Wizards 2019 Offseason Thread - Part 2

[doclinkin]

...It all comes down to training camp for ‘Rio Jones. If he shows out as a discount Andre Roberson and impresses coaches and proves indispensable on defense then maybe we cut a guaranteed contract like Tarik Philip or Bonga. So far it’s not looking great for him.

Tarik Phillip is unguaranteed -- same $$ as Je Jones.

Interesting. I was going by https://earlybirdrights.com/salary-cap/was/

They have it wrong?

[closg00]

Watch on YouTube

[payitforward]

Doc -- I see what you mean. But, see http://www.basketballinsiders.com/washington-wizards-team-salary/.

Phillip was signed on the last day of last season, so that he was on the roster when the season ended. Included in that contract was an unguaranteed team option for 2019-20. McRae, who had been 2-way, was signed to the exact same kind of deal (tho for slightly more $$).

[Dat2U]

Please sign Trey Lyles. I'm not asking for a lot. I'm not saying he's some great player or gonna lead us to a winning season. But I like him as a prospect. 23 skilled and versatile, and I think adding him would balance our roster out nicely. And if we can add him, I would feel a little bit better about losing the likes of Otto, Oubre, Portis and Parker.

You put him in the frontcourt with Rui, we have 2 long athletic, skilled, versatile forwards... defending, spotting up, rolling to the basket, putbacks, alley oops.... I think the 2 of them could make a really good tandem.

If IT is any semblance of his old self.... You got SCORING from the backcourt in Thomas and Beal, with those long versatile forwards, and Bryant in the post. Come off the bench with Ish, Miles, TBJ, Bertans, Mahinmi. That actually looks like a bench. Then end of roster/development squad of Wagner, Admiral, Jones, Bonga.


Thomas / Smith / Bonga
Beal / Miles / Jones
Hachimura / TBJ / Schofield
Lyles / Bertans / Wagner
Bryant / Mahinmi

That team would set records for defensive futility.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Please sign Trey Lyles. I'm not asking for a lot. I'm not saying he's some great player or gonna lead us to a winning season. But I like him as a prospect. 23 skilled and versatile, and I think adding him would balance our roster out nicely. And if we can add him, I would feel a little bit better about losing the likes of Otto, Oubre, Portis and Parker.

You put him in the frontcourt with Rui, we have 2 long athletic, skilled, versatile forwards... defending, spotting up, rolling to the basket, putbacks, alley oops.... I think the 2 of them could make a really good tandem.

If IT is any semblance of his old self.... You got SCORING from the backcourt in Thomas and Beal, with those long versatile forwards, and Bryant in the post. Come off the bench with Ish, Miles, TBJ, Bertans, Mahinmi. That actually looks like a bench. Then end of roster/development squad of Wagner, Admiral, Jones, Bonga.


Thomas / Smith / Bonga
Beal / Miles / Jones
Hachimura / TBJ / Schofield
Lyles / Bertans / Wagner
Bryant / Mahinmi

That team would set records for defensive futility.

Well "That team" subtract Lyles is this team.... So I guess this team WILL set records defensive futility.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

worst of all, he can't shoot.

He chucks up shots , and can't shoot ?

So for his career he's averaged 6.7 FGA. Is that a shot chucker?

Jake Layman who several on here wanted, for comparison is career 46% FG & 30% 3PT%. Best season last year 51% & 33%.

Lyles career 43% FG, 33% 3PT%. Best season 2018 was 49% & 38%.

Layman is 25 & Lyles 23.


I just don't get this board sometimes. Layman would be such a great acquisition, and he was RFA... Suggest Lyles who is pretty comparable, younger, and UFA, and that would be terrible and we'd set records for terribleness.

[gambitx777]

I like Lyle's ! But being 23 with his ability and no one wants him. Might be red flags we don't know about

worst of all, he can't shoot.

He chucks up shots , and can't shoot ?

So for his career he's averaged 6.7 FGA. Is that a shot chucker?

Jake Layman who several on here wanted, for comparison is career 46% FG & 30% 3PT%. Best season last year 51% & 33%.

Lyles career 43% FG, 33% 3PT%. Best season 2018 was 49% & 38%.

Layman is 25 & Lyles 23.


I just don't get this board sometimes. Layman would be such a great acquisition, and he was RFA... Suggest Lyles who is pretty comparable, younger, and UFA, and that would be terrible and we'd set records for terribleness.

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[SUPERBALLMAN]

I like Lyle's ! But being 23 with his ability and no one wants him. Might be red flags we don't know about

worst of all, he can't shoot.

He chucks up shots , and can't shoot ?

So for his career he's averaged 6.7 FGA. Is that a shot chucker?

Jake Layman who several on here wanted, for comparison is career 46% FG & 30% 3PT%. Best season last year 51% & 33%.

Lyles career 43% FG, 33% 3PT%. Best season 2018 was 49% & 38%.

Layman is 25 & Lyles 23.


I just don't get this board sometimes. Layman would be such a great acquisition, and he was RFA... Suggest Lyles who is pretty comparable, younger, and UFA, and that would be terrible and we'd set records for terribleness.

Sent from my SM-G965U1 using RealGM mobile app

Doesn't seem like a knuckle head.

Watch on YouTube

[TGW]

Please sign Trey Lyles. I'm not asking for a lot. I'm not saying he's some great player or gonna lead us to a winning season. But I like him as a prospect. 23 skilled and versatile, and I think adding him would balance our roster out nicely. And if we can add him, I would feel a little bit better about losing the likes of Otto, Oubre, Portis and Parker.

You put him in the frontcourt with Rui, we have 2 long athletic, skilled, versatile forwards... defending, spotting up, rolling to the basket, putbacks, alley oops.... I think the 2 of them could make a really good tandem.

If IT is any semblance of his old self.... You got SCORING from the backcourt in Thomas and Beal, with those long versatile forwards, and Bryant in the post. Come off the bench with Ish, Miles, TBJ, Bertans, Mahinmi. That actually looks like a bench. Then end of roster/development squad of Wagner, Admiral, Jones, Bonga.


Thomas / Smith / Bonga
Beal / Miles / Jones
Hachimura / TBJ / Schofield
Lyles / Bertans / Wagner
Bryant / Mahinmi

That team would set records for defensive futility.

Well "That team" subtract Lyles is this team.... So I guess this team WILL set records defensive futility.

Yes. And that's why I don't care for Shepperd's "vision." This team has no identity, and the goal of this offseason seemed as though it was just to get warm bodies to fill out the rotation. Other than maybe Hachimura (who I think won't do much this season), no one he picked up is going to move the meter. As a matter of fact, the team got significantly worse defensively.

[FAH1223]

Watch on YouTube

[gambitx777]

The only not good move I see that we made was smooth and it's not even that bad. Why do we need to.trade Beal, we don't.

Watch on YouTube

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[truwizfan4evr]

That team would set records for defensive futility.

Well "That team" subtract Lyles is this team.... So I guess this team WILL set records defensive futility.

Yes. And that's why I don't care for Shepperd's "vision." This team has no identity, and the goal of this offseason seemed as though it was just to get warm bodies to fill out the rotation. Other than maybe Hachimura (who I think won't do much this season), no one he picked up is going to move the meter. As a matter of fact, the team got significantly worse defensively.

Does it matter were tanking for a top 3 pick. If we some how get a top 3 pick and they turn out to be a mega star, all will be forgiven and forgotten.

[doclinkin]

Yes. And that's why I don't care for Shepperd's "vision." This team has no identity, and the goal of this offseason seemed as though it was just to get warm bodies to fill out the rotation. Other than maybe Hachimura (who I think won't do much this season), no one he picked up is going to move the meter. As a matter of fact, the team got significantly worse defensively.

I don’t think that Tommy has no vision. I may not agree with his vision but it seems like he has something he is hunting for.

The players that he has traded for. The players that he says he has liked in workouts. The players he is rumored to like in Europe. Even Bryant. So far it looks like he is looking for Bigs who can shoot from outside. I don’t even know if he wants them or if he thinks they are a rare commodity that other teams will trade for. For whatever reason it seems like the guys we are loading up on:

C —Bryant/Wagner
PF—Bertens/Wagner
SF—Admiral/Miles

Are face up Bigs who can spread the defense out by shooting the long ball. This leaves room for the ball handling ‘smalls’ (apologies to EFJ) to attack on the interior. IT and ISH are both interior attackers. Beal does both.

Tommy looks like he’s trying to build the Rockets without Capela. Or hope Bryant can develop into Capela times Brook Lopez. With Beal as our discount Harden.

Beal will put up good stats if teams respect the range of our Bigs. And any drivers will have options to kick to outside. If John Wall had these guys to pass to he would have earned them Big Sack of dollars in pinpoint passes to open shooters and padding their stats and average.

With other Bigs stretching the defense we can use Hachi to get loose for high percentage attacks inside. Back door cuts. Low post moves. Both he and Bryant show good hands on the catch and finish in the Pick and Roll game. Offensively we have a lot of options.

Defensively we have dumpster juice. Especially in rebounding. Pretty much the exact opposite of the vision I was extolling that seems to be the counter metagame to the streaky pace and space era. You know, the strategy that just won the trophy. Ball control with rebounding, defense, and high percentage shots on the interior that don’t lead to long rebounds for fast breaks. Take away the “pace” aspect with rebounding and ball control then let the “space” teams miss two thirds of their outside shots.

Tommy is still trying to get us our Pecherov and Veremeenko. And Hilton Necklong. The long range Bigs that Gilbert and Eddie really needed as back ups to Jamison or at center instead of the paint clogging stiffs like Haywood and all. Who needs defense?

But still on offense there are going to be nights with incendiary shooting. Bertans in particular is going to smoke teams in the pick and pop game with Beal. That part is going to be fun.

[doclinkin]

Ish — driving probing interior. Plays like Wall,jr.

Beal — working off ball with the screen and rescreen game and on ball setting up the long ball bigs with the reverse pick.

Hachi — instantly into his offense when he catches the ball inside the arc. Knows when to backdoor cut. Finishes with a high % everywhere inside to midrange.

Bertans — hits any open shot you give him. Knows how to play off the ball both to get open and get you open.

Bryant — dunks and catapult threes if you leave him alone.

There’s a full binder of plays you could draw up to take advantage here.

Ish controls the ball well in traffic. There are some Tony Parker/Steve Nash plays you can run with him probing inside. Both Bryant and Hachi have good hands and quick finish skills if you get them the ball at the right spot. Ish knows how to use his own motion to get teammates open. Important for Bigs when teams do collapse. Ish plus either of these guys is a pretty good P&R option.

But Beal will draw the most attention so we will have someone open on the outside at all times. The three man game of Beal/Bertans/Hachi looks like it could be fun with Beal and Davis setting each other up and heating up at microwave speed. Once the ranged cannons get going they draw the extra defender, which leaves Hachimura open underneath in the no mans land between the arc and the paint where he can get loose to punish the weak side guy who arrives too late.

Offensively it’d be nice to have one guard or wing with both range and ball handling. An option to sub in for Beal or play with and take pressure off him.

But hey. Beal had his best year last year without that. And he’s never had Bigs who can shoot like this. Bertans is definitely an upgrade from Kieff on the offensive side. He’s not passive. And even CJ Miles had a game last year where he made 8 threes. I expect Brad will have more lanes to attack the rim. And with all the murmur about teams trading for him, his profile is higher for all star votes and referees calls. Assists. FTs. Overall points all probably increase. And he rebounds well off teammates missed threes. So with all stats improving probably he earns his supermax this year.

[dangermouse]

We can't trade Beal

I would need a new avatar

[queridiculo]

Yes. And that's why I don't care for Shepperd's "vision." This team has no identity, and the goal of this offseason seemed as though it was just to get warm bodies to fill out the rotation. Other than maybe Hachimura (who I think won't do much this season), no one he picked up is going to move the meter. As a matter of fact, the team got significantly worse defensively.

I'm so/so on the moves Sheppard did in the draft and I like the transactions he made to replenish the Wizards 2nd rounders.

I'm also willing to give him credit for the Bertans signing, basically got a rotation player that can shoot for free.

Now where I'm really disappointed is where the Wizards are from a competitive standpoint.

I'm willing to concede that the Wizards don't have much of a chance of being competitive this year, however, to me that doesn't mean that the Wizards shouldn't at least try.

Going into the offseason Washington essentially had two positions settled, SG and C and gaping holes everywhere else.

What the Wizards needed was rebounding and defense and they had the full MLE at their disposal along with their BAE and they might still get the DPE.

Sheppard's answer, Ish Smith.

I have no problem with this signing in isolation and if this had been a S&T of sorts fine, to bust our MLE on a player that doesn't help the areas of need in the slightest is unforgivable.

Zero vision, zero identity for this group that was assembled.

Rondae-Hollis Jefferson went to Toronto on a minimum deal, you're telling me the Wizards couldn't have done better?

RHJ is not much of a shooter but he would have given us some much needed defense and rebounding and with him in the fold the CJ Miles trade actually would have made some sense.

[Ruzious]

...It all comes down to training camp for ‘Rio Jones. If he shows out as a discount Andre Roberson and impresses coaches and proves indispensable on defense then maybe we cut a guaranteed contract like Tarik Philip or Bonga. So far it’s not looking great for him.

Tarik Phillip is unguaranteed -- same $$ as Je Jones.

Interesting. I was going by https://earlybirdrights.com/salary-cap/was/

They have it wrong?

Only the round number of $9,474 of Phillip's contract is guaranteed per https://www.spotrac.com/nba/washington-wizards/tarik-phillip-28990/. It's weird - the $9,474 was allocated to the 2018/19 season. So Pif is correct that none of his 2019-20 contract is quaranteed.

[Ruzious]

Yes. And that's why I don't care for Shepperd's "vision." This team has no identity, and the goal of this offseason seemed as though it was just to get warm bodies to fill out the rotation. Other than maybe Hachimura (who I think won't do much this season), no one he picked up is going to move the meter. As a matter of fact, the team got significantly worse defensively.

I don’t think that Tommy has no vision. I may not agree with his vision but it seems like he has something he is hunting for.

The players that he has traded for. The players that he says he has liked in workouts. The players he is rumored to like in Europe. Even Bryant. So far it looks like he is looking for Bigs who can shoot from outside. I don’t even know if he wants them or if he thinks they are a rare commodity that other teams will trade for. For whatever reason it seems like the guys we are loading up on:

C —Bryant/Wagner
PF—Bertens/Wagner
SF—Admiral/Miles

Are face up Bigs who can spread the defense out by shooting the long ball. This leaves room for the ball handling ‘smalls’ (apologies to EFJ) to attack on the interior. IT and ISH are both interior attackers.

Tommy looks like he’s trying to build the Rockets without Capela. Or hope Bryant can develop into Capela times Brook Lopez. With Beal as our discount Harden.

Beal will put up good stats if teams respect the range of our Bigs. And any drivers will have options to kick to outside. If John Wall had these guys to pass to he would have earned them Big Sack of dollars in pinpoint passes to open shooters.

With other Bigs stretching the defense we can use Hachi to get loose for high percentage attacks inside. Back door cuts. Low post moves. Both he and Bryant show good hands on the catch and finish in the Pick and Roll game. Offensively we have a lot of options.

Defensively we have dumpster juice. Especially in rebounding. Pretty much the exact opposite of the vision I was extolling that seems to be the counter metagame to the streaky pace and space era. You know, the strategy that just won the trophy. Ball control with rebounding, defense, and high percentage shots on the interior that don’t lead to long rebounds for fast breaks. Take away the “pace” aspect with rebounding and ball control then let the “space” teams miss two thirds of their outside shots.

Tommy is still trying to get us our Pecherov and Veremeenko. And Hilton Necklong. The long rage Bigs that Gilbert and Eddie really needed as back ups to Jamison or instead of the paint clogging stiffs like Haywood and all.

But still on offense there are going to be nights with incendiary shooting. Bertans in particular is going to smoke teams in the pick and pop game with Beal. That part is going to be fun.

Tommy would be great at building a G League roster - and while that's part of his job - it's really the part that an assistant GM should be given. My initial reaction to his offseason is that he's... an assistant GM out of his depth as a GM. He's overlooked one factor in building a team - talent.

[DCZards]

From a John Wall interview. This appeared in the online publication Clutch Points:

Wall knows that there is plenty of haters that will doubt his ability to return to top form, but he is not letting it get him down. In an interview with Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington, Wall said that all the doubts and criticisms motivate him.

“I’m one of those guys that’s very driven by all the hate and all the negative talk I’m getting. Keep it going. Everybody said I can’t be myself, I won’t be nowhere near as good again. That’s all the other stuff that’s going to fuel me.”

It sounds and looks like Wall is extremely motivated to return to the team and prove he is every bit as good as he used to be. Before his Achilles injury, Wall was perennially in the debate for top five point guards in the league and easily one of the most electrifying players when running a break. However, he has been dogged with questions about his defensive effort and lack of a shooting stroke.

Achilles injuries can be deadly to players that rely on speed and athleticism to play their best game. Hopefully, Wall can shrug off the injury as easily as he shrugs off the words of those that doubt his ability.

[Dat2U]

Well "That team" subtract Lyles is this team.... So I guess this team WILL set records defensive futility.

Yes. And that's why I don't care for Shepperd's "vision." This team has no identity, and the goal of this offseason seemed as though it was just to get warm bodies to fill out the rotation. Other than maybe Hachimura (who I think won't do much this season), no one he picked up is going to move the meter. As a matter of fact, the team got significantly worse defensively.

Does it matter were tanking for a top 3 pick. If we some how get a top 3 pick and they turn out to be a mega star, all will be forgiven and forgotten.

I keep saying this but there's zero benefit in being non-competitive or being so bad that your setting records for futility. That's not an ideal environment to develop talent.

Also Hachimura at the 3 is probably not realistic. Sure, the team can call him a 3/4 but if you've watched him it's clear he's not a polished perimeter player. You generally want to put players in the best position to succeed. For him, I believe that's going to be at the 4 spot.