BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share Posted July 23, 2014 Click on the link to read the rest. http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/wake-call-wizards-want-lighten-load-starters-spurs Wake-up call: Wizards want to lighten load on starters -- like Spurs Why is so much depth being accrued by the Wizards going into the 2014-15 season, with contingencies for contingencies? They're aiming high to improve on a 44-win season, with dreams of Kevin Durant in 2016 and looking to the San Antonio Spurs' dynasty for guidance on how to build for the future. Last season, coach Randy Wittman relied heavily on starters John Wall and Bradley Beal in the backcourt. Nene was unreliable as he missed 29 games because of foot and knee injuries. He only started 37 games as he faced a minutes restriction, part of which was self-imposed. Beal played 34.7 minutes per game but that number was significantly reduced (he was averaging more than 40 at one point) because of a minutes restriction, too, for a recurring stress reaction in his lower right leg. The emergence of Glen Rice, MVP of the Las Vegas summer league, should assist in keeping down Beal's minutes. Otto Porter, who joined Rice on the all-tournament first team, should allow Wittman to keep Paul Pierce's minutes in check. This was the plan all along, even before summer league began July 11, to give the rising second-year players more time if they could earn it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 http://www.nba.com/2014/news/powerrankings/07/21/summer2014/index.html Washington (44-38) Pace: 95.5 (19), OffRtg: 103.3 (18), DefRtg: 102.4 (10), NetRtg: +0.9 (15) Key addition(s): The Truth Key question: How quickly before Paul Pierce fits in? Pierce should give the Wizards more offensively than Trevor Ariza did, but it took him a while to find his way in Brooklyn last season, and Ariza had great chemistry with John Wall, leading the league with 81 corner threes. Pierce attempted just 22. Either way, this is one of the deepest teams in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonArtest15 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Anything less than 52 wins is going to be a disappointment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I'm not seeing the wizards as a safe bet like some of you. Otto could fall on his face. Rice could too. That's our depth at the 2 and 3 until Webster is back. Wall and Beal could be much better or they could be mostly the same. Nene is likely to be a year slower and less interested. Depth has improved but so has the amount of teams in the east that aren't bad. I'm thinking 6th seed or better is a good year. This year is largely about developing Otto and seeing continued improvement from Beal, in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin'emAlive Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Webster sucked last year. Lets be honest. Porter cant do worse than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Webster sucked last year. Lets be honest. Porter cant do worse than that. Don't tempt fate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonArtest15 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I'm not seeing the wizards as a safe bet like some of you. Otto could fall on his face. Rice could too. That's our depth at the 2 and 3 until Webster is back. Wall and Beal could be much better or they could be mostly the same. Nene is likely to be a year slower and less interested. Depth has improved but so has the amount of teams in the east that aren't bad. I'm thinking 6th seed or better is a good year. This year is largely about developing Otto and seeing continued improvement from Beal, in my opinion. 6th seed or better? Nah... 3 seed or better, IMO. We're at a point now where we con actually aim high. This is a DEEP roster. There is no doubt in my mind that there is enough talent for this team to actually come out of the East. If this post blows up in my face, by all means call me out on it by the end of the season. However, I like just about every piece we have right now, and we're every bit as good from top-to-bottom as teams like Cleveland, Chicago, or Indy. Could be the homer in me getting some confidence, but damn it...it's time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Cleveland jumping up to 7 is solely because of LeBron. That team isn't that good outside of him. If they get Kevin Love, that's a different story. Then they're the favorites to win the East. But right now, they're not winning 20-25 more games it would take to finish ahead of us IMO. Also, we're better than Chicago. We proved that in round one. They shouldn't be ahead of us. I agree with RA15, 52 wins sounds about right. I predicted 54 on RealGM. I'm not worried about losing Ariza's contribution on the court at all. What I am worried about is how we haven't been a great team at home, and how our chemistry might be affected by shuffling around the bench so much. The best teams take care of business at home. We proved we can win on the road like a good team last year, now we need to win at home. Also, Booker, Harrington, Ariza, etc. were roster glue. Pierce, Humphries, and Blair all need to step in and be the same kind of glue for us to keep our chemistry good. But I think they will. And I think we'll get better at home. For the first time in a long time, our team is confident. They know they're a good team now. We're going into this season with an entirely different mentality than last season. It's the right mix of hunger and swagger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sticksboi05 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If Wall is a respectable shooter coming into this season, well, we are in for a show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StillUnknown Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Marc SteinVerified account @ESPNSteinLine Just got word that the Wizards' John Wall WILL be in Team USA camp starting Monday in Las Vegas 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.C.O.L.B. Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 About damn time. Wonder if Rose looks like **** Also we join the Warriors as the only two teams with more than one guy there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) John Wall- It's Just The Beginning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVXDA383-JE#t=15 Edited July 25, 2014 by BRAVEONAWARPATH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Wall and Beal - America's backcourt. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Proud of Wall. A little worried about him not getting the summer off like I thought he would. But still proud of him and I'd love to watch him play for Team USA. He absolutely deserves to be on the team. Hell, he could start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZRagone Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Alright boys, first things first.... Recruit the crap out of KD Also win some games or medals or whatever else you're supposed to do 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 (edited) Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee KD: "Who knows what’ll happen? You never can close a door on anything, but I like where I’m at right now. I can’t answer those questions." Michael Lee@MrMichaelLee KD on playing in DC: "Everybody is asking me about it. Every time I go on Instagram or Twitter, all my friends ask me about it." Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee · KD on his decision in 2016: "I’m going to do what’s best for me. It’s hard to talk about that right now when I’ve got 2 years left in OKC." Michael Lee @MrMichaelLee · KD on DC: "That whole city is a part of me. It’s in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family & playing there but I love OKC, too." Edited July 29, 2014 by BRAVEONAWARPATH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 “Beal, he’s a tremendous player, I’m a big fan of his,” Durant said. “Just one of those guys who’s going to be a treat to watch for the next 10 or 15 years. He’s a great player and he’s playing for my hometown team. I love him. … I like John, he’s a great player, you know, one of my great friends. I’m glad he’s here.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.C.O.L.B. Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 It's happening. If it wasn't, he would say so. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 If Durant does leave OKC to come here, I would want him to win a championship with them first. Unless of course they're playing the Wizards in the Finals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.A.C.O.L.B. Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Why? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Commando Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Why? Because I don't want it looking like he left unfinished business in OKC. And so their fans couldn't complain but so much about losing him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAVEONAWARPATH Posted July 30, 2014 Author Share Posted July 30, 2014 (edited) Click on the link to read the rest http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2014/07/29/kevin-durant-thunder-wizards-free-agent/13342063/ Kevin Durant not opposed to going home as free agent LAS VEGAS – When John Wall heard about LeBron James' recent decision to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers, he started imagining the wondrous possibilities. Not for the Cavaliers, of course, but for his Washington Wizards. Just as the rumblings had grown about how the Wizards were already scheming for the summer of 2016 when Oklahoma City Thunder small forward Kevin Durant becomes a free agent, here was James providing the blueprint for that sort of superstar move. Durant, who has always professed his love for Oklahoma City but who admitted Tuesday at Team USA training camp that his future is uncertain, is a native of the Baltimore suburb of Seat Pleasant, Md. "It's not a bad (idea) at all," Wall told USA TODAY Sports about the idea of Durant eventually adopting James' homecoming strategy. "Two of the best guys in the East going head to head four times a year? It'd be pretty exciting. You just sit back and watch and see what happens, but (the Wizards' Durant-motivated moves) definitely lets him know that we want him around." Edited July 30, 2014 by BRAVEONAWARPATH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StillUnknown Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 Because I don't want it looking like he left unfinished business in OKC. And so their fans couldn't complain but so much about losing him. That stuff doesn't phase me one iota. If he's wearing our jersey, how he's seen outside is completely irrelevant to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Switchgear Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 the Baltimore suburb of Seat Pleasant, Md. USA Today needs to look at a map. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted July 30, 2014 Share Posted July 30, 2014 It's happening. If it wasn't, he would say so. Yup. Its a done deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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