The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[DM72]

We need to get Harrison Barnes....I think he can score right away in the NBA...so we will have a true PG in Wall and two scorers on the wings with Nick Young and Harrison Barnes.....and we will have the money to lure Dwight Howard to DC with Rashard's contract becoming only partially guaranteed in 2012.

PG - Wall

SG- Young

SF- Barnes

PF - Blatche

C- Howard

6th - Carawford.

This is the NBA. Elite players only go to marquee teams. If you're not the Lakers, Heat, Bulls, Celtics, Knicks, Spurs or maybe the Mavs, you can forget about landing Howard. And I'm not just picking on the Wizards, I'm a Sixer fan and we're in the same boat.

[Going Commando]

Howard's good but I'd rather not lose everything we're building to get him. If there is no 2012 season, that pick is probably going to be top 5. That's a shot at a franchise caliber wing. The second trade proposal really hurts. This is what I think we'd be giving up when you tot it all up.

1.) The second or third best true rookie in this year's class and the second best rookie guard in the class; a guy who can solidify our backcourt as one of the best in the league for a decade (I think Crawford is going to some All Star games).

2.) A solid starting center that still has a great deal of upside.

3.) A nice potential upgrade at the PF spot over Blatche (our 2011 lotto pick: Biyombo or Kanter?) who is part of the same window as Wall and Crawford.

4.) A potential franchise caliber wing from an unprotected 2012 selection (devalued by the labor uncertainty) in a class of Anthony Davis, Michael Gilchrist, and Quincy Miller

In return we'd receive the 25 year old premier pivot in the league on a one year deal. We'd need some surety he'd sign a big extension with us before you can even consider the deal.

It'd be an exciting move but it'd also be very risky and we'd be abandoning our plan of building the Leonsis way--good drafting, player development, patience--to find a quick fix. That doesn't feel good.

Bill Simmons says you always trade coins for paper in the NBA but the thing is, how do we know that Crawford won't be a paper player himself in a year or two? I really think he's special.

Trading Javale and our lotto picks for the next two years also means that we're stuck with Blatche at PF. We won't have the means of replacing him with a better player any longer.

Also, if we trade for Howard and he's not willing to sign an extension then we're ****ed. If he were willing to sign that extension, wouldn't that mean we were an actual contender for him in FA the first place? If that's the case, why make the trade? Something doesn't add up about all of that. My guess is there is no damn way he'd want to sign an extension here and he'd bolt for greener pastures as soon as his contract was up.

I think we're just going to have to stick to the plan and build our own way. Howard is enticing but I just don't think it's realistic, If we're setting our sights on a big name FA acquisition we need to look at the players who are part of Wall's generation, not seasoned vets like Howard. Those are the ones that Wall could draw in.

[StillUnknown]

I'm actually more intrigued by Bismack than any other player in the class right now. He's such a freak athlete. Great leaper, super quick, agile, powerful, aggressive. I think you've got to at least consider taking him ahead of Kanter if the knees are an issue. He doesn't have Kanter's skill but he's a much better piece of raw clay to work with.

Bismack has no offensive polish to speak of but boy can he dunk. He'll need time to develop both his perimeter and his post game so I'd expect him to come along slowly. He also looks like he's in the 6'9-6'10 range right now so you're hoping he'll grow some more before he's done or else he's going to have to play PF in the NBA. That's fine, he's fast enough to do it. He just needs to learn to shoot and create his own looks before he'll be a good one.

sounds alot like McGee from that description

[Destino]

After watching the playoff games so far I will again state I want Chandler and Marc Gasol. They are at least worth making an offer. Both would be an upgrade and a major one IMO.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Eh, Chandler would just be a filler until we're ready to really compete. Given his injury history, by the time we get to that point he'll be done. I'd rather let a youngster do his thing.

Gasol is def a possibility though

[Destino]

Eh, Chandler would just be a filler until we're ready to really compete. Given his injury history, by the time we get to that point he'll be done. I'd rather let a youngster do his thing.

Gasol is def a possibility though

He does have an injury history but he's only 23. Gallinari is a restricted free agent in 2012

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Ah, we're talking about different Chandlers.

[desioreo87]

if there is some way we can get kevin love then I would be ecstatic. He is the type of player we are missing. We need a force in the paint and Mcgee is not that and I doubt he will ever be that even if is does become a good center because he doesn't have much of an offensive arsenal.

Im still angry about passing over d. blair.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Eh, Kevin Love is a pretty horrible defender.

Still a good player and a great rebounder. But I got a feeling he's gonna get horribly overpaid by someone.

Edited April 18, 2011 by G.A.C.O.L.B.

[Gator Bait]

The Thunder went to the conference finals last season so they are definitely already contenders.

The Thunder lost in the first round last year; I agree that they are contenders, but I wouldn't be putting them in the 2nd round yet...this Nuggets team has been hot lately...series will likely go 6 or 7 games.

Ginobli went down so the Thunder are going to beat the Spurs in round two anyway

.

wouldn't be so quick to put the spurs in the second round either.

[StillUnknown]

http://twitter.com/SethDavisHoops/status/59965301420339200

Harrison Barnes will return for his sophomore season. North Carolina will be easy choice for preseason number 1.

about 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone

SethDavisHoops

[Kosher Ham]

Easily a pre-season #1 favorite. Should have gone into the draft though.

[Going Commando]

Barnes finally announced his intentions? Clearing the way for a Bismack selection. He's a late lottery guy right now but you know how it is. People will get a look at him and he'll steadily climb until the draft. Plus we'll probably pick 6th or 7th.

---------- Post added April-18th-2011 at 10:46 AM ----------

Also don't sleep on a Kentucky or Florida preseason #1. Kentucky's freshman class is ridiculous and the team will look even better if they get either Brandon Knight or Terrence Jones to come back.

Florida will rapidly improve and they probably got the second best PG coming in. They made it pretty far in the tournament too so there is indigenous talent there.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

Easily a pre-season #1 favorite. Should have gone into the draft though.

Generally, I think you should enter the draft as soon as you are guaranteed to be a lottery pick. But this year....I don't know. I think a lot of these younger players are smarter than they were 20 years ago and know that they are going to end up sitting on their ass until January or February and they be after thoughts for the coaches who aren't going to spend the two weeks they have to get ready for a shortened season getting some rookie up to speed. If you are drafted this year, there is a good chance that you will not play meaningful minutes until November of 2012. You probably won't even have a meaningful practice until training camp 2012. And you won't be seeing any money until 2012 regardless.

If you aren't going to see your big payday until February 2012, you might as well wait until June 2012 and get another college season in.

---------- Post added April-18th-2011 at 09:55 AM ----------

Also John Wall is already special and the smart money is definitely on him being the best PG in the league by his third season.

That's some ridiculous expectations.

[Warhead36]

He'll be right there with Rose as best in the league. It could develop into a great rivalry. But we need to surround Wall with the type of players Rose has around him, particularly better outside shooting(like Korver)and better inside presence(like Boozer and Noah).

Barnes could be our Deng.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Where have you been lkb? Many have declared that Wall will be the best within 3 years, including myself. And not just Wizards fans. Mcqueen isn't saying anything crazy. Btw, Walk is a different player than Rose

And you know why Barnes should have come it? Because he's a to 5 pick. In a **** class. What's gonna happen when the class isn't ****? What's gonna happen if he doesn't build upon his freshman year? What's gonna happen if he gets injured? Seriously, Terrence Morris was in the same situation after his sophomore year. Now he's playing in Israel.

[Going Commando]

Yeah Barnes won't be a top 5 pick next year because the class will be strong. But I think he'll still be a good NBA player and get taken in a more realistic draft range of 5-14.

Sullinger is the fool who really stands to drop like a stone. He doesn't have an NBA body. He would have been a top 3 pick this year. Next year he'll be up against a lot of highly athletic forwards and he'll probably be the 5th or 6th player at his position. Plus he's giving guys like Perry Jones a year to catch him.

I would have loved to draft Sullinger this year because of what else was available. Next year I wouldn't touch him unless about 9 or 10 other guys are off the table.

---------- Post added April-18th-2011 at 12:19 PM ----------

As for Rose, I don't think he and Wall are very similar. I see Wall taking the Chris Paul path of development. I believe Paul is the best pure PG in the game and you saw the kind of damage he can do against the Lakers yesterday.

Rose is hard to define. He plays the PG position like a forward with how rough and tumble he is. He's like Iverson only with 2 guard length. I'm not sure I would want to build my team around a PG like that. I think I'd rather have a Paul who can punish you with his shot in clutch situations, drive and draw pressure when he has to, but mostly look to facilitate his teammates first. That's what I want Wall to become. The slashing ability and raw passing skills are already there. The discipline and decision making and expert long range shooting aren't. But just take a look at his shooting towards the end of the year and you saw a lot of confidence out of him. Between game 1 and game 70, his shooting made excellent strides. He's going to be a good shooter by his third year and he'll develop the feel for directing the offense by then too. He'll basically be a taller version of Chris Paul with the length of Derrick Rose.

Look at the numbers for the rookie seasons from Paul and Wall--they're very similar in production and a clear cut above the seasons from any rookie PG in a really long time. Wall is well ahead of the curve. The way he started had people making comparisons to Magic Johnson and Oscar Robertson after all.

[CrypticVillain]

Branes should have came out. I am not saying that he will suck this year, but if you are a projected lottery pick, especially in the 1-5 range, you need to come out and continue your development in the league.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I'm driving so I can't write too much. The point is, you think Barnes will still be a high pick next. We know he will be one this year.

Btw, DX has my man Bismack going #7 overall. I tend to trust them more than nbadraft.net.

[WALL-LE]

Barnes finally announced his intentions? Clearing the way for a Bismack selection. He's a late lottery guy right now but you know how it is. People will get a look at him and he'll steadily climb until the draft. Plus we'll probably pick 6th or 7th.

---------- Post added April-18th-2011 at 10:46 AM ----------

Also don't sleep on a Kentucky or Florida preseason #1. Kentucky's freshman class is ridiculous and the team will look even better if they get either Brandon Knight or Terrence Jones to come back.

Florida will rapidly improve and they probably got the second best PG coming in. They made it pretty far in the tournament too so there is indigenous talent there.

1. im guessing we are going to pick top 3

2. It would be retarded to pick Bismack anywhere in the top 10. He will not have any impact his rookie season

3. He's not even nice and could be alot older than he says he is

[RichmondRedskin88]

I'm driving so I can't write too much. The point is, you think Barnes will still be a high pick next. We know he will be one this year.

Btw, DX has my man Bismack going #7 overall. I tend to trust them more than nbadraft.net.

I doubt he goes higher than this year though. Yeah he'll still be a high pick but I doubt he goes higher than he would this year. Besides I doubt he's gonna stay all 4 years so he might as well enter.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

He's 18. All that mess is just some bull**** internet crap. People speculating. Two, he is nice. He dominated the Hoops Summit with the best prospects in the ciuntry. Imagine how he's going to be when he's properly developed. And it's not like He's Shaq in Blue Chips. He's not playing basketball in some abandoned warehouse in the middle of the Congo. He's playing in Ricky Rubio's old Spanish pro league. And three, I'm curious, what's your suggestion for our top pick?

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I doubt he goes higher than this year though. Yeah he'll still be a high pick but I doubt he goes higher than he would this year. Besides I doubt he's gonna stay all 4 years so he might as well enter.

So you agree with me?

[RichmondRedskin88]

So you agree with me?

Yep, his "stock" won't get higher. I mean not unless he stays all 4 years and takes UNC to back to back championships or something. He would be a top 3 this year so he can't really go up. He definitely can go down though.

[Going Commando]

1. im guessing we are going to pick top 3

2. It would be retarded to pick Bismack anywhere in the top 10. He will not have any impact his rookie season

3. He's not even nice and could be alot older than he says he is

Will any of these rookies have any impact whatsoever as rookies? Not if the labor situation gets settled in the fall and they get a two week crash course in the NBA before the year starts. If it doesn't get settled, then there won't be a season anyway. Draft him and let him play a year in Europe and then bring him over in 2012.

And if you had seen Bismack play in that summit game you'd have seen him easily hold his own with the very best Americans like Rivers/Davis/Gilchrist. He put on a show. He was the only athlete on the world team that could go stride for stride with any of them and nobody on the American team could handle his raw power.

Like GACOLB said, the age thing smells like complete crap to me.

Why do you think we'll pick top 3? we've a better chance of picking fourth or later.

Edited April 18, 2011 by stevemcqueen1