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Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Basically a month and a half away...can't wait!

Halcyon wrote:Basically a month and a half away...can't wait!

nate33 wrote:Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Also, don't forget that the Hawks subtracted their top scorer. They've got some depth, but no real go-to players. And with the Dwight Howard possibility now out of the picture, they might continue to deconstruct that team and look to build longterm around Horford at PF.

nate33 wrote:Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

It's going to feel good to kick the magic ass for once

LyricalRico wrote:

nate33 wrote:Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Also, don't forget that the Hawks subtracted their top scorer. They've got some depth, but no real go-to players. And with the Dwight Howard possibility now out of the picture, they might continue to deconstruct that team and look to build longterm around Horford at PF.

Yeah, they still don't have a center to go with Horford and Josh Smith, but the way the East is now - if they play Horford at center, he might be the 2nd best center in the East. Zaza's good as a backup, and Petro and Jordan Williams are good as 3rd stringers. Actually, they don't have much quality depth.

^ I actually was thinking that Josh Smith might be one of the guys that goes. He's not really a SF because he doesn't have range on his shot and his primary defensive contributions are blocks near the rim. So as long as he's there, they will always have to play Horford out of position IMO. And he's up for a new deal next summer, so they really need to make a decision on him now.

Something like Smith to Houston for Kevin Martin and a young player or two might work. It would give Houston a big to pair with Lin (Asik doesn't count IMO) and it lets the Hawks move Horford to PF plus gives them a backcourt scorer that will probably be cheaper to re-sign than Smith would have been.

Actually, if ATL did that, I wonder if they'd have any interest in Okafor as as stop-gap starting C?

Halcyon wrote:Basically a month and a half away...can't wait!

Exactly, let's see what this group can do.

Ruzious wrote:

LyricalRico wrote:

nate33 wrote:Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

Also, don't forget that the Hawks subtracted their top scorer. They've got some depth, but no real go-to players. And with the Dwight Howard possibility now out of the picture, they might continue to deconstruct that team and look to build longterm around Horford at PF.

Yeah, they still don't have a center to go with Horford and Josh Smith, but the way the East is now - if they play Horford at center, he might be the 2nd best center in the East. Zaza's good as a backup, and Petro and Jordan Williams are good as 3rd stringers. Actually, they don't have much quality depth.

Is Horford better than Nene? Other than his ability to log more minutes, I'm not sure that he is. I'd take Nene over Horford on a per minute basis.

Ever since we ditched Blatche, I've been ready to do the happy dance. I have hopes of us making the playoffs, but regardless, we can pretty much expect a smart, defensive-minded hard working team that's eminently watchable.

Preseason should be fun!

Ruzious wrote:

LyricalRico wrote:
Also, don't forget that the Hawks subtracted their top scorer. They've got some depth, but no real go-to players. And with the Dwight Howard possibility now out of the picture, they might continue to deconstruct that team and look to build longterm around Horford at PF.

Yeah, they still don't have a center to go with Horford and Josh Smith, but the way the East is now - if they play Horford at center, he might be the 2nd best center in the East. Zaza's good as a backup, and Petro and Jordan Williams are good as 3rd stringers. Actually, they don't have much quality depth.

Guess who didn't even realize Jordan Williams got traded to the Hawks? This is news to me. Him and Devin Harris -- all I knew was Joe Johnson was a Net.

Here's one take on Jordan Williams that I just Googled:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-0 ... terps-trio

I think what the Johnson trade again shows is that Williams didn't help himself coming out of Maryland as a sophomore. Had he stayed another year in College Park, he would likely have been a first-round draft choice last week and he'd have a guaranteed contract. Instead, he's going to be one of these dispensable players who gets traded on an almost yearly basis several times before he finally finds a home -- if he ever does. He's a high-character kid, which helps Williams to a certain degree. But I wouldn't be surprised given how fluid things seem to be in the NBA these days if Williams gets traded a couple of more times -- before the 2012-13 season even begins.

Ruz, I think you felt Jordan Williams messed up big time. You were right. I thought dude stuck in the NBA and that's good. Well, not so much, apparently.

When the Wizards last played the Nets, I came away as impressed with Jordan Williams as I was with Kevin Seraphin, FWIW.

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:Here's one take on Jordan Williams that I just Googled:

...Williams didn't help himself coming out of Maryland as a sophomore. Had he stayed another year in College Park, he would likely have been a first-round draft choice last week and he'd have a guaranteed contract. Instead, he's going to be one of these dispensable players ....I wouldn't be surprised given how fluid things seem to be in the NBA these days if Williams gets traded a couple of more times -- before the 2012-13 season even begins.

Ruz, I think you felt Jordan Williams messed up big time. You were right. I thought dude stuck in the NBA and that's good. Well, not so much, apparently.

When the Wizards last played the Nets, I came away as impressed with Jordan Williams as I was with Kevin Seraphin, FWIW.

If Williams didn't go in Round 1 in 2011, a very weak draft, where's the idea come from that after another year he'd have gone Round 1 in 2012, a very deep draft? This is more of the wisdom from the Institute for Advanced Hindsight.

Williams played very well as a rookie; yes, he got traded but so what? He keeps playing like he did as a rookie, he'll sign a nice contract soon. I'd love to have him -- and yes, he outplayed Seraphin in that late-season game. Wouldn't be a huge surprise for him to turn out a better player than Kevin for that matter.

I was extremely high on Seraphin and delighted when we drafted him. And I think he's very gifted. But he hasn't yet shown that he can be a really good NBA player. He had some good games for us towards the end of the season -- but he disappeared in some others! Not there yet.

Hope we see the Wall/Beal combo more than Wall/Crawford.

Seriously can't wait to see the future back court in action.

dangermouse wrote:Hope we see the Wall/Beal combo more than Wall/Crawford.

Seriously can't wait to see the future back court in action.

I can see the need to ease Beal into the regular season, but I think Beal should get the bulk of the minutes at SG in the preseason. I think it is pretty clear at this point what Crawford provides, so I think the Wizards should give Beal a chance to develop chemistry with Wall in a game situation.

nate33 wrote:

Ruzious wrote:

LyricalRico wrote:
Also, don't forget that the Hawks subtracted their top scorer. They've got some depth, but no real go-to players. And with the Dwight Howard possibility now out of the picture, they might continue to deconstruct that team and look to build longterm around Horford at PF.

Yeah, they still don't have a center to go with Horford and Josh Smith, but the way the East is now - if they play Horford at center, he might be the 2nd best center in the East. Zaza's good as a backup, and Petro and Jordan Williams are good as 3rd stringers. Actually, they don't have much quality depth.

Is Horford better than Nene? Other than his ability to log more minutes, I'm not sure that he is. I'd take Nene over Horford on a per minute basis.

That's why I said "might". It's arguable either way, though certainly Horford has much more value - due to age.

On that Josh Smith for Kevin Martin idea, it'd be great for Houstona and terrible for Atl, imo. I know some folks here really like K-Mart, but I don't think you win anything because of him. People get caught up in Smith's shot selection - which is a problem, but he's a helluvan all-around player - even with his poor shot selection. He helps win games. Plus he's younger.

Hey all -- this is off topic, but just letting you know that I'll be away the next 3 weeks and probably won't be online here at all.

In the interim, if you'd please find us a new GM and... no, that's enough. Just do that.

Keep the embers alive!

truwizfan4evr wrote:

nate33 wrote:Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

It's going to feel good to kick the magic ass for once

Book it - Magic will win the Lotto next summer. Star leaves a favored franchise, joins another team, said franchise gets a second shot. Or a third... Jordan leaves, Brand comes in. Brand goes, Rose comes in. LeBron leaves, Kyrie comes in. Shaq leaves, Howard comes in. Howard leaves, ......?

Severn Hoos wrote:

truwizfan4evr wrote:

nate33 wrote:Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

It's going to feel good to kick the magic ass for once

Book it - Magic will win the Lotto next summer. Star leaves a favored franchise, joins another team, said franchise gets a second shot. Or a third... Jordan leaves, Brand comes in. Brand goes, Rose comes in. LeBron leaves, Kyrie comes in. Shaq leaves, Howard comes in. Howard leaves, ......?

I'm still holding out hope that Stern owes us for absorbing Okafor and Ariza from New Orleans and making the Hornets much more palatable to sell.

If EG ultimately had a wink-wink deal with Stern to land a top 3 pick next year, then I'll take back my criticism of the trade.

Severn Hoos wrote:

truwizfan4evr wrote:

nate33 wrote:Our strength of schedule will be kind to us this year - being in the same division with the Orlando Magic and the Charlotte Bobcats.

It's going to feel good to kick the magic ass for once

Book it - Magic will win the Lotto next summer. Star leaves a favored franchise, joins another team, said franchise gets a second shot. Or a third... Jordan leaves, Brand comes in. Brand goes, Rose comes in. LeBron leaves, Kyrie comes in. Shaq leaves, Howard comes in. Howard leaves, ......?

You're right, but I'm sick of Orlando getting star players. They don't deserve it.

Doesn't matter anyway because I don't think there are any can't miss studs available this year. Yeah yeah the Noel kid on Kentucky but he's not in the Davis/Wall category.