The Official Washington Wizards Thread

[stevemcqueen1]

There are probably only 5 or 6 notable crunch time ISO scorers in the league right now: Durant, Carmelo, Lebron, Kobe... Wade?

Teams don't need an elite ISO scorer to handle their business in crunch time. They just need some great scoring plays they can turn to for reliable offense.

Wall is different than Rondo. Rondo used to become a crunch time liability because of his poor FT shooting. Wall is a solid FT shooter and his drive becomes a legit threat late in games with his ability to get to the rim against any D, finish through contact, dish, or get to the line and score. I think he needs to vary up his attack a little more and dish it more often because it seems like he tries to finish almost every single time now. But he'll master this eventually, often as he's trying it now.

And it's worth pointing out that Wall is showing a knack for making enormous clutch defensive plays. The block to secure the win in Denver and the strip steal and fastbreak layup come to mind. That's just within the last four games.

Beal has also shown signs of being able to score in crunch time against strong D, beat double teams and hit big shots late. He's got a versatile inside--out game that's going to be effective in 4th quarters.

I don't think we'll have access to any true star players this year. The only one who seems likely to go on the block is Dwight and that's obviously not the crunch time scorer you're talking about. Pau and Amare will probably be available too but nobody wants them. Cousins is a potential star and probably unavailable. Gay is not a star.

I want to see how the lottery shakes down. I'd probably keep the pick and use it if we end up top 3 or 4. The only guys I'd really want to trade for are Cousins or Dwight if he'd do a sign and trade long term extension.

[stevemcqueen1]

Alex Len: 16 and 13 vs BC last night.

I missed his game, didn't realize he was playing because I couldn't find it on TV. I'm sorry to have missed it because I've been really interested in Len and wanted to see him play in another good performance. Sort of a this is what I can do when I'm on performance.

I like Len but I want to see him string together good games more consistently.

I don't want him to become just a rich man's BJ Mullens. I would like to see him find a way to make that kind of impact he had in the BC game a more regular thing.

But some of the stuff I read about his athleticism makes him so tantalizing. Growing up with a background in gymnastics at 7'1 is ridiculous. His wingspan and agility are ridiculous. Man if he had some strength on him, he could be a force.

Right now I've got him at 4 but he's a player that could climb if he puts on a big stretch run and tourney that really shows off his talents. Not so much with scoring but with rebounding and defensive play.

[RonArtest15]

I'm telling you all...if the Kings/Sonics are willing to listen to any offers for Cousins, we need to throw in our 2013 pick UNPROTECTED. If not that, let's get a three team deal going and try something to bring in Kevin Love or Dwight Howard (assuming he'd re-up). Those are the only 3 guys (who may be available) that I'd give up our pick completely unprotected for. I wouldn't do it for Rudy Gay, Pau gasol, or anyone else along those lines. Let's hit a home run via trade and REALLY shake up this franchise for the better.

*Wall/Beal OFF limits.

[earl]

I'm telling you all...if the Kings/Sonics are willing to listen to any offers for Cousins, we need to throw in our 2013 pick UNPROTECTED. If not that, let's get a three team deal going and try something to bring in Kevin Love or Dwight Howard (assuming he'd re-up). Those are the only 3 guys (who may be available) that I'd give up our pick completely unprotected for. I wouldn't do it for Rudy Gay, Pau gasol, or anyone else along those lines. Let's hit a home run via trade and REALLY shake up this franchise for the better.

*Wall/Beal OFF limits.

I too would love to have cousins in DC, but if the speculation is true that he indeed wants to play w/ wall then why trade for him. Realistically this wiz team isn't gonna be a serious contender until after 2014 when we get these bad contracts off the books. Why not wait for him to be a FA? In light of the Miami Heat moves i think it is very likely that cousins and wall could be planning on playing together once they are both FA's. why not use the pick instead of trading it to acquire another young piece that can make DC more attractive to both cousins and wall long term? Why not sit tight and be patient during the "rebuilding" years to see what we have. At this point i dont' want to trade anyone until we know exactly what we have. By 2014 players like singleton, seraphin, vesely and even crawford should have either blossomed or busted. If they mature into great pieces then they should have more trade value then. if not then we can cut bait and move on. I say wait, develop young talent and acquire pieces in the draft. Lose the dead weight and make a real move in 2014. I've waited my entire life for this team to become real contenders. whats another year or 2 if they can build it right.

[stevemcqueen1]

I'm telling you all...if the Kings/Sonics are willing to listen to any offers for Cousins, we need to throw in our 2013 pick UNPROTECTED. If not that, let's get a three team deal going and try something to bring in Kevin Love or Dwight Howard (assuming he'd re-up). Those are the only 3 guys (who may be available) that I'd give up our pick completely unprotected for. I wouldn't do it for Rudy Gay, Pau gasol, or anyone else along those lines. Let's hit a home run via trade and REALLY shake up this franchise for the better.

*Wall/Beal OFF limits.

I'm for it. But I think there is a lot of uncertainties working against us.

1.) I think the new ownership for the Kings is going to take a minute and see what they've got. I doubt they make any big moves until the FO is settled and they've evaluated the roster.

2.) I don't think Dwight would agree to a sign and trade for us.

3.) I think Minny is going to hang onto Love for a while and drag this out rather than give up on a franchise player with years left of team control just because he's trying to force his way out. They will probably wait to see if they can make a playoff team around him and get him to buy in.

[The Evil Genius]

No doubt that Cousins is a great player. But I personally see him as keeping the Kings from winning more.

He's selfish, childish, immature and has anger problems.

I think he's the last thing the Wiz need.

---------- Post added January-24th-2013 at 07:40 AM ----------

especially after dumping McGee for the same issues.

[stevemcqueen1]

I too would love to have cousins in DC, but if the speculation is true that he indeed wants to play w/ wall then why trade for him. Realistically this wiz team isn't gonna be a serious contender until after 2014 when we get these bad contracts off the books. Why not wait for him to be a FA? In light of the Miami Heat moves i think it is very likely that cousins and wall could be planning on playing together once they are both FA's. why not use the pick instead of trading it to acquire another young piece that can make DC more attractive to both cousins and wall long term? Why not sit tight and be patient during the "rebuilding" years to see what we have. At this point i dont' want to trade anyone until we know exactly what we have. By 2014 players like singleton, seraphin, vesely and even crawford should have either blossomed or busted. If they mature into great pieces then they should have more trade value then. if not then we can cut bait and move on. I say wait, develop young talent and acquire pieces in the draft. Lose the dead weight and make a real move in 2014. I've waited my entire life for this team to become real contenders. whats another year or 2 if they can build it right.

I think Cousins will be an RFA in 2014. No guarantee he'll control his own fate. And also, I believe the longer you wait to get Cousins, the more expensive he's going to get. I think he's going to be a franchise big man and he might completely establish that as fact by his fifth year. His value should only go up.

[mboyd784]

No way in the world I would want Dwight Howard here. Dude is mentally and emotionally weak. You can't win with him.

[Fergasun]

Why not try to get Pau?

[RonArtest15]

I too would love to have cousins in DC, but if the speculation is true that he indeed wants to play w/ wall then why trade for him. Realistically this wiz team isn't gonna be a serious contender until after 2014 when we get these bad contracts off the books. Why not wait for him to be a FA? In light of the Miami Heat moves i think it is very likely that cousins and wall could be planning on playing together once they are both FA's. why not use the pick instead of trading it to acquire another young piece that can make DC more attractive to both cousins and wall long term? Why not sit tight and be patient during the "rebuilding" years to see what we have. At this point i dont' want to trade anyone until we know exactly what we have. By 2014 players like singleton, seraphin, vesely and even crawford should have either blossomed or busted. If they mature into great pieces then they should have more trade value then. if not then we can cut bait and move on. I say wait, develop young talent and acquire pieces in the draft. Lose the dead weight and make a real move in 2014. I've waited my entire life for this team to become real contenders. whats another year or 2 if they can build it right.

If any of those three are attainable, I think we should look into it. As the roster stands right now, we're probably going to be pushing for an 8th seed at best - even with everyone healthy. In 2014, we have to be attractive enough to lure people to play in DC with the cap space that we have. If we're middling, that's going to be a hard sell. You put a guy like Boogie, Love, or Howard on this roster and EVERYTHING changes.

As far as the draft, it's going to be weak. This is part of the reason why I wouldn't be too upset if the pick is moved. A top-3 pick would be coveted and I think that the Kings would be the one team who would possibly be enticed by having that pick.

Actually, in thinking about it...depending on what is going on with the Lakers drama, they might be eager to move Dwight knowing there isn't a chance in hell he'll be re-signing.

I'm for it. But I think there is a lot of uncertainties working against us.

1.) I think the new ownership for the Kings is going to take a minute and see what they've got. I doubt they make any big moves until the FO is settled and they've evaluated the roster.

2.) I don't think Dwight would agree to a sign and trade for us.

3.) I think Minny is going to hang onto Love for a while and drag this out rather than give up on a franchise player with years left of team control just because he's trying to force his way out. They will probably wait to see if they can make a playoff team around him and get him to buy in.

I agree with just about everything you wrote. I think that Boogie and the Kings would be our best trading partner. Let's x our fingers that Cousins has another blowup.

[stevemcqueen1]

No way in the world I would want Dwight Howard here. Dude is mentally and emotionally weak. You can't win with him.

That's absurd. The Magic won a ton of games basically with him and only him. When he's healthy he's an automatic ticket to the playoffs.

---------- Post added January-24th-2013 at 12:35 PM ----------

Sample size is too small, but 4-3 with Wall back right? That extrapolates to a 46 or 47 win season. Atlanta Hawks territory. Probably enough to get a fifth or sixth seed. That feels very possible with this group, a lot of us acknowledge we had a good chance of playing a little better than .500 ball with Wall back and so far that's been happening. And the schedule hasn't been easy either.

So if everyone is healthy, do people think this team could have won 45 games? I think they probably could have.

So to take the next step into actual 50+ win contention, I see us having to hope some of these things happen:

1.) Wall makes the leap into elite status.

2.) Beal becomes an All Star caliber player

3.) Our draft pick this year gets us an All Star caliber player either through trade or from the player we pick.

I'm an optimist but I think those things can happen.

[StillUnknown]

Why not try to get Pau?

He won't put out an effort on what should be a contending team, you think he's going to suddenly start playing hard again in DC?

---------- Post added January-24th-2013 at 01:41 PM ----------

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports...daf_story.html

Bradley Beal had 12 points but he was hampered by a sore wrist that he injured on a hard fall in Denver last week and also tweaked his right ankle, forcing him to leave the court and head to the locker room in the first half. His struggles were most apparent at the foul line, where he missed 4 of 6 attempts, including two after getting fouled on a three-pointer with one-tenth of a second remaining.

“It was my wrist, it was really bothering me,” Beal said. “I can’t use it as an excuse. If I’m out there playing, I have to be doing something. I got to make my shots and free throws, because they’re free. I’ve got to do better.”

I was afraid that fall would be a problem a game or two later. Its hard to imagine a fall that hard not hurting something.

[Destino]

There are probably only 5 or 6 notable crunch time ISO scorers in the league right now: Durant, Carmelo, Lebron, Kobe... Wade?

Teams don't need an elite ISO scorer to handle their business in crunch time. They just need some great scoring plays they can turn to for reliable offense.

Look at the top four teams from the East and West:

Heat - Wade, Lebron, Bosh
Knicks - Melo, JR Smith
Nets - Williams, Johnson, Lopez

Thunder - Durant, Westrbook
Spurs - Parker
Clippers - Paul (as we all saw the other night)

These are guys that can score from a lot of places on the court and that can create when the defense turns the heat up. The wizards lack this. Wall's offense is extremely limited. Beal is a rookie and very much "in the flow" meaning that he passes instead of putting the ball on the floor and flat out beating his defender. Nene is exactly who he's always been, a solid smart NBA big man. We don't even have a guy that can create on the dribble AND shoot the ball from anywhere. We don't have a prolific scorer at the 4 or 5. The Wizards either need a real NBA level primary offensive option or they need to follow the celtics or nuggets model. One requires a few more very good player the other a lot more good scoring options. Both require a seriously talented X's and O's coach, which Randy is not.

Wall is different than Rondo. Rondo used to become a crunch time liability because of his poor FT shooting. Wall is a solid FT shooter and his drive becomes a legit threat late in games with his ability to get to the rim against any D, finish through contact, dish, or get to the line and score. I think he needs to vary up his attack a little more and dish it more often because it seems like he tries to finish almost every single time now. But he'll master this eventually, often as he's trying it now.

I don't think Wall can get to the rim against any defense and I don't think he's a great finisher. He uses his speed to try to get contact or a layup and that's essentially it. He doesn't have all the crazy floaters Parker has or the floater/off the glass hybrids that Rose can fire off the second he gets 6 feet from the basket. Both Rose and Parker have significantly better range than Wall, who has virtually none. It is because of that that he is compared to Rondo. He might be a bit better than Rondo as a pure scorer and I think he's a bit worse as a pass first point guard. In 92 post season games, where teams game plan, Rondo averages 9.2 apg versus 2.8 turnovers. Wall turns the ball over a lot more and often it's entirely unforced.

I know you think Wall is a great player but I am waiting for him to be a consistently very good player. Perhaps an allstar appearance or two. He's a fine point guard if you build a team around him that includes at least one player better than he is. I don't think he's ever going to see much success as THE guy. He's just not very good in too many situations right now. He has picked up his defense however which is a positive sign.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Why not try to get Pau?

Because he'll be 33 years old in July and is suffering from knee tendonitis.

I'll pass.

[stevemcqueen1]

I was afraid that fall would be a problem a game or two later. Its hard to imagine a fall that hard not hurting something.

Yeah you called it. I thought it would probably be an injury to his chest considering he landed on it so hard but the wrist is perhaps worse. Props to him for trying to tough it out but this throws some water on our fire right when it started to get burning. Unfortunate. Let's get his injuries diagnosed correctly can we? I don't want to hear about how his wrist has been fractured all along and continued play worsened the injury until now it requires surgery.