Andrew Nicholson, 4-yr $26M

[gambitx777]

Two trick pony. Can't pass and can't defend, but can score in the lane and catch and shoot threes. Looks like he'll have a very limited role. 15 MPG at the most. 4th option on offense. A replacement for the role that we tried to shoehorn Drew Gooden and Kris Humphries into.

Let's see if he can get that three ball percentage up. I think that'll determine his success or failure here. Shot 36% in very limited minutes last season, which is something to build on. Seems to be able to shoot pretty well from around the FT line extended, useful for the trail game and pick and fades. He's going to get a ton of open threes in our system, so if he has a confident stroke he could climb up towards 40% and make a couple a game. That'd make him a useful outlet for a rotation 4.

He is not terrible passer, he is jsut not a great one, and he is not a terrible defender he is just not a good one, he is methodical and he has a great feel for the game, and he tries hard, I think that means something.

[closg00]

FWIW, Nicholson is well-liked on the Orlando board, unlike the mixed-bagged of opinion of Trey Burke over at the Utah board which is mostly negative.

[payitforward]

To be fair to Nicholson, they were in a log jam up front, orlando has guard issues, they do not have a very good system, and he just did not fit with what they wanted to do.
Is he uber athletic, no, is he a bad athlete, no. he is just average. He is not slow he just does not have blinding speed. But he has amazing post skills and he can also shoot from the outside. He may not be all that on D, but he does try hard and in the right system with the right HC, that can be enough.

Well, we'll get to see how he performs. I hope he turns out great.

But your description is, lets say, kind to him. Tilted in his direction.

Nicholson was bad enough that a 33-win team didn't make him a qualifying offer. Have to assume that they also were unable to trade him, even for a pick, last year -- or do you think NBA GMs arrange to throw away assets instead of getting at least a little something for them?

[gambitx777]

To be fair to Nicholson, they were in a log jam up front, orlando has guard issues, they do not have a very good system, and he just did not fit with what they wanted to do.
Is he uber athletic, no, is he a bad athlete, no. he is just average. He is not slow he just does not have blinding speed. But he has amazing post skills and he can also shoot from the outside. He may not be all that on D, but he does try hard and in the right system with the right HC, that can be enough.

Well, we'll get to see how he performs. I hope he turns out great.

But your description is, lets say, kind to him. Tilted in his direction.

Nicholson was bad enough that a 33-win team didn't make him a qualifying offer. Have to assume that they also were unable to trade him, even for a pick, last year -- or do you think NBA GMs arrange to throw away assets instead of getting at least a little something for them?

People can get lost in log jams, they had Frye and Harris for 40+ games, then Ilyasova, and Smith, Gordon, and Vucevic. He got stuck in a log jam and now they have Ibaka. I'm not sying you do not have a point, but guys can get overlooked and play better else where, it happens all the time. I still think he is better than Gooden, and a better pure 4 than dudley was, I probably am being kind to him but I think he has some things that will work well with our guards and the style of play I think brooks is going to use.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

To be fair to Nicholson, they were in a log jam up front, orlando has guard issues, they do not have a very good system, and he just did not fit with what they wanted to do.
Is he uber athletic, no, is he a bad athlete, no. he is just average. He is not slow he just does not have blinding speed. But he has amazing post skills and he can also shoot from the outside. He may not be all that on D, but he does try hard and in the right system with the right HC, that can be enough.

Well, we'll get to see how he performs. I hope he turns out great.

But your description is, lets say, kind to him. Tilted in his direction.

Nicholson was bad enough that a 33-win team didn't make him a qualifying offer. Have to assume that they also were unable to trade him, even for a pick, last year -- or do you think NBA GMs arrange to throw away assets instead of getting at least a little something for them?

People can get lost in log jams, they had Frye and Harris for 40+ games, then Ilyasova, and Smith, Gordon, and Vucevic. He got stuck in a log jam and now they have Ibaka. I'm not sying you do not have a point, but guys can get overlooked and play better else where, it happens all the time. I still think he is better than Gooden, and a better pure 4 than dudley was, I probably am being kind to him but I think he has some things that will work well with our guards and the style of play I think brooks is going to use.

I agree. Though better than Gooden and (2nd half of year) Dudley is a pretty low bar.

[I_Like_Dirt]

Nicholson was bad enough that a 33-win team didn't make him a qualifying offer. Have to assume that they also were unable to trade him, even for a pick, last year -- or do you think NBA GMs arrange to throw away assets instead of getting at least a little something for them?

To be fair here, Biyombo had the exact same thing happen to him last offseason, right down to a 33-win team, and he turned out alright. Nicholson may not be great or anything, but he's not necessarily bad. To be honest, I think he's better than the average Grunfeld move here. I was worried Grunfeld would go for guys like Jeff Green or Ryan Anderson. Nicholson has a bit of potential if given a chance, and it looks like he'll probably get that chance now. It may not be an amazing signing, but it has the potential to work out pretty well, and I like it in that respect. Mahinmi is another matter, but even there, at least Mahinmi can play and should be able to play for the duration of his contract. If the Wizards were going to bet on Wall, Beal and Porter at the 1, 2 and 3, then these signings make quite a bit of sense.

[nate33]

I just have a terrible vibe about this guy. He's just so slow. I think he's going to put up some decent per minute numbers but with terrible on/off differentials because his defense will be so bad. Other teams are just gonna put this guy in pick-and-rolls all day.

[pcbothwel]

I just have a terrible vibe about this guy. He's just so slow. I think he's going to put up some decent per minute numbers but with terrible on/off differentials because his defense will be so bad. Other teams are just gonna put this guy in pick-and-rolls all day.

But he could also play some stretch 5 and cause havoc. He's 6'9-6'10, 240 lbs, with a 7'4 wingspan. He can shoot the three ball at a 35% clip and his post moves are elite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctwPFgBepmY

He abused KAT, Dieng, B. Lopez, etc.

[Upper Decker]

I just have a terrible vibe about this guy. He's just so slow. I think he's going to put up some decent per minute numbers but with terrible on/off differentials because his defense will be so bad. Other teams are just gonna put this guy in pick-and-rolls all day.

Him and Trey Burke--slow, unathletic, terrible defenders. Every team will punish Burke and Nicholson on PnR action. It'll get to the point where they are unplayable together.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

I just have a terrible vibe about this guy. He's just so slow. I think he's going to put up some decent per minute numbers but with terrible on/off differentials because his defense will be so bad. Other teams are just gonna put this guy in pick-and-rolls all day.

But he could also play some stretch 5 and cause havoc. He's 6'9-6'10, 240 lbs, with a 7'4 wingspan. He can shoot the three ball at a 35% clip and his post moves are elite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctwPFgBepmY

He abused KAT, Dieng, B. Lopez, etc.

Reminds me a lot of a certain French ex Wizard. I'm sure Seraphin's best four minutes compiled look great as well.

Though this could explain the mystery that is Ernie Grunfield. Agents send him mixed tapes and he chooses from that.

[pcbothwel]

Seraphin has shot 5 3Pta in his entire career and made Zero of them. Nicholson shot 114 last year alone and made 36% of them.

[closg00]

I just have a terrible vibe about this guy. He's just so slow. I think he's going to put up some decent per minute numbers but with terrible on/off differentials because his defense will be so bad. Other teams are just gonna put this guy in pick-and-rolls all day.

But he could also play some stretch 5 and cause havoc. He's 6'9-6'10, 240 lbs, with a 7'4 wingspan. He can shoot the three ball at a 35% clip and his post moves are elite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctwPFgBepmY

He abused KAT, Dieng, B. Lopez, etc.

Reminds me a lot of a certain French ex Wizard. I'm sure Seraphin's best four minutes compiled look great as well.

Though this could explain the mystery that is Ernie Grunfield. Agents send him mixed tapes and he chooses from that.

Look at the slop Ernie threw-together last year, then expected Randy to run a fast-break offense. Ernie just gets bodies and salaries, he has proven he doesn't know shyte about talent.

[DCZards]

Look at the slop Ernie threw-together last year, then expected Randy to run a fast-break offense. Ernie just gets bodies and salaries, he has proven he doesn't know shyte about talent.

If you're unhappy or frustrated about the team/talent that the Zards have put together thus far this offseason, I suggest you blame Grunfeld AND Brooks. There is no way that these moves were made without the input, and most likely the support, of the Zards' new head coach.

Judging from the comments I've read on this thread, the offseason thread and the Burke thread, the Zards' moves are getting a mix review---with about 50% of the posters saying the team is worse than last year and 50% saying it's better.

I guess we'll see for sure when they start ballin' in October.

[payitforward]

I just have a terrible vibe about this guy. He's just so slow. I think he's going to put up some decent per minute numbers but with terrible on/off differentials because his defense will be so bad. Other teams are just gonna put this guy in pick-and-rolls all day.

But he could also play some stretch 5 and cause havoc. He's 6'9-6'10, 240 lbs, with a 7'4 wingspan. He can shoot the three ball at a 35% clip and his post moves are elite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctwPFgBepmY

He abused KAT, Dieng, B. Lopez, etc.

Yes, he did. On his highlight reel. Everybody has a highlight reel, and everybody abuses everybody else on their highlight reel.

In the end, this is a guy Orlando gave away, didn't bother extending a qualifying offer to. In his 4th year in the league he managed to earn 823 minute of PT for a 35 win team.

[fishercob]

I just have a terrible vibe about this guy. He's just so slow. I think he's going to put up some decent per minute numbers but with terrible on/off differentials because his defense will be so bad. Other teams are just gonna put this guy in pick-and-rolls all day.

But he could also play some stretch 5 and cause havoc. He's 6'9-6'10, 240 lbs, with a 7'4 wingspan. He can shoot the three ball at a 35% clip and his post moves are elite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctwPFgBepmY

He abused KAT, Dieng, B. Lopez, etc.

Yes, he did. On his highlight reel. Everybody has a highlight reel, and everybody abuses everybody else on their highlight reel.

In the end, this is a guy Orlando gave away, didn't bother extending a qualifying offer to. In his 4th year in the league he managed to earn 823 minute of PT for a 35 win team.

I wonder if there has been any research done on the efficiency of the market for playing time. There's a narrative in the NBA blogosphere that Nicholson didn't really get a fair shot in Orlando. I'm sure his coaches would beg to differ. Then again, our own Scott Brooks had a tendency to play Kendrick Perkins even when the low-hanging data clearly suggested it hurt his team. Either way, there's reason to be pessimistic!

[DCZards]

Yes, he did. On his highlight reel. Everybody has a highlight reel, and everybody abuses everybody else on their highlight reel.

In the end, this is a guy Orlando gave away, didn't bother extending a qualifying offer to. In his 4th year in the league he managed to earn 823 minute of PT for a 35 win team.

PT doesn't always equate to ability, PIF, and a smart guy like you knows that. Last offseason, the same Orlando team let Moe Harkless walk after giving him very little playing time. Harkless went out to Portland and had a very good season coming off the Blazers bench. It's all about getting an opportunity.

BTW, the 33-win Sac Kings just gave away your boy Seth Curry. Does that mean Seth can't play?

[closg00]

Look at the slop Ernie threw-together last year, then expected Randy to run a fast-break offense. Ernie just gets bodies and salaries, he has proven he doesn't know shyte about talent.

If you're unhappy or frustrated about the team/talent that the Zards have put together thus far this offseason, I suggest you blame Grunfeld AND Brooks. There is no way that these moves were made without the input, and most likely the support, of the Zards' new head coach.

Judging from the comments I've read on this thread, the offseason thread and the Burke thread, the Zards' moves are getting a mix review---with about 50% of the posters saying the team is worse than last year and 50% saying it's better.

I guess we'll see for sure when they start ballin' in October.

We just got bodies Zard, Sessions, Nene, Temple & Dudley replacements. Looks like a weird mix, we'll have to see what Brooks can do with it.

[TGW]

Brooks was involved in the moves eh? Well, that doesn't make me feel any better about Brooks decision-making, if thats the case.

[Kanyewest]

Brooks was involved in the moves eh? Well, that doesn't make me feel any better about Brooks decision-making, if thats the case.

If Brooks was involved with the moves in OKC. It would make me feel slightly better.

[payitforward]

I wonder if there has been any research done on the efficiency of the market for playing time. There's a narrative in the NBA blogosphere that Nicholson didn't really get a fair shot in Orlando. I'm sure his coaches would beg to differ. Then again, our own Scott Brooks had a tendency to play Kendrick Perkins even when the low-hanging data clearly suggested it hurt his team. Either way, there's reason to be pessimistic!

PT doesn't always equate to ability, PIF, and a smart guy like you knows that. Last offseason, the same Orlando team let Moe Harkless walk after giving him very little playing time. Harkless went out to Portland and had a very good season coming off the Blazers bench. It's all about getting an opportunity.

BTW, the 33-win Sac Kings just gave away your boy Seth Curry. Does that mean Seth can't play?

You know what, you are both completely correct. What research there is on "the efficiency of the market for playing time" indicates a lot of problems. E.g. guys who are R1 picks get lots more time on the floor no matter how bad they are. R2 guys better look good right away.

Zards point is a little different. There's no point in quoting authority -- not even negative authority. That Orlando let him go doesn't impact whether he is going to play well or badly for us. And Sac'to dropping a kid with promise like Curry is also a telling point. (Although it's worth pointing out that Curry was productive in his minutes, whereas so Nicholson has not been -- moreover, we don't want to measure "ability," we want to measure "production" (and that's true in any field, not just sports).

In that sense, I want to back off of Andrew Nicholson. After all, it's not him I mean to critique -- it's Ernie Grunfeld. Not the player, but the move to acquire this particular player, given who all were available. Yet it can't help but sound like I'm critical of Nicholson.

Ernie is incompetent. He shows it over and over. He should be fired. But, in a couple of days when Andrew Nicholson signs with us I'll be rooting for him. I hope he plays a lot better for us than he has in the past for Orlando.