Grades at the All Star Break

[dckingsfan]

Your Washington Wizards go into the All-Star break with a 33&21 record and .611 winning percentage.

Your grades for

Ted

Ernie

Witt

John Wall
Andre Miller

Bradley Beal
Rasual Butler
Martell Webster
Garrett Temple

Paul Pierce
Otto Porter Jr.

Nene Hilario
Kris Humphries
Drew Gooden
DeJuan Blair

Marcin Gortat
Kevin Seraphin

[20MexicanosIn1Van]

Please keep the whole season in perspective, not just our recent lull!

[FAH1223]

Ted = C+ (willing to spend, but has idiots in his front office)

Ernie = C- (A horrible GM who puts a competent roster only with old guys, can't draft worth a damn and 2011 is costing us)

Witt = C- (Good defensive coach, horrible rotations, horrible offense)

John Wall = A- (We can only ask he quits taking long twos, drives more, and cuts out turnovers, but he's our MVP)

Andre Miller = C- (Started off good, has tailed off quite a bit)

Bradley Beal = C (disappointing year after the playoff performances, kid takes long twos cause his legs are shot)

Rasual Butler = B- (A surprise, a complete surprise. He's regressed to the mean but again, didn't expect anything from him)

Martell Webster = Incomplete (not a useful player anymore, 2012-13 was an anomaly)

Garrett Temple = C (defensive hustler but can't do much else)

Paul Pierce = A- (The Truth has given us what we hoped, he needs the ball more in clutch situations. Defensive and offensive footwork is still phenomenal and I do give Witt credit for limiting his minutes and keeping him fresh for the playoffs. Need to see lineups with him at PF and Otto at SF to space the floor.)

Otto Porter Jr. = B (Kid can play, needs a lot more minutes. Should not be playing behind Webster at all. He can shoot, he can slash, he can dish and he can get to the line. His handles are better than advertised, his defense is good but he can get better)

Nene Hilario = B+ (He's been healthy for the most part, needs more touches on nights he's efficient. Defensive rock)

Kris Humphries = B+ (Only guy on the roster you're OK with taking long twos as he's efficient. Rebounding machine. He hustles. His defense isn't horrible but he's had lapses especially in weak side pick and roll coverages.)

Drew Gooden = D- (The spark from last year may be arising again, never came across a shot he didn't like. Defense is bad.)

DeJuan Blair - Incomplete (He probably doesn't take enough long twos in practice to get in the rotation. Not a good defender, a beast on the boards though.)

Marcin Gortat = B- (He should be playing in 4th quarters more often. He's basically the same player by the numbers as last year but he's had more downs than ups this season. Needs more P&R touches. Wittman either sits him the whole 4th or brings him back with 2 mins left. Horrible management of a $60 million investment)

Kevin Seraphin = C (The eye test says he's gotten better passing out of double teams, and rebounding, and blocking some shots but this kid is still a black hole and a turnover waiting to happen. Loves every look at the basket, his hook shot is money, the scouting report is accurate on him. Teams double and get turnovers off him. Foul prone. Not worth offering a new contract to unless its $2 million a season.)

[nate33]

I'm grading these guys relative to my expectations. For example, Gortat has been more disappointing to me this year than Temple and he therefore gets a lower grade. That doesn't mean I think Temple is a better player than Gortat. Here goes:

Ted: - Don't really know how to give him a mid-season grade. He's willing to pay a team salary up to the luxtax limit, so a C, I guess.

Ernie: B+ He had his best offseason since acquiring Arenas by filling the voids left by the departing Ariza and Booker without crimping our long term cap flexibility. The Wizards are relevant now. That's a big improvement. I still want him gone based on his overall track record, but if we're just looking at the first half of this season, you gotta give EG some major credit.

Wittman: D The team still defends so he deserves credit for that, but I think he's doing a real bad job at maximizing the talents of the players. He has Beal shooting midrange shots and Pierce shooting just 3's, when in fact their roles should be reversed. He rarely gets Gortat into pick and rolls. He never plays Pierce at the 4. He lets Humphries shoot from 21 feet but not from 23 feet. Gortat doesn't play in the 4th quarter. Overall, his offense is mired in the 1980's mindset with nothing but post-ups and midrange jumpers. Teams who actually have spacing, like Atlanta and San Antonio, look like they're playing a different sport. I'll say that Wittman is doing a pretty good job of not wearing out his old players. He deserves some credit for that long term perspective.

John Wall: A+ I couldn't ask anything more from Wall. He has exceeded my expectations this year in almost all respects. He's a basketball genius who sees the play develop way before everyone else. If he continues to develop skills as his athleticism declines, he could have HOF-caliber career a la Jason Kidd. He's that good. Yeah, he's lousy at last-second shots, but I blame that on Wittman for putting him in that spot. Man, I would love to see Wall run a modern offense with 3 floor spacers out there with him.

Andre Miller: D He looked really good for a while, but he is visibly aging as the season wears on. He can't guard anybody and he can't force the defense to get out of position, so he doesn't help his teammates at all.

Bradley Beal: D Has shown no improvement at all over last year. He's a dreadful midrange shooter who shoots a ton of midrange shots.

Rasual Butler: A+ Relative to expectations, he is perhaps the second-greatest surprise in the league behind Whiteside. He's a legit 7th man on a good team and we got him off the junk heap.

Martell Webster: F He has been worse than awful this year.

Garrett Temple: C+ Has pretty much been what I expected as our 13th man emergency utility player. He had a couple of surprisingly good games early in the season while replacing Beal; that earned him the +.

Paul Pierce: B He has been better than I expected and apparently a real leader in the locker room. I'd give him a B+ if he played more minutes. (I get the feeling that he could play more minutes but Wittman is wisely conserving him.)

Otto Porter Jr.: C+ Has shown steady improvement and he's generally a "plus player" in that he only adds to the table without taking much off the table. The issue is that he doesn't really add that much. I can't help but think that he deserves a few more minutes though.

Nene Hilario: B+ I'm really pleased with Nene this year. He has only missed 8 games, and of the 46 he has played, he's looked healthy and spry in at least 35 of them. Last year, he was a shadow of himself in about half the games he played. He has easily been our 2nd best player. He shuts down nearly every good big man we face.

Kris Humphries: B+ A real nice find by EG. He's a very good rebounder, a solid midrange shooter, and a better-than-expected defender.

Drew Gooden: F He has been useless this year.

DeJuan Blair: F He has been useless this year.

Marcin Gortat: C- He hasn't been as good as last year at both ends of the floor.

Kevin Seraphin: C+ He has improved slightly in nearly all facets of the game including: scoring, rebounding, foul rate, shooting efficiency, and most notably, passing. However, he never gets to the line and has had a minor uptick in his already high turnover rate. The team is horrific with him on the floor. I'm not sure how much he is to blame, but he surely bears some of the blame.

[TGW]

I would tend to agree with Nate. Maybe give Wall an A- instead of an A+ and I would knock Grunfeld down from a B+ to a C+, essentially because the acquisition of Butler and Humphries are offset but the terrible resigning (IMHO) of Gortat to too much damn money.

I'd also give Beal a B-/C+. He's been ok but nothing special.

[Dat2U]

Ernie Grunfeld (C-) John Wall is saving his 'you know what'. Rasual pickup was pure stroke of luck. Gortat deal doesn't look great so far. 3rd picks, Beal & Porter have yet to have a major impact (outside of Beal's play in 11 playoff games). Has built an old school team surrounding his superstar where the pieces don't necessarily fit comfortably.

Randy Wittman (D) Solid defensive teacher...but a trainwreck offensively in terms of using the outdated system of a long-since fired coach, play-calling, game management, encouragment of inefficient shots and tendency to play favorites with his lineups. Wizards are not making significant improvement offensively without a change in coaching philosophy.

John Wall (A-) We finally have our star. Statistically could take much bigger jump in future in different system.
Paul Pierce (B) As good as could be asked from a 37 yr old part timer who probably is better off at PF nowadays.
Nene (B) Rock solid this season, a bit of bounce back from last year. Elite defender, touch matchup for many.
Bradley Beal (C) Marginal improvement...leap won't come until health/offensive system are both ideal.
Marcin Gortat (C-) Blame goes to Witt for offensive struggles but not displaying same energy as last year.
Otto Porter (C+) Needs to be more aggressive and develop confidence but huge leap from last year.
Kris Humphries (C) Is what he is. Good counting stats but low impact big.
Garrett Temple (C+) Maximizing his potential as a defender. Wretched offensive player.
Andre Miller (D) Apparently he's gone past his expiration date.
Drew Gooden (C-) Is what he is. Will have moments of offensive success but kills you defensively.
Kevin Seraphin (D+) Improvements don't offset continued issues around his entire game.
Rasual Butler (B) Played out of his mind early on...regression to the mean has been painful.
Martell Webster (Incomplete - injured) Has looked terrible in limited minutes.
DeJuan Blair (Incomplete - hasn't played enough - DNP-CD) Not enough PT to draw an opinion.

[queridiculo]

Pretty much what Dat2U said, but I'd add Leonsis with a failing grade.

Failure to even interview other head coaching candidates along with bringing back Grunfeld was a misstep that's set the franchise back considerably in my book.

[sashae]

Can we give Wittman an F-------? Guy has the imagination of Mr. Potato Head.

[deneem4]

wall) b- the best passing point guard in the potential to become a scorer by attacking and getting to the line hasnt been doing so, and has honestly limited the team by not being a respectable every night, can improve by increasing fta and fga...our only option that can create for himself at an elite level, has to do it more often

beal) d- has underperformed in every category except 3pt % and hasnt taken enough to be an elite threat

pierce) b+ came in to do exactly what hes doing, his performance relies alot on our backcourt considering hes best in iso post at this age, the team isnt really taking advantage of it...but he is

nene) b had some early season struggles but has been our most consistent guy offensively and defensively.

gortat) d- has been horrible lately, hasnt been finishing at the rim or been an above average rim protector

miller) d didnt expect much but hes underperformed even those expectations

butler) b- started off hot and fizzle down but hes been doing exactly what he was brought in to do

porter) b has shown good potential, especially defensively, has good iq jus need more chances with the starters

humpries) b- met expectations plays with energy off the bench probably our most consistent bench guy

seraphin) b- definitely had so good games and bad but his success is relative to the other guys considering his iq and potential would like to see him wall more,

temple) c plays like garret temple amd temple is a c player at best

blair - cant make conclusion hasbt put in enough work
webster) f nice contract bad play needs to be bought out or traded immediately

gooden) b- doesnt expect much appreciates what he brings when given the chance hasnt overwhelmed though

wittman) d- still hasn't made the best use of this roster

erine/ted) d- has turned a young team to an old treadmill team for the next 2 yrs hopefully durant signs or this franchise will be back in the lottery soon

[miller31time]

This is for only the 2014-2015 season...

Ernie - B (pieced together a pretty good team for a decent price that leaves options open for Durant; signed two valuable rotation players in Humphries and Butler)

Witt - C (seems to command the respect of the team which is good / offense leaves a lot to be desired. Average grade for an average coach...and that might be generous)

John Wall - A (has been carrying the team all year)
Andre Miller - C (for his age is fairly productive until lately - should be relegated to a 3rd string pg that is brought in during favorable matchups at this point)

Bradley Beal - D (hasn't progressed since rookie year. Still holding out hope he makes a Klay Thompson-esque rise next year)
Rasual Butler - B+ (a great find who played out of his mind most of the first half of the year. Has since come down to earth which is the reason he doesn't get an A)
Martell Webster - F (looks done)
Garrett Temple - C (shouldn't be asked to do what he's been forced to do for this team. It's not his fault he isn't very good)

Paul Pierce - B+ (great find for cheap money. Excellent leadership which goes beyond dollars and cents. If he could play more minutes, he'd get an A but that's not fair to expect at this point in his career)
Otto Porter Jr. - C+ (has shown flashes of great play. Hasn't been given much of an opportunity. Hopeful for the future though)

Nene Hilario - B+ (second best player on the team this year and without a substantial injury...yet)
Kris Humphries - A (incredible value for the contract. A staple off the bench and a seemingly good guy too)
Drew Gooden - C+ (as a last resort big man, we could do worse)
DeJuan Blair - F (a big disappointment both in performance and attitude. I know he hasn't been given much of a chance but he's been given enough chances to show what he can do and simple hasn't done anything)

Marcin Gortat - B (has played, on average, about as well as can be reasonably expected)
Kevin Seraphin - C+ (hasn't embarrassed himself out there which is a nice change of pace. But not nearly as good as the media would make you believe)

[J-Ves]

Ernie - C put together a solid team, but there are too many holes on the bench. We really need a guard that can score, hopefully he can find one before the trade deadline
Witt + rest of the coaching staff - C+ Hes managed to keep Walls minutes in check and preaches defense. On the downside I dont like how hes used Beal this year and his unwillingness to play PP at the 4.

John Wall - A+++ The only great player on the roster, without him the Wiz have 10 wins. In the past I was lukewarm on the potential of Wall becoming a true superstar, but now I believe he has it in him to be at the level of Paul, Westbrook, and Curry in time.

Andre Miller - C hes struggled recently, but on the year hes been solid on offense. Defensively he has been poor.

Bradley Beal - F yeah hes only 21 but his play has been a major disappointment. His defense intensity has come and gone, and his offense has not progressed since his rookie year. Hes been injured twice this season only adding to his injury prone reputation.
Rasual Butler - A hes been a scrub his whole career, but has been great with the Wiz.
Martell Webster - F I've been a Webster fan in the past, but I don't think hes a quality NBAer anymore.
Garrett Temple - B I love the defense, and when hes hitting 3s he can be a useful player.

Paul Pierce - A- Hes been much better than I thought he would. Still has stuff left in the tank, hopefully he gets more PT as stretch 4 in the second half.
Otto Porter Jr. - C+ I like what I see in general, but he can be way too passive at times. Shoot the ball Otto!

Nene Hilario - A- a healthy Nene is a major problem for the opponent. His defense has been exelent all year.
Kris Humphries - A Hump has limitations, but is a big upgrade over Booker from last year. Love the toughness.
Drew Gooden - D- can stretch the floor, but his poor defense makes it hard to play him. Hes this years Harrington.
DeJuan Blair - D- hasn't played enough, but from what I've seen he good for a hard screen and not much else.

Marcin Gortat - C Has been a slight disappointment, but gets the job done on defense.
Kevin Seraphin - C If he could cut the TOs he'd be a real solid player. Unfortunately,the TO problem has never been worse.

[W. Unseld]

An "F" for Beal--really? I'm glad you guys aren't in charge of performance reviews where I work.

[daSwami]

This team has exceeded my expectations in almost every way so this season. But had I composed this the real stand-outs for me have been Humphries, Butler, Wall and EG.

[ozthegandp]

You guys are way to hard on gortat mostly because most of you have a memory span that doesnt last more than a month or so. In the first third of the season it was hard to pick between him and wall for player of the game most games. Hes just in a slump. And alot of that is because randy is trying to force him to play different from the way he plays. Players go into slumps it doesnt mean he is now a horrible player. Jeez.

[80sballboy]

Witt-C- (Solid D coach, offensive is based on ball movement, too reliant on Wall at end of games. Should rely more on Pierce, lack of bench has hurt him as he stretches players too long). And yes, he doesn't use Pierce at the 4 unless Nene is hurt or some team goes really small. He's a disciple of Bob Knight.

Grunfeld -C+ (didn't draft a player, signed Pierce, picked up Butler, Hump, Did ok, Gortat signing looks bad but Ariza sucks in Houston so. Also Webster signing is killing the team. Miller and Gooden look done. Team went from too young and now they are too slow and old).
Ted-D (not sure how you grade him)

Wall-A-. Would be A+ if he finished games better. Not just talking about Toronto. Also struggles defensively against below-average point guards. But love his drive and his competitiveness. People forget he had to play with guys like McGee, Crawford, Blatche and Swaggy P. Guys not really serious about winning and more about stats. John wants to win more than anybody and that's a great thing. Love that he wants a player who can create off the bench.

Beal-B-. Sure a disappointment coming off great postseason. I think the wrist injury to start the season slowed him down probably in the weight room and his shot. He's still the future at 21 but this team cannot go far without a healthy and productive Beal). He's the absolute key. He's not emotional but neither was Ray Allen. Maybe if Ray wanted to come here, Brad would benefit from his little tricks of the trade. Still shooting about 44% from beyond the arc. Inside the arc, well.....

Pierce C+: Have to say I've been disappointed some in his offense. But his numbers are almost exactly the same as last year except he's shooting a little better from three-point range but a little worse from the free throw line (78% not, 82% last year.)

Nene B+ . He's our best interior defender. Would like to see him abuse more power forwards down low. There's only a handful of guys that really defend him but he's Nene. He'll float out to the foul line and shoot jumpers. And his 61 percent from the line and 5.1 rebounds probably should make him a little lower.

Gortat C+. Polish Machine would have better numbers if he was playing at the end of games. He's shooting better from the foul line and FG% if fine, but something is missing on both sides of the floor. Defense is pretty good. Wished he was a little more physical at times and plays too soft on both ends.

Porter -B-. My expectations were not high this year so I'm basing his grade on the fact that he did nothing last year. Sure, he had a great summer league. Vesely had a pretty good SL one year. His ballhandling needs work, he's still underweight and his three-point shooting is not there. But his defense should keep him on the floor over Webster.

Butler -B+. Never expected Rasual Butler to be our best shooter off the bench. That's not saying much about Porter and Webster. He's slowed down as expected and his defense is erratic but no serviceable. I'd like to see him make a pass now and then.

Webster F. Sorry. I've seen enough to realize that his best move is the "let me flop on the three-point show and hope I get 3 foul shots".

Hump B+. Love his hustle. Disagree with others. Rebounding is a skill. His mid-range jumper has been there most of the way. He has terrible post moves and not a great defender but that's why he's a backup. But you know what? We missed him the other night against Toronto. He slowed down in February and maybe he's playing too many minutes as he's finishing games a lot for whatever reason.

Miller - D-. He's throws a great lob pass from halfcourt. Hmm, what else does he do well. He can post up some small guys. He's so ineffective that the two-guard has to set up the offense when he's on the floor. Defense is actually not bad as long as the player he's defending doesn't try to put the ball and drive around him.

Gooden D+. I thought I saw last year's Drew Gooden in the Toronto game. He was making long jumpers and tipping in rebounds or at least attempt to. But he's such a defensive detriment that Witt can't play him for long stretches (just like Toronto).

Blair-incomplete-He never plays and when he does, it's usually garbage time. He sets a mean screen and rebounds. But let's not make him into a complete player. He's not the difference between 5 more wins.

Seraphin -B- Most polarizing player on the team. I started out as a fan and now have mixed feelings because I know he's improved. Let's not forget that he averaged 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds two years ago but shot just 46% from the floor. He's shooting 53% from the floor because he's taking better shots. He's actually passing the ball and not just shooting it every time he touches the ball. But he doesn't rebound (3.8) and his defense is sometimes there and usually not. I'll give him credit for keeping his body in shape. I just wonder if he's really serious about the game. Do you want to be a mediocre-to-good backup big man or do you want to be a quality starter? If he ever figured out that if he rebounded and defended better, he could be a starter at some point.

Temple B-. I like Garrett Temple's defense. And his jumper is sadly better than Webster's. He's shooting 38% from three-point range. Did anybody know that?

[dangermouse]

Ted not really sure. solid B-? i dont know how to grade him really.

Ernie also not sure since not much has happened. i'll probably revisit after the trade deadline. signing Butler was fantastic. getting Hump has proven to be fantastic, same with Pierce. i guess i give him a B- for now with room to make it an A if he solves our PG woes by the trade deadline.

Witt sorry Witt. you started out pretty good but so far youre riding the D. our offense is terrible and our defense seems to have gotten worse (just what my eyes tell me). you don't seem to be getting the most out of some guys. Ted's grade will rise if our coaching situation is seen to, but I doubt he shakes things up here. it's all on Witt.

John Wall at times he carries us. he still makes plays where you just think "wtf you doing?" he has clearly worked on finishing around the rim, and ive noticed he has been a bit more aggressive trying to get there. i feel like, with every game, Wall is moments away from busting out into true MVP contender status. leading the league in assists, his turnovers havent been too bad, and he is taking on the scoring load at times when other guys seem to be slacking. I give him a B+, I know he has the ability to do better so i cant reward him with an A.
Andre Miller unlike Wall, with every game i think Andre is moments away from retiring. he looked good early in the year, a solid backup option for us. not so much anymore. old legs and all those game plays catching up? he went from a B early in the year down to a C-.

Bradley Beal is it a nagging injury? whats going on with Beal? the previous year's stellar young student is now sitting at the back of the class and drifting off mid-lesson, rarely putting his hand up to answer a question. does he need a slightly longer break to find himself? Bradley, apply yourself! D+.
Rasual Butler old knees but still splashing threes. still throwing down 'oops. has been solid all year. A+
Martell Webster too rusty, too many minutes in games we should have won, but thats on Witt. can't grade because work is incomplete. F until further notice.
Garrett Temple i dont have as much hate for Garrett as some. i think considering our back court issues he does a decent job when called upon. he can hit that three and plays decent defense. C+ because he is too inconsistent.

Paul Pierce dude is old, but he still explodes from time to time. he brings heart to this team. for his contribution on the court and off, i gotta give him at least a B+
Otto Porter Jr. needs minutes. C+ because he doesnt play as well off the bench in reduced minutes as he does when he starts games to fill in for Beal.

Nene Hilario has started to beast. I give him a B, he is working hard lately.
Kris Humphries also a B. we needed rebounding and he brings it. his pick and pop game is solid. his mid range shot has looked silky smooth. more touches for him would be good.
Drew Gooden eh. i dont know... D? the fact he is on the court at all is telling of how bad our bench is.
DeJuan Blair who? not his fault though. i'd like to see him take minutes from Seraphin and Gooden. I give him an A just for that screen that nearly sent Brian Roberts to emergency.

Marcin Gortat the polish hammer has not been himself. more of a polish remover, in that he seems to be completely removed from the player he was last year, or even earlier in the year. maybe in the all star break his dad will tell him to get physical, spar with him in the ring or something. too soft and whines to the refs almost every possession. D-.
Kevin Seraphin there are times i absolutely hate this guy on the floor. and then he has a good game and surprises me, nay, fools me into thinking he could be a good player. he lost some chub and is a lot bouncier, and seems to be putting it to use on both ends of the floor from time to time. C- with a lot of room for improvement, it will probably happen at another school though after this year.

[Higga]

Ernie Grunfeld (C-) John Wall is saving his 'you know what'. Rasual pickup was pure stroke of luck. Gortat deal doesn't look great so far. 3rd picks, Beal & Porter have yet to have a major impact (outside of Beal's play in 11 playoff games). Has built an old school team surrounding his superstar where the pieces don't necessarily fit comfortably.

Randy Wittman (D) Solid defensive teacher...but a trainwreck offensively in terms of using the outdated system of a long-since fired coach, play-calling, game management, encouragment of inefficient shots and tendency to play favorites with his lineups. Wizards are not making significant improvement offensively without a change in coaching philosophy.

John Wall (A-) We finally have our star. Statistically could take much bigger jump in future in different system.
Paul Pierce (B) As good as could be asked from a 37 yr old part timer who probably is better off at PF nowadays.
Nene (B) Rock solid this season, a bit of bounce back from last year. Elite defender, touch matchup for many.
Bradley Beal (C) Marginal improvement...leap won't come until health/offensive system are both ideal.
Marcin Gortat (C-) Blame goes to Witt for offensive struggles but not displaying same energy as last year.
Otto Porter (C+) Needs to be more aggressive and develop confidence but huge leap from last year.
Kris Humphries (C) Is what he is. Good counting stats but low impact big.
Garrett Temple (C+) Maximizing his potential as a defender. Wretched offensive player.
Andre Miller (D) Apparently he's gone past his expiration date.
Drew Gooden (C-) Is what he is. Will have moments of offensive success but kills you defensively.
Kevin Seraphin (D+) Improvements don't offset continued issues around his entire game.
Rasual Butler (B) Played out of his mind early on...regression to the mean has been painful.
Martell Webster (Incomplete - injured) Has looked terrible in limited minutes.
DeJuan Blair (Incomplete - hasn't played enough - DNP-CD) Not enough PT to draw an opinion.

Agree with this for the most part although I'd grade Humphries and Seraphin a bit higher. They've been mostly pretty decent I think.

No minus for Wall. A for me if not A+.

[dckingsfan]

A
Wall - he is absolutely carrying this team. No Wall, no playoffs.

A-
Temple, Butler - these were supposed to be filler, end of the bench guys. But both have helped secure wins at crucial parts of the season. For a pair that eats up a total of $2,429,574 combined, they are a terrific value.

Nene - really consistent and has played the 5th most minutes on the team, defense has been really solid. At this point in his career, we should be very happy.

B+
Pierce - he has done everything an MLE should be asked, if it wasn't for the slow start and trouble staying with the quicker wings he would move up with Nene

Humphries - has been very solid and consistent, agree with FAH, he is a rebounding machine, something this team desperately needs.

B

Ted - Last year of paying Blatche, seems like he has Grunfeld on a shorter leash. Financially, he has taken us right to the luxury cap line - can't really ask for anything more than that. The marketing and sales engines seem to be working - attendance is up. So, sales and marketing up, financial house in order, no to silly EG deals. Bringing in a better than average GM would move him into the A range for me.

C+
Porter - nice jump from his rookie season. Has had his ups and downs, kind of like a rookie. Can't wait to see him next year.

Wittman - winning percentage is better this year than last with Beal not breaking out, wouldn't have guessed that. Defensive and offensive ratings have improved year over year. But there have been the in-game coaching brainfarts that have cost us a game or two.

C
Grunfeld - For every Pierce and Humphries there is the Webster and Seraphin. For every hole filled he left another one open (backup PG and rim protector).

Gortat - Good parts of the season and then the most recent games. I am with Nate, he has regressed at both ends of the court. I give him a C because he has made himself a good target for Wall in the P&R.

C-
Seraphin - some progress, but $4M is way to much for this guy. Dat has it right, improvements don't off-set the entirety of his game.

Miller - I shouldn't expect more at this point in his career, but I still do. Seraphin and Miller are the core of the second unit and that hasn't been a good thing. If he was the third PG, brought in during "special times" that fit his skills it would be fine. I put this one on Grunfeld.

Beal - has really not progressed in a meaningful way this season. He has impacted some games but not as many as he should. Still hopeful he breaks out next season.

D
Webster - admittedly, this probably isn't fair since he is just returning from injury and he hasn't had enough time on the court to know, but... this is a defensive oriented team and he can't guard anyone at this point.

Inc.
Gooden, Blair - just not enough minutes to know. Both are just insurance policies.

F
Rice - will the young man eventually wake up?

[Dark Faze]

Wall - A: Improving his FG% as much as he has along with his assist numbers is magnificent. Room for improvement still, but he's doing everything.

Beal - D: Despite his high ceiling given his age, I'm super disappointed by the fact that he hasn't gotten better at any aspect of basketball this year.

Pierce - B: He's been better than expected defensively and about what you'd expect offensively at this point in his career. I'm pleased with his enthusiasm and effort.

Nene - C+: Our best defender. A huge part of the team. He's pretty consistent in regards to what he gives us and given his contract I'm relatively pleased with his production.

Gortat - C-: As average as average can get with an above average salary. The worst contract on this team right now.

Miller - D+: Its getting harder and harder to tell what he does well. He's not a creator...he doesn't put guys in easy positions to score. He's at least efficient himself, but not reliable whatsoever offensively. Defensively he's mediocre to bad.

Butler - B+: He's giving us everything he's got.

Temple - B: Good defensively and an improved shot. He's solid for an end of bench guy. Bad for a rotation bench guy.

Webster - F: Terrible.

Porter - C-: He's playing too soft on offense. Absolutely has to find a way to make an impact on that end. Very good at basically everything else, but if he doesn't help on offense then he's a bust.

Hump - B: His defense is atrocious on some nights, otherwise he's been very good.

Seraphin - F: He's still not any good. He's a black hole on offense still and hasn't improved his game at all. Efficiency has gone up a bit, but for as long as he's been in the league it hasn't gone up enough to really be worthwhile. He hasn't even tried to develop a face up game despite losing weight and being very explosive and having confidence in his jumpshot. He's just so awfully flawed mentally and he's absolutely in the Blatche, McGee, Nick Young mold we all hate.

Blair - F: He isn't anywhere near the relentless player I've seen him as on other squads. Without that pitbull attack mentality he's not an NBA player.

[dckingsfan]

Butler - B+: He's giving us everything he's got.

Temple - B: Good defensively and an improved shot. He's solid for an end of bench guy. Bad for a rotation bench guy.

Agreed here - we really dodged a bullet this season with their timely great play. First Temple then Butler. The question is if they can continue to rescue us as we move forward in the season. They kind of seem to have lost their magic...