Webster re-ups for 4 years/22 million dollars

[Kanyewest]

I think we might have just added too much depth. Multiyear deals given to Maynor, Webster, drafting Porter all really crowds the rotation. Individuals they may be mediocre-good deals but we still have no viable long term frontcourt option. Worse yet, nobody is good enough to swap for any real talent except for our past 3 top-5 picks: Wall, Beal, Porter.

The depth actually could allow the Wizards to move one of their top 5 picks of value for a franchise big. For instance something like Porter + Fillers + a pick(s) could be an enticing package. Not sure who the Wizards would target and who would be readily available.

[AFM]

Porter I think will prove to be the wrong pick. Webster is more than adequate as a SF. Really should have gotten a big. I'd rather have Webster and Noel than Porter with Webster and Ariza trying to get minutes behind him.

[Kanyewest]

Contrast what EG is doing with Morey. Morey gets production from cheap players. When it comes time to pay them he either trades them or lets them go. Then he finds a cheap replacement.

Keeping role players well fed shouldn't be the goal of a GM. EG certainly is good at it though.

Morey also gave Jeremy Lin 3 years/25 million and he gave Trevor Ariza his current contract. On the plus side he did get Asik for a bargain.

[GhostsOfGil]

to piggy back on pancakes, there are no real strong options in free agency next year when the Wiz project to have a ton of cap space. everyone worth a hill of beans is restricted. the front court issues looks bleak.

And on top of that, we have done nothing to bolster our front court for this upcoming season. A big chunk of our success relies on an injury prone front court with no depth.

[Kanyewest]

I'll be curious to see how much of that 4th year is guaranteed. The armchair GM in me is a little disappointed at the contract -- about $1M more than I wanted to pay a year. That said, if what we got last year from Mart3ll is what we get for the life of the contract, the deal will prove to be a bargain.

The fan in me (and I do long for the start of the season so I can just be a fan) is thrilled. I love this guy. He's a heart and soul guy, a team first guy; i really believe he plays for the name on the front of the jersey, lives for his teammates, cares about the fans, etc. I can see him taking Phil Chenier's job one day. He's one of my favorite players and I will enjoy rooting for him.

Yup this is where I am.

[2Mas]

I'll throw you Bass & a 2nd rounder for Ariza?

Sure up the front court rotation better. A great 3rd big, but can fill the start role if needed. Only 1 year more than Ariza & saves you guys from Lux tax.

Wall-Maynor
Beal-Rice
Porter-Webster
Nene-Bass
Okafor-Seraphin

[WizardsWorld]

I like it. Its about the money I was expecting him to get. Now we just look for a deal where we trade Ariza and/or Vesley/Singleton for a big and we're good to go.

[tontoz]

Contrast what EG is doing with Morey. Morey gets production from cheap players. When it comes time to pay them he either trades them or lets them go. Then he finds a cheap replacement.

Keeping role players well fed shouldn't be the goal of a GM. EG certainly is good at it though.

Morey also gave Jeremy Lin 3 years/25 million and he gave Trevor Ariza his current contract. On the plus side he did get Asik for a bargain.

I don't think that had much to do with winning games. I think it had to do with maintaining their asian fanbase with Yao gone.

From Morey's Wiki page.

Morey graduated from Highland High School in Medina, Ohio[2] before receiving a bachelor’s degree in computer science with an emphasis on statistics from Northwestern University,[3] as well as an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Shouldn't be a surprise that he stands out among NBA GMs.

[DCZards]

Contrast what EG is doing with Morey. Morey gets production from cheap players. When it comes time to pay them he either trades them or lets them go. Then he finds a cheap replacement.

Keeping role players well fed shouldn't be the goal of a GM. EG certainly is good at it though.

Morey also gave Jeremy Lin 3 years/25 million and he gave Trevor Ariza his current contract. On the plus side he did get Asik for a bargain.

I don't think that had much to do with winning games. I think it had to do with maintaining their asian fanbase with Yao gone.

Well, if it is true that Morey overpaid Lin to keep the Asian fanbase...that was kind of dumb, imo, especially since he's now trying to trade Lin to have enough cap space to sign Dwight.

[DCsOwn]

to piggy back on pancakes, there are no real strong options in free agency next year when the Wiz project to have a ton of cap space. everyone worth a hill of beans is restricted. the front court issues looks bleak.

And on top of that, we have done nothing to bolster our front court for this upcoming season. A big chunk of our success relies on an injury prone front court with no depth.

I'm guessing the plan as it pertains to the front court is to see if any of the kids develop in addition to extracting quality production from Nene and Okafor (the gamble was trading for Nene in the first place, that inevitably put us in a position where we have to depend on him given his contract). Taken individually, none of them are completely talentless, even Vesely (he's athletically gifted with a high motor and a solid IQ), they just all have an outstanding flaw in their games. They are young though, and I'm sure the front office hopes that at least one or two of them burnishes their blotch and develops into a useful rotation player.

In terms of acquiring a big down the line, people are forgetting that you can offer futures for players as well. A combination of picks added to an expiring contract might be enticing enough for a quality big. It's not impossible to imagine a kid like Seraphin rehabbing his perceived value with a solid season either, and if he did (or Booker did or Singelton did), they might be decent additives as well.

[sfam]

Clearly EG has looked into his crystal ball and saw that Wall, Nene and Okafor aren't planning on getting hurt this year, so there is no reason to find backups at their positions.

Playoffs here we come!

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 4m
The Wizards never fail to disappoint from a July comedy standpoint.

I was a fan of this team in 1973, when they were just coming from Baltimore and were known as the Capital Bullets. I've suffered as all other long suffering fans have through years of Abe and Wes. I long for those days because there never was any hope and I guess I didn't care as much then.

This guy Grunfeld is a hack of the worst kind. Ted Leonsis is an owner I am sorry bought this franchise. The two of them if not dumb and dumber are certainly dull and duller.

[tontoz]

[Well, if it is true that Morey overpaid Lin to keep the Asian fanbase...that was kind of dumb, imo, especially since he's now trying to trade Lin to have enough cap space to sign Dwight.

They waived Delfino/Brooks and traded TRob. They already have the capspace to sign Howard.

The Houston Rockets are finally ready for their Dwight Howard pitch.

In a move that gives the Rockets the necessary salary cap space to offer the free agent big man a maximum salary contract in their meeting that is expected to take place Sunday night, they agreed to send forward Thomas Robinson to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for two second-round draft picks and the rights to Kostas Papanikolau and Marko Todorovic, two people with knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... s/2478065/

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Contrast what EG is doing with Morey. Morey gets production from cheap players. When it comes time to pay them he either trades them or lets them go. Then he finds a cheap replacement.

Keeping role players well fed shouldn't be the goal of a GM. EG certainly is good at it though.

At least EG consistently disappoints in this manner. He consistently makes the same mistakes again and again.

[sfam]

Bill Simmons ‏@BillSimmons 4m
The Wizards never fail to disappoint from a July comedy standpoint.

I was a fan of this team in 1973, when they were just coming from Baltimore and were known as the Capital Bullets. I've suffered as all other long suffering fans have through years of Abe and Wes. I long for those days because there never was any hope and I guess I didn't care as much then.

This guy Grunfeld is a hack of the worst kind. Ted Leonsis is an owner I am sorry bought this franchise. The two of them if not dumb and dumber are certainly dull and duller.

Being a Bullets/Wizards fan is all about dealing with bouts of sharp, extreme bursts of anger. Here I am on the job working very hard not to throw my metal water bottle at the wall and screaming obscenities at EG for his latest contract fiasco. Just what we want - to be a national joke among sportswriters for overbidding ourselves! Unfortunately I don't work at the Verizon center, so its probably a better career move if I resist the tantrum on the job...Rum and coke is in my near future...

But then again, I've only been a fan since '77.

[dandridge 10]

I'll be curious to see how much of that 4th year is guaranteed. The armchair GM in me is a little disappointed at the contract -- about $1M more than I wanted to pay a year. That said, if what we got last year from Mart3ll is what we get for the life of the contract, the deal will prove to be a bargain.

The fan in me (and I do long for the start of the season so I can just be a fan) is thrilled. I love this guy. He's a heart and soul guy, a team first guy; i really believe he plays for the name on the front of the jersey, lives for his teammates, cares about the fans, etc. I can see him taking Phil Chenier's job one day. He's one of my favorite players and I will enjoy rooting for him.

This is where I am at too. I think EG overpaid once again, but I'm glad Martell is back. He was one of my favorite players last year.

Also, I think its premature to worry about cap space and frontcourt help. Ariza + at least one of Ernie's kids will likely be traded for frontcourt help. Okafor comes off the books this summer or can be traded. If Martell plays as well as he did last year, he will also be tradeable. Heck, Porter or Beal could eventually be traded. There are always options...not that I trust EG in making them. As always, I am willing to reserve judgment and see how things pan out before freaking out and claiming the sky is falling. People claimed the sky was falling last year because of the Okariza trade. Although it started out pretty bad, both players were able to contribute nicely when Wall came back and both are trade assets or expirings now.

[fishercob]

Deal looks a little better considering Budinger just got 3/$16M.

[truwizfan4evr]

Loved this moment http://www.gophoto.it/view.php?i=http:/ ... UVAnBx4IWw

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

I'm with you CCJ... obviously, I feel your sufferin'.

None of these moves in a vacuum is terrible... the issue is that there isn't any vision. It is all reactive.

If EG can pull off a consolidation trade or two to get a couple of serviceable, decent contract veterans, then things can be salvaged (I liked the Ariza for Bass scenario, for example). However, nothing in Grunfail's history suggests he is capable of pulling something off. On top of that, other than the obvious three (Wall, Beal and Porter), Ernesto's draft picks have been straight garbage... worthless as trade pieces.

I'm really torn. I can't bring myself to root for Wizard's losses... however, I'm quite sure that even mediocrity will earn the bum an extension. Imagine what a great young GM and a hungry coach like Joerger could do with this franchise -- this core, this fanbase, this market.

[No-Man]

Webster is way better than Budinger when both of them are healthy.

So yeah, it looks better.

If Ernie is able to deal Ariza for a Center, it'd be fine.

He's not trading Vesely and Singleton, we know that.