The Official Washington Wizards Thread

[Thinking Skins]

I was just looking at a few other players to see how they did in their first 11 games of their rookie years. I only selected a few players since I couldn't quite do a search function on the database. But these are some numbers of some recognizable players through 11 games.

Bradley Beal - .328, 51 threes
Jamal Crawford - .209, 12 threes
Ben Gordan - .356, 40 threes
Randy Foye - .333, 10 threes
Rudy Gay - .357, 18 threes
James Harden - .333, 25 threes

Notice how many 3's Beal takes in comparison to others. I'd say he should take more inside shots, but his 3 point percentage is higher than his inside percentage. But it seems like its a coaching thing or a thing that Beal's just not getting enough good looks - or that he has poor decision making (worse than Jordan Crawford?). But each of these players improved from their "struggling" rookie years to become contributors.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

This is the game the Wizards win just because it makes absolutely no sense at all.

[stevemcqueen1]

Notice how many 3's Beal takes in comparison to others. I'd say he should take more inside shots, but his 3 point percentage is higher than his inside percentage. But it seems like its a coaching thing or a thing that Beal's just not getting enough good looks - or that he has poor decision making (worse than Jordan Crawford?). But each of these players improved from their "struggling" rookie years to become contributors.

He takes 3s by the design of the offense, not poor shot selection. He's a smart shot taker.

He should be getting more inside looks but the reason his FG % is slightly lower than his 3 PT % is because the only other shots he takes are a couple of long 2s where he's just inside the line (coming off the same plays they run to get him 3 pt attempts) and heavily contested shots around the bucket where he's trying to draw fouls. And since 60% of his attempts are 3s, his FG% is going to basically be the same as his 3 pt %.

He doesn't get many shots coming off drives, coming from a nice mid range shot off a step back or pull up, and he doesn't get any looks in transition or on cuts to the basket.

We're last in PPG. Last in FG%. Third from last in 3 PT %.

Basically we have no offensive system and no roles on offense for any of our players. We have no go to form of offense. None of our lineups have well developed chemistry. Randy is an awful coach.

We're 15th in fast break points, down from third last season. We're 8th in forcing turnovers and 8th in steals. We have guards that can rebound and jump start the break. We have a young, energetic, athletic team. Given all that, and since we have no half court offense, wouldn't it make sense to run a relentless fast break and play the fastest tempo in the league? Watch Denver play and it's clear that's exactly how we should be playing too.

It's just one more way Randy is messing up IMO.

[Thinking Skins]

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2012/1...d-bradley-beal

The funny thing about Beal's problems is that they're entirely a result of a lack of confidence. If you look solely at the parts of his game that aren't tied to his jump shot, he's been very solid this year. Coming out of college, he was projected to be a good rebounder, solid passer and decent defender who could block a surprising number of shots for a 6'3 guard. Through 11 games, he's averaging 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.8 blocks per 36 minutes and has been less torchable than a typical rookie perimeter defender. He's even finishing well at the basket, having made a very solid 58 percent of his shots at the rim.

[Fight4RGIII]

The only reason I think Beal is missing outside shots is because he just isn't comfortable yet. He's a 19 year old kid who will find his shot. It should be the least of the Wizards worries. It's been 11 damn games and some people are already alluding to him being a bust, ridiculous.

[Sticksboi05]

Beal is the least of our problems. Our problems stem from people not even touching the ball.

[Hersh]

http://www.csnwashington.com/basketb...e-walls-return

This should be the scariest of the season so far for all Wiz fans. Our still very young star player already having knee problems.

[Destino]

You don't float sideways on a jump shot because you lack confidence. Saying that Beal's problems are limited to his lack of confidence is ridiculous. He's not a finished product. People wanted to believe he was nearly NBA ready but he's clearly not. I think Beal has the raw ability to be a player for us but the team, coaches and GM, aren't capable of refining raw talent into very much. When he's decided to be aggressive he's show that he can get to the line or get to the basket. Once Ted gets it through his thick skull that he has to fire the lead clown if he wants to end this circus things will improve. Beal will get better and the team will get better as well. He deserves a staff that can help him grow as a professional and he isn't the only one.

[Buford]

The Ted's Take blog is pathetic. He has to know that nobody believes what he's saying about seeing growth in loses. There is no talk of accountability, or being well paid professional athletes.

[stevemcqueen1]

Ernie has failed creating a culture of professionalism and success. He fostered a clown culture and we're reaping what he's sewn even after we got rid of the clown players who were the scapegoats.

Nobody has a role. We don't have a single player that's started every game, so we don't even have any iron clad starters. We're 30th in offensive rating and 25th in pace. Our offense consists of:

1.) hot potato it around until someone has to hoist a late clock 3.
2.) Let Jordan Crawford make an awful shot.
3.) Curl the rookie off a screen or two and hope he makes the contested 3.
4.) Kick it to Nene or Seraphin with ten seconds or less and see what they can do.

The organization is a mess and it obviously can't be fixed with out firing EG and cleaning house in the FO.

[StillUnknown]

The Ted's Take blog is pathetic. He has to know that nobody believes what he's saying about seeing growth in loses. There is no talk of accountability, or being well paid professional athletes.

Until Ernie is gone, everything else Ted does is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titantic.

Nobody has a role. We don't have a single player that's started every game, so we don't even have any iron clad starters. We're 30th in offensive rating and 25th in pace. Our offense consists of:

1.) hot potato it around until someone has to hoist a late clock 3.
2.) Let Jordan Crawford make an awful shot.
3.) Curl the rookie off a screen or two and hope he makes the contested 3.
4.) Kick it to Nene or Seraphin with ten seconds or less and see what they can do.

Mike Prada touched on a bit of this here

pretty damning, late in the game especially

[Destino]

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2012/1...ington-wizards

For posterity's sake, though, here's a list of several non-minumum, sub-mid-level-exception-contract wings and bigs that the Wizards could have acquired instead of trading for Okafor or Ariza before the draft. I'm not suggesting that all of these players would have signed here or even been preferable options. I'm just providing the list to help inform our discussions about the deal going forward.

(All salaries via Sham Sports).

Done nothing and filled out roster with minimum contracts. Lewis' $13.9 million buyout would have stayed on the cap, ensuring the Wizards wouldn't be under the team minimum salary.
Scola (claimed off amnesty by the Suns for 3 years and $13.5 million).
Brand (claimed off amnesty by the Mavericks for 1 year and $2.1 million).
Brendan Haywood (claimed off amnesty by the Bobcats for four years and $16.7 million, but final year at $10.5 million is completely unguaranteed).
Korver (traded to the Hawks for a second-round pick and a trade exception, owed $5 million this year).
Wright (traded to the 76ers for the rights to Edin Bavcic, owed $4.1 million this year).
Wes Johnson (salary-dumped to the Suns in the Robin Lopez deal, owed $4.5 million this year).
James Johnson (traded to the Kings for a second-round pick, owed $2.8 million this year).
Courtney Lee (netted 4-year, $26 million deal with Celtics in sign-and-trade).
Jamal Crawford (signed 4-year, $21 million deal with Clippers).
Michael Beasley (signed 3-year, $18 million deal with Suns, third year not fully guaranteed).
Lou Williams (signed 3-year, $15.75 million contract with Hawks).
Jason Terry (signed 3-year, $15.75 million contract with Celtics).
Danny Green (signed 3-year, $11 million contract with Spurs).
Boris Diaw (signed 2-year, $9 million deal with Spurs).
O.J, Mayo (signed 2-year, $8 million contract with Mavericks).
Brandon Rush (signed 2-year, $8 million contract with Warriors).
Carl Landry (signed 2-year, $8 million contract with Warriors).
Gerald Green (signed 3-year, $10.5 million contract with Pacers).
Shannon Brown (signed 2-year, $7 million contract with Suns, second year not fully guaranteed).
Jerryd Bayless (signed 2-year, $6.1 million contract with Grizzlies).
Carlos Delfino (signed 2-year, $6 million contract with Rockets, second year not fully guaranteed).
J.R. Smith (signed 2-year, $5.7 million contract with Knicks).
Greg Stiemsma (signed 2-year, $5.4 million contract with Timberwolves, second year not fully guaranteed).
C.J, Miles (signed 2-year, $4.4 million deal with Cavaliers, second year not fully guaranteed).
J.J. Hickson (signed 1-year, $4 million deal with Blazers).
Randy Foye (signed 1-year, $2.5 million deal with Jazz).
Marco Belinelli (signed 1-year, $1.975 deal with Bulls).
Jodie Meeks (signed 1-year, $1.5 million deal with Lakers).
Willie Green (signed 3-year, $4.22 million deal with Clippers, last two years unguaranteed).
Nick Young (just kidding).
Kwame Brown (also just kidding).
Hasheem Thabeet (sorta just kidding).
Hopefully, this helps inform all future conversations we have about the Okafor/Ariza trade.

Really makes you want to throw things and kick stuff.

[stevemcqueen1]

Until Ernie is gone, everything else Ted does is just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titantic.



Mike Prada touched on a bit of this here

pretty damning, late in the game especially

I remembered the first play. It was after Charlotte got a couple of offensive rebounds but the Wiz lucked out they missed every shot and Crawf finally came in and snatched the rebound. I was like push it up! Score! I realize we were trying to kill clock, but points being so hard to come by, I think we need to just be thinking score score score when the game is that close.

The last play by Beal is just awful basketball. That's a clear 2 for 1 situation. And Beal was clearly just thinking "Kill the clock." Somebody needed to be in his ear telling him to try and score quickly. And being that it was a mismatch in front of him, you'd like for him to have just instinctively sought to score. Your down by one man, worry about the points, not the clock.

I don't like that we try to kill so much clock when the games are that close. We can't score well in the half court when we have a full clock. It's basically us giving away a possession.

[WALEOVECHKIN]

Beal is optimistic, although he really can't say anything different.
“We’re 0-11 but we still have 71 more games,” Beal said following Saturday night’s double-overtime loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. “It’s still a long season and we still have an opportunity to get over .500.

“That’s our goal and we need to shoot for it. Just try to get in the playoffs. I mean, we’re going to make it. I have faith in this team and I think we’re more than capable of doing it.”

[StillUnknown]

Nene out tonight