Where should the Wizards go from here?

[CobraCommander]

Watch on YouTube

2:30

our only hope for a ring

Will KD bring Steph,Klay,Dray and Kerr with him...? If its just KD ...we will get that L in the finals...

[Dark Faze]

Nearly everyone would agree that Ariza is the better defender.

[closg00]

https://www.yardbarker.com/nba/articles/five_key_offseason_questions_washington_wizards/s1_14822_26608910

[payitforward]

Yes? This isn't a controversial opinion.

Advanced numbers all support this (DWS, DBPM, DRtg) and Ariza is much better eye test wise. He's possibly the best at ball denial in the league.

Otto has a higher DWS, DRPM, DBPM, they have the same DRtg of 107.

Otto also averages mores steals and blocks.

We must be using different eye tests

steals and blocks mean zero.

Ariza has had multiple seasons of better defensive production from an advanced stats perspective. Sorting by this season when Ariza is 32 and had a smaller role on a stacked team is completely disingenuous.

Why not compare them in 2016-17 in that case?

Otto scored more points than Ariza at a much higher TS%.
Otto had more defensive boards per 40 minutes
Otto had more offensive boards per 40 minutes
Ariza had somewhat more steals... but "steals... mean zero", right? Actually, no, that's wrong.

Overall, with no doubt whatsoever, Otto Porter had a much better season than Ariza in 2016-17. This is not to say that Ariza had a bad season -- not at all. He had quite a good season. Which is no surprise, as he is quite a good player. Just not as good as Porter.

[payitforward]

...Sorting by this season when Ariza is 32 and had a smaller role on a stacked team is completely disingenuous.

Your point about his age is valid. But I don't know what you mean by "smaller role." Ariza played 2300 minutes, & his role was not particularly smaller than usual. Per 40 minutes, he averages .9 fewer FGAs than he did his years with us. Doesn't amount to much...

[gtn130]

Otto has a higher DWS, DRPM, DBPM, they have the same DRtg of 107.

Otto also averages mores steals and blocks.

We must be using different eye tests

steals and blocks mean zero.

Ariza has had multiple seasons of better defensive production from an advanced stats perspective. Sorting by this season when Ariza is 32 and had a smaller role on a stacked team is completely disingenuous.

Why not compare them in 2016-17 in that case?

Otto scored more points than Ariza at a much higher TS%.
Otto had more defensive boards per 40 minutes
Otto had more offensive boards per 40 minutes
Ariza had somewhat more steals... but "steals... mean zero", right? Actually, no, that's wrong.

Overall, with no doubt whatsoever, Otto Porter had a much better season than Ariza in 2016-17. This is not to say that Ariza had a bad season -- not at all. He had quite a good season. Which is no surprise, as he is quite a good player. Just not as good as Porter.

We were talking only about defense.

And while there is ~some value in steals and blocks, they're pretty irrelevant when determining how good/bad someone is at defense.

[gtn130]

...Sorting by this season when Ariza is 32 and had a smaller role on a stacked team is completely disingenuous.

Your point about his age is valid. But I don't know what you mean by "smaller role." Ariza played 2300 minutes, & his role was not particularly smaller than usual. Per 40 minutes, he averages .9 fewer FGAs than he did his years with us. Doesn't amount to much...

Again, we were talking about defense.

[verbal8]

I think part of the Wizards problems is ownership. I don't know a lot about hockey, but losing a coach after he wins the Stanley cup seems like a big problem.

https://hockey.realgm.com/wiretap/14957/Barry-Trotz-Leaves-Capitals-After-Winning-Stanley-Cup

[truwizfan4evr]

it's pretty simple.....Wizards get: Kevin Love, JR Smith and No. 8

Cavaliers get: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat and No. 15

[Gig18]

it's pretty simple.....Wizards get: Kevin Love, JR Smith and No. 8

Cavaliers get: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat and No. 15

No thanks. Again, we'd have no scoring. Porter can, but doesn't want to; Oubre may, but he's still not there yet.

[Shoe]

Start jacking threes. John, Brad, Otto, Oubre, Sato pulling up every time down.

[montestewart]

Start jacking threes. John, Brad, Otto, Oubre, Sato pulling up every time down.

Could be a sweatier version of Denver teams, high score, high loss total, high draft pick, high, high, high!

[nate33]

it's pretty simple.....Wizards get: Kevin Love, JR Smith and No. 8

Cavaliers get: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat and No. 15

I find myself having zero interest in Kevin Love whatsoever. He's just not built for today's game. He can't defend guards on a switch, and that makes him a huge liability when it matters.

He does have offensive potential that is not being maximized in Cleveland alongside Lebron, but even if he was better utilized on offense, his defensive deficiencies remain. I really think he's destined to be a good player on a bad team guy for the rest of his career. I just don't think you can win with him.

[80sballboy]

it's pretty simple.....Wizards get: Kevin Love, JR Smith and No. 8

Cavaliers get: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat and No. 15

I find myself having zero interest in Kevin Love whatsoever. He's just not built for today's game. He can't defend guards on a switch, and that makes him a huge liability when it matters.

He does have offensive potential that is not being maximized in Cleveland alongside Lebron, but even if he was better utilized on offense, his defensive deficiencies remain. I really think he's destined to be a good player on a bad team guy for the rest of his career. I just don't think you can win with him.

Agree 100%. If you think Gortat struggles defensively at protecting the rim, this guy can't protect anything. He needs to play with a very good defensive team with athletic defenders or a Rudy Gobert-type to hide his deficiencies.

[nate33]

it's pretty simple.....Wizards get: Kevin Love, JR Smith and No. 8

Cavaliers get: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat and No. 15

I find myself having zero interest in Kevin Love whatsoever. He's just not built for today's game. He can't defend guards on a switch, and that makes him a huge liability when it matters.

He does have offensive potential that is not being maximized in Cleveland alongside Lebron, but even if he was better utilized on offense, his defensive deficiencies remain. I really think he's destined to be a good player on a bad team guy for the rest of his career. I just don't think you can win with him.

Agree 100%. If you think Gortat struggles defensively at protecting the rim, this guy can't protect anything. He needs to play with a very good defensive team with athletic defenders or a Rudy Gobert-type to hide his deficiencies.

It's even worse than that. The way the league is changing, you CAN'T really hide your deficiencies. Having a defensive liability at any position on the floor is a HUGE problem and will be relentlessly exploited by good teams in the playoffs (who have the personnel to do so).

[Dark Faze]

I find myself having zero interest in Kevin Love whatsoever. He's just not built for today's game. He can't defend guards on a switch, and that makes him a huge liability when it matters.

He does have offensive potential that is not being maximized in Cleveland alongside Lebron, but even if he was better utilized on offense, his defensive deficiencies remain. I really think he's destined to be a good player on a bad team guy for the rest of his career. I just don't think you can win with him.

Agree 100%. If you think Gortat struggles defensively at protecting the rim, this guy can't protect anything. He needs to play with a very good defensive team with athletic defenders or a Rudy Gobert-type to hide his deficiencies.

It's even worse than that. The way the league is changing, you CAN'T really hide your deficiencies. Having a defensive liability at any position on the floor is a HUGE problem and will be relentlessly exploited by good teams in the playoffs (who have the personnel to do so).

i'm actually starting to think Brad isn't just meh, but actually legitimately bad defensively

some of that might be him having to prioritize offense over defense due to his minutes, but I think he's a worse defender than Wall, who can occasionally turn it on on that side of the ball and even when beaten he can occasionally make up for it by chasing down the defender.

[nate33]

Agree 100%. If you think Gortat struggles defensively at protecting the rim, this guy can't protect anything. He needs to play with a very good defensive team with athletic defenders or a Rudy Gobert-type to hide his deficiencies.

It's even worse than that. The way the league is changing, you CAN'T really hide your deficiencies. Having a defensive liability at any position on the floor is a HUGE problem and will be relentlessly exploited by good teams in the playoffs (who have the personnel to do so).

i'm actually starting to think Brad isn't just meh, but actually legitimately bad defensively

some of that might be him having to prioritize offense over defense due to his minutes, but I think he's a worse defender than Wall, who can occasionally turn it on on that side of the ball and even when beaten he can occasionally make up for it by chasing down the defender.

I thought Beal was quite solid defensively this year. I certainly don't consider him a liability when compared to most guards. Teams don't go out of their way to try and exploit Beal. And as an added bonus, he has the strength to hold his own when he gets switched onto a post player. I agree that John at his best is better defensively than Beal, but I also think that John is way more inconsistent with his defensive effort.

[TheKingOfVa360]

it's pretty simple.....Wizards get: Kevin Love, JR Smith and No. 8

Cavaliers get: Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat and No. 15

Zero interest in Love. He has no place in today's game. Can't defend the rim as a 5, too slow to defend 4's and switch on pick and rolls

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Baltimore. Sheboygan. I don’t care.