Wizards Trade for Andre Miller

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

Even though he's getting up there. From what I've watched and seen on video of this Miller is he doesn't rely on quickness or athleticism to be effective. He's looks like he's crafty, savvy, and plays within himself.

[montestewart]

Even though he's getting up there. From what I've watched and seen on video of this Miller is he doesn't rely on quickness or athleticism to be effective. He's looks like he's crafty, savvy, and plays within himself.

That's always been my impression, and he's tough. I don't love trading another pick, but I like the arrival of Miller a whole lot more than I liked the arrival of Maynor.

[truwizfan4evr]

Didn't know we got a second round pick from sixers?

[FAH1223]

I hadn't realized how durable he's been. Has played in 80+ games in every year of his career save the year before last where he played 66. This year don't count he was benched intentionally.

Year before last was the lockout year. It was 66 game season so that's another year he didn't miss a game.

Miller has no qualms being a backup as it'll extend his career. But he was ticked with Shaw because Miller literally never misses games.

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

I hadn't realized how durable he's been. Has played in 80+ games in every year of his career save the year before last where he played 66. This year don't count he was benched intentionally.

Year before last was the lockout year. It was 66 game season so that's another year he didn't miss a game.

Miller has no qualms being a backup as it'll extend his career. But he was ticked with Shaw because Miller literally never misses games.

Your right, didn't catch that, makes it his durability even more impressive. It would also imply (if he missed some games when he was first traded from DEN to PHI or just didn't get to play a whole 82 games because differing schedules) that he's only missed 4 games in 14 seasons because of injury and he's never missed more than two games in a season, that's freaking amazing.

[80sballboy]

Lol @ this EG interview with CSN. "Andre will provide veteran leadership and experience for our young guys in the 2nd unit"

Who the **** is young on the 2nd unit? RICE AND PORTER DON'T EVEN PLAY LOL.

Sounds familiar.

“He [Eric Maynor] will bring stability and experience in that role and add leadership and character off the floor."

Who actually listens to these stupid press conferences...they provide nothing of value at all.

Seraphin and Booker are young. Even Webster and Garrett Temple are just 27. They are all young compared to Miller.

[The Consiglieri]

In a vacuum, this is a good trade that makes the Wizards better today and probably positions them better for short term the future (this offseason).

Zooming out, this trade encapsulates how bad Ernie and his department are at their most basic task -- evaluating talent. Vesely over Leonard and Faried. Maynor at all. Dumping Marshall when he was deposited in our lap. Mistake after mistake after mistake.

While this move was fine on its merits alone it must show Ted beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ernie must go.

Leonsis has never fired a GM. He has fired 8 coaches.

I just don't believe that anymore. Maybe they have pictures or something. It's utterly mind boggling.

[jivelikenice]

The GM has to be evaluated on the everything that he's done. A trade has to be evaluated on its individual merit. As far as Ernie is concerned, this trade represents a slight offset to a huge miss on Jan and a miss on Maynor. As an individual move judged on a stand alone basis, it was a VERY GOOD trade. We traded a negative asset (Maynor)' a non-asset (jan), and one of our two 2nd rd picks in '15 for a very solid backup pg. Miller is an upgrade; he can backup and play alongside Wall, he can initiate his own offense, and can be a spot starter who can stop things from falling apart in case Wall misses a game here or there.

I'd keep him if he shows well. He's due 2 million anyways and it will cost somewhere between 2-4 million on top of that to land a decent 3rd guard. Why not keep him and let him and Néne anchor the second unit. We can make finding a 4 the offseason priority (assuming Gortat stays and Ariza leaves)

2014-2015
Wall/miller
Beal/Miller/GRJr
Otto/Webster
Ed Davis?/Néne/Booker
Gortat/Néne

Solid, although I'd like it much better if we could keep Ariza and move Webster

[WallToWall]

We just got better at the backup PG and backup SG spots. We can dial Beal back to 30 mins/game and give Wall a breather without fear. I can see Miller getting as many as 30 mins/game as a backup, allowing for rest for Wall and Beal! This is a good deal for us.
We got Miller for players who dont deserve 5 mins on the court, and a 2nd rnd pick that our GM thinks is nothing more than used TP (but that belongs in a different thread).
Anyway, this is a win for us!

[omegatronic3]

Of course. Classic EG. Where's the "I give up" smiley?

this is such a classic Ernie move.....making a mad dash for mediocrity by trading big and young for old and small.
Braking all the cardinal rules. Granted Miller is an upgrade at the 2nd unit pg spot but without Veseley we're pretty thin at the 4/5 and not very big. EG screwed up royally with the Veseley pick but he was just starting to be semi productive. Watch Veseley blossom now ...reminds me of Rod Strickland for Rasheed Wallace. If theres an injury to Gortat or Nene who do we have on the bench now??? Booker at 6'7" or Seraphin at 6'9"?

EG is the king of the unimpressive trade and the king of bad draft picks. Fire his ass already.

[jivelikenice]

LOL. This reminds you of Rasheed?! Wow....in the last 14 games Jan has played 23 minutes. We have two guys (Seraphin and Booker) who were ahead of him in the rotation and we have an empty roster spot for a D Leaguer or FA returning from China. Don't get me wrong...I think Jan could develop into a Birdman type role player in the right situation, but that wasn't happening here and he is no loss at his point.

Again, this or frankly any move Ernie makes garners reactions over his whole tenure versus the individual move. This move was necessary because of previous Ernie mistakes but this move on a stand alone basis is good and is a meaningful upgrade, especially with a roster spot open now to potentially acquire a contributor....

[Ruzious]

They got better in back up PG and freed up a roster spot.
They got worst on defense. As rarely as Randy used him. Ves did help with his PnR D, length, pogo stick jumps, tap outs, moving the ball, court speed, steals, and when feed, ally opp dunks.

Now who do you turn to for that. Kevin ? Singleton ? AH ?

Kevin is really going to have to take a step up now. Hopefully he does.

Forget it - there's just no way you can replace Vesely. One man can't do it. Poor Kevin - that's so much pressure on his shoulders - not to mention the big shoes he's got to put on his feets. He's got to resist the temptation to try to play like Ves.

[JonathanJoseph]

LOL. This reminds you of Rasheed?! Wow....in the last 14 games Jan has played 23 minutes. .

That's subject to the survivorship bias. Yes Vesely still had/has upside.

[fishercob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJeUBCeAv1E&sns=em

When do the Wizards ever fake another team out?

Um, HELLO. Barkley thinks we're the third best team in the East.

[montestewart]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJeUBCeAv1E&sns=em

When do the Wizards ever fake another team out?

Um, HELLO. Barkley thinks we're the third best team in the East.

Yeah, but he's so flighty, give him another month, and he'll be all "Wizards are Turrible," and you won't know whether he means turrible-good or turrible-bad. I'd like to see them fool a team and get a win as a result, or at least score a FG and have a Youtube video that I can proudly watch and say, "I was there. Seats cost more this year."

[tontoz]

Vesely is a garbage can. He is not even remotely comparable to Sheed. Ves could improve significantly and still suck. Sheed averaged double figures in his rookie year.

[nate33]

Of course. Classic EG. Where's the "I give up" smiley?

this is such a classic Ernie move.....making a mad dash for mediocrity by trading big and young for old and small.
Braking all the cardinal rules. Granted Miller is an upgrade at the 2nd unit pg spot but without Veseley we're pretty thin at the 4/5 and not very big. EG screwed up royally with the Veseley pick but he was just starting to be semi productive. Watch Veseley blossom now ...reminds me of Rod Strickland for Rasheed Wallace. If theres an injury to Gortat or Nene who do we have on the bench now??? Booker at 6'7" or Seraphin at 6'9"?

EG is the king of the unimpressive trade and the king of bad draft picks. Fire his ass already.

I have absolutely zero regrets about dumping Vesely. He'll be lucky to get a second contract in this league and if he does, it'll be for the vet minimum. He isn't an asset at all.

Overall, the trade was a decent one. My main problem is that it had to be done because of Ernie's ineptitude and because Ted has forced EG into a position where he is compelled (and permitted) to sacrifice the future to win games today.

This whole rebuild has been a tragedy. 5 years of sucking and all we have to show for it is John Wall (acquired through sheer luck), Bradley Beal (who isn't that good yet, and there's no guarantee that he'll be any better than an average SG), Martell Webster, and a capped out payroll of overpaid, declining vets.

Literally ANYONE could have done better than Ernie Grunfeld. If he just used a free draft website like Draft Express, he would have fared much better.

[AFM]

Bill Simmons (12:54 PM EST)
Also breaking: a three-teamer with Jan Vesely going to Denver, Eric Maynor and two second-rounders going to Philly, and Professor Andre Miller, PhD, going to Washington! Trades! TRADES!!!!!!!! Are you excited for the Professor in our nation’s capital?

Zach Lowe (12:55 PM EST)
The Nuggets insist Miller is in shape, and that they would have eventually welcomed him back, since, you know, all their point guards are hurt. But we’ll see. Dre does not have the strongest history of working out diligently outside the team context.

Bill Simmons (12:58 PM EST)
Kudos to the Nuggets — they knew Miller was one of the proudest and surliest veterans in the league, so they crammed him into a playing rotation with three other point guards, yanked his minutes around and involuntarily ended his consecutive games streak. I still can’t believe that didn’t work out.

Zach Lowe (1:01 PM EST)
But the Wizards badly need a backup point guard, and they got a very good one while really giving up only Vesely. The Wiz score about 105 points per 100 possessions with John Wall on the court, and a hair shy of 93 points per 100 when he sits. That last number is miles worse than the worst offense in the league (Philly). And we get a Professor Miller–Nene reunion! Fun times.

Bill Simmons (1:03 PM EST)
Is it wrong that I kinda like Washington’s top eight? Nene, Gortat, Booker, Ariza, Webster, Wall, Beal and Miller. Some major toughness/attitude/moxie in that group — they’d absolutely spend Round 2 woofing it up with Miami or Indiana. Miller fits in with that. He’s not afraid of anyone, obviously. That’s why we love the Professor. Like that move for Washington. RIP, the Vesely era in Chocolate City. Yet another horrible Washington lottery pick. At least we’ll always have this.



Zach Lowe (1:08 PM EST)
Vesely can’t play, but he’s tall and he tries hard, so he might be a workable rotation guy somewhere. Denver is cornering the market on athletic big men with no shooting range. Good on them for finding a third team, Philly, to eat Eric Maynor’s $2.1million player option for next season; the Nugs save a bit of future scratch with this deal. Philly, by the way, is still about as far below the minimum salary floor as they were before the day started. They just don’t appear to care. It will be interesting to see if the NBA ever increases the penalty for going below the floor, provided the Sixers remain this far down. The Wiz were supremely disappointed in Maynor, especially in his defense and overall (in their view) lack of effort. (Miller can’t guard anyone, either.)

Bill Simmons (1:11 PM EST)
I’m supremely disappointed that the Wiz were supremely disappointed in someone who’s never been good.

[tontoz]

Bill Simmons (1:11 PM EST)
I’m supremely disappointed that the Wiz were supremely disappointed in someone who’s never been good.

Seriously wtf did they expect? SMH

[dobrojim]

So wait, Wizards get Andre Miller for a 2nd round pick, and the Pacers get Turner for a 2nd round pick...

Most people seem very happy with EG's trade, but I don't understand. If Washington could have gotten Turner, who'd be a better PG, for a 2nd why Andre Miller?

Turner is

1. not a PG, he's a SF and we already have 2 (or more) decent quality SFs.

2. while perhaps not a bust, a disappointment as a #2 overall pick. I think Dat
described it well, he's ball dominant and ends up taking what are probably a lot
of bad shots. He's good at that, but it's not a 'skill' that helps your team very much.