Wiz trade Shard and 2nd rounder for Okafor and Ariza-Part II

[dobrojim]

look on the bright side, at least we didn't deal a couple of young prospects
and Gawd knows what else for Andrew Do-I-really-feel-like-playing Bynum.

Philly was a solid playoff team last year. Now they're garbage and have to
decide if Bynum is worth either what he wants or what some other fool will
pay him.

[hands11]

It was Walls day against MEM but Okafor was

OAKATRON tonight.

Dude was a beast.

No Nene. No Trevor A or Webster. Okafor stepped up.

31 minutes 9-15 FG, 3-4 FT, 9 rebounds, 21 pts.



When the season is over and we look back, it should be interesting to evaluate this trade. So far, it is looking like it really helped this team to transition into a new culture and winning.

I don't think they would be winning with McGee as the starting center and Chris Singleton or Ves as the starting SF. Though if Wall keeps playing like this, he might be able to win a game with a Tuna sandwich out there with him.

[closg00]

Just saw the tweet that both Ariza and Okafor will opt to stay next year, confirmed now.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Wow, then it looks like this trade worked out for the absolute BEST. Either or both can be traded as expiring next season. They know in good faith the Wizards won't trade them anywhere except some place they want to be. Those contracts can be very powerful trading chips.

Or, either or both guys can ball at their best to get a new contract with either the Wizards or a highest bidder. Like Webster this season, they can play so well that they earn a good deal from the Wizards.

What them both opting in says to me is both guys are happy to be here and they can see this thing turning around next season. Wall has superstar potential. Beal could be an all star some day and he has a charisma about him even before age 20. The draft pick almost HAS TO be able to help.

The Okariza deal set back some young guys the Wizards drafted in past drafts. However, I think it has worked out far, far better than we had hope to expect. Okafor has had a fine season and Ariza has shown signs of being at his best, too. Both guys are good NBA role players. Both are very solid citizens and good mentors. Ariza has not been selfish. He's been a real good perimeter defender and he's busted tail, particularly against teams like the Knicks and Lakers, who gave up on him. I am shocked after he was almost traded to LAC that he wants to stay. (I hope to heck the Wizards don't trade him for Caron at this point).

Good news, closg00. They are valuable to the Wizards and them not opting out is JUST THE OPPOSITE of what happened with Mike Miller and Randy Foye. I know Foye and Miller expired and were free to go, but the Wizards invested in them and got nada in return. They're going to get returns of some form from both Ariza and Okafor. What is good is both players seem to be turning it around, just like Wall and the rest of the team.

[jivelikenice]

CCJ- Would you deal him for Butler & a 1st? I wouldn't unless a big like Withey is on the board w/ the Clipps pick. I'm just a little worried they'll revisit this in the offseason.

[tontoz]

Ariza is shooting roughly 40% from 3 since Feb 1 and is having a career year from 3 overall which certainly helps. This team badly needed 3 point shooting from the 3 spot.

Okafor's TS% of 50% is 43rd among centers. He just can't make jumpers or foul shots. On the season he is shooting 36.7% on shots outside 10 feet (almost all of which are wide open) and 57% from the line. He would be more valuable on a team that didn't need him to score as much.

[DCZards]

I too wish Okafor was a better scorer, but he does provide much-needed rebounding, toughness and interior D.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ- Would you deal [Ariza} for Butler & a 1st? I wouldn't unless a big like Withey is on the board w/ the Clipps pick. I'm just a little worried they'll revisit this in the offseason.

[dlts20]

CCJ- Would you deal [Ariza} for Butler & a 1st? I wouldn't unless a big like Withey is on the board w/ the Clipps pick. I'm just a little worried they'll revisit this in the offseason.

oh hell NO. At this point I think Ariza is the better player if they both play to there potential and on D its not even close

[nate33]

CCJ- Would you deal him for Butler & a 1st? I wouldn't unless a big like Withey is on the board w/ the Clipps pick. I'm just a little worried they'll revisit this in the offseason.

I'd trade him for Butler and a top 15 pick. I wouldn't trade him for Butler and the Clippers pick. Ariza is younger, better, and a better fit.

[jivelikenice]

^Kind og agree with you Nate. Ariza is just a better and younger player than Butler right now. Like I said, if someone good slips on draft day to their slot I may re-consider, but I think you can do better than Butler.

Okafor's contract has value, but I just don't see how you can move him w/ nene being an injury risk and Seraphin regressing. That means Ariza is the one who's likeliest to go, especially if Martell gets the full MLE. If we do land a 4/5 in the lottery, I'd try to move Ariza + Seraphin for the best offer out there.

[blazinskillz]

I never really had a problem with this trade tbh.

[FAH1223]

This trade started with Gilbert Arenas extension in 2008 for 6 seasons.

We had Gilbert for two of those seasons of which he only played the first couple months of 2009-10 before gun gate and then a bit in 2010-2011 when he was traded for Rashard.

We have Rashard for that season and last.

4 seasons.

5th season it turns into Ariza and Okafor... and now the 6th season will also feature them unless we trade them over the summer. Which I doubt will happen as Ernie is so predictable. He will stand pat and try to trade our draft pick before trading these veterans.

[hands11]

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/22 ... th-Wizards

Nothing is done yet but it is a signal of some sort.

We still may see either or both get extended though. Wizards can pay them another year and average it over two to bring their next year cost down if they need some cash for FA. They are clearly a more attractive place to land next year then they were this year or the year before or the year before.

Just depends on what we draft on how they want to play it.

Better options are finally starting to open up for this team.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

test

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

oh hell NO. At this point I think Ariza is the better player if they both play to there potential and on D its not even close

Ariza is way better than Caron IMO.

Ariza expires and this deal returns a player who could turn out to be way better than Butler or Ariza. I have a lot of players in mind who I am very confident in. The deal proposed by jivelikenice is a 2-for-1, no-brainer deal IMO.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ- Would you deal him for Butler & a 1st? I wouldn't unless a big like Withey is on the board w/ the Clipps pick. I'm just a little worried they'll revisit this in the offseason.

I'd trade him for Butler and a top 15 pick. I wouldn't trade him for Butler and the Clippers pick. Ariza is younger, better, and a better fit.

Why top-15, nate?

Nivek, back on page 98 or so on the last draft thread put some prospects I like through YODA and almost every one of them rated 1st round, as high as CJ McCollum. I strongly believe EVERY ONE OF THEM will go after 15. At least 3 but likely 5 players I like will be available at pick 30.

http://www.nbadraft.net/2013mock_draft

Right now, the Clippers are at #25.

nbadraft.net has Dieng, Withey, Wolters, Crabbe, Isaiah Austin, Isaiah Canaan, Mike Muscala, Pierre Jackson, Ryan Kelly, Ray McCallum, and Seth Curry AFTER pick #25.

(They don't even rate STUDS Zeke Marshall, D. J. Stephens, and a player I like Colton Iverson--they'll be UFAs, the first two borderline LOTTERY TALENT).

nate, I feel really confident that that would be a good deal. To each his own if you and others disagree. I really like Ariza a lot but from a long-term stand point IF DOUG MCDERMOTT IS ON THE BOARD HE"S THE NEXT FARIED at 25.

I tried to tell people about Faried for about a year and a half before he was drafted far too late. The draft is NOT THAT COMPLICATED. If I charged a lot of money and got paid like Kevin Pelton and called myself and insider, then folks would think I had a clue. I'm not as sharp on statistical inferences and I might be a bit of a nut, but all those dudes from Jon G at draft express, and Joe T, and probably that Kevin, too, know I'm generally pretty knowledgeable.

I'm no Ed Wieland or Arturo Galleti but I probably have some strengths even they would realize. No more false humility. I think I know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Off of me -- I know I added a few more haters. Supposed to let others recognize, lest you're hated, but I'm accustomed to that ...


Okafor likes it on the Wizards because guys get along. Says he's enjoyed himself immensely.

CREDIT TO TED AND EG FOR GETTING GOOD DUDES, SOLID PROS. I knocked anything and everything Ernie did and have called him and Ted all kinds of losers in many ways. I didn't like their approach. However, they have created a new culture and a place that's getting a good reputation. They reinvigorated and rejuvenated both Okafor and Ariza. They sent Crawford to a team that will go to the playoffs. They brought back Mack. They are doing some things that show a lot more humanity and a lot more class by insisting on classy people. Garrett Temple is a really good guy. So is AJ Price. When the losses piled up there wasn't any of the old stuff. I don't think folks drank more liquor, went to lap dances, gambled and argued, or brought guns. Maybe the reaction was knee-jerk and not the quick-wins way; BUT THEY PLAYED HARD all year and guys like each other.

Okafor and Ariza are the guys who after their contracts are up will be paving the way for the cream of FAs if they don't fight to prove worthy of new deals.

Ted and EG appear to have done right and I think I was myopic and hypercritical of their moves. (But I did say if a perfect storm of things go right that Okariza deal could pay off. It HAS.)

[DCZards]

Props to you CCJ for being such a straight shooter. When the Okafor-Ariza trade went down you were clear and honest about why you thought it was a bad trade. Now that the trade has turned out to be a real positive for our Zards you are just as clear and honest about acknowledging that the trade has made the Zards a better team---both on and off the floor.

[montestewart]

When the losses piled up there wasn't any of the old stuff. I don't think folks drank more liquor, went to lap dances, gambled and argued, or brought guns.

You mean on the team, or over at my house?