WizFans, what are your expectations?

[fishercob]

Obviously, the goal is to bring a championship back to DC and to become a perennial contender.

What do you think is a reasonable time frame to achieve this? What benchmarks are you looking for this summer? What's a reasonable expectation for next season.

I'm very curious to know what fans want out of the new ownership and expect on the court.

[Ruzious]

ITWT.

Maybe it's a copout, but I'll wait to see how they do in the draft lottery and for Ted to address "Wizards Nation" before determining expectations.

[LyricalRico]

I'll wait to see how they do in the draft lottery and for Ted to address "Wizards Nation" before determining expectations.

[MJG]

Aye, I say we're about 1.5 weeks too early for this. The difference between drawing 1st and 8th in the lottery swings this pretty wildly.

[BanndNDC]

my only expectations are that they don't screw up, they don't get taken in a bad deal, they don't use any bs corpspeak like metrics and stakeholders and they keep me cautiously optimistic and distracted until the end of the world on 12/21/12.

[nate33]

I expect that 60% of the people on this board will complain no matter what the Wizards do.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Championship in two years or bust.

[miller31time]

As others have said, it really depends on our draft position.

If, by some incredible odds, we get Wall, I expect a playoff team next season, a 50-win team the season after and a title contender the season after that.

If, as expected, we get the 6th-8th pick, I'd expect a playoff team within the next two seasons and a title contender within the next 5 seasons.

Very blanket-statement-ish post, but broadly, those are my expectations.

[JWizmentality]

I'll wait to see how they do in the draft lottery and for Ted to address "Wizards Nation" before determining expectations.

This.

[20MexicanosIn1Van]

I expect that my expectations will be at a level that will cause me to be very disappointed and depressed by season's end.

[mohammed10]

I'll wait to see how they do in the draft lottery and for Ted to address "Wizards Nation" before determining expectations.

Bingo!

[doclinkin]

Injecting a note of realism into this, I don't see anybody in this draft that would indicate a real championship contender in the short-term. The quickest route to the championships is to add that dominant two-way big with developed NBA skills. Everything else is a waiting game, requiring a careful assembly of talent, chemistry etc.

Consider that even LeBJ is in his 6th year without winning, and MJ took about that long to win a ring. DWade was about the quickest to contend of any supastar in recent memory, but he was playing next to Shaq and Zo both (the #1 and #2 pick of the 1992 draft, both late-career veterans motivated to win) with a HOF coach running the thing. And with Riles' proven deal-brokering skills to get the team assembled for the one-and-done opportunity.

Okay Tim Duncan was there pretty instantly as well. Again: a fundamentally ideal two-way dominant team player playing next to another #1 overall pick, a late career veteran with a vet squad of role-players. With a HOF coach running the show.

John Wall is a nice player. I'd love to have him as our pick. He adds great synergy with our young athletic uptempo squad, ready to run and dunk all game, scramble on defense at the other end. Fill lanes with length. He's good for 10-15 wins by himself. Which still puts us in the middle of the pack. That's the trap, in the NBA especially: pretty good is the enemy of perfection. And the truth is, it's a rare case where a dominant young point guard takes a team over the top. You need that dominant defensive big.

Where John Wall helps beyond talent alone: players love to run next to a guy like that. An unselfish star who will make them look good can help recruit players to a squad without breaking the bank in free agency. It's a problem you'd love to have, of course. It's just not a proven route to a championship.

This team can get good in a hurry, can certainly improve. But in a way you'd almost rather struggle and suck for a time, while adding and stockpiling talent, here, overseas, etc. Select young scrappy players with good attitude, to keep the fans on your side while you struggle. Then make a key trade with your warehoused assets, or luck into that dominant franchise player with a lotto bounce in the right year, either way.

Quickest route to championship here: Wiz land Big Cousins in the draft. A motivated Cousins grimly determined to shock naysayers surprises all as a weight room fanatic, and willing student of the game. Shows surprising chemistry with a re-dedicated Flip. Flip is now in teaching mode, tweaking, altering, fitting himself to the system to make bouillabaisse out of scraps and leftovers.

Gilbert, steeled by his harrowing circumstance develops a focused distance. A samurai zen. Within the action but now detached from it. In stepping away from the game, in nearly losing it all, he had to accept that loss, then cherish it's return. At any moment it could be taken. But in gaining dispassion, he is better able to perceive the flow. At any moment you may lose it, they will never totally love you for who you are, but you love the game anyway. You honor divinity itself by the simple acts of excellence. People are people, life goes on, but every microsecond where you can do what you love is a moment to be lived with complete abandon. Let someone else star, numbers matter not at all, nor selection to midseason exhibitions, none of that. Just the simple act of making the machine run.

Blatche continues his trajectory. Gilbert requires him to take the responsibility if not the mantle of team captain. Veteran. Featured player. Franchise. Rides him mercilessly behind the scenes. No you don't get to merely take jumpers and ask Gil to carry the load when it gets rough. No. You need muscle and power and a low-post dominance as needed. Take contact and finish afterward. Challenges McGee to do the same.

Gilbert babysits Josh Howard through a full recovery. Done the right way. Ted Leonsis sinks his largest cash into building the best medical staff in the league. Best facilities and cutting edge training. Howard re-inks at a relative discount. Picks up where he left off as a team go-getter, determined to disprove the reputation and shock the world. Livingston also shows how to resurrect a career with grit and will. Similarly re-inks.

This is where the team builds its identity. A collection of castoffs and underdogs and disrespected players in an act of defiance decide to band together, no joking matter, few distractions from the quiet calm determination to shock the hellout the league and hold up the middle fingers, point the finger guns and shoot down the league's favorite featured prize milk cows. They don't care about you. They don't want you to succeed. You been the villain, for what. For nothing. A scapegoat, for nothing. Don't matter what they think. If you play well, they can't say nothing. If you win. They can't say nothing. Once you win that trophy eff 'em, they cain't say nothin'.

Then hit every practice and weight room session with the mission to shock the world. Sometimes an underdog decides to fight back. Fight for what is left of it's life. The most dangerous dog is the cornered dog with nothing left to lose. Can't afford to lose. Nothing left to do but go out fighting. No way to survive but to win.

Now, granted, is this a risky scenario, to rely on sudden maturity and seriousness of purpose from maligned players like Josh Howard, Dray Blatche, Gilbert, Nick Young, Big Cuz? It very well may be. Crazy maybe. But the fact is, mostly nobody wants to face down crazy when it's got a fanatical resolve. Never know. Could happen. We'll see.

[Ruzious]

I'd feel a lot better if Doc's post was posted in the Wiz locker room and every player read it every day. There'd be no stopping them.

[GhostsOfGil]

I'd feel a lot better if Doc's post was posted in the Wiz locker room and every player read it every day. There'd be no stopping them.

[dangermouse]

I'd feel a lot better if Doc's post was posted in the Wiz locker room and every player read it every day. There'd be no stopping them.

Someone mail it to Teddy, stat!

Instilling an underdog culture would be easy with a team full of underdogs and the fans would latch on considering the bum deal we've been given for the past few years, and its good for a rebuilding team on the comeback trail. Get rid of "Character, Commitment, Connection". That doesnt apply to this team anymore. Doc's post has about 8 different lines that could be used as the new team slogan!

Im sure Arenas would love to stick it to Stern, hes already changing his number to 6, right? Sixguns anyone? I can see his new persona already, the cowboy with a deadly shot, riding with his posse, holstering his cannons after every dagger 3pter. Ted should get in on this and change the name back to the Bullets (all in the name of history, of course )

[Zonkerbl]

Sometimes I get the feeling that Gil doesn't believe he can control his emotions. If he ever learns that his thoughts drive his emotions and he has complete control over his thoughts, he will be a different person. He needs to get out of the "reacting to the crimes the world commits against him" mode of thinking and get into the "impose his will on the world" frame of mind.

Anyway, some suggested new slogans for nest season:
"Lets lead the league in attendance!"
"Shock the refs!"
"Suck it, Stern!"
"LeBron's a wuss!"
"Hope for the best, expect the worst"
"Institutionalized commitment!"

[barelyawake]

The team that Doc is suggesting sounds a great deal like the jailblazers of old to me -- with the renewed Cousins playing the Rash Wallace role. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I would just like to suggest other possible routes. Say we do draft Wall. We'd have the best backcourt in the NBA handsdown. And we'd have blatche and java as trading chips. And tons of capspace. And more than likely a decent pick next year. Those factors could swing us an aging star big who actually wants to pair up with the best backcourt in the country.

Also, I wouldn't write off Favors. Yes, Favors will need more time to develop, but his body is that of an NBA star. While I don't think Blatche and Favors would blend well together (as a championship 4/5), I do believe that if we are cleaning house that Favors wouldn't be a bad foundational start. Next year would be a search for indentity as we develop our "baby Wiz part three." And we'd likely get another lotto pick. At that point, we'd have as many assets as say the Celtics did to get KG or the baby bulls did when they were in the hunt for the top NBA talent.

I believe if we continue to keep our powder dry with capspace, and continue to develop young talent, we will discover opportunities that today aren't apparent. But, I wouldn't count on the misfits turning on a dime without leadership. I would pack this team with vet leaders, tough/heart players and guys who have been to the show.

[doclinkin]

The team that Doc is suggesting sounds a great deal like the jailblazers of old to me -- with the renewed Cousins playing the Rash Wallace role. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I would just like to suggest other possible routes. Say we do draft Wall. We'd have the best backcourt in the NBA handsdown. And we'd have blatche and java as trading chips. And tons of capspace. And more than likely a decent pick next year. Those factors could swing us an aging star big who actually wants to pair up with the best backcourt in the country.

Also, I wouldn't write off Favors. Yes, Favors will need more time to develop, but his body is that of an NBA star. While I don't think Blatche and Favors would blend well together (as a championship 4/5), I do believe that if we are cleaning house that Favors wouldn't be a bad foundational start. Next year would be a search for identity as we develop our "baby Wiz part three." And we'd likely get another lotto pick. At that point, we'd have as many assets as say the Celtics did to get KG or the baby bulls did when they were in the hunt for the top NBA talent.

I believe if we continue to keep our powder dry with capspace, and continue to develop young talent, we will discover opportunities that today aren't apparent. But, I wouldn't count on the misfits turning on a dime without leadership. I would pack this team with vet leaders, tough/heart players and guys who have been to the show.

In other words. Suck a little while longer. Take your time. Commit to the suck. But suck right until you suck lucky.

Which, I suspect is the route that Ted wants to take. I said 'quickest way'. Improbable or not. A two-way big is the quickest way to get there, even if the selection leaves you with chemistry question marks. You may suck regardless. No biggie. At least you'll suck big and strong.

The Ted way is probably the surest way. And best way to build a foundation. How most other contenders have managed it. He says you commit to the draft, hope you get lucky, while stockpiling young players, talent, then wait for it to develop. All while reaching out to the fanbase to ask them to be patient. You add talent with character, that the fanbase can get behind. Plucky underdogs with heart and good attitude. Then get lucky with a good pick. Improve in the playoffs, and add veteran roleplayers later when you're ready to contend. Sounds like a good plan to me.

This is actually probably the surest way to a championship. To a contender, anyway. You don't get the ring unless you have a true #1 #1 overall. With three exceptions: Detroit when the opposing Finals team had poor chemistry and feuding stars. Celtics, for a one and done, after trading for a disgruntled superstar and desperate veterans. And the Lakers after one of the most lopsided trades ever, and after a few years of struggling with mediocrity, with Kobe as one of those lotto gambles on an unproven talented youngster who had to season and develop a bit.

No question this particulart fan is happy if we win that number one overall. I'm just saying: even with a true number one franchise player, bar none best at his position (maybe Wall, if he keeps developing) it takes a few years. As far as expectations are concerned, the surest money is on patience. A bit of calculated suck. Constant improvement. Then ultimately with a brilliant maneuver by wiz execs to click all the lenses into alignment and focus the laser.

Key thing is to keep it fun regardless. Keep the fanbase interested. As fans, to keep the expectations on simmer and watch the thing develop. Can't expect to dominate, but to improve in surges and waves, and watch for those key highwater marks. One way or the other it should be interesting, we just have to keep our balance as a fanbase, ride the swells, and expect when the big wave comes it's gonna be one hellofa ride. Not this one, not the next one, I see a bigger one out there...

[doclinkin]

[BTW fish. What's an "exepctation" ? Thanx...]

[Benjammin]

[BTW fish. What's an "exepctation" ? Thanx...]

Doc, it's taken a lot of self-control for me not to point that out, so thanks for doing it for me .