most ping pong balls.

That is because Detroit was blatantly tanking the whole year last season.  Charlotte was DOA once Ball got injured early in the year.  Orlando started tanking near the end of the year.  They were really blatant about it by sitting all their young guys.  
 

After Portland trades Dame, we have a fellow tanking competitor 😀.  Ditto three Spurs.  This team is going to be awful record wise.  I’m just excited to watch the young guys play.  The East is way too competitive for us to compete.  Everyone except maybe Charlotte and Detroit is better than us.  And Charlotte at least has Ball.  
 

Detroit is just weirdly built.  Their future is entirely dependent on Ausur, Cade, and Ivey developing.  I know Jalen Duren will be a really solid big.  
 

We’re in the beginning stages of the rebuild.  Embrace it and realize our team.  We’re cemented as the worst in the east pretty much next year

[Renegade7]

14 hours ago, Hersh said:

I’m not stressing about it. OKC generally uses their cap space to take bad contracts in return for draft assets. Wiz still have some room for that but this does change things strategy wise. I’m happy with Coulibaly but going forward for a couple years I’d like to see them not have the 7-10 pick 

 

Remember what I said about not wanting to blow our money on bad contracts jus because we have money to burn?

 

Looks like this talk on need to spend certain amount of the cap is making some teams sign atrociously bad contracts to mediocre players and flat out bums.

 

All the sudden splitting $50 million in cap space between Poole and Kuz makes Wizards look like they really do know what they doin by comparison.

 

Sure they may not be a contender or even a playoff team next year. But they aren't blowing both their feet off with shotgun shells the way Houston is either to help meet new CBA requirements.  If you have to spend more money then you want to, try to spend it as strategically as you can.

Edited July 2, 2023 by Renegade7

[PeterMP]

How good this team is will depend on directly on if they stay healthy, how much they believe they can, buy into a system, and play defense.

 

I'm not sure with even good effort they are a playoff team, but this team isn't that bad if they give effort.  Paulo and Wagner might be a better long term core in that they give you a better chance to win in the future, but I'm not sure I'd take them over Poole and Kuzma to win games this year.

 

That GS team 2 years ago, Poole alone was a 6 WS player.  More than Wagner and Paulo combined last year.

 

And Jones has been a 5.7 WS player.  That's more than Wagner and Paulo combined last year.  People are sleeping on Jones but having a good PG that's been on a good team, that's worth something if he buys into what the coaching staff is selling.

 

I know WS isn't everything, especially on a bad team and wouldn't put too much stake in it.  But Wagner and Paulo don't know how to win in the NBA yet.  Poole, Jones, and Kuzma do.  If they don't buy in and are just there to collect a their checks, then the Wizards can be bad.  If Poole, Jones, and Kuzma buy into or think it is important for them to win, that's not a bad team.  Maybe not a good enough to make the playoffs, but if their vets buy in and play, they aren't bad.

 

I understand keeping Poole, but Jones needed to be traded ASAP.  They shouldn't have signed Kuzma.  They should have looked for some okay/good youngish players.  Signed them to short term deals (2 or 3 years) and over paid in the first year.  Shake Milton got a 2 year 10 million deal.  You give him 2 year 13 million make it 9 the first year and 4 the 2nd.  He comes in and plays well at the trade deadline or after next year, he's an attractive trade piece to bring back more assets.

 

If they add a quality big, then they're set to think making a run to the playoffs.

Edited July 2, 2023 by PeterMP

[abdcskins]

This team will be horrible, and you are kidding yourself if you think anything more. Poole isn't even that good and there isn't anyone else other than Kuzma who can consistently score. 

 

I thought the Kuzma signing was dumb because you can save that money for someone else, plain and simple. At least he is somewhat young and can be a valuable trade asset down the line. Same with Jones.

 

They better hope Coulibaly develops into a premiere player. Seeing Kispert and Avdija develop a solid offensive game would be nice. I don't expect this team to play good defense.

 

The only hope is still to hit on a generational talent in the draft, which is unlikely I am sorry to say.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

 

[@DCGoldPants]

49 minutes ago, BRAVEONAWARPATH said:

 

Looking forward to seeing who they send to summer league. 

Edited July 2, 2023 by @DCGoldPants

[skinsmarydu]

Sad to see EDD go down at the end of a freaky loss to the Dream.  Hopefully it's not too bad and she'll be better soon.

[vegeta613]

Don't see why people are Tripping on Kuz, he signed a good contract 25 mil the salary cap is 136 mil.  Team has to hit a 90% salary floor so you can't just not pay people and save money. If Kuz keeps playing the way he played last year contenders will come knocking to trade for him at the deadline in 24 or 25

[mhd24]

15 minutes ago, vegeta613 said:

Don't see why people are Tripping on Kuz, he signed a good contract 25 mil the salary cap is 136 mil.  Team has to hit a 90% salary floor so you can't just not pay people and save money. If Kuz keeps playing the way he played last year contenders will come knocking to trade for him at the deadline in 24 or 25

 

 

Oh, you don't have to reach the 90% floor.  However, the penalty for not paying the 90% is not receiving luxury tax payouts from the tax paying teams.  You think Cheap Ted Leonsis is doing that?  

[Hersh]

1 hour ago, vegeta613 said:

Don't see why people are Tripping on Kuz, he signed a good contract 25 mil the salary cap is 136 mil.  Team has to hit a 90% salary floor so you can't just not pay people and save money. If Kuz keeps playing the way he played last year contenders will come knocking to trade for him at the deadline in 24 or 25

it’s less the money and more the lost opportunity for younger players to get more playmaking opportunities. For me it’s also making sure this team doesn’t play it’s way into the 7th pick in the draft. 

[Renegade7]

2 hours ago, skinsmarydu said:

Sad to see EDD go down at the end of a freaky loss to the Dream.  Hopefully it's not too bad and she'll be better soon.

 

JFC...

 

Her and Austin being down same time would likely put them a hole.

[skinsmarydu]

Just now, Renegade7 said:

 

JFC...

 

Her and Austin being down same time would likely put them a hole.

Yeah, I didn't realize the game was here until it was too late to get ready to go and all that...the injury happened with like 38 seconds left in the game...I would love to see her play in person. 

[Renegade7]

2 hours ago, skinsmarydu said:

Yeah, I didn't realize the game was here until it was too late to get ready to go and all that...the injury happened with like 38 seconds left in the game...I would love to see her play in person. 

 

Yep, I got tickets to home against New York later this month and home against Vegas in August.

 

This rate im prepared for one missing the Liberty game and hoping both back against the Aces.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Renegade7

[@DCGoldPants]

 

 

 

[Rocky21]

Vukcevic is playing in the summer league.

 

[abdcskins]

I like Osunniyi, I saw him play a lot at St. Bonaventure. He plays amazing defense and is a high motor guy. Not the greatest offensively but he can finish near the rim. I'd like to see him make the roster, that's an upgrade over Muscala imo.

[FootballZombie]

Is Bilal at Guard for the XP?

[justice98]

On 7/1/2023 at 11:46 AM, method man said:

You are probably right about the Magic being better. Bridges does appear to be coming back for the Hornets and they will have Lamelo and Miller

 

Lamelo's gotta play though.  If he misses half the season, nobody should be surprised.

[justice98]

On 7/2/2023 at 5:09 PM, Hersh said:

it’s less the money and more the lost opportunity for younger players to get more playmaking opportunities. For me it’s also making sure this team doesn’t play it’s way into the 7th pick in the draft. 

 

They're 58-72 when Kuzma plays, and that was with Beal and Porzingis on the roster.  What makes anyone think they'll win any more games just by Kuzma existing on the roster?  They'll lose a ton, dont worry.