Wizards trade for Marcin Gortat (Okafor traded) (POLL ADDED)

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I think it was a good move. We've got a center on a super value contract who's good. And that turned out to be a poor draft. It resulted in two post season runs that changed opinions about our franchise.

This conflates two moves. The trade to get Gortat was a 1st round pick for a guy on an expiring contract. It was a rental move because Gortat was an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. After the season, the Wizards used what could have been near-max cap space to re-sign Gortat.

This is before getting into what made the trade "necessary." I have something up at the blog, but the gist is that the Wizards entered that offseason with an obvious need for frontcourt depth. They had the 3rd pick, two 2nd rounders, the MLE, the BAE and Ariza. They drafted Porter, traded the 2nd rounders for Rice, re-signed Webster, signed Maynor and kept Ariza. None of which addressed the glaring need for frontcourt depth -- DESPITE the reality that they'd be relying on two 30+ year old big men with injury histories.

Shock of shocks, one of them got hurt. So they make the trade, and ended up paying a first round pick AND cap space for a guy they could have just pursued in free agency.

The criticism is not about Gortat, of course. He's a good player. Rather, it's about how Grunfeld's squandering of resources increases the cost of player acquisition, and leaves the Wizards in a perpetual state of patch-and-fix rather than add and improve.

Although one would have to think that Gortat would have re-signed with the Suns....

No, the Suns were looking to get rid of Gortat.

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This again...?

The Suns wanted to deal Gortat. He was a UFA and they didn't plan to re-sign him. So, naturally, they were trying to get *something* for what would soon be *nothing.*

Ernie had screwed the Wizards pooch (per TSW above). Hence, in order to acquire a Center, we had to hold our socks. Gortat was making $7m that year. We took his salary and another $7m of junk the Suns never imagined they'd be able to dump so easily. They were dancing and drinking champagne in Phoenix the night of that trade.

Thank heavens, Gortat was and is a good player. But, you can make a bad trade for a good player. That's what we did.

"Brilliant" moves like this are exactly what has us a below average team after six years of rebuilding using a bazillion assets! And I mean way below average. We posted an exactly average record, but we have traded away a bunch of our future to get there, and the day after the season ended we had only 5 players under contract for next year, and that means we have far less real cap room than people imagine.

There's nothing here. And with that nothing we are now supposed to hire an outstanding coach and convince some outstanding FAs to come here. Hope you are ready for the big slide that's coming.

[Kanyewest]

This conflates two moves. The trade to get Gortat was a 1st round pick for a guy on an expiring contract. It was a rental move because Gortat was an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. After the season, the Wizards used what could have been near-max cap space to re-sign Gortat.

This is before getting into what made the trade "necessary." I have something up at the blog, but the gist is that the Wizards entered that offseason with an obvious need for frontcourt depth. They had the 3rd pick, two 2nd rounders, the MLE, the BAE and Ariza. They drafted Porter, traded the 2nd rounders for Rice, re-signed Webster, signed Maynor and kept Ariza. None of which addressed the glaring need for frontcourt depth -- DESPITE the reality that they'd be relying on two 30+ year old big men with injury histories.

Shock of shocks, one of them got hurt. So they make the trade, and ended up paying a first round pick AND cap space for a guy they could have just pursued in free agency.

The criticism is not about Gortat, of course. He's a good player. Rather, it's about how Grunfeld's squandering of resources increases the cost of player acquisition, and leaves the Wizards in a perpetual state of patch-and-fix rather than add and improve.

Although one would have to think that Gortat would have re-signed with the Suns....

No, the Suns were looking to get rid of Gortat.

I'm assuming that that the Suns would have kept Gortat if no other team had offered a first rounder and after the 1st month of the season, it would have been apparent to them that they would not have been in tank mode. The Suns didn't seem like they were in a rush to trade him given that the Wizards only acquired Gortat a few days before the season had started.

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Although one would have to think that Gortat would have re-signed with the Suns....

No, the Suns were looking to get rid of Gortat.

I'm assuming that that the Suns would have kept Gortat if no other team had offered a first rounder and after the 1st month of the season, it would have been apparent to them that they would not have been in tank mode. The Suns didn't seem like they were in a rush to trade him given that the Wizards only acquired Gortat a few days before the season had started.

Well, yes, if you "assume" the conclusion you want, you will reach that conclusion right quick. And if you know what "would have been apparent" in a world different from the actual one that really unfolded, why, yes, you are in a position to judge anything you want to judge.

However, it was widely reported around the league back then that the Suns wanted to move Gortat because they didn't plan to re-sign him. No "assuming," no "would have been", no "didn't seem like" involved.

[Kanyewest]

No, the Suns were looking to get rid of Gortat.

I'm assuming that that the Suns would have kept Gortat if no other team had offered a first rounder and after the 1st month of the season, it would have been apparent to them that they would not have been in tank mode. The Suns didn't seem like they were in a rush to trade him given that the Wizards only acquired Gortat a few days before the season had started.

Well, yes, if you "assume" the conclusion you want, you will reach that conclusion right quick. And if you know what "would have been apparent" in a world different from the actual one that really unfolded, why, yes, you are in a position to judge anything you want to judge.

However, it was widely reported around the league back then that the Suns wanted to move Gortat because they didn't plan to re-sign him. No "assuming," no "would have been", no "didn't seem like" involved.

Agree to disagree. The Suns came into the 2013-14 season projected to be one of the worst teams in the league. However, for most of the season, they actually competed for a Western Conference playoff spot, finishing with 48 wins. Had the Suns held on to Gortat, the Suns may have finished with more than 49 wins and made the playoffs. Given that the Suns were clearly not tanking, if they had moved Gortat it would have probably been for a player that would have helped them win. It also wasn't clear what other teams were willing to move a 1st round pick for Gortat.