What do you guys think about Chuck defending the Wizards?

[Brenice]

I think Barkley has the same opinion Wall has that a lot of fans have, that the Wiz are the 3rd best team in the east...if they stop underachieving. I feel the same way and don't think it matters which seed thy get between 3 - 6, they should win a first round series if healthy. The thonking is Jersey is too old. They obviousely lose first round if they have 7 - 8 seed.

[Nivek]

I think nate is mostly right. Barkley is basically projecting what the Wizards could be IF Wall and Beal realize their potential. And, I'd agree — IF Wall plays at an elite level; IF Beal suddenly starts playing a great all-around game...and so on...then the Wizards would be better and could well take the 3rd seed. Especially in a conference this weak.

[fishercob]

It scares me.

I think it sets the stage for the "the Wizards should be better than their record" meme that amounts to scapegoating the coach. And if that narrative exists with any strength in the national media, Ernie is going to use it to keep his job.

The fact of the matter is that while I like Chuck and appreciate the dap towards John and Brad, he's not paying very close attention. The Wizards are what we thought they were and Ernie is the one who should be held accountable.

[Brenice]

It scares me.

I think it sets the stage for the "the Wizards should be better than their record" meme that amounts to scapegoating the coach. And if that narrative exists with and strength in the national media, Ernie is going to use it to keep his job.

The fact of the matter is that while I like Chuck and appreciate the dap towards John and Brad, he's not paying very close attention. The Wizards are what we thought they were and Ernie is the one who should be held accountable.

Just because people think the wiz are the 3rd best team in the east don't mean they think the east us strong and they are close to Miami and Indy. Everybody in the East is who we thought they were except New York and New Jersey who were overrated.

[tontoz]

He obviously doesn't watch the games. I don't see why he would either.

[Kanyewest]

Barkely really liked Beal before the draft and still does. He thought that Beal was the 2nd best player in the draft. While the stats haven't really bared it out yet, he thinks that Beal can become an elite shooting guard.

On the plus side Beal is young he's only 20(for comparison sake- Lillard is 23), while he does take a lot of mid range jumpers due to our bad offense even that jumper should improve with time like John Wall has, and he's already one of the better 3 point shooters out there.

[nate33]

It scares me.

I think it sets the stage for the "the Wizards should be better than their record" meme that amounts to scapegoating the coach. And if that narrative exists with any strength in the national media, Ernie is going to use it to keep his job.

The fact of the matter is that while I like Chuck and appreciate the dap towards John and Brad, he's not paying very close attention. The Wizards are what we thought they were and Ernie is the one who should be held accountable.

I'm still not too worried about this. I just don't think it's possible for yet another coach to get sacked without EG going down with him.

At this point, EG and Wittman are a package deal. I don't see one of them going without the other. We may well have both of them back again next year, but it won't be EG plus a different coach.

[stevemcqueen1]

I liked it more when we had Nene and Gasol

only if its marc not pau.

Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using RealGM Forums mobile app

Whats wrong with Pau???

He's gotten old and is massively overpaid.

[dobrojim]

I think there is a lot to like about this team. In general, I think they play the game "the right way". The play hard defense, they have an unselfish star running the show, they have a couple of smart big men, and Webster and Ariza are nearly perfect as prototypical role playing 3&D forwards. You get the sense that when the Wizards play well, they can truly dominate in most facets of the game. By comparison, the good Arenas-led teams of the past seemed to only win based on red hot perimeter shooting. You never felt that the team WAS good, only that they PLAYED good on given nights.

Don't get me wrong. The team is definitely flawed. The main issue is that Wall and Beal haven't reached their prime yet, and when they do, Nene and Gasol will be on their downside. But if, for argument's sake, Nene and Gasol were 28 and 27 respectively, we would all feel pretty good about this team going forward.

was there a trade I missed or was that a freudian slip. (Gasol/Gortat)

Much to agree with here. There is a lot to like about the team. But still some
clear flaws that need to be addressed. Wall deserves the props moreso than Beal
at this point. That said, I'm far from off the Beal bandwagon. He's 20. Presumably
he'll be pretty good when he reaches Wall's level of experience in the league.

[dobrojim]

I think nate is mostly right. Barkley is basically projecting what the Wizards could be IF Wall and Beal realize their potential. And, I'd agree — IF Wall plays at an elite level; IF Beal suddenly starts playing a great all-around game...and so on...then the Wizards would be better and could well take the 3rd seed. Especially in a conference this weak.

The thing about it is that they are not that far from being there now. I have no idea where
they'll finish. Could be 3rd, could be out of the playoffs. But even a slight improvement
would put them in solid position to be as good as 3rd. Clearly also depends on what
improvements the rest of east manage to make.

[dobrojim]

I think Barkley has the same opinion Wall has that a lot of fans have, that the Wiz are the 3rd best team in the east...if they stop underachieving. I feel the same way and don't think it matters which seed thy get between 3 - 6, they Could win a first round series if healthy. The thonking is Jersey is too old. They obviousely lose first round if they have 7 - 8 seed.

fixed. They could as in might be able to win a playoff series not against IND/MIA.
But they could just as easily lose to any EC team.

[dobrojim]

It scares me.

I think it sets the stage for the "the Wizards should be better than their record" meme that amounts to scapegoating the coach. And if that narrative exists with any strength in the national media, Ernie is going to use it to keep his job.

The fact of the matter is that while I like Chuck and appreciate the dap towards John and Brad, he's not paying very close attention. The Wizards are what we thought they were and Ernie is the one who should be held accountable.

I'm still not too worried about this. I just don't think it's possible for yet another coach to get sacked without EG going down with him.

At this point, EG and Wittman are a package deal. I don't see one of them going without the other. We may well have both of them back again next year, but it won't be EG plus a different coach.

I think that's right. And I would go even further and say that maximal success this
year (winning a playoff series) might work against the 2 incumbents as much as
for them. Imagine a playoff series vs CHI (not a likely 2nd rnd matchup)
who without Rose I don't think is really better than we are. But as much as
I respect Randy and think he's much better than his career record, he's not as
good as Thibs. Also the lack of depth might be that much more apparent in a
playoff series which exposes EG particularly for the 2 yr Maynor signing and the
way he rushed to do it on the first day of FA.

[Higga]

Chuck knows what he's talking about, so if he's excited about the Wizards then that makes me more excited.

I remember when Javale was in the dunk contest and all Chuck would say is "too bad he's on the Wizards so nobody watches him play" or something along those lines.

We are close to being legit good. Close, but not there yet. And Chuck sees it.

[Brenice]

I think Barkley has the same opinion Wall has that a lot of fans have, that the Wiz are the 3rd best team in the east...if they stop underachieving. I feel the same way and don't think it matters which seed thy get between 3 - 6, they Could win a first round series if healthy. The thonking is Jersey is too old. They obviousely lose first round if they have 7 - 8 seed.

fixed. They could as in might be able to win a playoff series not against IND/MIA.
But they could just as easily lose to any EC team.

It didn't need fixing.

That's why I said SHOULD win instead of WOULD win. SHOULD as being favored in a series. SHOULD also could result in SHOULD HAVE.

COULD more aligns with being the underdog in a first round series as in they COULD win a game against Miami.

[dobrojim]

Even if they are a higher seed, I still wouldn't go as far as saying they should
win a playoff series. Hopefully they'll make it, play well and win a round.
But I still wouldn't say should.

[Brenice]

Even if they are a higher seed, I still wouldn't go as far as saying they should
win a playoff series. Hopefully they'll make it, play well and win a round.
But I still wouldn't say should.

Throwing out Indy and Miami, who SHOULD be favored over the wizards in a series?

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Even if they are a higher seed, I still wouldn't go as far as saying they should
win a playoff series. Hopefully they'll make it, play well and win a round.
But I still wouldn't say should.

Throwing out Indy and Miami, who SHOULD be favored over the wizards in a series?

If the Wiz are tied or up a game on a series... Everyone.

If the Wiz are down one in a series.... No one

[DCZards]

I have no problem with a HOF player with a national audience giving props to the Zards. And the Chuckster is right on target when he says that Wall-Beal have the potential to someday be the NBA's best backcourt.

[Gilfanatic123]

I would agree with most of the fans here. The Wizards are being overrated and underrated at the same time. We are being overrated by casual fans and underrated by hard core fans. Chuck might have a point as to how the Wizards have the potential to be the 3rd best team in the east... but... I don't think we're quite there yet. But we're better than we think.

[Dat2U]

Even if they are a higher seed, I still wouldn't go as far as saying they should
win a playoff series. Hopefully they'll make it, play well and win a round.
But I still wouldn't say should.

Throwing out Indy and Miami, who SHOULD be favored over the wizards in a series?

Toronto if they don't trade Lowry or Amir Johnson.

Brooklyn if Deron Williams is healthy. They are actually better at C with Garnett than they would have been with Lopez. Garnett is still a rock solid low post defender.

Atlanta is a pick'em to me. We have better talent but I'd give a significant edge in coaching to Atlanta and our bigs would have trouble matching up with their bigs on the perimeter. We should win, but it wouldn't shock me if Atlanta did.

Chicago scares me because of three things. I'd expect Noah to run circles around Gortat and Wall can't really guard smallish, quick PGs like Augustin. And the difference in coaching acumen is night and day. Washington has far more talent but Chicago is better prepared, more experienced and lives off mistake prone teams.

I'd feel confident about facing either NY, Charlotte or Cleveland. NY doesn't have the low post defense. Charlotte is just as green as we would be with less talent and Cleveland is still a mess of situation that I don't quite trust to work itself out.