Wizards 2019 Offseason Thread

[Illmatic12]

No - Middleton - who lost a step from a hamstring injury that required surgery. Agreed on Beal.

Oh ok. Yeah, Middleton weirdly still has a defensive reputation dating back to pre-hamstring tear.
He's actually been a liability for the Bucks if anything.. Budenholzer benched him earlier in the year.

Yup. It'll be interesting to see what he gets this off-season in free agency. He and Giannis have a strong bond after a rough couple of years - Midds used to abuse him in practice - they'd have wars day after day, and that might have been a big part of Giannis' motivation to keep getting better. I guess you could compare the younger Middleton to Jimmy Butler - as far as how he treated his teammates - he was the bleephole who demanded everyone play his arse off. Even now, he plays with a permanent snarl on his face.

Interesting, I don't see the Jimmy Butler comp at all. In fact I just read a Zach Lowe piece that came out today that seems to paint a different picture:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26041744/khris-middleton-rare-kind-second-star



From the sounds of it, Middleton hasn't been known to be the hardest-working player and I imagine his fluctuating work ethic & effort level got on the nerves of his uber-competitve coaches and teammates (the article gives the example of friction Middleton had with Jason Kidd , as well as Giannis)


If you ask me, Middleton sounds suspiciously like the type of player who will get overpaid for one big contract and then relax. It's tough because I don't think Milwaukee has any choice but to max him if they have a good playoff run.

The Bucks know they might have to pay $30 million per season to keep Middleton. "Does he love Milwaukee enough to re-sign?" Lasry asks. "Yes. Enough to give us a real discount? No."

[Ruzious]

Oh ok. Yeah, Middleton weirdly still has a defensive reputation dating back to pre-hamstring tear.
He's actually been a liability for the Bucks if anything.. Budenholzer benched him earlier in the year.

Yup. It'll be interesting to see what he gets this off-season in free agency. He and Giannis have a strong bond after a rough couple of years - Midds used to abuse him in practice - they'd have wars day after day, and that might have been a big part of Giannis' motivation to keep getting better. I guess you could compare the younger Middleton to Jimmy Butler - as far as how he treated his teammates - he was the bleephole who demanded everyone play his arse off. Even now, he plays with a permanent snarl on his face.

Interesting, I don't see the Jimmy Butler comp at all. In fact I just read a Zach Lowe piece that came out today that seems to paint a different picture:

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/26041744/khris-middleton-rare-kind-second-star



From the sounds of it, Middleton hasn't been known to be the hardest-working player and I imagine his fluctuating work ethic & effort level got on the nerves of his uber-competitve coaches and teammates (the article gives the example of friction Middleton had with Jason Kidd , as well as Giannis)


If you ask me, Middleton sounds suspiciously like the type of player who will get overpaid for one big contract and then relax. It's tough because I don't think Milwaukee has any choice but to max him if they have a good playoff run.

The Bucks know they might have to pay $30 million per season to keep Middleton. "Does he love Milwaukee enough to re-sign?" Lasry asks. "Yes. Enough to give us a real discount? No."

You are correct - he has been known to get out of shape - and that's very much NOT like Butler. My comp to Butler was in how he's dealt with his teammates on the court.

30 mil per season for him would be very foolish - but not impossible.

[payitforward]

I would not max Khris Middleton. He's a very good player &, obviously, an excellent scorer. Then again... I'm not sure how best to handle it.

They do have a lot of roster flexibility. But, they are going to have to pay Bledsoe, who has had a great season, Brogdon, who has had a great season, & Mirotic as well. That flexibility could vanish in a hurry!

[NatP4]

It’s hard to fathom how terrible this season has been. They gave away Kelly Oubre and Otto Porter for NOTHING, Troy Brown is averaging 18-7-4 per36 in the g league on less than 2 turnovers and a decent .554 TS% and they won’t even play the guy in a season in which they most likely end up with a top 5 pick. Dekker was a nice surprise, now he doesn’t even play. We have the worst coach and GM in the entire league. There is close to nothing to be excited about or root for with this team anymore. I just want to see Beal go somewhere else to a competitive team. I want Sato to go to a contender so the rest of the fans can see just how good he is.

I find it hard to even watch basketball anymore. We do all of this draft leadup talk, basically the only thing to look forward to, then Ernie goes and trades our picks or takes Isuuf Sanon or some ****.

[payitforward]

It’s hard to fathom how terrible this season has been. They gave away Kelly Oubre and Otto Porter for NOTHING, Troy Brown is averaging 18-7-4 per36 in the g league on less than 2 turnovers and a decent .554 TS% and they won’t even play the guy in a season in which they most likely end up with a top 5 pick. Dekker was a nice surprise, now he doesn’t even play. We have the worst coach and GM in the entire league. There is close to nothing to be excited about or root for with this team anymore. I just want to see Beal go somewhere else to a competitive team. I want Sato to go to a contender so the rest of the fans can see just how good he is.

I find it hard to even watch basketball anymore. We do all of this draft leadup talk, basically the only thing to look forward to, then Ernie goes and trades our picks or takes Isuuf Sanon or some ****.

It's all true, Nat, every word you write. But, to be serious for a moment (don't worry I won't over-stretch it!), I hope you are not as "down" as you sound.

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

[nate33]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

[Ruzious]

When the media start saying... Well, the Wiz really need to acquire a couple of young forwards like Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre... gotta figure that's when Ted finally pulls the plug on Ernie. There has to be ridicule for that.

[Ruzious]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

I'll send him a pony for Christmas.

[Kanyewest]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

I'll send him a pony for Christmas.

Build him a statue...

[nate33]

Here's a ridiculous, but plausible scenario. I got it from an ESPN article predicting free agent moves, and the Wizards were "also mentioned" as a potential destination for Cousins, though they weren't a top 4 prediction.

First, we assume Howard opts out and Mahinmi is stretched. That results in the following payroll:

Wall - $37.8M
Beal - $27.1M
Brown - $3.2M
#7 Draft pick - $3.7M
Thomas Bryant cap hold - $1.8M
7 minimum salary roster spots - $6.2M
Mahinmi (stretched) - $5.1M

SUBTOTAL: $84.9M
CAP SPACE: $25.1M

Wall and Beal somehow convince Cousins to come here on a 2+1 deal starting at $25.1M.
Jeff Green is resigned for the vet minimum.
Satoransky is resigned for the the Room Minimum for 1 year at $4.5M (with a wink-wink deal that he'll be resigned for more money next year using Bird Rights).
Thomas Bryant is resigned using Early Bird Rights.
Dekker is resigned for the vet minimum
We draft Dat2U's favorite: De'Andre Hunter

Lineup:

Sato/Randle
Beal/Brown
Hunter/Brown
Green/Dekker
Cousins/Bryant

Maybe we also convince one of Ariza or Wesley Johnson to stick around for the vet minimum. If Wall comes back healthy, that's a good team. Or at least it will be a good team on paper. (I'm not too sure if Cousins is a winning player, but it's worth a shot.) It would look really good if we end up with the #2 or #3 pick and land Barrett.

[queridiculo]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

The Wizards could always hire Dan Grunfeld so Ernie can spend more time with his family.

[nate33]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

The Wizards could always hire Dan Grunfeld so Ernie can spend more time with his family.

[BigA]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

I'm hopeful, but I'll believe it when I see it.

When the season started Ted said "no excuses," "50 wins," "ECF," but he's proven that what he says doesn't really mean anything. He can tell Otto Porter that he's not being traded and then deal him a week later.

The Stanley Cup could cut either way. It may confirm that he's a genius so he should double down on Ernie (at this point maybe he's quintupling down). Or he may feel more free to go in a different direction.

If Ernie does move along, I am apprehensive about who Ted would get as a replacement.

[payitforward]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

The Wizards could always hire Dan Grunfeld so Ernie can spend more time with his family.

Good God, man -- are you trying to scare us?!?

[payitforward]

Here's a ridiculous, but plausible scenario. I got it from an ESPN article predicting free agent moves, and the Wizards were "also mentioned" as a potential destination for Cousins, though they weren't a top 4 prediction.

First, we assume Howard opts out and Mahinmi is stretched. That results in the following payroll:

Wall - $37.8M
Beal - $27.1M
Brown - $3.2M
#7 Draft pick - $3.7M
Thomas Bryant cap hold - $1.8M
7 minimum salary roster spots - $6.2M
Mahinmi (stretched) - $5.1M

SUBTOTAL: $84.9M
CAP SPACE: $25.1M

Wall and Beal somehow convince Cousins to come here on a 2+1 deal starting at $25.1M.
Jeff Green is resigned for the vet minimum.
Satoransky is resigned for the the Room Minimum for 1 year at $4.5M (with a wink-wink deal that he'll be resigned for more money next year using Bird Rights).
Thomas Bryant is resigned using Early Bird Rights.
Dekker is resigned for the vet minimum
We draft Dat2U's favorite: De'Andre Hunter

Lineup:

Sato/Randle
Beal/Brown
Hunter/Brown
Green/Dekker
Cousins/Bryant

Maybe we also convince one of Ariza or Wesley Johnson to stick around for the vet minimum. If Wall comes back healthy, that's a good team. Or at least it will be a good team on paper. (I'm not too sure if Cousins is a winning player, but it's worth a shot.) It would look really good if we end up with the #2 or #3 pick and land Barrett.

...then we tie up Brooks & keep him in the basement while the Academic All-American Randle coaches!

[youngWizzy]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

Realistically I think Ted will want to look within the Wizards organization for a potential GM candidate. One person I think could become the next GM who is within the Wizards organization is Tommy Sheppard. He seems far more knowledgeable as a GM than EG which isn't saying much. He has been the Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations for the last 15 years.

His "role in Washington includes responsibilities with salary cap management, negotiations, draft preparation and talent evaluation of collegiate athletes and professionals, both domestically and abroad. Additional responsibilities of Sheppard’s include an assisting role in the recruitment and evaluation of free agents, statistical evaluation of NBA players, the hiring of coaches and personnel, and monitoring the Wizards’ efforts in the NBA’s Player Programs. Sheppard is also specifically tasked with organizing the Wizards’ training camp and preseason schedules, overseeing the athletic training, strength training, video, technology and equipment areas for the team, and directing in-arena renovations to areas including the Wizards locker room, players lounge, family lounge and front offices."

If anyone is set to replace Ernie Grunfeld in the near future, it most likely will be Tommy Sheppard.

Interview from Lithuania 2 days ago (makes you wonder why he is there):

Watch on YouTube

[doclinkin]

I'm pretty sure this season will be Ernie's last. I don't see how he can survive these last 3-4 years of obvious & colossal incompetence.

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

Realistically I think Ted will want to look within the Wizards organization for a potential GM candidate. One person I think could become the next GM who is within the Wizards organization is Tommy Sheppard. He seems far more knowledgeable as a GM than EG which isn't saying much. He has been the Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations for the last 15 years.

His "role in Washington includes responsibilities with salary cap management, negotiations, draft preparation and talent evaluation of collegiate athletes and professionals, both domestically and abroad. Additional responsibilities of Sheppard’s include an assisting role in the recruitment and evaluation of free agents, statistical evaluation of NBA players, the hiring of coaches and personnel, and monitoring the Wizards’ efforts in the NBA’s Player Programs. Sheppard is also specifically tasked with organizing the Wizards’ training camp and preseason schedules, overseeing the athletic training, strength training, video, technology and equipment areas for the team, and directing in-arena renovations to areas including the Wizards locker room, players lounge, family lounge and front offices."

If anyone is set to replace Ernie Grunfeld in the near future, it most likely will be Tommy Sheppard.

Interview from Lithuania 2 days ago (makes you wonder why he is there):

Watch on YouTube

TheSecretKevin WizKev Kevin Broom likes and respects Tommy Sheppard. I get the sense some of the occasionally good scouting done by the team was influenced by Sheppard. As much as we complain about front office personnel then we also complain when they don't play enough the guys we like, or trade them away. I wouldn't be excited about his ascension, but I wouldn't hate it either.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Yeah, there's a good chance EG "retires" this year to "spend more time with his family".

Realistically I think Ted will want to look within the Wizards organization for a potential GM candidate. One person I think could become the next GM who is within the Wizards organization is Tommy Sheppard. He seems far more knowledgeable as a GM than EG which isn't saying much. He has been the Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations for the last 15 years.

His "role in Washington includes responsibilities with salary cap management, negotiations, draft preparation and talent evaluation of collegiate athletes and professionals, both domestically and abroad. Additional responsibilities of Sheppard’s include an assisting role in the recruitment and evaluation of free agents, statistical evaluation of NBA players, the hiring of coaches and personnel, and monitoring the Wizards’ efforts in the NBA’s Player Programs. Sheppard is also specifically tasked with organizing the Wizards’ training camp and preseason schedules, overseeing the athletic training, strength training, video, technology and equipment areas for the team, and directing in-arena renovations to areas including the Wizards locker room, players lounge, family lounge and front offices."

If anyone is set to replace Ernie Grunfeld in the near future, it most likely will be Tommy Sheppard.

Interview from Lithuania 2 days ago (makes you wonder why he is there):

Watch on YouTube

TheSecretKevin WizKev Kevin Broom likes and respects Tommy Sheppard. I get the sense some of the occasionally good scouting done by the team was influenced by Sheppard. As much as we complain about front office personnel then we also complain when they don't play enough the guys we like, or trade them away. I wouldn't be excited about his ascension, but I wouldn't hate it either.

I’d settle for David Hasselhof for gawd sake.

[doclinkin]

Suck to get lucky. Or Build a Good Team. I feel like those are the choices in looking towards the future. Ted's 10 Point Plan, Sam Hinkie's 'Process' are both suck luck methods.

Vs a team like San Antonio who is always in the running, always has a good team, but without landing the next Big Timmy are never real contenders for a chip.

The draft order lotto reset adds some disincentive for the Suck2Luck method. Which means maybe it is time for us to lay out a plan of incremental improvement, and to get solid team with a unifying vision of how to get there and what that means.

My theory is that Ernie has stuck around for so long in part because of adherence to an unstated philosophy that is the shadow of that 10 pt plan. I think his teams are designed for a Boom/Bust result. He commonly builds a team that wins with its starters and has zero bench behind them. OR he loads up on a single position, so redundancy does not help us if the team falters in the other key positions. Consider that we have never had quality back-ups or competition at our star positions. Until Saty developed overseas we had the dumpster scrapings at PG. SInce landing Beal we have had nobody at back up 2 guard. And when we did have cap room to incrementally improve our team and build it into a solid squad, too good for lotto but not a real contender against LeBron, we instead spent ALL of our excess cash on back up nobodies at the center position (Mahinmi, Smith, Nicholson all at once). I think the point is we are supposed to win or fail and get lucky. Because year after year it has been proven the teams that win are the ones with the right superstar on court. Or now in the era of super teams, sometimes it's the right chemistry among multiple superstars. LeBron or team of stars. Sometimes both.

Problem is, in sucking lucky, odds are, we fail. Year after year. Odds are everyone does. While we stockpiled and kept high draft picks we were never lucky enough to suck into the game-changing keystone player in the right year. And to keep those high picks proved unaffordable long term. Seems like everyone has tired of that game. The roller coaster of streaks and failures based on over-playing injured stars, and hoping to get lucky. Maybe its time to recognize the probability that luck is not on your side, for any team, that even the Process that landed a squad multiple picks year after year has not resulted in a championship. Yes we want a chip, but is there a way to build instead a solid squad that is fun to watch, that gives good effort, and instead of trying to outsuck the sucky, we look for inefficiencies in the game and actually build a scouting department that is good at outguessing opponents later in the draft to land a Giannis or the like even with a later pick.

As a fan base are we willing to cheer for a team that may not win a championship if year after year they were able to give us Spurs level success? Effort. Good attitude. Smart play. Even if other hypertalents would transcend and beat us. Because a few of us on here could lay out a plan that would build a good team. Ideas on how to maximize efficiencies in our favor. Build a solid squad from bench to starters, even given a shortfall in cap while we survive the wreckage of 9 or so points of that Plan. I have ideas on how to do that, to build a hellofa Good team, but even in that I know the truth of the adage "Good is the enemy of Great".

I'd like to see peoples plans for both: how do we build a good team.
-Vs-
How do we build a champion contender.

[BigA]

Suck to get lucky. Or Build a Good Team. I feel like those are the choices in looking towards the future. Ted's 10 Point Plan, Sam Hinkie's 'Process' are both suck luck methods.

Vs a team like San Antonio who is always in the running, always has a good team, but without landing the next Big Timmy are never real contenders for a chip.

The draft order lotto reset adds some disincentive for the Suck2Luck method. Which means maybe it is time for us to lay out a plan of incremental improvement, and to get solid team with a unifying vision of how to get there and what that means.

My theory is that Ernie has stuck around for so long in part because of adherence to an unstated philosophy that is the shadow of that 10 pt plan. I think his teams are designed for a Boom/Bust result. He commonly builds a team that wins with its starters and has zero bench behind them. OR he loads up on a single position, so redundancy does not help us if the team falters in the other key positions. Consider that we have never had quality back-ups or competition at our star positions. Until Saty developed overseas we had the dumpster scrapings at PG. SInce landing Beal we have had nobody at back up 2 guard. And when we did have cap room to incrementally improve our team and build it into a solid squad, too good for lotto but not a real contender against LeBron, we instead spent ALL of our excess cash on back up nobodies at the center position (Mahinmi, Smith, Nicholson all at once). I think the point is we are supposed to win or fail and get lucky. Because year after year it has been proven the teams that win are the ones with the right superstar on court. Or now in the era of super teams, sometimes it's the right chemistry among multiple superstars. LeBron or team of stars. Sometimes both.

Problem is, in sucking lucky, odds are, we fail. Year after year. Odds are everyone does. While we stockpiled and kept high draft picks we were never lucky enough to suck into the game-changing keystone player in the right year. And to keep those high picks proved unaffordable long term. Seems like everyone has tired of that game. The roller coaster of streaks and failures based on over-playing injured stars, and hoping to get lucky. Maybe its time to recognize the probability that luck is not on your side, for any team, that even the Process that landed a squad multiple picks year after year has not resulted in a championship. Yes we want a chip, but is there a way to build instead a solid squad that is fun to watch, that gives good effort, and instead of trying to outsuck the sucky, we look for inefficiencies in the game and actually build a scouting department that is good at outguessing opponents later in the draft to land a Giannis or the like even with a later pick.

As a fan base are we willing to cheer for a team that may not win a championship if year after year they were able to give us Spurs level success? Effort. Good attitude. Smart play. Even if other hypertalents would transcend and beat us. Because a few of us on here could lay out a plan that would build a good team. Ideas on how to maximize efficiencies in our favor. Build a solid squad from bench to starters, even given a shortfall in cap while we survive the wreckage of 9 or so points of that Plan. I have ideas on how to do that, to build a hellofa Good team, but even in that I know the truth of the adage "Good is the enemy of Great".

I'd like to see peoples plans for both: how do we build a good team.
-Vs-
How do we build a champion contender.

I'd say building a good team is the way to go. Either way, you need people who know what they're doing.

Several posters, especially Dat2U and nate33, regularly lay out plausible plans that seem to make a lot more sense than what they've been doing.

Chuckling at how you're squinting your eyes in order to impute a conscious strategy onto Ernie's actions that probably doesn't exist.