The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[MonkFan8]

Crawford just doesn't know what a good shot is. He said as much a few days ago.

Even if Beal is learning and can't put the ball on the floor, I still think he should start. JC can be the first guy off the bench when we need a quick burst.

Webster better start. No reason Wittman should go with Ariza, even if he is an established vet.

[Thinking Skins]

Can;t watch the game, but from the box score and play by play it seems like the starting 5 (even Booker) is playing like crap, they're being saved by the bench, particularly Singleton and Webster. Is that about right?

scratch that, I guess Okafor has played a good game too.

[MonkFan8]

Can;t watch the game, but from the box score and play by play it seems like the starting 5 (even Booker) is playing like crap, they're being saved by the bench, particularly Singleton and Webster. Is that about right?

scratch that, I guess Okafor has played a good game too.

Price and Okafor haven't been horrible, not particularly good games though. Beal has had a tough game and was in foul trouble immediately, but he's still active. Ariza has been typically awful.

Singleton and Webster have been outstanding.

[Gator Bait]

Singleton and Webster have been outstanding.

That's pretty much the biggest thing I've noticed. I will be surprised if Webster isn't the starter at the 3 within the first couple weeks of the season (if not opening night)

[Thinking Skins]

Well, I hope Singleton has improved his game because that's encouraging. I'm not happy for Ariza cause, I just hope Wittman'll be harsh on him like he was on previous crappy players we've had.

---------- Post added October-24th-2012 at 10:40 PM ----------

not too surprising to see Lewis not contributing much.

[Gator Bait]

Pargo shouldn't be on an NBA roster

[Thinking Skins]

Pargo shouldn't be on an NBA roster

really? I was impressed with his statline because of the 6 assists?

---------- Post added October-24th-2012 at 11:02 PM ----------

I'm really liking this NBA play by play to follow the game. Not too detailed, but it keeps me informed enough.

---------- Post added October-24th-2012 at 11:01 PM ----------

I'm really liking this NBA play by play to follow the game. Not too detailed, but it keeps me informed enough.

Wizards Win!!!!

[TheREALJBird]

Don't count on ESPN for ANY zards highlights in this game. Shows nothing but heat buckets, ridiculous. Glad we got the W though.

[Gator Bait]

really? I was impressed with his statline because of the 6 assists?

---------- Post added October-24th-2012 at 11:02 PM ----------

I'm really liking this NBA play by play to follow the game. Not too detailed, but it keeps me informed enough.

---------- Post added October-24th-2012 at 11:01 PM ----------

I'm really liking this NBA play by play to follow the game. Not too detailed, but it keeps me informed enough.

Wizards Win!!!!

exactly...you aren't watching the game....so you don't see how generic the assists were or how he repeatedly got himself in trouble dribbling into double teams. The guy can shoot a wide open jumper pretty well...that's about all he's worth.

I'm not busting on you for not watching a preseason game either (can't believe I watched) but the stat line doesn't show the whole story!

[Going Commando]

This team needs to get healthy. Ridiculous that it's already been so banged up.

[Skin'emAlive]

I saw in the stat line that Cartier Martin was listed as a PF? Odd.. In any case, how has he been playing. All i have seen of him was his awful attempt at hair braids again from the bench.

Id like to see Crawford play some time at the point. He is amazingly crafty, a skilled passer, and can create a shot. I see more potential in him as a pg than anyone else on the team not named Wall. I think Beal could start, and we could run a Martin / Singleton set or Martin / Webster set behind him. Though, i think Crawford's looks are more suited to slashers rather than spot up shooters. Having Nene in there would be amazing. I cant remember how many times ive seen JC throw a great cutter pass and it bounce off the hands.

[mmzznnxx]

First time I saw the Wizards this season. Couldn't see the second half, but saw a lot to be excited about with Singleton. We all knew he was tough on defense and could contest shots, but he looked like he really worked on his J in the offseason. Less hesitant to take shots (though that may have been because of injuries), and when he missed he was pretty close.

Impressed with the bench tonight in Webster and Pargo. Never been great at scouting or knowing incoming players, particuarly in the NBA, but thought they were great when they were in when they saw us. The Heat obviously were not going hard tonight, but they did a good job of keeping us in the game and playing hard. After seeing so much Blatche the past few years, I'm not exactly used to saying that.

Thought Crawford was roughly the same, some nights he'll shoot you in the game, some nights shoot you out of it. A lot like Nick Young but should get you some assists, but definitely like him on the team right now just because we need good shooting when he has it.

Not expecting much in wins and losses, but if they play the season like the first half I'm pretty satisfied, what with the culture change happening (at least it seems to me). I hope Beal picks it up based off tonight but he's young so I'm not too worried at this point.

Cool of them to get the W despite injuries and no pressure yet though, even if I couldn't enjoy the entire game.

[Duckus]

Just read this on the DC Sports Bog. Brutal look at the team, but 100% right.

Bill Simmons rips the Wizards

At the risk of turning this blog into a full-time ESPN personality transcription service, I’d like to present some recent thoughts from Bill Simmons on the Wizards. Because any time one of the country’s most popular sports writers says a D.C. GM’s personnel decision was “the equivalent of pulling your pants down at work and exposing yourself to a female employee,” well, I can hardly ignore that, right?

These quotes come from a podcasted conversation between Simmons and his pal Joe House, one of the most enthusiastic Wizards fans I know. They were discussing whether to go over or under Vegas’ season win total for the Wiz. Listen to the podcast here. Among their observations:

Simmons on the Ariza/Okafor trade: “That trade was an absolute abomination. It was a terrible trade.”

Simmons on the rebuild: “How about the logic of you telling your fans, well, here’s the thing, free agents don’t really want to sign here anyway, we have to get creative. It’s like, you might as well just poop in a little plastic bag and just whip it at your fans. Free agents don’t want to sign here anyway? You’re like the seventh-biggest city in the league. You’ve got the [bleeping] president. It’s ridiculous.”

House: “I don’t have any rebuttal for it. It should be a destination.”

Simmons: “You are running your team wrong if free agents don’t want to sign with you. Washington should be a team that carves out cap space for people.”

House on the win total: “I was asked two weeks ago for a number, and I thought they could win as many as 37, 38. There’s enough veteran presence….But yeah, I just can’t come up with a way to get myself back up to 37 or 38 wins when the two injury risks are indefinite. You just don’t know. When’s Nene gonna come back and be healthy? I don’t know. When’s Wall gonna come back and be healthy? I don’t know.”

Simmons on the direction: “I’ve got to say, I’m stupefied by the Wizards. Just stupefied. I’m absolutely stupefied by everything they’ve done. The Nene trade was mildly defensible, but that was a bad contract. If your rationale for taking a bad contract is free agents won’t sign here anyway so what do we care, then maybe you shouldn’t be in the league. Or maybe you should sell the team to somebody who can take a better chance at it.”

House on the GM: “The biggest and most puzzling thing was re-signing Grunfeld. I’m not sure what’s the message we’re supposed to derive. If you’re coming to me, I’m a potential customer, I’m gonna buy season tickets potentially….”

Simmons on the GM: “After [his] staggering track record of success? He should have been fired after the Randy Foye and Mike Miller trade. That’s it. That’s a fireable offense.”

House: “That’s a fact. That’s a fact.”

Simmons: “That was like the equivalent of pulling your pants down at work and exposing yourself to a female employee, that trade…Fireable. I really like Ernie Grunfeld. He was Bernard King’s running mate. I like him as a person. I enjoyed his performance in the ’84 Knicks-Celtics series.”

Simmons on the Arenas years: “The Wizards were like a husband who had stopped having sex with his wife for 13 years, and they broke up, and then they started having sex with a waitress who they just met at some diner, and it was this very passionate relationship, and then eventually they’re like aw, I can’t believe I dated that diner waitress, but you were just so happy to have sex. That was the playoffs.”

House on the Arenas years: “I look back at that diner waitress fondly, I really do. Delivered the goods in one important way. We all pay prices for things in life.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2012/10/25/bill-simmons-rips-the-wizards/

[No Excuses]

He is spot on. Ernie made ****ty, safe moves and he had a bandwagon of excuse makers to keep his job safe. Read this thread after every dumb move of his. You'd think we're headed for the playoffs.

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

Simmons and House arent wrong.

for the life of me, I dont get why the organization doesnt treat this city and franchise like its a destination. Players want to play here and live here, and yet this organization is run like its Milwaukee.

Its a joke.

[Destino]

I know people were talking about the 8th seed but I don't see it. There is a lot wrong with how this team is put together and the injuries are a concern. Nene needs to be off his feet mostly until his plantar fasciitis goes away, it simply will not otherwise. If he rushes back he will be in and out all year.

[Skin'emAlive]

Well... So far it looks like we traded Rashard Lewis and his amazing salary for Okafor. Ariza is being outplayed by 2-3 other SF's on this team, and he might not even make the roster. If this is the case... that trade was a complete disaster. ( surprise surprise).

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

lets just tank for Wiggins in the 2014 draft.

Edited October 26, 2012 by AsiaticSkinsFan

[Skin'emAlive]

We will not get a top pick in the next draft. Orlando is guaranteed to receive it because they lost Dwight Howard. The lottery is fixed so that teams who lose significantly receive the pick. ( see Hornets losing CP3, Wizards losing Pollins, Cleveland losing Lebron, etc.) Should we tank, we are getting 3rd pick at best, because Charlotte is getting that second pick. Also, should we end up in the lottery again, expect Wall looking for a different team at the end of his contract.

lets just tank for Wiggins in the 2014 draft.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Skin'emAlive

[Destino]

Well... So far it looks like we traded Rashard Lewis and his amazing salary for Okafor. Ariza is being outplayed by 2-3 other SF's on this team' date=' and he might not even make the roster. If this is the case... that trade was a complete disaster. ( surprise surprise).[/quote']

We've been through this. We gave up the biggest expiring cap clearing contract in the NBA... For bad contracts attached to two mediocre players. That isn't value, that's getting nothing for something. Ariza looks like he can't wait for his sudden injury to his Rashard ligament causing him to miss the rest of the season mysteriously with no injury updates and no rush.

Edited October 26, 2012 by Destino

[AsiaticSkinsFan]

We will not get a top pick in the next draft. Orlando is guaranteed to receive it because they lost Dwight Howard. The lottery is fixed so that teams who lose significantly receive the pick. ( see Hornets losing CP3' date=' Wizards losing Pollins, Cleveland losing Lebron, etc.) Should we tank, we are getting 3rd pick at best, because Charlotte is getting that second pick. Also, should we end up in the lottery again, expect Wall looking for a different team at the end of his contract.[/quote']

Oh I know. I said 2014 tho

but you are right, it means Wall is probably gone. Its probably best for his career that he leaves here.

We've been through this. We gave up the biggest expiring cap clearing contract in the NBA... For bad contracts attached to two mediocre players. That isn't value, that's getting nothing for something. Ariza looks like he can't wait for his sudden injury to his Rashard ligament causing him to miss the rest of the season mysteriously with no injury updates and no rush.

I hated the trade at the time. I really thought we had a chance to clear cap space and be a player in the upcoming free agent classes. But alas, Ernie and Ted felt best at fighting for the 8th seed with mediocre players attached to bad contracts.

This team has no vision, no plan. Its disgusting.

[Warhead36]

This is Ted's 3rd year as owner. In year 3 of rebuilding there should be CLEAR improvement and growth. I don't see it. We may end up scratching and clawing our way to an 8 seed but really if you're not at least a solid top 4 team in your conference there is no point in even making the playoffs in the NBA.

[Destino]

This is Ted's 3rd year as owner. In year 3 of rebuilding there should be CLEAR improvement and growth. I don't see it. We may end up scratching and clawing our way to an 8 seed but really if you're not at least a solid top 4 team in your conference there is no point in even making the playoffs in the NBA.

Grunsfeld is our Cerrato.

[Going Commando]

Grunfeld is pretty bad, but this team isn't going to come close to a top three pick this year or any time soon really. Our front court is too solid for that to happen. It's going to finish around 10 or so probably. We've improved--improved into no man's land.

The only thing that can save us from purgatory is for us to win the lottery in Bulls fashion or for Wall to make a leap to Superstar and Beal to be an All Star. I doubt this FO has the ability to facilitate that kind of development.

Forget about the Shard trade, the Nene trade (which was actually good IMO). Forget about the Mike Miller trade.

The single biggest mistake this FO made was going too young.

NBA teams just can't give teams that are too young enough time to develop. It's one of the hardest things for an FO to do. You can acquire good talent and it won't mean jack. Look at the Baby Bulls. Look at the Kings. Cleveland was smart, they got their talent but didn't go too young. They made sure they had NBA caliber starters on their roster for their PG to play with. The Thunder made sure they had some actual NBA players for Durant and Westbrook to play with.

John Wall is currently the longest tenured Washington Wizard. Nobody else who was on this team before that #1 pick came in is still here...

John has never played an extended stretch of his career with another NBA caliber starter. Trevor Booker is the second best Wizard of the John Wall era. That's inexcusable. They basically ensured it would be impossible for John to properly develop these past two years. Developing John should have been the biggest priority of the FO from day one. Instead they put it on him to uplift the team from day one. No. A good franchise props up their young star player until he reaches the point he can prop them up.

And yes, it's also totally inexcusable that the FO acts like DC is a friggin third world country.

[StillUnknown]

Final preseason game is tonight vs. San Antonio on CSN at 8:30pm