Wiz trade Shard and 2nd rounder for Okafor and Ariza

[dandridge 10]

So guys, what happened to Teddy's grand rebuilding plan?

B/W this and the Nene trade, this looks an awful lot like Ernie's ideal way of rebuilding.

this is exactly how the bullets rebuilt in the 80s

1) traded for overage Moses Malone
2) traded over overage gus Williams
3) Traded for over age Dan Roundfield,etc
4) drafted players of need(Kenny Green) than over BPA(Karl Malone)

We had alot of 39-43,42-40 seasons in the 80s. Is this what Ted wants?

I wouldn't call Okafor and Ariza "overage". Okafor is 29 and Ariza is 26. Geez, why does everyone have to throw up these false comparisons to try to show how bad this trade is? Again, I'm not that thrilled either, but let's not paint a picture that its not.

[McGully Culkin]

Also, why are people so certain that NO really wanted to give up the #10? They are in rebuilding mode as well and giving up the 10 (in their position) would be idiotic.

[Illuminaire]

Also, why are people so certain that NO really wanted to give up the #10? They are in rebuilding mode as well and giving up the 10 (in their position) would be idiotic.

Of course they didn't want to. But to clear cap space with overpaid players, that's generally the price, unless you can find a patsy.

Hence our dismay. It's not that difficult of a concept.

[WizarDynasty]

if you don't even have a potential superstar on your team, you are literally stealing hope away from your fans. Not one player on this roster is superstar or has superstar potential in the playoffs including John F***in Wall.
Wall is an out of control slasher who throws up uncoordinated circus shots and can misses uncontested open shots consistently with average vision. Tony Parker was picked in the 20's and looked better in his rookie season than wall ever will. Wall shoots his jumper on the way down.

Seraphin I compare to a worst rebounding horace grant. Decent starter. Can't carry a team.
Nene is already breaking down. He is a low usage player. No chance of being a superstar.
Singleton...LMAO
Booker--6th man bench player.
Crawford---decent---has literally the same upside as Beal and is a better shooter and finisher.

McGee was our hope of having a dominant offensive bigman. he may have sucked defensively but he gave us hope. Superstar bigman with the trade of mcgee and replaced our hope with a broken down low usage but high BBIQ bigman with absolutely no upside left and no hope for improvement.
We have nothing forward to look to as the team fights for 7th seed for the next 10 years. If we don't get a superstar prospect this year to replace McGee I can't wait for everyone to unload on Leonsis for being a fool for following EG flawed plan. AGain, Leonsis got ovec for caps but is trying to build a team around a point guard. You can't build a team around a point guard. A point guard's job is maximize the talent on his team offensive. You always build a team around a superstar front court player unless the guys is freak like michael jordan. Look what happen trying to build around steve nash and Iverson. It never works. a team has to be built around a superstar forward or center position. a superstar is a player that is top 3 at his position. Wall probably isn't even a top ten point guard and never once has a point guard been center piece of a championship. Maybe Isaih Thomas but he has top 3 players at his forward and center positions.

[Dat2U]

Once again this is yet another example of Ernie going all in... for depth, lol.

First time it was Foye & Miller. Now it's Okafor & Ariza.

I don't think the man has a clue of what he's doing unless it's to cover his own ass or assign blame elsewhere for his mistakes.

I'm not that thrilled with the trade either (although I am waiting until after the summer to draw any definitive conclusions), but I don't think this is anything like Foye and Miller. This team is a LOT younger than that team. Foye and Miller were brought in with the false illusion we were a championship contender and to get us over the hump. Okafor and Ariza were brought in simply to make us more competitive and help our young players developed. Totally different situation.

I was making the comparison because it's an all in type move for depth. We didn't give up a top 5 pick but we gave away all our financial flexibility for the next two seasons to add guys who aren't real difference makers.

[VictorPage44]

Worst offense ever?

Wall
MKG
Ariza
Vesely
(Your choice of center here)

MKG is a SF... only.

Ariza is a SF... only.

Ok but it doesnt mean you cant play both at the same time, especially if Wall takes a step forward with his scoring. Okafor and Nene are decent mid range set shooters that will keep their men honest. MKG and Ariza are both very athletic slashers who can find the open man (Ariza 3.3 APG, 1.8:1 Ast-TO Ratio). If Wall can make his man respect the jumper, he will be successful with dribble penetration at will, and will be able to find a cutting MKG or Ariza when their men help or a set Okafor or Nene when their men help. Defensively, they have the potential to dominate.

Since our success is all predicated on Wall taking a step forwards offensively anyway, I see nothing wrong with setting up a team that relies on JWall to score, especially when we get so much better defensively like we'd y drafting MKG and adding him to newly aquired Ariza and Okafor.

[MJG]

Also, why are people so certain that NO really wanted to give up the #10? They are in rebuilding mode as well and giving up the 10 (in their position) would be idiotic.

Of course they didn't want to give up #10. Nobody wants to give up anything. The point is that you make them give up #10, or you don't even consider the deal. You have to pay something to get something, you know?

[dandridge 10]

Once again this is yet another example of Ernie going all in... for depth, lol.

First time it was Foye & Miller. Now it's Okafor & Ariza.

I don't think the man has a clue of what he's doing unless it's to cover his own ass or assign blame elsewhere for his mistakes.

I'm not that thrilled with the trade either (although I am waiting until after the summer to draw any definitive conclusions), but I don't think this is anything like Foye and Miller. This team is a LOT younger than that team. Foye and Miller were brought in with the false illusion we were a championship contender and to get us over the hump. Okafor and Ariza were brought in simply to make us more competitive and help our young players developed. Totally different situation.

I was making the comparison because it's an all in type move for depth. We didn't give up a top 5 pick but we gave away all our financial flexibility for the next two seasons to add guys who aren't real difference makers.

Who did you think the Wizards could get in the next two years that would be real difference makers? Okafor at least provides a need on the rebounding side. People are acting like he is old and sucks. He is only 29. Before he was injured last year, he was averaging a double double.

[manu chao]

hi guys, i am not a wizard fan but i would like to ask you a question.

do you think yr team can achieve something like 38-40 wins in the next season with this trade?
I think you have e reliable paint defense right now and wall just needs some veterans expericence to play with.
the Pf and C position is deep and reliable.

thanks a lot.

[Dat2U]

So guys, what happened to Teddy's grand rebuilding plan?

B/W this and the Nene trade, this looks an awful lot like Ernie's ideal way of rebuilding.

this is exactly how the bullets rebuilt in the 80s

1) traded for overage Moses Malone
2) traded over overage gus Williams
3) Traded for over age Dan Roundfield,etc
4) drafted players of need(Kenny Green) than over BPA(Karl Malone)

We had alot of 39-43,42-40 seasons in the 80s. Is this what Ted wants?

I wouldn't call Okafor and Ariza "overage". Okafor is 29 and Ariza is 26. Geez, why does everyone have to throw up these false comparisons to try to show how bad this trade is? Again, I'm not that thrilled either, but let's not paint a picture that its not.

Well overage may be the wrong turn but there's no doubting that Okafor is on the downside of his career.

And Ariza's play the last few years has been less than awe inspiring.

[dandridge 10]

I will also add that it is not likely that any "difference maker" free agents are going to come here via FA until this team is competitive. Moreover, no one is going to trade a "difference maker" unless they get a 'difference maker" in return. We don't have any of those yet. The only reason to wait and save money would be to hope that someone gives us a good draft pick to take on a bad contract. Even then, its a crapshoot with the draft pick. Not saying EG made the right move...just saying I don't think it is as clear cut horrible move as many make it out to be. It could be....it also could be the right move given the point in our process.

[TGW]

I will also add that it is not likely that any "difference maker" free agents are going to come here via FA until this team is competitive. Moreover, no one is going to trade a "difference maker" unless they get a 'difference maker" in return. We don't have any of those yet. The only reason to wait and save money would be to hope that someone gives us a good draft pick to take on a bad contract. Even then, its a crapshoot with the draft pick. Not saying EG made the right move...just saying I don't think it is as clear cut horrible move as many make it out to be. It could be....it also could be the right move given the point in our process.

That would be infinitely better than this suck-ass trade.

This trade is almost as bad as the 5th pick for Foye and Miller trade.

[Illuminaire]

Who did you think the Wizards could get in the next two years that would be real difference makers? Okafor at least provides a need on the rebounding side. People are acting like he is old and sucks. He is only 29. Before he was injured last year, he was averaging a double double.

It doesn't matter. We blew our entire cap space for marginal upgrades in areas we didn't actually need.

That is never the right answer.

[dandridge 10]

Dat, I wouldn't say that he is on the downside of his career. If his contract was more than 2 years, I would be more worried. However, he has been pretty durable in his career and 30-32 is not old in the NBA by any means, especially for a big guy.

I don't disagree on Ariza, but I still think he is better than anything we got at SF right now.

[queridiculo]

I was making the comparison because it's an all in type move for depth. We didn't give up a top 5 pick but we gave away all our financial flexibility for the next two seasons to add guys who aren't real difference makers.

Who did you think the Wizards could get in the next two years that would be real difference makers? Okafor at least provides a need on the rebounding side. People are acting like he is old and sucks. He is only 29. Before he was injured last year, he was averaging a double double.

I'm still teetering on the edge of slightly disappointed (would have been nice to get that lottery pick) but I'm with you, I'm really not sure who and what all this salary cap flexibility was going to buy us.

For all intends and purposes Washington simply pushed Lewis contract out by a year and managed to add two veteran NBA players in exchange.

For all the bitching and moaning, where are all these instant contender scenarios that we're missing out on now?

[Dat2U]

Who did you think the Wizards could get in the next two years that would be real difference makers? Okafor at least provides a need on the rebounding side. People are acting like he is old and sucks. He is only 29. Before he was injured last year, he was averaging a double double.

He's had back trouble and knee trouble. His explosiveness and athleticism is basically gone. He's still a good rebounder and a respectable defender but right now I'd say he's the 3rd best center on the roster.

And it really doesn't matter what I think we could have done with the cap space. You can't validate a bad move by saying what else could we have done? We could have done nothing and it would have been better. Okafor & Ariza aren't stepping in and winning us 20 more games next season. They'll just eat up cap space and make it tougher for Vesely & Seraphin to develop.

[tontoz]

Ariza's TS% the last 3 years:

49.6%
48.7
48.8

All 3 years are worse than what Wall and Crawford had this past season.

Okafor's PER and TS% were both worse than Seraphin's this year.

Wait till CCJ finds out about this.

[nuposse04]

regarding the playing time thing, we've seen randy actually play the better younger players...Just because we trade for other players I think we should assume he will still play the guy that plays the best.

[Illuminaire]

CCJ may pour himself a drink, light a cigar, and start rooting for the Hornets.

[dcPress]

I wonder what this will do to Wall's assist numbers, lol.

Maybe we should draft Drummond to really solidify the 4/5 spots. I wonder if Varejao is available...

Kind of a dumb move in that it really allows other teams to figure out who we'll be picking at #3, which increases the likelihood of a trade at #2.