Otto Porter

[The Consiglieri]

I remember wanting Zeller. I remember most definitely not wanting the dude the cavs picked. I was of the opinion that otto was a "safe pick" and thought maybe by now he would have worked his way into the rotation, at the very least.

Right now I wish we picked Zeller for all the same reasons as back then. He's as good an athlete as vesely and ten times the basketball player already.

Still holding out hope that I am proven wrong

I was a Bennett Booster, and was most down on Porter and Zeller. After Zeller tore it up in workouts, I raised his profile from an outside the top 10 guy to an inside the top 6-8 guy, right with Porter (I think I had Zeller around 7 or 8 by the end, and Porter at 6 or 7).

Bennett was my guy until Noel fell to us, and then it was a total no brainer.

Bennett has turned it around to some degree, but Cody has improved even more, and is genuinely contributing quite a bit these days.

We definitely got the worst of the options among those four possibilities, even Bennett, w/his horrific start, is playing far better than Porter (he's getting on the floor, for instance).

[The Consiglieri]

I could see Zeller rotting away on the bench if he was on the Wizards. It may have to do more with the coach (9 man rotations) than with Porter.

Exactly, folks shouldn't get it twisted. Remember how bad Zeller looked early on? Witt likely wouldn't have been giving consistent minutes to Zeller for him to develop, much like what has occurred with Porter.

Same goes for Len, he would have been glued to the bench. Why would Witt play him when he can play Al Harrington at C? Plus the Phoenix medical staff spent months getting Len to the point where he could physically play. Not sure he'd be a good health risk with our staff.

These issues, combined with Porter missing all of training camp, part of Vegas, and the preseason, and his work habits are the only things left to hang my hat on in terms of him turning it around. They are ample issues, genuine issues and could completely be camouflaging the type of player he will turn out to be. I actually am more inclined to believe that angle to this story, then the one that argues he's a flat out bust. However, right now, all we have to go on, is what he's [not] done on the court, and the hope that these issues are the core reason for his rookie failures, rather than actual lack of talent and ability at this level.

[jivelikenice]

What he's not done though has been a result of playing time and being at a position of depth. I'm actually encouraged now. He seems to be doing work behind the scenes and looks far from overwhelmed in the few minutes he's getting. He also seems to be adapting to the NBA 3 pt line. Most of all hearing guys like Gortat and Wittman reference him as a part of the future unsolicited give me some reassurance as to what he's showing them in practice/workouts/etc...

[Kanyewest]

Porter's 9 points in 5 minutes (of garbage time)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6INNjWtLU5k&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

[Dark Faze]

His length lets him operate really comfortably everywhere on the court...its unfortunate we didnt get a chance to throw him to the sharks this year the way we did Beal.

[tontoz]

Porter's 9 points in 5 minutes (of garbage time)

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6INNjWtLU5k&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]

That floating jumper in the lane is the type of shot we hardly ever see from the other guys. Very difficult shot to defend, especially from someone with length.

[Wizardspride]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wiz ... ontribute/

Wizards’ Otto Porter Jr. hears chants, gets rare chance to contribute


“He’s going to play,” Wittman said. “Otto has been great. It has been a tough year in terms of playing time. Otto is going to be fine. I am excited about what Otto is going to be in this league. The opportunity with being hurt early and not playing for the first 20 games and not stepping on the floor was a lot for him. We had good play with guys ahead of him, but I love what I’m going to be able to do in coaching this kid. He’s going to be a player in this league.”

[dobrojim]

He's going to play exactly when is what I wonder. From Wittman's perspective, he might be
right although I wonder what plugging OP into Booker's spot (TA would be the 4) would do
to this team right now (or retrospectively 1-2 months ago).

All this is nice to hear but one also should consider what else was Witt going to say but
something exactly like this.

[tontoz]

He's going to play exactly when is what I wonder. From Wittman's perspective, he might be
right although I wonder what plugging OP into Booker's spot (TA would be the 4) would do
to this team right now (or retrospectively 1-2 months ago).

All this is nice to hear but one also should consider what else was Witt going to say but
something exactly like this.

Summer league

[fishercob]

He's going to play exactly when is what I wonder. From Wittman's perspective, he might be
right although I wonder what plugging OP into Booker's spot (TA would be the 4) would do
to this team right now (or retrospectively 1-2 months ago).

All this is nice to hear but one also should consider what else was Witt going to say but
something exactly like this.

I actually wonder if they're going to let Ariza walk. I can see them with the following attitude:

"We believe in Otto and that long term (but not too long term) he's going to be as good or better than Ariza is now. While we may take a short term production hit by going from Ariza-Webster to Webster-Otto (or perhaps Otto-Webster), we'll get more production from other areas of the roster such that, in the short term, things will net out equally. "

The counter to that from the "asset management" side of thinking is that if Ariza wasn't in the long term plan, we should have traded him. I think management would counter that by saying that making the playoffs was an important incremental step and whatever longterm return we would have gotten for Ariza wouldn't have been worth the short term hit the team would take.

If Otto is a stud, letting Ariza walk will turn out to be a fine strategy. If he's not, it will look ugly.

I would be surprised if we went into next season with all 3 SF's on the roster. I'd be shocked if all 3 are here after next season's trade deadline.

[leswizards]

The counter to that from the "asset management" side of thinking is that if Ariza wasn't in the long term plan, we should have traded him. I think management would counter that by saying that making the playoffs was an important incremental step and whatever longterm return we would have gotten for Ariza wouldn't have been worth the short term hit the team would take.

It shouldn't have been either or. First, at the trade deadline it should have been clear to everyone in the front office that the Wizards would make the playoffs this season regardless of whether Ariza was on the roster or not. Second, in trading Ariza, the Wizards should have gotten something to strengthen them elsewhere (ie, at PF). The Wizards could have had it all from an asset management perspective, but the team is cursed with a dimwit for a GM.

[fishercob]

The counter to that from the "asset management" side of thinking is that if Ariza wasn't in the long term plan, we should have traded him. I think management would counter that by saying that making the playoffs was an important incremental step and whatever longterm return we would have gotten for Ariza wouldn't have been worth the short term hit the team would take.

It shouldn't have been either or. First, at the trade deadline it should have been clear to everyone in the front office that the Wizards would make the playoffs this season regardless of whether Ariza was on the roster or not. Second, in trading Ariza, the Wizards should have gotten something to strengthen them elsewhere (ie, at PF). The Wizards could have had it all from an asset management perspective, but the team is cursed with a dimwit for a GM.

I find it very unlikely that Ariza, an expiring contract, could have brought back any meaningful long-term asset AND that the Wizards wouldn't have taken an appreciable short term step back. We'd likely have been looking at a quick first round series with Indy or more likely Miami; the prospect of a winnable first round series would probably have been off the table.

[Upper Decker]

This probably means little, but I found it interesting. Porter has yet to score double digits in an NBA game during his rookie season. I went through the rookie year log of various high draft picks who contributed little as rookies and noted Thabeet scored in double digits 3 times as a rookie, Kwame had a surprising number of 10+ games, however, Darko is the only high draft pick I identified who did not have 1 single game with 10+ points as a rookie. Darko + Porter!!!

[stevemcqueen1]

I would be surprised if we went into next season with all 3 SF's on the roster. I'd be shocked if all 3 are here after next season's trade deadline.

The easiest move IMO is to let Ariza walk. His contract makes the decision for you. Then use the money you save to try and sign Patrick Patterson. Take a risk on Otto, we drafted him to be a starter after all. If he's not ready to start, we're insulated by being able to start Webster. It's a good risk. And I actually like a Nene, Gortat, Patterson, Gooden front court.

[dobrojim]

I'm not sure we make the playoffs if we had dealt TA sometime earlier this season.

[nate33]

I don't think Otto's lack of playing time can be blamed on the presence of Ariza. We don't need to jettison Ariza to make room for Porter. There are enough minutes to go around - particularly with Webster's gimpy back. What we need to do is stop playing Harrington so much, and we should never play Singleton. Also, have Ariza play more minutes at PF.

If we play Webster 14 minutes at SG and 12 minutes at SF; and if we play Ariza 14 minutes at PF and 20 minutes at SF, that leaves a minimum of 16 minutes a game at SF for Porter even when everyone is healthy. Porter would get even more minutes during garbage time, foul trouble, or injuries. He should be able to average 20 minutes a game easy.

Honestly, if we resign Ariza and pay him $7-9M a year, I'd insist that he put on about 10 pounds of muscle and prepare for even more minutes at PF. This team is really good when he plays stretch four.

[dobrojim]

which is the site where they tell you what lineups OP has played in?

It's my seat of the pants recollection that OP has actually played at the 2
as much as anywhere else in the scant minutes he's gotten this year. Maybe
that's questionable if he's playing with Webster. Mgmt has never said we wanna
make him a 2, but that's where he also played in SL.

But I like your thoughts Nate. Otto oughta be able to get 15-20 mpg even
in a scenario where we still have TA.

[Zonkerbl]

which is the site where they tell you what lineups OP has played in?

It's my seat of the pants recollection that OP has actually played at the 2
as much as anywhere else in the scant minutes he's gotten this year. Maybe
that's questionable if he's playing with Webster. Mgmt has never said we wanna
make him a 2, but that's where he also played in SL.

But I like your thoughts Nate. Otto oughta be able to get 15-20 mpg even
in a scenario where we still have TA.

http://www.82games.com/1314/13WAS8.HTM

He's played 38 of 169 minutes at the 2.

[leswizards]

I find it very unlikely that Ariza, an expiring contract, could have brought back any meaningful long-term asset AND that the Wizards wouldn't have taken an appreciable short term step back. We'd likely have been looking at a quick first round series with Indy or more likely Miami; the prospect of a winnable first round series would probably have been off the table.

Why not take back a short term asset back. Ariza is a short term asset who is blocking the path of a long term asset. If the Wizards could have gotten a short term asset that helped them in another area, and opened the path for Porter, like I said they could have had it all.

[Sluggerface]

I don't think Otto's lack of playing time can be blamed on the presence of Ariza. We don't need to jettison Ariza to make room for Porter. There are enough minutes to go around - particularly with Webster's gimpy back. What we need to do is stop playing Harrington so much, and we should never play Singleton. Also, have Ariza play more minutes at PF.

If we play Webster 14 minutes at SG and 12 minutes at SF; and if we play Ariza 14 minutes at PF and 20 minutes at SF, that leaves a minimum of 16 minutes a game at SF for Porter even when everyone is healthy. Porter would get even more minutes during garbage time, foul trouble, or injuries. He should be able to average 20 minutes a game easy.

Honestly, if we resign Ariza and pay him $7-9M a year, I'd insist that he put on about 10 pounds of muscle and prepare for even more minutes at PF. This team is really good when he plays stretch four.

Honestly I think the simplest solution here is to just trade Webster.