Deeptu McPullup wrote:I have concern with both guys in that, despite all the glue-gooped oohs-n-ahs (or would that be "ooze-n-ahs"?), we don't end up being that much more effective than if we just rolled with a designated hitter of a squat-n-plop corner 3 man.
The corner 3 is the best shot in basketball with Webster giving an outright silly 1.8 PPS from the right corner. It's an easy, low risk release valve that sets the stage for "kind of a big deal around here" guys to create high percentage rimshots as you preemptively put paid to the slinking charlatans who'd otherwise clog the keyhole with double teams.
Beal is elite in the left pocket, but you'd be remiss to have him hanging a hammock there and taking a nap for 36 minutes. I can't help but think we can get by with a specialist at the other wing slot and commit our resources better up front. There's a reason the mid-range game is lamented as a lost art by the old timers.
Are Dipo or Porter going to generate better offensive looks and final outcomes than we could have gotten with a cheap specialist who plays at least respectable defense? Maybe, but I expect the drop off there is less than the difference between the bigs we're going to have and what we might be able to do up front if we used the third pick to bait the hook.
It's an excellent point. Webster & Ariza did more than adequate job at SF last season. My response is, how sustainable is that level of performance from year to year? Is it really realistic to expect Webster to duplicate 1.8 PPS from the right corner year after year? Ariza also shot very well last year for the most part, above his career average. Can we also expect that type of performance again?
Secondly, Webster is a UFA. While he made his intentions clear about wanting to stay in DC, what if another team makes him a better offer? What happens if we choose to go in another direction in the draft b/c we believe Webster/Ariza will be a part of our core, but we lose Webster in FA? Ariza is only signed through next season. Is he someone that we want or can expect to keep long term? I have my doubts. There are unanswered questions about the SF spot which potentially could be resolved by drafting Porter. Is Porter posting a 1.8 PPS from the right corner next year, unlikely, but defensively, on the boards and decision making wise, he offers a certain amount of length & versatility that Webster isn't going to provide us with.
My thought is, outside of Wall & Beal, I'm not sure it makes sense to give too much consideration to guys that may or may not be here long term. The only certainty is that the Wizards are building around Wall, Beal and whatever we get out of the 3rd pick (whether rookie or vet through trade). I'd focus on making sure those 3 pieces fit, and worry about adding the complimentary pieces around those 3 after the draft. There's too much importance in getting the 3rd pick right, that worrying about how 2nd or 3rd tier options and impending free agents fit into the overall scheme may take us away from the key overall point. The Wizards need to get this draft right.
