Is Wall Top 5 PG?

[TheSecretWeapon]

Was thinking recently about Wall's lack of defense and playing hard om that end. In his defense do you think it has to do with the new uptempo system combined with all the games loss due to injury which means he had to be a one man show and carry us alot while we play at a crazy fast pace and always at the top of the league at touches per game because he has to create for everyone? Maybe he felt like he has to slack on D because he has to save himself for O due to all of those circumstances

In a word...Yes-

At this point Wall needs help...someone to step up and be better than him. We need another superstar if you want to compete in the league.

Another? The Wizards need A superstar. Wall has superstar potential, and he sometimes plays like one. But he's not a superstar. Not yet anyway.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Was thinking recently about Wall's lack of defense and playing hard om that end. In his defense do you think it has to do with the new uptempo system combined with all the games loss due to injury which means he had to be a one man show and carry us alot while we play at a crazy fast pace and always at the top of the league at touches per game because he has to create for everyone? Maybe he felt like he has to slack on D because he has to save himself for O due to all of those circumstances

In a word...Yes-

At this point Wall needs help...someone to step up and be better than him. We need another superstar if you want to compete in the league.

Another? The Wizards need A superstar. Wall has superstar potential, and he sometimes plays like one. But he's not a superstar. Not yet anyway.

A superstar point guard needs decent talent around him. Put him on a semi decent team that is well coached and, imo, he takes that leap to superstardom instantly.

[TheSecretWeapon]

In a word...Yes-

At this point Wall needs help...someone to step up and be better than him. We need another superstar if you want to compete in the league.

Another? The Wizards need A superstar. Wall has superstar potential, and he sometimes plays like one. But he's not a superstar. Not yet anyway.

A superstar point guard needs decent talent around him. Put him on a semi decent team that is well coached and, imo, he takes that leap to superstardom instantly.

Maybe. But...I started a project looking at this question. Wall's "supporting cast" isn't unusually bad, at least in the preliminary stages of what I'm doing. Gortat, for example, is a good player. Porter is pretty good. Jared Dudley is decent. Beal is disappointing in the sense that we all hoped/expected he'd be a very good player at this point in his career, but he's average, not terrible. Sessions is a solid backup PG. Nenê is injury-plagued and in decline, but is still probably one of the better backup bigs in the league. Neal and Temple have fallen off lately, but were better when Beal was out. Want to see a team with an elite player and a terrible roster otherwise, check Anthony Davis and New Orleans.

I'll probably write about this at the blog next week. If I get time to finish the project, of course.

[CobraCommander]

Another? The Wizards need A superstar. Wall has superstar potential, and he sometimes plays like one. But he's not a superstar. Not yet anyway.

A superstar point guard needs decent talent around him. Put him on a semi decent team that is well coached and, imo, he takes that leap to superstardom instantly.

Maybe. But...I started a project looking at this question. Wall's "supporting cast" isn't unusually bad, at least in the preliminary stages of what I'm doing. Gortat, for example, is a good player. Porter is pretty good. Jared Dudley is decent. Beal is disappointing in the sense that we all hoped/expected he'd be a very good player at this point in his career, but he's average, not terrible. Sessions is a solid backup PG. Nenê is injury-plagued and in decline, but is still probably one of the better backup bigs in the league. Neal and Temple have fallen off lately, but were better when Beal was out. Want to see a team with an elite player and a terrible roster otherwise, check Anthony Davis and New Orleans.

I'll probably write about this at the blog next week. If I get time to finish the project, of course.

Good luck with the project! My thought about the supporting cast is this- all of the true contending teams either have excellent coaching and good players or a dearth of good players.

Cavs, Spurs, clippers, GS...could win a ring and no one is surprised - that's the top tier with top tier talent at multiple positons.

followed by OKC on that next tier- enough talent to win a ring but recent results say not enough coaching or decsipline - or something - to get over the top-

The next tier (which the wiz ain't in) are the teams with talent at multiple positions and/or amazing coaching- Toronto maybe- Houston maybe- Atlanta maybe- ...but these maybes ain't winning anything anyway so who cares.

The wiz in the next tier...teams that should be building for the NEAR future to make a championship run- Not ready yet but progressing nicely- We have regressed- Wall hasn't regressed...but the wiz have. Asking him to be better than the guy he is as a 25 year old? That will more than likely happen as a result of maturing further (prime starts at 27?) but the way this team is built now...beal won't be ready, porter will never be ready and Gortat is going to be on the down side...we have no picks and thus...we waiting for superman

Wall can't do it alone- he will never have the skill set to do it alone...like Paul, Westbrook, Isaiah Thomas (Pistons), iverson, Lillard, Nash and Stockton and a ton of other great small men. Is he top 5? Yeah..but that means we have someone to cheer for ...it doesn't mean we have a championship in the future.

[deneem4]

Wall is a top guard and he's capable of putting up Westbrook numbers with ease...its funny u mention Isaiah Thomas because he said it best...wall don't put fear in opposing teams any more...
That's all it is...he's not playing aggressive he settles for passing and mid ranges vs getting to the bucket(which he's top 5 at) and scoring...
That falls on coaching, curry sorta had this problem along with injuries,
curry could've done what he's doing now his whole career...
his dribble and shot has always been deadly....
but he had to get lee touches
had to get Thompson touches
had to get Monta touches vs taking over the game

only better passer in the league without argument is rondo, and maybe cp3 but that's debatable because of age and the weapons he has...

Wall can average 25/10 with EASE...he has to realize he has to become the biggest threat offensively to get his shooters more deadly, he currently does this on sheer talent alone...
Teams know he is passing and he still get his guys looks, imagine if he actually attempted to score instead of kick out...
Wall simply has to be a more aggressive scorer

http://stats.nba.com/tracking/#!/player/drives/?sort=DRIVE_FG_PCT&dir=1&CF=DRIVES*GE*5&Season=2015-16&SeasonType=Regular%20Season

He's top 5 on % but he's not even top 20 on attempts when driving to the bucket....

Wall can be a mvp level player, but he's being coach to be a playmaker instead of a scorer...

When wall is unleashed we have our "great small guy"

How do u unleash wall??? Tell him 20 or more FG attempts per game no more than 5 3s...
That's Atleast 25 points with his current stats, and he can easily get the 10 assists once he become the defense main priority

[jangles86]

This season is over for me.

My attention is on whether John can become (I think) the first Wizard to average 20/10apg in a season and along with Paul and Westbrook can be the first since Deron Williams in 2010/11

[deneem4]

This season is over for me.

My attention is on whether John can become (I think) the first Wizard to average 20/10apg in a season and along with Paul and Westbrook can be the first since Deron Williams in 2010/11

I agree with the 2nd part...I don't think the season is over but I think it's now time for Wall to focus on himself

I want to see him average at atleast 24/10 by the end...
Beal is out he...We're unlikely to make the playoffs...the only hope for free agency would be playing with a dominant...getting 24/10 would narrow the gap to him and westbrook

[montestewart]

Wall is currently at 20.1 ppg and 9.9 apg. In the final seventeen games of the season, he should be able to up his season averages to 24 ppg and 10 apg. He can do that with ease (well, maybe not the assists), and with the way Westbrook has been choking in the 4th quarter, Wall should surpass him by the end of the year with ease.

[deneem4]

Wall is currently at 20.1 ppg and 9.9 apg. In the final seventeen games of the season, he should be able to up his season averages to 24 ppg and 10 apg. He can do that with ease (well, maybe not the assists), and with the way Westbrook has been choking in the 4th quarter, Wall should surpass him by the end of the year with ease.

Hes been the only consistenot wizard...if he can make the statement that he's also a top 3 pg....we should still be able to lure in Kevin durant or anyone from the next tier...I don't think he's surpassing westbrook this season...Westbrook is close to prime Lebron averages all around...but he can surpass Chris paul...and team success and failure would be focused on team effort instead of his individual effort...

[nate33]

Wall is currently at 20.1 ppg and 9.9 apg. In the final seventeen games of the season, he should be able to up his season averages to 24 ppg and 10 apg. He can do that with ease (well, maybe not the assists), and with the way Westbrook has been choking in the 4th quarter, Wall should surpass him by the end of the year with ease.

Hes been the only consistenot wizard...if he can make the statement that he's also a top 3 pg....we should still be able to lure in Kevin durant or anyone from the next tier...I don't think he's surpassing westbrook this season...Westbrook is close to prime Lebron averages all around...but he can surpass Chris paul...and team success and failure would be focused on team effort instead of his individual effort...

He is in no way, shape or form a top 3 PG. He ranks somewhere between 7th and 10th this year. Curry, Westbrook, Paul, Lillard, Lowry and Walker are unquestionably better. You can make a real good case for Thomas, Conley and Jackson as well. Even George Hill, Rubio and Teague have an argument.

[deneem4]

Wall is currently at 20.1 ppg and 9.9 apg. In the final seventeen games of the season, he should be able to up his season averages to 24 ppg and 10 apg. He can do that with ease (well, maybe not the assists), and with the way Westbrook has been choking in the 4th quarter, Wall should surpass him by the end of the year with ease.

Hes been the only consistenot wizard...if he can make the statement that he's also a top 3 pg....we should still be able to lure in Kevin durant or anyone from the next tier...I don't think he's surpassing westbrook this season...Westbrook is close to prime Lebron averages all around...but he can surpass Chris paul...and team success and failure would be focused on team effort instead of his individual effort...

He is in no way, shape or form a top 3 PG. He ranks somewhere between 7th and 10th this year. Curry, Westbrook, Paul, Lillard, Lowry and Walker are unquestionably better. You can make a real good case for Thomas, Conley and Jackson as well. Even George Hill, Rubio and Teague have an argument.

24/10 in averages at the end would make him top 3 regardless...did u read what I said?

[ozthegap]

Wall is currently at 20.1 ppg and 9.9 apg. In the final seventeen games of the season, he should be able to up his season averages to 24 ppg and 10 apg. He can do that with ease (well, maybe not the assists), and with the way Westbrook has been choking in the 4th quarter, Wall should surpass him by the end of the year with ease.

Hes been the only consistenot wizard...if he can make the statement that he's also a top 3 pg....we should still be able to lure in Kevin durant or anyone from the next tier...I don't think he's surpassing westbrook this season...Westbrook is close to prime Lebron averages all around...but he can surpass Chris paul...and team success and failure would be focused on team effort instead of his individual effort...

He is in no way, shape or form a top 3 PG. He ranks somewhere between 7th and 10th this year. Curry, Westbrook, Paul, Lillard, Lowry and Walker are unquestionably better. You can make a real good case for Thomas, Conley and Jackson as well. Even George Hill, Rubio and Teague have an argument.

Who the hell is Walker?

[deneem4]

Hes been the only consistenot wizard...if he can make the statement that he's also a top 3 pg....we should still be able to lure in Kevin durant or anyone from the next tier...I don't think he's surpassing westbrook this season...Westbrook is close to prime Lebron averages all around...but he can surpass Chris paul...and team success and failure would be focused on team effort instead of his individual effort...

He is in no way, shape or form a top 3 PG. He ranks somewhere between 7th and 10th this year. Curry, Westbrook, Paul, Lillard, Lowry and Walker are unquestionably better. You can make a real good case for Thomas, Conley and Jackson as well. Even George Hill, Rubio and Teague have an argument.

Who the hell is Walker?

Kimba walker it's crazy the disrespect wall gets from wizard fans...

[ozthegap]

He is in no way, shape or form a top 3 PG. He ranks somewhere between 7th and 10th this year. Curry, Westbrook, Paul, Lillard, Lowry and Walker are unquestionably better. You can make a real good case for Thomas, Conley and Jackson as well. Even George Hill, Rubio and Teague have an argument.

Who the hell is Walker?

Kimba walker it's crazy the disrespect wall gets from wizard fans...

Oh wow no. I was like how is there a top 5 pg candidate I've nvr heard of?

[nate33]

Hes been the only consistenot wizard...if he can make the statement that he's also a top 3 pg....we should still be able to lure in Kevin durant or anyone from the next tier...I don't think he's surpassing westbrook this season...Westbrook is close to prime Lebron averages all around...but he can surpass Chris paul...and team success and failure would be focused on team effort instead of his individual effort...

He is in no way, shape or form a top 3 PG. He ranks somewhere between 7th and 10th this year. Curry, Westbrook, Paul, Lillard, Lowry and Walker are unquestionably better. You can make a real good case for Thomas, Conley and Jackson as well. Even George Hill, Rubio and Teague have an argument.

24/10 in averages at the end would make him top 3 regardless...did u read what I said?

How in the hell will Wall get his 20 ppg average up to 24 ppg? He would need to average 39 points per game over the remaining 17 games of the season!

Wall is likely to finish with a 20/10 average. But he'll do so with appallingly low efficiency. Of the 24 PG's in this league who played 1500 minutes and starter 35+ games, Wall ranks 18th in ORtg and 19th in TS%.

Maybe an uninformed casual fan might look at the 20/10 average and assume Wall is a top 3 PG, but anyone who understand the game would recognize that at his efficiency, he is absolutely not in the top 3 and may not be in the top 10.

[nate33]

Who the hell is Walker?

Kimba walker it's crazy the disrespect wall gets from wizard fans...

Oh wow no. I was like how is there a top 5 pg candidate I've nvr heard of?

You decide:



Wall has the gaudy assist numbers, but they come with a MUCH lower offensive efficiency and a lot more turnovers. Not to mention Wall is worse at spacing the floor due to his mediocre 3P%. Heck, compare the teams. Wall has more talent alongside him with Gortat, Beal, Porter, Dudley, Nene and Sessions. Who does Charlotte have?

[payitforward]

It's unfortunate that so many people want to promote John Wall to a status he doesn't get to by way of his own play. Too bad because it puts other people in a position where they wind up saying *negative* things about him, i.e. bringing the rodomontade back down to reality.

Who wants to do that? John Wall is a very, very good NBA basketball player. He's an outstanding point guard. But, no, he's not a superstar, and no he's not one of the very top handful of point guards.

Would he be on another team? Or if our GM had built a better team? Who the hell knows? Overall, there's not much evidence that guys' numbers change a lot when they move from team to team (tho of course there are exceptions).

Anyway, what difference does it make? John Wall isn't the cause of this team's problems. Ernie Grunfeld is the cause of our problems.

[deneem4]

Kimba walker it's crazy the disrespect wall gets from wizard fans...

Oh wow no. I was like how is there a top 5 pg candidate I've nvr heard of?

You decide:



Wall has the gaudy assist numbers, but they come with a MUCH lower offensive efficiency and a lot more turnovers. Not to mention Wall is worse at spacing the floor due to his mediocre 3P%. Heck, compare the teams. Wall has more talent alongside him with Gortat, Beal, Porter, Dudley, Nene and Sessions. Who does Charlotte have?

Ummmm batum?
Marvin williams right now is everything we hope morris will become
Courtney Lee is on fire right now
Zeller is getting big minutes finally and he's playing well

3 of their 5 starters is up for free agency next year....big al is the only one that's over 30...that's a nicely built team and they're coached well...this is Kimba best season by a longshot...replace him with wall that team gets better....is he even considered better than batum??

[nate33]

Ummmm batum?
Marvin williams right now is everything we hope morris will become
Courtney Lee is on fire right now
Zeller is getting big minutes finally and he's playing well

3 of their 5 starters is up for free agency next year....big al is the only one that's over 30...that's a nicely built team and they're coached well...this is Kimba best season by a longshot...replace him with wall that team gets better....is he even considered better than batum??

Please. Since when is Batum a star? Batum wouldn't have registered as a top 75 player a year ago, and now you are attributing Charlotte's turnaround to him? Charlotte is 7 games better than Washington because of Nicolas freaking Batum? The guy is averaging 14 points per game with an ORtg of 102. Gortat is easily a better player.

And the rest of those guys you mentioned: Williams and Lee, they're journeymen who signed for less than $7M a year. Williams didn't start last year and Lee hasn't started for most of this year.

[TheSecretWeapon]

I love deneem's enthusiasm, but it's pointless trying to have a basketball conversation with him. No player's production belongs to that player -- it belongs to whichever of his teammates deneem has decided is responsible for allowing that player to be productive. Or it's the coach. Or some other thing. All discernible only through deneem's keen "eye test" and compendious basketball knowledge.

Kemba Walker is having a very good season. Not only is he having a better season than Wall is this season, he's having a better season than Wall has had so far in his NBA career. That's fairly impressive considering that Wall has been good to very good the past four seasons.