How do you fix this team?

[imperium1999]

want a sure fire winning bet?

josh howard returns to all-star form. for another team.

[Spence]

I'd also listen to offers now, but my guess is that we wouldn't get anything much. Nobody is going to offer much more than a pick in the mid-teens. If that's all that's on the table, I'd rather just gamble on him panning out.

I'm with you on that, but I think maybe he can be combined with other assets to get more. One of the reasons I want to stockpile as many draft picks as possible is that perhaps the team can move Blatche and a first round pick or McGee and a first round pick and move into the lottery. The more picks we have the more opportunity we'll have to make some of these players more attractive to other teams.

[Zonkerbl]

You know, I've played pretty close attention to the medical team debate and I've NEVER seen any systematic, statistically significant proof that our medical staff is worse than other teams. We do have some anecdotal evidence, but, otoh, I think it's fairly conclusive that Gilbert gave himself arthritis by ignoriing the medical staff. Doesn't matter how good the medical staff is if the patient doesn't follow its advice. Now you might wonder why nobody listens to the medical staff...

Anyway, my thoughts on the topic:

Our legit PFs are Baltche and Booker. Booker should be your third PF used strategically. Baltche is in no-man's land between starter quality and reserve. As a starter he's just good enough to lose with, and he's too valuable to bring off the bench.

Our SFs are Lewis, Howard, and Thorton. They're not the problem.

Our legit SGs are N1 and one of the new guys. N1 has a few faults but he scores and plays defense.

Our legit PGs are Wall and Bibby (maybe). Now, you've gotta admit that Wall's defense this year SUCKS. Maybe it's because he's a rookie, or maybe he really does suck at defense, as his college scouting report stated.

Our centers are McGee and Kevin Seraphin. McGee just finished growing. I have seen improvement from him in certain areas. He is a slow learner, no doubt, but his main weakness is lack of lower body strength. Now here's a guy who, with all his faults, is still statistically the second best player on the team. I want to see him grow into that body and see what happens. Look Patrick Ewing coming out of college and how he looked in the playoff series against Chicago. McGee will grow. Having solid legs will solve a lot of his defensive problems. I just don't have the heart to give up on him until I'm sure his physical tools are all in place and he still can't put it together. Seraphin is a solid backup at center, but too short to start. I could be convinced otherwise though -- there's lots of evidence around the league that muscle and a soft touch can overcome lack of height, and Kevin definitely has that.

So we have two soft players starting in the frontcourt combined with a PG who is not up to the task of playing NBA level defense (yet?), and that's pretty much this season's story in a nutshell. It's pretty clear we can't continue with Baltche and McGee starting together, so that should be the priority in the draft, is finding a muscle-bound replacement for one of them.

Here's what we can expect going into next year: Wall will play better defense, McGee will fill out a little, and we will get a pretty high draft pick that we might be able to replace McGee or Baltche with. Here's what we don't know -- if the draft pick will be any good, if Wall's defense will improve ENOUGH, and whether all McGee needs is to fill out a little or if there's something fundamentally wrong with his noggin.

What happens if we get a muscle-bound replacement for Baltche at power forward, McGee fills out a little, and Wall's defense significantly improves? We have a front court of muscle bound guy/McGee, with Baltche/Kevin coming off the bench, throwing in Booker to mix things up. That way you always have toughness and muscle on the floor. Wall's improving defense will keep the frontcourt from getting hung out to dry on defense all the time, especially with N1's length and one-on-one prowess. So we'd have a young, decent defensive core that will improve over time.

On offense, you have Wall and Nick. If the muscle bound forward can provide some post offense we'd be in good shape with Lewis' 3pt shooting and/or Howard's slashing, with McGee mixing it up underneath for lobs and put backs and so on (which only will work if he puts some muscle on his butt).

So I can see how the team will improve in the future, I just don't see how that team could ever compete with Boston, Miami, Orlando, or New York, much less the Spurs and the Lakers, for a title. So unless we get REALLY lucky in next year's draft and stumble across the next KG, we're going to be stuck a ceiling of second round in the playoffs for the next five years at least.

[Rafael122]

I'd also listen to offers now, but my guess is that we wouldn't get anything much. Nobody is going to offer much more than a pick in the mid-teens. If that's all that's on the table, I'd rather just gamble on him panning out.

I'm with you on that, but I think maybe he can be combined with other assets to get more. One of the reasons I want to stockpile as many draft picks as possible is that perhaps the team can move Blatche and a first round pick or McGee and a first round pick and move into the lottery. The more picks we have the more opportunity we'll have to make some of these players more attractive to other teams.

One of the reasons why I'd want to stock pile picks is to trade them. Jersey had what...5 first round draft picks in the next 2 seasons? They traded two of them, plus a young talent and Harris for Deron Williams.

You mean to tell me a package of McGee plus two first round picks, plus maybe another talent wouldn't be enough to entice Otis Smith? Or maybe someone else? (Truthfully though, I would only give up that much for Howard).

We have to get with the times, this is the new NBA, get 1 or 2 superstars and then surround them with mid-level talent. You just can't go out every year, get two first round draft picks and expect to compete with a bunch of young guys.

And on the whole McGee thing, some of you have said he looks to be the same player he was in his rookie year. If that's the case, he's not going to get it. Usually by your 3rd year the light bulb has finally went off, but it hasn't. The kid spends more time practicing his dunks for the dunk contest than working on fundamentals. He's flash, no substance. The only thing he has going for him is his height and athleticism, but if this guy was 6'2'' and a guard, he'd be out of the league by now. His lack of progression falls on him as well as our player development.

And another thing, this team is soft. KG made Andray Blatche cry. We have the softest front court in the league. We're getting abused bys tiffs like Jeff Foster (who I would love to have on this team by the way) and the Josh McRoberts of the world.

[507Mack]

If the muscle bound forward can provide some post offense we'd be in good shape with Lewis' 3pt shooting and/or Howard's slashing, with McGee mixing it up underneath for lobs and put backs and so on (which only will work if he puts some muscle on his butt).

So I can see how the team will improve in the future, I just don't see how that team could ever compete with Boston, Miami, Orlando, or New York, much less the Spurs and the Lakers, for a title. So unless we get REALLY lucky in next year's draft and stumble across the next KG, we're going to be stuck a ceiling of second round in the playoffs for the next five years at least.

The lack of this "muscle-bound forward with post up offense" is what we have been missing for over a decade. It's ironic how we had Sheed, Ben Wallace, Juwan, and Cwebb and ended up keeping Juwan the longest. I feel like the Big Man gods are mad at us for that. I can remember 2 years ago when Amare was available, and they were asking for both Jamison and Butler, and we felt that would be giving up "too much". What were we thinking?

[nate33]

One of the reasons why I'd want to stock pile picks is to trade them. Jersey had what...5 first round draft picks in the next 2 seasons? They traded two of them, plus a young talent and Harris for Deron Williams.

You mean to tell me a package of McGee plus two first round picks, plus maybe another talent wouldn't be enough to entice Otis Smith? Or maybe someone else? (Truthfully though, I would only give up that much for Howard).

Perhaps we are making a mistake in acquiring 2011 draft picks. We might have been better off going after Atlanta's 2012 pick. The idea is to have a bunch of picks in hand ready to give to Orlando if we want to make a bid for Howard.

[queridiculo]

You really think Smith will ever pick up a phone call with a D.C area code after the Wizards bamboozled the Magic into trading for Arenas?

[leswizards]

Or, if the Wizards are not sold on Young, Baltche, and McGee, I wish they would start worrying about getting reliable starters before they worry about getting backups. In this scenario, I wish they would roll the dice on Young, get the best player available at their spot in the draft, and then package Baltche, McGee, Booker, Seraphin, Crawford, and Atlanta's first to fill the 2 holes in their starting line up. Some people might complain about how these trade will eviscerate the bench, but my response would be that is what 2nd round picks, MLEs, league minimum vets, and future first round picks are for.

Easier said than done leswiz. Nobody wants to be on the other end of a quantity for quality trade.

If I were trying to turn those 5 players and a pick into Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Alridge, I would agree with you. But I would settle for a lot less than that, and I think it is doable. Ideally, those 5 players and pick could bring back 2 picks in the 6-10 range. If the wizards could manage that, they should be able to add a starting SF, PF and C of the future (when including their own 1st round pick). If the Wizards can't manage to get 2 picks in that range, then the Wizards are stuck trying to build a team with 5 players essientially devoid of value on the hope that they can become valueable.

[dandridge 10]

The things that McGee needs to improve upon (primarily basketball IQ and defensive fundamentals) are mental. They're the kinds of things that you retain once you learn them once.

My concern about McGee is that he doesn't think he needs to learn those things. The fact that's he's learned so little indicates he's either exceptionally stupid or has just decided he's not going to study the pro game. Tossing out the first possibility as unlikely, we turn to the second possibility -- he does not learn because he does not want to or think he needs to.

That scares the hell out of me. I'm not sure how one reaches a person like that. I'm not willing to give up on McGee either, but his attitude concerns me enough that I'd listen to any reasonable offers from teams that think they can make him want to learn.

My concerns are the same with McGee and I would also entertain offers from other teams, and depending on the offer, let him go. I said last year that my largest concern regarding McGee is he acts like he has everything already figured out. Guys like that are difficult to teach and I think that is one of the reasons why McGee's growth has been so slow. If no suitable offers are made for him over the summer, I'm willing to roll with him for another year, but my patience is running thin.

As for the rest of Nates plan, I am on board.

[nate33]

I'm not even convinced the consolidation trades of that nature improve the chances of acquiring quality starters.

Would you rather have the 19th and 21st pick in the draft and two shots at star, or the #14 pick in the draft and one shot? The only sure things in the draft are in the high lottery, and no amount of consolidation trades are enough to trade into the top 6.

[queridiculo]

Blatche has to go, first order of business really.

Next up on the agenda, Jeff Green. Plays with pride, plays defense, plays with intensity, exactly the type of player you want to surround Wall with. I'm sure he won't come cheap, but you have to start somewhere.

McGee may never get it, but it's too early to give up on him imho. Find a defensive minded big to start at center and see what you can get out of the kid at the 4. He's been clamoring for the position, maybe the prospect of locking down the PF spot will get him to step up his game.

[Ruzious]

Blatche has to go, first order of business really.

Next up on the agenda, Jeff Green. Plays with pride, plays defense, plays with intensity, exactly the type of player you want to surround Wall with. I'm sure he won't come cheap, but you have to start somewhere.

McGee may never get it, but it's too early to give up on him imho. Find a defensive minded big to start at center and see what you can get out of the kid at the 4. He's been clamoring for the position, maybe the prospect of locking down the PF spot will get him to step up his game.

Yeah, we're a rebuilding team, and he has all the potential, so McGee does have to stay unless the Wiz get a great offer.

On Jeff Green, he's a good versatile forward who plays good D but... he's probably not going to be worth his contract. He gives you a PER of roughly 13. He just doesn't do enough to be more than a solid role player.

[MF23]

First thing I'd do is keep McGee and wonder why anyone would want to dump him. This will be the most important offseason of his career. The Wizards should keep him until they see him next year.

Blatche must go! It doesn't have to be this offseason nor next season but his tree is starting to lose a lot of fruit. There is the potential with his moronic habits that he plummets his value even further so I'd be open to dealing him for moderate value. Ultimately I don't think you're going to get equal talent for talent in future trade with him. He departure will lead into something more perpendicular where one point ends you'll probably start heading in a better direction.

EG and Flip are here to stay. Rasheed Wallace isn't someone I would take too much advice from but if he says Flip is a soft professional who can't control a team then at some point a strong personality is going to defy him. When there's an accident on the street you become an on looking bystander, defining natures truths isn't my point more so than expressing Flips demise has to happen. The likelihood of this happening outside of the rebuild is very high. EG and the front offices ability to evaluate talent is going to keep them here. They don't stink at it. I'm 100% sure I'm better at evaluating talent than them but that doesn't mean I nor someone actually qualified will lead this franchise to a better future.

Right now I have Booker, Wall and McGee as the only pieces I feel comfortable saying could be here when the team is great. Saraphin needs to show some meanness to him, some Horace Grant before I acknowledge him as being a part of the future teams physical presence.

[nuposse04]

You think sacromento would do something like Jason Thompson+filler for AB+ 2nd rounder?

[leswizards]

I'm not even convinced the consolidation trades of that nature improve the chances of acquiring quality starters.

Would you rather have the 19th and 21st pick in the draft and two shots at star, or the #14 pick in the draft and one shot? The only sure things in the draft are in the high lottery, and no amount of consolidation trades are enough to trade into the top 6.

IMO, it depends upon what kind of team you have. If you are set at the starters, I think you can make the case that having a 19th and 21st is better than having a 14th. However, if you have question marks at 4 of your 5 startings spots, I think you should use the 14th to get the best player available.

Here are the results of EG's mile wide inch deep philosophy:

Failed with Javaris, Yi, Thornton, and OP.
Too soon to say on Crawford, Booker, and Kevin.
Produced in Nick, Blatche, and Javale, three players who generate more disagreements over their value than any other players on the Wizards roster.

I think another thing to consider is that you only have a limited number of years to control a player. Unless you get lucky, a players position in the draft is proportional to the length of time it takes to develop him. If you constantly take on late first round picks, you constantly place yourself in a position of a grooming players who bloom right when they are ready to hit the market, and you are left questioning whether the players are trully valueable or are they only playing well so as to get paid well.

[spaceman_E]

Dump Blatche at all costs. I'd pray PHX would do Blatche + ATL pick for PHX 1st, Robin Lopez and Childress. They dump a contract they don't want and I think Blatche is a decent fit next to Gortat. We get a solid, hustling big, a lotto pick and the addition by subtraction of AB.

Keep Mcgee til next season at least but I would draft a C or find a vet better than Neck to compete for the 5.

Draft BPA to stockpile assets because I don't see a Franchise player in this draft. I'd also lean towards the sexier pick if it is close in order to be more appealing when you try to acquire another superstar. I.E. D Williams > Kanter.

Keep trying to lessen the Gil contract by shopping Shard for another expensive vet on a shorter deal.

Make Wall shoot 1,000 3's a day in the offseason.

Keep Young.

[Zonkerbl]

I think you need to determine what you get in the draft first and then decide what to do with Blatche.

[jivelikenice]

Quick Bibby buyout question. If he agrees to a discounted buyout, does the savings get credited back towards the cap or is it merely a cash savings for Ted?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Think rationally; not emotionally.

The bottom line is to lay the groundwork to get an outstanding big. Get the outstanding big. Then fill in the blanks.

In the meantime, player development has to improve. The first thing I'd do is get long-term answers at GM and Coach. Whether or not EG and Flip are good or bad, they're not the future of this organization. Ted's got to earn his stripes by finding the best GM he can for the future, and he should be in the process right now of finding that indivudual. Then the GM chooses the best coach he can for the future.

I'd tell Induveca to suggest CCJ as a personnel consultant and a draft consultant. I know a little bit about organizational development, team building, group dynamics, and human resource managent. My BS, Mathematics. MS, Education. Raised in Ft Washington, MD, I've been a fan of Bullets almost 40 years. Antawn Jamison and probably Kwame could vouch for having met me. Bobby Simmons might recall meeting me on the day my mom passed--when I told him what I thought would happen. Same as Zach Randolph--he might remember all star talk in 2002.

Stuff like Millsap and Blair are the tip of the iceberg. Many of my haters on this sight lock in on my mistakes and some flat out lie out of hatred. Others just don't want to admit I might know something they don't. Almond and Sweetney? Yep.

This is all Ted needs to do:
1. Fire Flip and his entire staff
2. Reward Ernie with a nice severance package. The man has really done well the past 12 months--but he has to go also.
3. My plan that would work well:
A. Change the name back to the Bullets
B. Hire Danny Ferry as GM. (Spurs pipeline, Lebron's Cavs pipeline, Bullets/Bob Ferry/NBA champion games of 70's link)
C. Hire Dave Joerger as Head Coach
D. Offer assistant coaching positions to Mike Brown, Eddie Jordan, and Mike Ruffin
E. Offer Big Man consultant work to Kermit Washington, Clifford Ray, Wes Unseld and any other legend like Kareem, McHale, Hakeem, or Moses Malone

Create mentoring system to help the young guys do more than Madden or clubbing. Some of the legends can handle that. CCJ has several sons and I love them and also correct them as needed.

I know more than a lot of folks who IMO get paid more than they deserve. I would work for a very reasonable salary--with much of that going to non profit missionary outlets.

I would love to help, Ruz.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Think rationally; not emotionally.

The bottom line is to lay the groundwork to get an outstanding big. Get the outstanding big. Then fill in the blanks.

In the meantime, player development has to improve. The first thing I'd do is get long-term answers at GM and Coach. Whether or not EG and Flip are good or bad, they're not the future of this organization. Ted's got to earn his stripes by finding the best GM he can for the future, and he should be in the process right now of finding that indivudual. Then the GM chooses the best coach he can for the future.

I'd tell Induveca to suggest CCJ as a personnel consultant and a draft consultant. I know a little bit about organizational development, team building, group dynamics, and human resource managent. My BS, Mathematics. MS, Education. Raised in Ft Washington, MD, I've been a fan of Bullets almost 40 years. Antawn Jamison and probably Kwame could vouch for having met me. Bobby Simmons might recall meeting me on the day my mom passed--when I told him what I thought would happen. Same as Zach Randolph--he might remember all star talk in 2002.

Stuff like Millsap and Blair are the tip of the iceberg. Many of my haters on this sight lock in on my mistakes and some flat out lie out of hatred. Others just don't want to admit I might know something they don't. Almond and Sweetney? Yep.

This is all Ted needs to do:
1. Fire Flip and his entire staff
2. Reward Ernie with a nice severance package. The man has really done well the past 12 months--but he has to go also.
3. My plan that would work well:
A. Change the name back to the Bullets
B. Hire Danny Ferry as GM. (Spurs pipeline, Lebron's Cavs pipeline, Bullets/Bob Ferry/NBA champion games of 70's link)
C. Hire Dave Joerger as Head Coach
D. Offer assistant coaching positions to Mike Brown, Eddie Jordan, and Mike Ruffin
E. Offer Big Man consultant work to Kermit Washington, Clifford Ray, Wes Unseld and any other legend like Kareem, McHale, Hakeem, or Moses Malone

Create mentoring system to help the young guys do more than Madden or clubbing. Some of the legends can handle that. CCJ has several sons and I love them and also correct them as needed.

I know more than a lot of folks who IMO get paid more than they deserve. I would work for a very reasonable salary--with much of that going to non profit missionary outlets.

I would love to help, Ruz.