The Official Washington Wizards Thread

[StillUnknown]

Just proud to no longer be the joke of the league.

[Destino]

Didnt think I'd ever say this. Who is going to replace Okafor if he's traded? We haven't had a rebounder like him... I can't remember the last one. He's turned into a rebounding machine recently and he's been a big part of the turn around.

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

Didnt think I'd ever say this. Who is going to replace Okafor if he's traded? We haven't had a rebounder like him... I can't remember the last one. He's turned into a rebounding machine recently and he's been. Big part of the turn around.

Ben Wallace maybe? And he only REALLY did his thing here his last season here before he was traded. And even then, he only really got a chance his last month here.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/.../gamelog/1999/

So yeah, off the top of my head, i'm saying since Ben Wallace his last month as a Wizard.

(goddamn that trade hurts to think about. ****ing Ike Austin. It's one thing to make a trade that makes sense but just doesn't work out for whatever reason. We made DUMB ****ing trades though and NOT just in retrospect.)

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Amazing as it sounds now when the Wiz take the floor I actually EXPECT them to win.

And the competition is irrelevant.

[Destino]

Amazing as it sounds now when the Wiz take the floor I actually EXPECT them to win.

And the competition is irrelevant.

I'm not there yet. I expected them to lose to the clippers for example. I don't like their chances against the top 3 in either division.

[Renegade7]

I'm not there yet. I expected them to lose to the clippers for example. I don't like their chances against the top 3 in either division.

I understand that, but you gotta admit you feel we will handle business against the kings monday night. And I agree with you on Okafor; he's filling his nitche nicely as are a lot of other players that were supposed to play roles instead of save the franchise.

We have a @ Memphis, @Spurs, Clippers, Knicks, Nets stretch coming up soon. Seeing this team full strength in this 5 game stretch will give me a better idea of what we really have here now.

Edit: Just hope Beal's wrist is ok (knock on wood)...

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

The thing that strikes me is that they're winning WITHOUT having big games from certain people. Tonight Beal only had four points. If that's all you saw, then you wouldn't think that they won. But they're always finding SOMEONE to step up. It's Total team performance. Not just a run on the back of a single player or two. (Obviously Wall is a huge part but they had a win last week--forget which one--where Wall AND Beal both had a subpar game.)

[StillUnknown]

The thing that strikes me is that they're winning WITHOUT having big games from certain people. Tonight Beal only had four points. If that's all you saw, then you wouldn't think that they won. But they're always finding SOMEONE to step up. It's Total team performance. Not just a run on the back of a single player or two. (Obviously Wall is a huge part but they had a win last week--forget which one--where Wall AND Beal both had a subpar game.)

I echo these thoughts, but will add that I still think Wittman is a hindrance. I think a better coach could get more out of what we have.

[nuposse87]

Withey is good and he has size but he's so deliberate. Doesn't get off his feet with a whole lot of explosion and though he does have a motor and runs the floor hard, he's just not that quick. There's a place in the NBA for a guy like him but he seems mostly like a space eater and a six hard fouls type.[COLOR="Gold"]

Oh he's definitely not quick, nor is a juggernaut leaper, but he's very long, and blocks shots in play, which is definitely a lost art. He finishes alright. I think he'd be able to add value to a team relatively quickly in the mid 20s of the 1st round. Playing him against other NBA bench players ought to be fine for him as well. Okafor might be dealt next year, and while I want Cousins, you can't bank on having him moving forward. Not that Withey is a starter, but he could give you 15-20 minutes of average to above average play relatively quickly in his NBA career.

Didn't see the game today, but I'm guessing our mantra will end up being tough defense and blue collar teamwork like IND and MEM. None of the starters on this team are blackholes on offense. It'll be interesting if we can play .600+ ball towards all-star break. This team has some swag.

Oh and I'm nuposse04 over on realgm. Not sure why I never kept the IDs consistent, but w/e lol.

[stevemcqueen1]

The thing that strikes me is that they're winning WITHOUT having big games from certain people. Tonight Beal only had four points. If that's all you saw, then you wouldn't think that they won. But they're always finding SOMEONE to step up. It's Total team performance. Not just a run on the back of a single player or two. (Obviously Wall is a huge part but they had a win last week--forget which one--where Wall AND Beal both had a subpar game.)

The team is greater than the sum of its parts. That's what happens when you have solid role players know their roles and fulfill them and you've got a franchise player that can be the leader and the glue that holds it all together.

I think Wall is a franchise player and we're in the process of discovering this. I just get a feeling with him. Look at the way the team responds to him. It's just kind of an aura.

I also think our front court is playing the way we thought it would going into the season. My whole thought process was, there's no way a team with Nene, Okafor, and Seraphin as the front court doesn't win at least 30 games. Well that didn't coalesce early but it has now.

I actually think this team is a playoff caliber group as is, they just didn't have that chemistry until now. But if the group stays together for next year, stays healthy, and retains the chemistry, I think it'll make the playoffs next year and eventually grow into an upper echelon team as Wall and Beal mature into All Stars.

IMO this is roughly how the Bulls progressed around Rose. They were further along before he got there, they had a Deng and a Noah and some of the other guys. But they got a Boozer and a Rip Hamilton as steady vets to anchor the roster just like we got Okafor and Nene. I think it's such a huge advantage to have your franchise player be a PG. The Bulls are really just a bunch of role players around Rose but they're elite when he's there.

Anyway, what I really wanted to say is that I'm actually impressed with the coaching job Wittman has done this year, something I never thought I'd be. I think he's got weaknesses handling rotations and minutes, defining roles, weaknesses with the Xs and Os. But in general I think that stuff is less important than keeping the team together, playing hard, and building chemistry. Some how Wittman has been able to keep the group together and playing hard every single night despite a start that threatened to be historically bad. When have you ever heard of that happening before? The only game I can remember us just going out and laying an egg was a beatdown we took from the Spurs earlier in the year. Even when we were horrible, the team still fought almost every night.

---------- Post added January-27th-2013 at 02:52 AM ----------

I echo these thoughts, but will add that I still think Wittman is a hindrance. I think a better coach could get more out of what we have.

I agree with that. Still having problems with the rotations and the play calling. Still doing nothing to develop Vesely and Singleton and I'm thinking he hasn't been good for Seraphin. But at least he's got the team motivated. And the offense has been amazingly effective recently. The ball movement has been terrific and we've got this nice mid range and 3 pt game popping. I thought we were a terrible shooting team. Apparently not, we just couldn't consistently get good shots.

Best thing about watching this year going forward is going to be seeing Wall palpably grow on both ends of the court.

[stevemcqueen1]

If we keep winning we're definitely going to be out of Nerlens, Zeller, and Len range. Late lottery I like Otto Porter, McAdoo, and/or Poythress if they're there. McAdoo and Porter looks like really nice fits.

[Destino]

If we keep winning we're definitely going to be out of Nerlens, Zeller, and Len range. Late lottery I like Otto Porter, McAdoo, and/or Poythress if they're there. McAdoo and Porter looks like really nice fits.

I was thinking the same thing. There are seven teams 5 wins ahead of the wizards and the bobcats are below.

[stevemcqueen1]

I was thinking the same thing. There are seven teams 5 wins ahead of the wizards and the bobcats are below.

I think its inevitable we'll pass New Orleans, Cleveland, and Orlando. I think we will pass Sacramento, Detroit, and Minnesota. And then I think we'll also have a chance of passing Phoeix and Toronto. I'm think 8-10 pick range is reasonable. Dropping winnable games to Sacramento and LA is kind of hurting me.

I'm usually for tanking in the NBA but I've never been so relieved to abandon a tank job as I am this year. Simply put, we needed to see some results from the John Wall era.

I would have tried to trade the draft pick for somebody yesterday.

[Samuels]

If we keep winning we're definitely going to be out of Nerlens, Zeller, and Len range. Late lottery I like Otto Porter, McAdoo, and/or Poythress if they're there. McAdoo and Porter looks like really nice fits.

I'd be fine with Porter. He is a better version of Jeff Green especially defensively and on the boards but i'm not sure he leaves this early don't seem like that type of kid.

[RonArtest15]

With the team somewhat rolling right now, this is a prime chance to trade our top pick (in a package) for a stretch 4.

---------- Post added January-27th-2013 at 09:10 AM ----------

I'd be fine with Porter. He is a better version of Jeff Green especially defensively and on the boards but i'm not sure he leaves this early don't seem like that type of kid.

If we keep the pick and we're in that 8-10 range, I would LOVE to have Otto Porter on this roster.