The Official Washington Wizards Thread

[nuposse87]

I didn't think we'd win this one...so it isn't as devastating...but its how we lost at the end...I'm happy they actually show they give a damn...wins will come...but its contingent on a lot...

I've been hyping Seraphin more than I should but I think performances against an elite defensive team like Boston should give fans some hope...Although we cannot expect that level of efficiency from him night in and night out. Defensively the team is about where it ought to be, and will only get better once Wall and Nene come back.

Beal needs to wake his ass up though. He's a 3rd overall pick, he's playing as bad as Derrick Williams did last year. That level of play is unacceptable for his pedigree, and randy needs to let him know it. Jordan Crawford for all his faults was the 2nd best wizard tonight and I think had he not injured himself we might not be so negative.

And finally...Randy needs to make sure Ariza stays at the end of the bench...he is absolute trash. Okafor played like **** today too. Hold the veterans accountable, there is no reason Singleton shouldn't be getting playing time over Ariza...

I don't expect to win at BOS either...but at the very least maybe not blown out. Frustrating.

[stevemcqueen1]

They say you don't see who a big really is as a player until his fourth to sixth season. If Seraphin is already this good on the offensive end, I look forward to seeing how much he'll grow.

Seraphin is, at worst, the third big on a championship caliber team. At best, he's a really nice starter. But the one thing he has got to get better at is rebounding. I'd hate for that to be something that depresses his minutes.

---------- Post added November-3rd-2012 at 10:13 PM ----------

Beal needs to wake his ass up though. He's a 3rd overall pick, he's playing as bad as Derrick Williams did last year. That level of play is unacceptable for his pedigree, and randy needs to let him know it.

He'll be alright. James Harden was a brilliant college player that got two seasons at AZ St. and he came in as a rookie and didn't do anything either. It took him until his third season to become the guy he is now. Remember when everyone though OKC should have taken Curry or Tyreke over him? Tyreke had NBA ready moves that he came in with but never improved. Curry had an immediately translatable skill with his crazy shooting ability but he's a one dimensional player. Harden took a while, but he's a lot better player than either of them now.

---------- Post added November-3rd-2012 at 11:01 PM ----------

Looking back, we shouldn't have blow this team completely up. We went too young IMO. Look at the way Cleveland and New Orleans rebuilt. They got their franchise players, but kept some good players on the roster so that they didn't get too awful.

The Caron Butler trade was a mistake IMO.

We gave up Caron, D Steezy, and Haywood for Howard, Singleton, Ross, and Gooden. Looking back, we could use Caron and Haywood wouldn't have been too bad either. None of those scrubs we got back in the trade were worth a damn. Except maybe Singleton, who we let walk anyway.

[nuposse87]

They say you don't see who a big really is as a player until his fourth to sixth season. If Seraphin is already this good on the offensive end, I look forward to seeing how much he'll grow.

Seraphin is, at worst, the third big on a championship caliber team. At best, he's a really nice starter. But the one thing he has got to get better at is rebounding. I'd hate for that to be something that depresses his minutes.

---------- Post added November-3rd-2012 at 10:13 PM ----------



He'll be alright. James Harden was a brilliant college player that got two seasons at AZ St. and he came in as a rookie and didn't do anything either. It took him until his third season to become the guy he is now. Remember when everyone though OKC should have taken Curry or Tyreke over him? Tyreke had NBA ready moves that he came in with but never improved. Curry had an immediately translatable skill with his crazy shooting ability but he's a one dimensional player. Harden took a while, but he's a lot better player than either of them now.

---------- Post added November-3rd-2012 at 11:01 PM ----------

Looking back, we shouldn't have blow this team completely up. We went too young IMO. Look at the way Cleveland and New Orleans rebuilt. They got their franchise players, but kept some good players on the roster so that they didn't get too awful.

The Caron Butler trade was a mistake IMO.

We gave up Caron, D Steezy, and Haywood for Howard, Singleton, Ross, and Gooden. Looking back, we could use Caron and Haywood wouldn't have been too bad either. None of those scrubs we got back in the trade were worth a damn. Except maybe Singleton, who we let walk anyway.

I think Beal will eventually turn the corner but I'm worried about how the process will wear on him. Harden came into a fairly good situation with two superstars to alleviate the pressure. Our two best players are injured, a lot is falling in his shoulders to change the culture of losing around here, and that is unfair to Beal, but thats just the way it is. As far as how building this teams go...we're still missing our two best players, given the play of the opposition and our play in our first two games, we could, and probably should be 2-0.

I'm not going to completely panic yet, but Randy needs to own up to idea of playing the best players. I'm glad he left Seraphin in when it mattered. I just hope the early work doesn't re-injure him. Oh, and where the **** is shaun livingston

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

Hear hear.

I don't know what it is, but this position has just been impossible for us to find, and 75% of college ball seems like 6'7 scorers.

Sometimes I really miss Caron. This team could use him so bad.

yeah...in hindsight, completely blowing up the Arenas era team wasn't the soundest idea but I understand why.

We could have kept Butler definitely but Ted was determined to re-make the team like he did when he traded all the old Caps way back when

[the burgundy and gold]

Ugh just watched the game. Haven't looked at the box score yet, just going off what I saw.

My observations: Seraphin is the stud I always thought he would be. If Crawford can play like this off the bench I will be very pleased, sucks he got injured there down the end. If not for that injury I think we would have won. Ariza has got to go, he looked terrible and no one on our team defended Pierce all night long. I thought this is why we drafted Chris Singleton?!?!?! Isn't he supposed to be our James Posey? Why the hell did he not even leave the bench as Pierce dominated us all game long. PGs looked fairly decent tonight, shot pretty well. Webster shot poorly and that final play was just an absolute joke. A fade away heave from the corner from Webster?! WTF? Emeka was less then stellar, not too excited about him yet although I think when/if Nene gets in there he'll look better. Booker also looked pretty solid, good to see him bounce back from the first game. Beal has me worried after two games. I was extremely high on him and still am I guess but he just didn't show anything tonight. Sullinger on the other hand looked solid, as I predicted Sully will be a very solid NBA player, he landed in a great situation in Boston.

That pretty much covers everyone. Oh yeah, glad to see Cartier hoop it up there at the end, I think he can be a solid bench shooter on a good team. Always liked the guy. Anyways, not a bad game I guess considering the injuries we have. Although that opening quarter when we had the starters was just terrible. I hope Wittman switches up the starters for the next game.

[Warhead36]

Seraphin is the reason why I didn't want Nene and Okafor. He needs to play big minutes. We're finally starting to reap the benefits of a project draft pick and he's stuck on the bench because of a couple overpaid veterans...

[Skin'emAlive]

So... quick question: Which FO move will prove to be the worst one for the franchise in the past 15 years?

A: Jordan picks Kwame Brown
B: Washington trades 5th overall pick for Randy Foye and Mike Miller
C: Washington trades Rashard Lewis for Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor
D: Washington trades Caron Butler, Desean Stevenson, and Brendan Haywood for Josh Howard, James Singleton, Quinton Ross, and Drew Gooden
E: Washington trades Antawn Jamison and Drew Gooden for Ilgalksus ( who is released within a week and rejoins Cleveland) and Al Thornton
F: Arenas is misdiagnosed, is greenlit to play after major knee surgery... resulting in 2 more knee surgeries and the end of his career ( basically)
G: Andre Blatche is resigned

I am not quite sure which way i fall, as i hated every single move... but im voting D. We still have no shooting guard while Caron( albeit injury prone) continues to light it up at times, Stevenson had some great defense for a good 2-3 more years and is still starting in this league for ATL, and Haywood who is also still starting and has always provided decent defense. All three of which went on to win a title with dallas. Meanwhile, Howard barely even played for washington (even though everyone in the league knew he was already damaged goods due to his knees; I dont even remember Quinton Ross playing for Washington; Drew Gooden never played for Washington and is traded essentially for Al Thornton, and James Singleton is still playing in China. Just awful

[MLSKINS]

B and C were stupid because they were completely unnecessary.

[Kosher Ham]

I admit I was rooting for the Wiz last night. I thought they had a really good game and a shot at winning that one. Poor execution at the very end. But overall good game.

[Thinking Skins]

So... quick question: Which FO move will prove to be the worst one for the franchise in the past 15 years?

A: Jordan picks Kwame Brown
B: Washington trades 5th overall pick for Randy Foye and Mike Miller
C: Washington trades Rashard Lewis for Trevor Ariza and Emeka Okafor
D: Washington trades Caron Butler, Desean Stevenson, and Brendan Haywood for Josh Howard, James Singleton, Quinton Ross, and Drew Gooden
E: Washington trades Antawn Jamison and Drew Gooden for Ilgalksus ( who is released within a week and rejoins Cleveland) and Al Thornton
F: Arenas is misdiagnosed, is greenlit to play after major knee surgery... resulting in 2 more knee surgeries and the end of his career ( basically)
G: Andre Blatche is resigned

I am not quite sure which way i fall, as i hated every single move... but im voting D. We still have no shooting guard while Caron( albeit injury prone) continues to light it up at times, Stevenson had some great defense for a good 2-3 more years and is still starting in this league for ATL, and Haywood who is also still starting and has always provided decent defense. All three of which went on to win a title with dallas. Meanwhile, Howard barely even played for washington (even though everyone in the league knew he was already damaged goods due to his knees; I dont even remember Quinton Ross playing for Washington; Drew Gooden never played for Washington and is traded essentially for Al Thornton, and James Singleton is still playing in China. Just awful

Way to depress me on a Sunday Morning.

[StillUnknown]

I go F or B from that list.

Arenas being misdiagnosed kinda got the wheel rolling on D & E.


Ted not firing Ernie the minute he acquired the team might trump them all though

[Warhead36]

I think resigning Gil after the knee surgeries was the dumbest. It completely crippled us financially as we were stuck with a dead horse. A smart GM would have let Gil walk, and with that not resign Jamison either. Instead we had to deal Gil for Shard(which actually was a good deal as it cut a year off the deal)but then dealt Shard for two more bad contracts. The Jamison trade I can live with as it at least got us some cap room.

[No Excuses]

B and C are the worst ones.

B: he got total **** in return for the 5th overall pick. Another team the year after was able to trade away their 5th overall pick for Ray freakin Allen.

C: absolutely horrendous trade. Give away one of the best trade assets in the league for one mediocre player and one ****ty player. Just absolutely terrible.

I think E was a good move. Jamison had a horrible contract and was declining in production.

[stevemcqueen1]

Seraphin is the reason why I didn't want Nene and Okafor. He needs to play big minutes. We're finally starting to reap the benefits of a project draft pick and he's stuck on the bench because of a couple overpaid veterans...

He got more minutes after we got Nene. Nene has had a positive impact on Kevin's game.

Kevin will get all of the minutes he's earned. If he's going to earn more then he needs to start rebounding consistently.

---------- Post added November-4th-2012 at 03:05 PM ----------

Yeah Jamison had to go. Best for everybody involved. It seemed like Caron had to go at the time too, but that has become a bad trade in hindsight.

Although if we don't trade Caron, I wonder if we end up with Wall? It went down in February.

[Destino]

Okafor doesn't look capable of playing many minutes. In two games his effectiveness seems to fade FAST. I'd guess that his conditioning isn't very good or he's injured in some way. Seraphin will get plenty of time with or without Nene.