Grade the Wizards' Off Season

[payitforward]

We have threads about the 2020 draft, & we have a thread about the FAs we've signed. But, we don't have a thread to assess the off season as a whole.

Do we have a consensus, I wonder -- or is there a large spread of opinion about this off season?

[Dat2U]

It all depends on Avdija. The rest of it was very uninspiring. Grade: C

[Frichuela]

It all depends on Avdija. The rest of it was very uninspiring. Grade: C

Aye aye. This

[tontoz]

The most important moves were drafting Deni and resigning Bertans and I like both. The rest of the moves seemed pretty weak but they are bit players anyway.

IMO the important moves were done well so I will give a B.

[payitforward]

You know, having put up this thread, I just realized that we could think of grading this or any off season in a couple of different ways.

1. What things happened: so, for example, in this case Deni Avdija fell to us. I.e. we got lucky. He was mocked almost entirely at #5 or above, & there are those who think he was the best prospect in the entire draft. Something like that certainly makes for a "good off season."

2. What moves did we make of our own initiative, as it were, that demonstrate an overall strategy, or intention, of our FO. Re-signing Bertans would be an example of that, so if a person likes the move then that would make him think that there are sensible intentions, strategies, plans emerging from our FO.

One intention we had was to get rid of our draft mistake from last year, Admiral. To do that, we traded down from #37. I don't give any credit to anyone for this, b/c it's overshadowed by the brain dead pick last year.

OTOH, another example of getting lucky was the fact that Cassius Winston was still available @ #53. & another piece of smarts on the part of the FO was picking him.

The only other thing we did that I think was worthy of praise was to sign Yoeli Childs. I think he has potential. The problem with that, however, might be that we only gave him an Exhibit 10 contract.

Retaining Pasecniks meant that we had no room on the regular roster for either Mathews or Winston; we gave them our 2way contracts. This meant, in turn, that we had no 2-way contract to give Yoeli Childs.

I'd rather have greater control over Winston & Childs than have Pasecniks. In fact, I'd rather have the 2 of them & Stanley all on our regular roster than have signed Gill & Neto -- tho of course I may learn that I'm wrong about that.

In fact, given the choice between Robin Lopez & Yoeli Childs, I'd take Childs without hesitation: he may or may not work out as an NBA player, add value to our future I mean. But, I know 100% that Robin Lopez won't add value to our future.

How I see it anyway.

[FAH1223]

I’d say it’s a C

Would be a B if they signed a wing like Harkless and a big like Noel for the same money we got Lopez at

I have no problem with the draft. Hopefully Deni learns how to shoot and he’ll end up being a good pick.

[Ruzious]

They've done nothing to address defense. Lopez is not at all an answer there, imo. While I'm not unhappy with the picks, I think a GM has to address such an obvious weakness. It's a C.

[DCZards]

1. Resigning Bertans was a Big Deal…pun intended.

2. High hopes for Deni becoming an above average NBA player and for Winston becoming a quality backup PG.

3. Still need a major upgrade in D and rebounding. The addition of Lopez will help some.

4. Looking for improvement from the key youngins’-- Rui, Bryant, Brown & Bonga…who I assume put in the work prescribed for them by the coaches and FO this offseason.

5. Childs could turn out to be a gamer and a keeper…but, of course, we’ll have to wait and see about that.

C+...a B+ if Deni, Cassius and Childs all eventually turn out to rotation players and contributors.

[NatP4]

Probably a B- because I like the Avdija and Winston picks, and I like the Neto and Gill signings and retaining Bertans and Mathews. The attempt to move on from Wall was something I never thought I would see from this organization, I thought they would be to scared to even try, so I applaud that despite the mess that it turned out to be. I like the fact that they didn’t sign any scrubs to block young players from PT. In the past, there has ALWAYS been some scrub vet that I’m already on here complaining about before the season even starts.

The only thing I didn’t like was the Lopez signing.

[penbeast0]

I didn't mind the talent part of the draft but if we are actually thinking a lineup of Beal, a healthy Wall, and Bryant/Bertrans is going to compete, I think we desperately need someone to play defense at the 4/5. We didn't get that and Lopez/Neto are neither much help in the short term nor any possibility of being rotation players in the long term. IF we aren't going to compete, we needed to look to the future, which we didn't. So I have to give it a C of some kind. C+ if Avdija looks like a legit NBA starter in the next 3 years, C- if he's reserve caliber. Hope I'm wrong but I don't think I am.

[payitforward]

...C+...a B+ if Deni, Cassius and Childs all eventually turn out to rotation players and contributors.

Oh man, you are 1 tough grader, Zards!

If all 3 of those guys turn out as you describe... that's a solid A. & if that 2024 R2 pick we picked up in "hide my Admiral error" trade does too, then it becomes an A+ !!

& that's from someone who's giving our off season a C or C minus right now.

[deneem4]

Wish we would’ve got cousins but I give us a c+/b-

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

How about now?

[smoothSeph]

How about now?

Glad I waited to give my grade. Solid B/B+, potentially A+++ if Wall ends up being a shell of himself.

[NatP4]

All in all, a lot to like for me:

Traded Wall+2023 lottery protected 1st for Westbrook
Drafted Avdija and Winston
Signed Gill and Neto
Retained Bertans at a discount and Mathews

I would change my grade to an A-, with the only disappointment coming from the Lopez signing and giving up a future asset in the Wall deal

[JAR69]

Up to a B.