The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[Destino]

I fully expect Beal to be the first one out for calling out Grunfeld and it get out into the press.  EG can’t run his scapegoat scam if the press is talking about him.

[Sacks 'n' Stuff]

7 hours ago, CRobi21 said:

Wow, ok. Let's see here... Farooq, Mark Henry, Bodacious Bob (Bob Holley), Bombastic Bart (Bart Gunn), D-Lo Brown, Road Warrior Hawk, Road Warrior Animal, Mosh, Thrasher, Kwang, Flash Funk, Blackjack Bradshaw, Blackjack Windham, Phineas Godwin, Henry Godwin, I think I see Ricky Morton in there...

 

Who am I missing? 

[Going Commando]

7 hours ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

I like how Grunfeld and Brooks are in self-preservation mode by throwing players under the bus.

 

100% guarantee that Ernie is Woj's source on that ESPN article that trash's John Wall.  This is what he did to Arenas too.  Such a ****ing weasel.

4 hours ago, Destino said:

I fully expect Beal to be the first one out for calling out Grunfeld and it get out into the press.  EG can’t run his scapegoat scam if the press is talking about him.

 

He's already started the John Wall smear campaign in the media, so it'll probably be him first.  But we're about to start hearing a lot of bad **** about Beal too because you know he's next.

 

If Ernie Grunfeld is the one who trades them, I'm 100% serious that I'm done supporting this team.  I'm following them to their new teams.  I would rather be a John Wall and Bradley Beal fan than fan of any Ernie Grunfeld team.

[ixcuincle]

 

[ixcuincle]

if the NBA is a players league and Magic could fire Paul Westhead (allegedly) and Lebron fire David Blatt and replace him with his own personal coach then why can't the players fire EG or Brooks 

Edited November 20, 2018 by ixcuincle

[Skin'emAlive]

Steve is 100% correct. Everyone keeps asking why, when the answer is right in front of you. EG has deep ties to the media, and no one wants to break off contact with the Teflon Don. Its bad business. The only man left in the room from Gil is Ernie. These stories were coming out about players on this team before the gun incident. EG has dirt on everyone, and no one wants to say anything bad because the second he is in the crosshairs he grabs the red phone and dishes the toxic-player/coach line to Woj, Aldridge, or whomever else is the lead dog at the time. This man will destroy your reputation, with a single phone call if you step out of line, or the blame starts to shift towards him.

[GoDeep81]

13 hours ago, Fight4RGIII said:

Who is gonna be the one willing to run on to the court with a Fire Ernie shirt on?

 

Or should we tweet Ted every morning to Fire Ernie

 

Gofundme a billboard?

Hell, Im not even a die hard basketball/Bullets fan and I tweet Ted to fire Ernie on a regular basis!! I just though that was normal practice for a (lifer) DC sports fan? 😁

Edited November 20, 2018 by GoDeep81

[Going Commando]

43 minutes ago, Skin'emAlive said:

Steve is 100% correct. Everyone keeps asking why, when the answer is right in front of you. EG has deep ties to the media, and no one wants to break off contact with the Teflon Don. Its bad business. The only man left in the room from Gil is Ernie. These stories were coming out about players on this team before the gun incident. EG has dirt on everyone, and no one wants to say anything bad because the second he is in the crosshairs he grabs the red phone and dishes the toxic-player/coach line to Woj, Aldridge, or whomever else is the lead dog at the time. This man will destroy your reputation, with a single phone call if you step out of line, or the blame starts to shift towards him. 

 

He's Bryan Colangelo without the burner twitter accounts.

[StillUnknown]

13 minutes ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

 

He's Bryan Colangelo without the burner twitter accounts.

 

Dont really need burners when you got the press scared to mention your name

[@DCGoldPants]

A billboard would be funny. A New Orleans style funeral procession around the arena on game day would be even funnier. Get some musicians. March around. Hold up signs for RIP the 2018-2019 season, killed by Ernie. Etc etc. 

 

Get on TV. I'd love to say to a reporter "Well, we know Ted isn't listening to us. So, this is our last party before we stop paying attention to his trainwreck anymore".

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

14 hours ago, stevemcqueen1 said:

I'll follow Wall and Beal where ever they go if the Wizards keep Ernie and Brooks.  Not going to be a die-hard for anyone else, but I'll watch their games and pull for them.

 

In three months, you're going to be saying that Otto Porter should have been the team's centerpiece all along.

[Skin'emAlive]

Instead of wasting time on researching the history of the Bullets logo, it would be a far more interesting story to look into the history of the Washington Basketball team and what a toxic culture can do. There are very few teams that have this kind of longevity with regards to toxic culture. The Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Washington Wizards, and formerly Redskins, are the biggest violators that come to mind. I dont even have to research this stuff, and im sure there are others like Steve that is more knowledgeable about some of the details along the way; but here is a list of cause-effect moves made with EG in full control:

 

Cause: in 2007 reports are "leaked" that Etan Thomas had a fight with Brendan Haywood in practice.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/09/AR2007020902293.html

Quote

"This is a team matter which has been handled internally," Grunfeld said in a statement. "Etan will miss the next two games and return after the all-star break. We will have no further comment on this issue."

According to a team source, Thomas was warned after the Nov. 2 fight that he'd be suspended if it happened again. When told that details of yesterday's incident were out, Thomas acknowledged it and provided his version of what happened.

"The entire situation doesn't make sense," said Thomas, whose minutes have fluctuated since he returned after missing 13 games with a sprained ankle. "I am trying to find my rhythm after missing a month with this ankle injury, trying to put together some decent games, feeling good to be a part of everything that the team is accomplishing, and this cat decides to hit me with a cheap shot during practice and I reacted. I could have turned the other cheek. I guess I didn't."

 

Effect: Locker room is labeled a cancer and ET lasts 1 more season riding the bench before he is moved.

 

 

Cause: 2008 Gilbert Arenas is given a $111 million contract extension AFTER he blew his knee out. Antawn Jamison is given a 4 year-$50 million contract at the young age of 32.

Effect: Gil never plays the same again after his knee injury, is scapegoated, and moved for Rashard. Jamison proceeds to never play defense again, and is eventually scapegoated, and moved. Caron, Haywood, and Stevenson are moved to Dallas where they win a championship with Dirk.

 

Cause: 2009 EG trades the 5th overall for Mike Miller and Randy Foye, under the impression we were a few veteran role players away from contention.

Effect: Timberwolves draft Rubio. Golden State drafts Curry. Gilbert Arenas brings guns into the locker rooom by January, and reports are "leaked" about the situation on a daily basis. We go into 3 years of suck and end up with a phenom in John Wall.

 

Cause: 2010 Andray Blatche is signed to a 3 year - $35 million deal.

Effect: Blatche is scapegoated and blamed for being in a position he shouldnt have been, and for taking a contract that shouldnt have been offered He is then Amnestied by EG before his contract extension even started!

 

Cause: 2011 Ted Announces: https://www.slamonline.com/archives/introducing-the-wizards-new-big-three/

Quote

“A new big three has announced its arrival – [John] Wall, [Jordan] Crawford and [Andray] Blatche. Big minutes – big productivity – big results. And wins, too. We are short-handed and so players are getting bigger minutes to show the world what they can do. We have two first round draft picks next off season. We have cap space. We are young. We have upside. We are becoming an exciting team to watch. The sun is shining out today. Admit it. It feels good to be Wizards fans watching the rebuild unfold, yes? I am so grateful to you all and I appreciate all of your positive emails. Thank you.”

Effect: Crawford plays exceptionally well at pg in John Walls absence after an injury to start the season. Then he is benched following John's return. He is then scapegoated after questioning management. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wizards-insider/wp/2013/04/06/former-wizard-jordan-crawford-i-dont-recall-playing-for-washington/?utm_term=.170767a4e5dc

Quote

Jordan Crawford became the most obvious casualty of John Wall’s return from a stress injury in his left knee and Bradley Beal’s emergence as a  building block at shooting guard. As his role with the Wizards became more diminished, Crawford became more distant and disgusted and President Ernie Grunfeld felt compelled to move him to Boston on Feb. 21 even if the return was minimal at best.

The Wizards will have a reunion with Crawford on Sunday at TD Garden, but when reporters in Boston asked him about playing his former team, Crawford responded on Saturday with a question of his own.

 

“Who?” Crawford said, before adding, “I don’t recall playing for Washington.”

 

Cause: 2012 Flip Saunders is fired after a 2-15 start. https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/24/2693595/flip-saunders-fired-washington-wizards-rebuild

Quote

Let's not turn former Washington Wizards coach Flip Saunders into a sports martyr here. There are plenty of reasons why he should have been fired as the Wizards' head coach, from his 51-120 record in two-plus years in D.C., to his inability to hold Andray Blatche accountable for anything, to all the different ways he was unable to mesh his complicated system with Washington's young roster. Tempers flared during the first half of that game, as players were "upset about being subbed out" when the Wizards were down by as many as 30 points, a person with knowledge of the situation told CBSSports.com.

"At that point," the person said, "no one had the right to complain about anything."

 

That only happens when there are bigger problems at play. Team owner Ted Leonsis has preached patience to fans with the team's youth, pointing to the Oklahoma City Thunder as an example of a young club that took their lumps and improved over time. Leonsis is right that taking the slow and steady route can work if done properly. But the Thunder never sunk so low to the point where they were not even close to competing with even the below-average NBA teams. As Bullets Forever noted on Monday, the Wizards have been embarrassed in seven of their 19 games (counting preseason) this year. This kind of ineptitude just leads to more ineptitude, and it can't continue.

 

The Wizards have failed to find shooters to complement Wall's talents (more on this later), and they have undervalued needed winning traits such as rebounding and toughness. Worse, the environment has been too lax since Gilbert Arenas' heyday, giving off the impression that the inmates are running the asylum.

These things need to change, no matter who is in charge. If Grunfeld cannot shift priorities in the final year of his current contract, it may be time to find someone who can.

Effect: Wizards make interim coach Randy Wittman coach. Randy is outclassed by advanced metrics, destroys Jan Vesely's soul through a myriad of 'tough-love' motivational tactics, attempts to make the offense a mid-range jumpshooting team while the league transitions to the 3-ball, and is saved in the playoffs by prime Nene. He is given 2 extensions. Randy is scapegoated for reasons that are only partially his, and retires with a 278 win / 406 loss record as a head coach.

 

Cause: 2016 Scott Brooks is signed to a 5 year- guaranteed deal to replace Randy Wittman in an attempt to lure Kevin Durant to DC

Effect: Durant knows everything about EG and refuses to even speak with DC before signing with GS. Brooks brings the same philosophy to DC, and our offense goes away from John Wall's pick and roll mastery to a hero-ball iso-centric offense with all bench lineups that became a calling card back in OKC.

 

Cause: 2016 Ian Mahinmi signs a 4 year-$64 million contract, Jason Smith signs a 3 year-$16 million contract, and Andrew Nicholson signs a 4 year-$26 million... Marcin Gortat remains the starter....

Effect: Marcin refuses to come off the bench after the Wizards sign 3 guys who play the same position to over $100 million guaranteed! Marcin pouts after a possible rumor or him being available for trade. No one is moved, Marcin gets old and is scapegoated eventually... but not before his value as a trade asset is long gone and a 1st is used to remove Nicholson.

 

Cause: 2017 Jodie Meeks is suspended 2 days before the playoffs begin. Ty Lawson is signed to take his spot on the roster.

Effect: Ty immediately takes all of Sato's minutes at the point guard position following a very productive year with John Wall injured. This is another in a long line of poor roster moves designed to push Sato to the combo-2 guard position, rather than his natural point guard position. ( Sessions, Burke, Jennings, Thornton, Frazier, Neal, Rivers, etc.)

Quote

"Truth be told, it was quite incomprehensible to me. I still don't understand it and I have mixed feelings [about it]."

"1 thing I learned from last season: in the NBA, you can never be sure with your position [on the team]." ... "People from other coaching staffs greet you, they congratulate you on the season. You take notice that perhaps there could be interest from other teams." ~ Tomas Satoransky

Sato is off to a terrible start playing the combo guard position with Austin Rivers...

 

****.. I am tired of looking this **** up. It goes on forever. I know I didnt list everything. If you want to do a deep investigation into it, I guarantee you are going to see everything can be traced back to moves and decisions made by EG.

 

Edited November 20, 2018 by Skin'emAlive

[ixcuincle]

Based on that he should have been fired after 2012-13 

 

How did he keep his job 

[Bozo the kKklown]

And just an FYI, this all starts with Leonsis' Weekend and Bernie's self. He is a terrible sports owner.

[Spaceman Spiff]

 

 

16 hours ago, Destino said:

 

Talk about jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire...

 

bucks are 76ers are better eastern conference choices.  

 

Bucks baby!  Jump in, water is warm!

 

If Beal has been "dealing with this **** for seven years,"...wait, didn't he re-up to stay here?  I'm bummed that this obviously isn't gonna work out, that Wall and Beal need to be traded but...Beal, you stayed.  You could have left if you really wanted to.

 

Lots of good posts here.   Ernie's gotta go.  Sad that he's driving fans away, there are a lotta diehards here that have been posting since the Gilbert days.  Those days were fun but the Wizards need to be detonated with a new GM to call the shots.  Even if they somehow sneak into the playoffs at a 7th or 8th seed, so what?  

Edited November 20, 2018 by Spaceman Spiff

[skinsfan834]

What is incredible about all of this is that Ted played out this exact situation with the Capitals and GMGM, who had a much, MUCH better track record than Ernie. You figure this guy would see what happened with the Capitals and try to duplicate success. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by skinsfan834

[ixcuincle]

26 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

And just an FYI, this all starts with Leonsis' Weekend and Bernie's self. He is a terrible sports owner.

 

You mean the guy who just won a Stanley Cup? I think some of us have to get our realities straight. Dan Snyder pre 2014 was a terrible sports owner. Ted Leonsis is literally as hands off as can be. 

Edited November 20, 2018 by ixcuincle

[StillUnknown]

Just now, ixcuincle said:

 

Ted Leonsis is literally as hands off as can be. 

 

Maybe in hockey, but in the NBA, the beat reporters who will speak on the topic all say to some extent that Ted is making the moves and Grunfeld goes with the flow

[CRobi21]

1 hour ago, ixcuincle said:

Ted Leonsis is literally as hands off as can be. 

 

Yea.....

 

We know.

[skinswillwin06]

1 hour ago, ixcuincle said:

 

You mean the guy who just won a Stanley Cup? I think some of us have to get our realities straight. Dan Snyder pre 2014 was a terrible sports owner. Ted Leonsis is literally as hands off as can be. 

Except that time he forced McPhee to get jagr. Don't care if that was eons ago. Not sure he's as hands off as you think. 

[Destino]

How happy do you guys think Gortat is about all this coming out right before he makes his return to DC?  He won't admit it, but you know he's got an evil grin slapped on his face reading all this stuff. 

[Going Commando]

2 hours ago, Spaceman Spiff said:

If Beal has been "dealing with this **** for seven years,"...wait, didn't he re-up to stay here?  I'm bummed that this obviously isn't gonna work out, that Wall and Beal need to be traded but...Beal, you stayed.  You could have left if you really wanted to.

 

He was a restricted free agent.  We would have matched any offer sheet he signed.  The only way he could have gotten out of here earlier would be to turn down the max extension and sign a qualifying offer.

 

You don't turn down a rookie max extension.  It has literally never been done before.

[“Misdirection”]

None of this is surprising. This is exactly what we thought the beef was last year. There's also a stat on the page that Wall had exactly (1) off-ball cut last year.

[spjunkies]

Pretty sure that unnamed player is Beal lol.

[Mooka]

3 minutes ago, spjunkies said:

Pretty sure that unnamed player is Beal lol.

 

 Everybody eats....