Grade The Wizards Off-Season

[closg00]

Trades
Rashard Lewis $24 million out. $43 million-two years In: Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza

Draft
3rd - Bradley Beal
32nd - Tomas Satoransky
46th - Traded to New Orleans

Free Agent Signings
F Cartier Martin - 1-year Vet Minimum
PG A.J. Price - 1-year Vet Minimum

Amnestied
Andray Blatche: $23 million

New Staff
Former San Antonio assistant coach Don Newman - Defensive Specialist

Current Roster

PG: John Wall/A.J. Price/Shelvin Mack

SG: Bradley Beal/Jordan Crawford.

SF: Trevor Ariza/Chris Singleton/Cartier Martin

PF: Nene/Trevor Booker/Jan Vesely

C: Emeka Okafor/Kevin Seraphin

The roster stands at 13 currently with the Wizards waiting on Mason and possibly Singleton

[TGW]

This is premature, because the offseason isn't over, but as of now, I give it a C-

Good moves:

- Drafting Bradley Beal, who was BPA at #3
- Amnestied Blatche
- Hired Don Newman

Decent moves:

- Resigning Cartier Martin

Poor moves/remains to be seen:

- Trading Lewis and #46 for Okafor and Ariza
- Signing AJ Price
- Drafting T. Satoransky


All in all, the team went from a ~25 win team to a ~35 win team with the moves they made. I don't think they make the playoffs as currently constructed—there's simply not enough firepower nor shooting ability to win on a consistent basis. If they do win games, it'll be low-scoring/ugly affairs with scores in the 80's. The biggest disappointment is that Vesely and Booker now have to compete for minutes, and one of them will have to sit in order to play sorry ass Okafor. If they resign Singleton, then it moves back up to a C.

[closg00]

The poll will remain open and folks can change their votes after the last one or two spots are filled. Just taking the tempature of the board.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Can't say I'm real impressed.

I think this lineup was extremely doable:

Wall/Watson
Beal/Crawford/Jenkins or Lamb
Korver/Martin/Singleton
Illyasova/Booker/Vesely
Nene/Seraphin/J. Singleton

How many different ways does it need to be said... We need to surround Wall with lights out shooters.

Amnestying Lewis, buying out Blatche, overpaying for Ersan, trading a ham sandwich for Korver and a plate of potatoes for Watson, trading two seconds to move up for Jenkins. I'd like to see that team play.

[FreeBalling]

I gave a B for the off-season grade. We got rid of RL and his inflated no production contract, in return we got two productive players that are also positive role models for our developing young players. The departure of AB sends a message to the players that a professional work ethic is required to play at the NBA level. The draft was outstanding with the pick of Beal. We really need a person that can shoot the ball from the outside.

I believe we are headed in the right direction; no one was going to come to DC except for the pay check. The Wizards are in early stages of altering the perception of how other NBA players evaluate the Washington Wizards front office. It's going to take some time for the above average or elite players to consider playing for Washington when they can go to a team with a winning history. We have a losing history, with lots of proven failures. This is the answer to how the Wizards bring in quality talent. We must will ball games…the front office must use critical thinking to achieve this goal. I would say we are still two to three seasons away from changing the mindset of other NBA players.

[Dat2U]

I believe we are headed in the right direction; no one was going to come to DC except for the pay check. The Wizards are in early stages of altering the perception of how other NBA players evaluate the Washington Wizards front office. It's going to take some time for the above average or elite players to consider playing for Washington when they can go to a team with a winning history.

This is just a load of hot unadulterated bulldung IMO. So Minnesota, Milwaukee or New Jersey can alter the perception just by being aggressive and not having a loser's mentality before free agency even started. But the poor sadsack Wizards can only alter the perception by trading for expensive veterans who've seen better days.

Quickest was to change the perception? Clean house in the front office and change the weak minded mentality that you can't compete with other teams.

Offseason: C- (amnestying Blatche & drafting Beal keeps it from being lower).

[queridiculo]

I have a hard time giving Ernie credit for drafting Beal and using the amnesty provision on Blatche. Those moves were absolute no-brainers.

When it mattered Grunfeld acted rushed and clumsy and gave up a lot of value with a questionable return.

[FreeBalling]

Dat2U I have always enjoyed reading your comments. However, I would not consider "Minnesota, Milwaukee or New Jersey" teams with a rich history of winning. There are a few teams in the NBA where players will pass on a high pay check to play for a contender. These teams have a rich history of producing champions and attracting quality players.

Who was the last top tier free agent that wanted to play for the Wizards? As for the 2012/13 season you can't be expecting a huge improvement. I'd say something like 12 to 17 more wins. I believe the font office has to demonstrate competence in order to attract quality players. Then we should be able to bring in the upper level players. Just my thoughts.

[Dat2U]

Dat2U I have always enjoyed reading your comments. However, I would not consider "Minnesota, Milwaukee or New Jersey" teams with a rich history of winning. There are a few teams in the NBA where players will pass on a high pay check to play for a contender. These teams have a rich history of producing champions and attracting quality players.

Who was the last top tier free agent that wanted to play for the Wizards? As for the 2012/13 season you can't be expecting a huge improvement. I'd say something like 12 to 17 more wins. I believe the font office has to demonstrate competence in order to attract quality players. Then we should be able to bring in the upper level players. Just my thoughts.

Define top tier? Maybe not DWill but he was the only elite FA this offseason. All the guys we've been talking about prior to free agency, Ilyasova, Anderson, Batum and the like were all available and they signed with teams that didn't have a rich history of winning.

The current front office is a lost cause. They've demonstrated and stated that they don't believe they can compete with the elite teams. That loser mentality says it all. GMs, players and insiders around the NBA wonder why Ernie Grunfeld and his staff still have a job. We aren't taken seriously around the league because of who's in charge and their history, not because were the Washington Wizards. Leonsis had an opportunity to disassociate himself with the previous regime and start anew and he dropped the ball, so this excuse that we can't compete is now given merit.

[closg00]

Well-stated Dat.

[verbal8]

This is premature, because the offseason isn't over, but as of now, I give it a C-

I agree. I was surprised my grade was that high, but getting Blatche off the team and adding a solid if not spectacular player in Beal made it hard to drop the season down to a D. I also think grabbing the Spurs Assistant and Cartier Martin were solid moves.

One thing to consider about the offseason is that it cost about $46 million this year($22 million for Blatche, $4 million for Beal and $20 million for Okariza)this year and presumably $25 million next season(Okzaria options and Beal). True they were stuck with the dead weight of the Blatche deal and Rashard Lewis, but I would hope for more improvement with so much money spent.

[willbcocks]

My feelings about the offseason: B-level

I like Beal a lot, so I am feeling good about this summer.

My grade of EG's Performance: C-

Only positive move of the offseason was not panicking or giving up talent for Beal. Also, he did a good enough job creating smokescreens.

Everything else was either obvious (drafting Beal, amnestying Blatche) or done poorly (amnestying Blatche so late; okafor trade; satoransky; overall direction)

[closg00]

Steven Gray has been invited to our training camp.

[dangermouse]

C- here too, but not for the same reasons as others. I'm further on board with the Okafor/Ariza trade than I initially was.

Getting that Spurs defensive coach in = A+ move.

Amnestying Blatche? That was Ernie fixing his OWN blunder. Good move yes, but no points here from me for that. If I'm doing an exam and I get a question wrong and fail the exam, if I go home and look up the answer and realise my mistake, it doesnt change my failing mark.

Drafting Satoransky seems like it will turn out to be a bad move because of all the other talent that was still there...

Drafting Beal and signing Cartier were good moves. Not sure about Aj Price yet, Ill take a wait and see stance.

[payitforward]

I agree w/ what most everyone is saying:

Drafting Beal has to get an A, because there was no better move to make than to use the pick, and Beal was the BPA; luckily he also fit a big need extremely well.

Amnestying Dray also has to get an A. Yet, it's hard to give a guy points for cleaning up his own mess. Still....

Drafting Satoransky earns an F. No... a D-minus, since Ernie has been known to sell this kind of a pick for cash. Nah... screw it. This move gets an F.

Signing A.J. Price gets an F.

Signing Cartier Martin at the vet minimum gets a B+ -- if we have a team option for year 2. If not, it gets a B-minus.

Not signing James Singleton (especially in combination with our rumored interest/offer to Tolliver) gets an F -- but if we do sign him, that becomes an A. If it's multi-year, it's an A+. James Singleton is a tremendous bargain at the $$$ it takes to sew him up.

Trading RL for Okaforiza -- I find it hard not to give this an F, even though it does make us better this year. Two reasons I fail it: 1) it's a gutless quest for mediocrity, which I hate; and 2) it helps NO rebuild faster than the Wizards (by dumping what we thought desirable and immediately executing the buyout we found so repellant).

So, to this point, it's an Incomplete. If we don't sign James S., it's an overall D. If we do, it's an overall C-minus, or a C if we sign him for multiple years. And that's a generous grade. On a curve.

[payitforward]

^^
I keep thinking I'm grading him too high. Yet I find it hard to give the off season a D because of Beal and bye bye Dray.

[TGW]

^^
I keep thinking I'm grading him too high. Yet I find it hard to give the off season a D because of Beal and bye bye Dray.

Yea, I can't give it a D, simply because Ted (more than likely) made it a point to get rid of all the knuckleheads and unprofessional idiots EG had brought in the past few years. Although I really see it as EG cleaning his own nasty mess, we do have to give him a little credit for putting together a roster of professionals.

This team won't overwhelm anyone with talent, but the team will scrap, hustle, and play defense. The only thing I can hope for is health and hopefully a move to improve our weakest position--small forward.

[LyricalRico]

So, to this point, it's an Incomplete.

My thoughts exactly. There's still a lot of offseason left, so let's see how it plays out and revisit this type of discussion closer to camp.

[nate33]

^^
I keep thinking I'm grading him too high. Yet I find it hard to give the off season a D because of Beal and bye bye Dray.

Yea, I can't give it a D, simply because Ted (more than likely) made it a point to get rid of all the knuckleheads and unprofessional idiots EG had brought in the past few years. Although I really see it as EG cleaning his own nasty mess, we do have to give him a little credit for putting together a roster of professionals.

This team won't overwhelm anyone with talent, but the team will scrap, hustle, and play defense. The only thing I can hope for is health and hopefully a move to improve our weakest position--small forward.

I give EG a lot of credit for the past two years. He has done a nice job rebuilding with high character guys who are also good athletes; and the Nene move may have worked out perfectly.

I just think he has failed big time this offseason. I think he got a less than fair return on every move he has made (except for the signing of Cartier Martin). Not only that, but the pieces he has acquired aren't really good fits. Ariza is another wing who can't shoot. Okafor is redundant with Nene and Seraphin.

[nate33]

Only positive move of the offseason was not panicking or giving up talent for Beal. Also, he did a good enough job creating smokescreens

Yup. This was probably the only part of the offseason where I felt that EG did a better job than many other GM's would have done if they were in the same position.