The Official Washington Wizards Thread

[SiCkSoULjA]

If we proposed that trade Memphis would laugh at us and keep it moving! don't need any selfish ball players on that good young team.

[Gator Bait]

If we proposed that trade Memphis would laugh at us and keep it moving! don't need any selfish ball players on that good young team.

they need to drop Rudy's salary if they want to sign Gasol. The Lottery pick might get it done...depends on what other offers they have out there. I read a rumor they were talking to the Twolves about a Gay for Rubio swap.

[SiCkSoULjA]

Gay is a great player if we want to get this rebuilding process rolling with good guys then Rudy Gay would be a no brainer. If we can't get Williams then I would trade Nick Young and our Pick for Gay.

[Gator Bait]

Gay is a great player if we want to get this rebuilding process rolling with good guys then Rudy Gay would be a no brainer. If we can't get Williams then I would trade Nick Young and our Pick for Gay.

I think I'd rather have Gay than any other player in the draft. I'm not trading Nick along with the lottery pick though. Nick is my starting 2 guard:

nine player rotation

Wall/Crawford
Young/Crawford
Gay/Booker
Lewis/Blatche
McGee/Seraphin

---------- Post added May-16th-2011 at 10:38 AM ----------

Wall/Crawford
Young/Crawford
Gay/Booker
Lewis/Blatche
McGee/Seraphin

This team could get the 8 seed in my opinion. An improved Wall w/ a legit first option scorer to dish to (gay). Second option NY, third option Lewis.

The biggest weakness with this rotation would be post defense. Rashard can't really defend 3s or 4s....Blatche can't defend and McGee is super undisciplined on D.

[stevemcqueen1]

If we're in a position to draft Irving, we need to be trading the pick. Certainly there will be buyers.

What do you get that's worthwhile in return though? If it's unprotected 2012 lottery picks then it could be worthwhile. But if it's just moving back in this class or picking up iffy vets, then I'm not crazy about doing so. The dropoff from Irving to #3 is enormous. We've got a lot of talented young players scattered at every position except the 3. We should probably start looking for quality over quantity now.

---------- Post added May-16th-2011 at 10:48 AM ----------

But yeah get a helmet and replicate that brah lol

No! No helmet! It has to be exact! Take this one for the team DCchillin89.

[Gator Bait]

What do you get that's worthwhile in return though? If it's unprotected 2012 lottery picks then it could be worthwhile. But if it's just moving back in this class or picking up iffy vets, then I'm not crazy about doing so. The dropoff from Irving to #3 is enormous. We've got a lot of talented young players scattered at every position except the 3. We should probably start looking for quality over quantity now..

you don't trade him right away (if at all).

You play him during the 2011-2012 year and then field offers from teams looking for a young starting caliber PG. But as I've stated before...I'd just keep him. With Wall/Irving/Crawford you are set at your guard rotation. You shift NY to SF w/ Rashard Lewis....and now you just need to develop your Big men (Seraphin, Booker, McGee, Blatche...if he isn't already a lost cause)

[stevemcqueen1]

As far as an offensive player, I'd definitely say no. I think Williams is very different from Melo. I'd say a bigger more intense Shawn Marion. I see Williams being a stretch 4 who locks down smaller PFs and bigger SFs.

Hmm, I see your point. Honestly, that's not bad on the offensive end. The quality of shooting is comparable and the athleticism is a better match than with a really fast player like Carmelo. Carmelo is a much better shooter than he used to be though, so you could make some comparisons there.

Williams's body kind of reminds me of Carmelo's--a bit doughy and heavy looking but strong and surprisingly quick. Carmelo strikes me as more creative and he doesn't play with the same power that Williams typically does (although we are talking about the college game) so there are more differences. Yeah I guess it's not a clean comparison.

I was thinking of Carmelo's performance in this playoffs with the rebounding and defense rather than his career body of work. I just looked at his career averages and they aren't great for a player with his body and talent but for this playoffs he was unstoppable on the glass. That's what got me thinking about a Derrick Williams comparison. It must be something about Mike D'Antoni's system that can bring it out in his forwards. The centers always suck?

It's hard to make out exactly what Derrick Williams is. For the life of me I can't figure out if there has been anyone quite like him in the past ten years or so. Don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing. He plays a valuable position though. If we get the first overall pick, then he has to be the choice.

[SiCkSoULjA]

If Blatche is on your team then he's starting, Nick Young would be coming off the bench too provide a spark and do his scoring he 100% will not be starting.

Wall/Crawford
Crawford/Young
Gay/Lewis
Blatche/Booker
McGee/draft or free agent.

[Warhead36]

I don't want Gay. Without him the Grizz got to within one game of the WCF. I'd rather just make a play at Gasol. I'd offer McGee to get him.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

If I'm going to blow my salary cap space, I'm going to do it for a better player than Rudy.

I'll pass.

[stevemcqueen1]

Theres a ton of players in the league that can score. Most of them are on the bench because they do nothing else. Just because you can score 17 points per game doesn't make you a great player. When Young hurt the team was much much better.

That's not an addition by subtraction situation IMO. This team was horrible and struggling to find it's identity. NY was one of the only reasons we were competitive during that stretch. Those lineups with Rashard and Thornton and Howard were awful.

When we finally started our hungry young players, the chemistry improved and we started winning. NY is still part of our young core. He belongs in those lineups too. If he'd have played with the young guys then I think he'd have looked better and energized. Look no further than the change in Blatche we witnessed.

[WALL-LE]

If I'm going to blow my salary cap space, I'm going to do it for a better player than Rudy.

I'll pass.

this

[Gator Bait]

Hmm, I see your point. Honestly, that's not bad on the offensive end. The quality of shooting is comparable and the athleticism is a better match than with a really fast player like Carmelo. Carmelo is a much better shooter than he used to be though, so you could make some comparisons there.

Williams's body kind of reminds me of Carmelo's--a bit doughy and heavy looking but strong and surprisingly quick. Carmelo strikes me as more creative and he doesn't play with the same power that Williams typically does (although we are talking about the college game) so there are more differences. Yeah I guess it's not a clean comparison.

I was thinking of Carmelo's performance in this playoffs with the rebounding and defense rather than his career body of work. I just looked at his career averages and they aren't great for a player with his body and talent but for this playoffs he was unstoppable on the glass. That's what got me thinking about a Derrick Williams comparison. It must be something about Mike D'Antoni's system that can bring it out in his forwards. The centers always suck?

It's hard to make out exactly what Derrick Williams is. For the life of me I can't figure out if there has been anyone quite like him in the past ten years or so. Don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing. He plays a valuable position though. If we get the first overall pick, then he has to be the choice.

I hate carmelo's game. He gets max money and is dubbed a "super star" but he is poor on the defensive end and he just doesn't seem like a team player to me

---------- Post added May-16th-2011 at 11:36 AM ----------

If Blatche is on your team then he's starting, Nick Young would be coming off the bench too provide a spark and do his scoring he 100% will not be starting.

Wall/Crawford
Crawford/Young
Gay/Lewis
Blatche/Booker
McGee/draft or free agent.

You don't start your backup PG at the 2. If you start Crawford at the 2, you better have another option coming off the bench to play PG. No way I'd have Blatche starting over Rashard ...not that I'm super high on Rashard...but I'd rather have him on the court than 7 day dray.

[stevemcqueen1]

you don't trade him right away (if at all).

You play him during the 2011-2012 year and then field offers from teams looking for a young starting caliber PG. But as I've stated before...I'd just keep him. With Wall/Irving/Crawford you are set at your guard rotation. You shift NY to SF w/ Rashard Lewis....and now you just need to develop your Big men (Seraphin, Booker, McGee, Blatche...if he isn't already a lost cause)

Sounds like a good plan to me but I think Rashard is just about done. That plan would probably only hold you for next season because in 2012-2013 I'd be dangling Rashard's expiring contract around.

I've been thinking it over, if you draft Irving, I think you still need to extend NY if the price is fair. I had been saying before that drafting Irving means NY is expendable and that we should deal him but now I think that'd be a mistake.

Watching the playoffs reinforced it for me: you can never have too many shooters. The 3 ball is helping less talented teams beat more talented teams and the conference is polarizing with most of the best players joining up and leaving their teams exposed with crappy supporting casts. If you draft Irving that's one shooter. Crawford is a volume scorer who I don't trust to shoot for a high % yet. NY would really be your only other shooter. I don't think you can afford to trade him or let him walk.

Four guards sounds good, especially since one of them can play some SF. The Mavs have four quality long range shooters--Dirk, Peja, Barea, Kidd. Drafing Irving means we'd probably have four once Wall and Crawford improve their shot and we can put three of them on the court at the same time.

You're right, drafting Irving means step two is all about developing the bigs. Blatche is Blatche and I'd still try and trade him. But I think when you take the onus of leadership out of his hands and actually have other guys start stepping up on and off the court in those roles, then Blatche becomes a much better player and teammate. Trying to make him into a leader for this team was a huge mistake. He's too lazy and immature for that no matter how many years of veterancy he has. You need guys like Wall, Crawford, and Booker assuming those roles. Blatche fed off their energy and determination at the end of the year and played much better. If we keep him in a support role and he could be alright.

You know what would make this team dangerous? If McGee developed something of a post game. I wonder if that's ever going to happen. Probably not with this staff.

What do you think about trading for DeMarcus Cousins? I'd trade Blatche plus some other attractive assets (first round pick, McGee, or Rashard's contract) to try and get him. Hopefully he won't be an All-Star by then. Maybe you make a deal for him this summer before the lockout?

[Gator Bait]

If I'm going to blow my salary cap space, I'm going to do it for a better player than Rudy.

I'll pass.

what is your problem with Rudy? He scores 20 per game efficently, shoots the 3 at a high percentage, long athletic...can run, and he actually played some defense this year.

What is not to like?