Your 2022 Off-Season -- what would you have done?

[doclinkin]

Another thoughtful re-do of the off season. Let me see whether I can summarize best results:

Draft: Use Kuz to trade back & come away with Tari Eason, EJ Liddell (or Koloko) & Trevion Williams.
Trade: KCP/Ish for Morris/Barton gets your approval.
Re-sign Gill.
Wright is also a yes.
If Brad takes the (previous) offer on the table, re-sign him. Otherwise, ask him to find a deal & we'll match it or attempt a sign and trade. In the end, however, he stays on the previous 4-year offer.

The roster you list omits Barton -- by error I assume. & also omits Todd & Carey. Maybe one of them would go out in the deal that got us more out of the draft...?

Yeah I mentioned him off the bench. But playing in a spot where we are trying to develop Kispert, I see him as trade filler. Both incoming and potentially mid-season. I find Isaiah Todd and Vernon Carey largely irrelevant to the rotation. Maybe one of them surprises, but I expect they will remain G-League players. Maybe Vernon gets some run if we need more Center depth.

This is an incomplete roster though. No FA signing of Taj. No 2 way or Exhibit 10 players. Just a quick pass through.

[payitforward]

Essentially, your off season is different from what actually happened in 2 ways -- 1. you handle the draft differently & come away 3 guys rather than 2 (Eason, Liddell or Koloko, & Williams) & 2. you handle Brad's future differently.

Your roster was:

Morris/Wright/
Beal/Kispert
Kispert/Deni/Liddell
Kuzma or Rui/Eason/Gill
Porzingis/Gafford/Trevion

Hence, with Carey & Todd -- both guys being guaranteed this season -- plus Barton, who was inadvertently ommited we are at 15. I.e. no room for Taj. Minor point.

[B8RcDeMktfxC]

I'm really enjoying reading these. Seems like a good thread idea that people have responded to well.

My thoughts, as far as they go, should be taken as lightly as conceivable - I haven't thought about these things in any way close to the depth of every other post itt

Having said that, let me fire off some (ill) considered thoughts.

1. I don't think the #10 pick was used well. Preempt the Knicks or trade down or.. just take another player. Still, that's really not a disaster, just a slight squandered opportunity.

2) I like the Monte Morris pick up. If Beal makes KCP a backup that's a plus. Barton and Wright are solid enough. I certainly haven't thought hard about what could have been done better there .. but it looks ok.

3) I'd have tried to sign Sato to some kind of small contact. But again that isn't a big thing.

4) the Beal deal. Shrug. I think you all have more informed views than I do. On the one hand, the Wizards do need him to come back to the level of 2/3 years ago. Is that possible? Maybe, he's not so old. If he's basically broken then the Wizards are in an extremely difficult position cap-wise. However, if he can get back there, I'm not sure the contract is that crippling. Of course, the less the Wizards could have paid the more they could pay other people, theoretically. However, Hollinger and others have noted that the cap could be 170m in 25-26, which would leave Beal's deal looking like just under 30% of the cap for the last two years. That doesn't look like a terrible move cap-wise. I'm not sure it's ideal, but mkay.

5) Everything really depends on the coaching staff being able to organize Beal and KP to play proficiently together. I'm optimistic this should be feasible.

6) my uncertainties are the spacing: how good are Barton, Rui, Deni, Kuz actually going to be? I think the Wizards probably need to trade (again, all this assuming that Beal and KP can sync), for a very good 3pt shooter. Could be a "SG/SF" or a stretch big.

[doclinkin]

Essentially, your off season is different from what actually happened in 2 ways -- 1. you handle the draft differently & come away 3 guys rather than 2 (Eason, Liddell or Koloko, & Williams) & 2. you handle Brad's future differently.

Yes:

Right well if we could back up to the failure to properly tank and jump to a higher draft pick then I'd start there. But if the exercise assumes we have the 10th pick, we kind of have to accept the premise that Ted wants us to always re-build on the fly, and in this case build a team around Beal.

With that in mind I don't hate what Tommy has done, with two obvious exceptions.

Not terribly creative on my part. But in general I have liked Tommy's moves okay in most things. Except the draft. And any decision that is driven by building around Beal. Or by Ted's meddling.

The only other bit I neglected in my sketch is in trying to land assets in the trade back I'd be looking for future picks as well. I want one extra pick every year in the 15-40 range. Teams protect their lotto picks and sell them at a steeper price, but otherwise I feel like future picks are an undervalued asset. I want constant tryouts and competition at the back end of the roster.

[barelyawake]

Assuming we are signing Beal and trying to “win now,” coming into the off-season, my targets would have been a true star, a leader, and a point guard.

Obviously, point guard is the tricky one, because you need a package of draft picks for the star, and thus need to keep your powder dry on the point. I would have tried to trade up in the draft or trade for Murray, Beverly or Maxey. Finding those too expensive, I would be left with Schroder, Neto, Sato, Wright, Davis and Sexton to choose from (and still wanting to get rid of Ish). I like KCP quite a lot, but I guess our GM did best with Morris, Wright and Davis. I think it beats what I would have done which is balked and went cheap to delay a decision. I like Nate’s solution here.

For a leader, I would have targeted Siakam, Tucker, Aldridge and Ibaka. The first two would prove too expensive. The latter two were looking for rings. Taj was a good cheap solution here.

For a star, I would have found all the trades too expensive. I would first have gone after AD with a Beal plus package. Try to sell LeBron on our role players filling their lack of depth. Then, I would have gone after Durant hard, and by that I mean gotten to his people to tell him that the “saving Washington” angle is what his image and legacy needs. But, in the end, I would position myself to pump up our assets to be ready to trade at trade deadline. Our record and youth development will increase our trade positions by then. My target is obviously Siakam.

I also would have talked to Tristan Thompson, and resigned Gill. And signed Pippen’s kid.

Our GM did well, and in some cases he was quite clever. Now, he merely has to be able to do that thing we have never been able to do, package assets who are winning with future picks for a true star. And that’s where we always rest on our slightly above average laurels and f’ up a real shot at contention.

[DCZards]

I would have tried to figure out a way to keep Beal but pay him less than the supermax.

I would have traded back in the draft for at least two later first round picks…ideally in the 15-25 range. My targets with those picks would have been Malaki Branham and Eason.

I was on board with taking Davis. I think he’ll figure it out fairly quickly (and put in the work) and prove worthy of the 10th pick. Seems to me that at every level (high school, college) Davis came on the scene modestly touted but eventually managed to punch above his weight.

I like -- make that love -- the pick up of Morris and Wright. Other than addressing the Beal situation, Job 1 this offseason, imo, was improving the Zards PG play. Tommy accomplished that by adding two somewhat under-the-radar guys, both of whom do an excellent job of protecting the rock. I expect Morris’ assist number to go from less than 5 per game to closer to 7 per game…and Wright’s D will make him a key piece at the end of close games.

I love the playmaking role that Wes Jr. seems to be carving out for Porzingis on the offensive end. You could see it starting to take hold over the last couple of weeks of the season. Looking forward to seeing how coach meshes Zinger and BB, who I fully expect to have a bounce back year.

KP’s health and the development of Rui, Deni, Kispert and, to a lesser degree, Davis are major keys in determining whether this is a modestly improved Zards team or a significantly improved one.

Gotta like the resigning of Gill. The Virginia Cav makes smart, winning plays pretty much every time he steps on the court.

Kuz and Taj are both quality and vocal leaders. That bodes well for the Zards.

My sleeper Zard is Vernon Carey. Wes will figure out a way to get him in the rotation (especially if Zinger gets hurt or needs rest) and he’ll be solid.

[doclinkin]

It's a pointless exercise though, seems to me there is only one way we are winning a championship: by losing and losing hard.

If we had the ability to trade Beal then I'd structure any deal for him that would allow him to be shifted as soon as he rehabbed his value. Siphon as many picks as possible from a team that was trying to win immediately with no worry about the future. Then work to get "lucky" in the right year.

Look at what Utah and the Spurs are doing. These are treadmill teams had no chance of winning deep into the playoffs and decided to blow it up instead of building around 2nd tier stars. Likewise Houston and OKC are loading up on young talent, Memphis found their guy and are filling in behind him. Orlando is bottom feeding to stockpile top talent.

The league is currently setting up for the post-LeBron era. Every decade or so you see a re-shuffling for a couple years where any team could potentially win, until the next generational talent lands. Eyes are on Victor Wembanyana as that prospect. So this year smart teams are tanking as hard as they can.

The only way this works out for the Wiz is if we luck into a soft tank and we ride it out:

Beal has his usual slow start, and still struggles to adjust to new rules. We blame the injury, let him play through bad games, rest him when he shows a good one. we firetest Johnny Davis with minutes in relief of Beal. We load manage Porzingis with an extravagance of caution. We feature Kuzma and forcefeed him the ball. Start Will Barton with a long leash and let him play through mistakes. Play Morris without defensive substitutions. Play Zay Todd and Carey significant minutes under cover of 'developing young talent'. Let Wes experiment and teach. Tweak line-ups to look offensively strong but give up points at the opposite end, likewise with defense, so we develop tape at each end on how to do it right, but not so well that it results in wins. And late in the season, when Ted wants us to push for wins look like we are trying really hard by playing heavy minutes for scrappy back-ups who are overmatched against other team's starters.

In this scenario we can't really trade anyone unless and until the record is obviously terrible. Then we can shop to see who is interested. Beal is untradeable now. Even if he wanted to jump to a winning team and could waive the NT clause. So if his contract prevents us from winning, we need to maximize the losses. Consider trading Deni to a team that wants to overpay for him in picks, until then hide him on the 2nd line. Listen to offers for Rui especially after he has a good individual showing defending a star or with a hot shooting streak. Trade to top teams who are making a push right now, bank on the drop off if they fall short and have to re-set. Trade away depth behind starters so that if one goes down we have to call in 10-day players and G-Leaguers.

Try to shape our own luck and win out in the lotto.

It's plausible we end up this way. About 50/50 that we are either mediocre/tanking by accident. Unless Wes gets a groove and figures out the synergy that makes the team stronger than the sum of its parts. We lack talent, period. Not depth, not used stars, but players who have upside that can grow into sustainable wins. We lack The Guy who beats teams by himself, who wins his match-up night after night and forces teams not just to game-plan against him but to shape their team to have a The Guy-stopper.

That guy is not in the league yet. LeBJ is on his way out. Durant is aging, Giannis requires a certain kind of team built around him, ditto Curry, ditto Jokic or Doncic or pick a star. When that Guy lands in the league, nobody will trade him away. The only way to get him, for the Wiz in particular, is to shave the %'s and buy enough lotto tickets to luck into the right player in the right year.

So. Enjoy losses this year regardless of how they turn out. Because even the 10th seed has a chance, however slim, of landing a franchise savior. No configuration of this current team, even with a re-tread star added, has a real chance of contending for wins in June. And no matter how well you build incrementally, even the best assembled teams are only likely to manage a Championship once unless they land the next Guy. You need a paradigm-shifter on the squad, and my read is that player is not in the league right now.

[payitforward]

My off-season has one over-riding premise: the current path has proved that it leads nowhere. We need radical change -- a complete rebuild.

Start now, & be as thorough as possible.

Moreover, such a rebuild can't be done based on veterans. Yet, of course, we do need veteran players on the team. But we don't fool ourselves that there are veterans we can acquire who can turn us into a top-tier team.

With that premise, I focused on 4 areas of opportunity to get going on this now -- as the focus of our off season: trades (both before & after the draft), the draft (& undrafted rookies), free agents, & resolving Bradley Beal's situation.

I'd say that last issue, Brad's future with the Wizards, is so critical to going forward that unless it was resolved correctly, it would be hard to rebuild effectively -- so I'll start with Brad.

I would have had a frank conversation with him immediately after the season ended, & I'd have started by saying, essentially, the following:

"If we give you a 5-year Supermax, Brad, we'll never be able to compete for a title during your career as a Wizard. In fact, I don't think there are ever more than 1 or 2 players at a time in the league whom you can supermax & still compete effectively for a title.

"We recognize all the same that you have an absolute obligation -- to yourself & to your family -- to put yourself first, before the team's needs. There's nothing wrong with that. Yet, it's equally true that we have an absolute obligation to put the team as a whole before any individual. So, really, we can't give you the supermax contract that you -- or anyone! -- would want.

"In fact, we think it would make sense for you to pick up your $35m option & put off this big decision until next season. You didn't have the year you would have liked, & you were injured as well. You may think there's a risk in that -- but, then, there's a risk in it for us as well.

"If you don't want to go that route, then we'd like your agent to find the best deal out there. Scour the market. Whatever that offer is, we'll beat it by 10% -- to show you that, yes, this is a human relationship & not only an economic one."

"What do you think? Does that make sense to you?"

That's how I would handle the interaction with Brad & his agent, & I would let nothing push me off this position.

I'll discuss the rest of my 2022 off-season in a second post.

[payitforward]

As far as trades go, one of the other key ways towards rebuilding, here's what I'd have done.

Before the draft, I'd have tried to trade Rui to the Spurs in return for Tre Jones. Or Rui & Kuzma for Jones & 1 of SA's R1 draft picks (#25?). Would any form of that deal have been possible? I don't know. I'll say this: if pushed, I'd have taken Tre Jones, the #38 pick, & a future R2 pick for Rui & Kuzma.

Of course, I can't say for sure that SA would have gone for it, so I won't assume it worked.

I definitely would have made the Denver trade in the exact form of Tommy's trade. Neither Ish nor KCP make sense for a rebuilding team. Neither does Barton for that matter. But Monte Morris does. Terrific move.

I would also trade Isaiah Todd for a future R2 pick – any R2 pick in any future draft. Might not be possible, but I would certainly try.

As to free agent signings, I absolutely love the acquisition of Delon Wright. If Todd has been traded, I can justify a vet minimum salary for Taj Gibson. If there's roster room after the draft -- which I'll turn to next.

So far, given what I've written so far:

1. Maybe we have Tre Jones -- but not likely.
2. Maybe Rui has been traded or both Rui & Kuzma -- but not likely.
3. We're having a hard-nosed but friendly conversation with Brad, but we are not giving him a supermax.
4. Wright, Morris & Barton are Wizards; KCP & Ish are ex-Wizards
5. Maybe Todd is too.

[payitforward]

Because my off season is all about starting to rebuild, it's obvious that the draft -- rookies in general -- are key. So here's what I have in mind to do:

a. Trade #10 to Houston for #17-26. Include Isaiah Todd if that's the way to make it work.
b. Trade #26 to Minny for #29 & a future R2 pick (this exact trade actually happened, btw).
c. Pick Tari Eason at 17.
d. Pick either TyTy Washington or Gabriel Procida at #29. Or Koloko. Or, really, whomever Dat, Zards & Doc agree on would be fine with me.
e. Pick Trevion Williams at #54.
f. Sign Keon Ellis & Kenneth Lofton Jr. undrafted.

Eason & whoever we got at 29 are on our regular roster, obviously. So is either Williams or Ellis, while the other one gets a 2 way contract, as does Lofton.

PG -- Morris, Wright (& maybe TyTy)
SG -- Beal, Wright, Barton (& maybe Procida or maybe Ellis)
SF -- Avdija, Kispert, Eason
PF -- Kuzma, Rui, Gill
C -- Porzingis, Gafford, Carey (& maybe Williams)

2-ways: Lofton & either Williams or Ellis.

Differences in a nutshell:
In place of Johnny Davis, Isaiah Todd, & Taj Gibson, we have Tari Eason, either TyTy or Procida, & (let's say) Trevion Williams.

In place of Jordan Schakel, we have Keon Ellis & Kenneth Lofton Jr.

Variables:

-- Beal -- don't know how that gets resolved (but no supermax).
-- Kuzma & Rui -- trading 1 or both of them would change the roster a little. If we have Tre Jones, then it's unlikely we pick TyTy. If both are gone, then we likely had another pick to use. Or, we are looking to add a PF. But, trading both would have been very unlikely!

In any case, a major rebuilding project is under way!

[doclinkin]

As far as trades go, one of the other key ways towards rebuilding, here's what I'd have done.

Before the draft, I'd have tried to trade Rui to the Spurs in return for Tre Jones. Or Rui & Kuzma for Jones & 1 of SA's R1 draft picks (#25?). Would any form of that deal have been possible? I don't know. I'll say this: if pushed, I'd have taken Tre Jones, the #38 pick, & a future R2 pick for Rui & Kuzma.

Of course, I can't say for sure that SA would have gone for it, so I won't assume it worked.

Considering San Antonio traded away PG DeJounte Murray and is likely starting Tre Jones at that spot, this doesn't seem likely to me. I don't see why they'd want the trade for Rui or Kuzma. They like Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson at their 3/4 spots, and their front office tends not to trade before the draft since they like their scouting corps' ability to pick a player, even late.

Other than that I like your way of thinking. I'd take your 2nd team. Seems plausible that Houston would like a trade up. They are focused on getting high picks.

[DCZards]

drafted.
PG -- Morris, Wright (& maybe TyTy)
SG -- Beal, Wright, Barton (& maybe Procida or maybe Ellis)
SF -- Avdija, Kispert, Eason
PF -- Kuzma, Rui, Gill
C -- Porzingis, Gafford, Carey (& maybe Williams)

2-ways: Lofton & either Williams or Ellis.

Differences in a nutshell:
In place of Johnny Davis, Isaiah Todd, & Taj Gibson, we have Tari Eason, either TyTy or Procida, & (let's say) Trevion Williams.

In place of Jordan Schakel, we have Keon Ellis & Kenneth Lofton Jr.

I’m a little disappointed by this PIF. You sorta promised the start of a rebuild and all I’m seeing is a tweaking of the current roster.

Yeah, you’ve added Lofton and Williams in place of Todd, Schakel and Gibson but I don’t believe that moves the needle much in either the short- or long-term…although I am intrigued by Lofton’s potential.

I’m not seeing it in replacing Davis with Pocida or Ellis. In fact, I believe that could turn out to be a mistake and a significant downgrade.

The only upgrade I’m seeing in terms of young players is Eason. He’s the only player you’ve added who is certain to crack the regular rotation, imo.

I expected more from the king of draft day trades. Maybe like 4 or 5 promising rookies -- or future first round picks. I’m not seeing the “major rebuild.”

[payitforward]

I’m a little disappointed by this PIF. ...I expected more from the king of draft day trades. Maybe like 4 or 5 promising rookies -- or future first round picks. I’m not seeing the “major rebuild.”

I'm tellin' ya -- you can't win around here! I try to restrain myself, be thoughtful instead of going nuts, & they want me to lead'em off the cliff, b/c after all, you can't learn to fly unless you try!



It's Eason who replaces Davis. He's a far better prospect IMO & getting him via my trade down makes my 2d trade down possible, which gets us another player -- TyTy or Procida, or whoever you, dat, nate, Ruzious (where are you, brother!?!?) or whoever else would prefer.

TBH, I think that guys's got as much chance to be good as Johnny Davis has.

Plus yet another one in a couple of years because trading 26 to the T-Wolves for their 29 gets us a future R2. So that turned the #10 into 2 now & a 3d later.

Still... Minny did have 3 R2 picks this year, & they did trade 2. So, let's say we get 1 of them in place of the future pick. Make it 29 & 48 for 26. Ok, now we've turned the 10 into 3 picks (17, 29 & 48). But, hey, maybe there's another move in there somewhere. Hmmm.... I know -- let's turn around & trade that 29 to OKC for their #34 & their 2023 R2 pick. Kind of a stretch I guess... but hey we can do it.

So, now we have:

17 - Tari Eason
34 - Procida...? He's still there. Nah. How about Jaylin Williams, the guy who actually went at that spot. Boring.... Wait, I've got it -- let's go for one of your faves, Zards; let's pick Kennedy Chandler.
48 -- Let's take Kendall Brown here -- big 1 'n done guard out of Baylor. Kid was rated #10 on RSCI's 2021 Top 100, & NBAdraftroom had him mocked to go at the end of R1.
54 -- To change it up, this time I'm picking Gui Santos. Very talented, long wing who's only 20 & was taken by Golden State at 55 in the real draft. You could call this a little unfair, since I'd never even heard of the guy before he had a terrific Summer League for the Warriors but, hey, you're making me do this!

Still grabbing Trevion Williams & Kenneth Lofton Jr. undrafted.

So that's Tari Eason, Kennedy Chandler, Kendall Brown, Gui Santos, Trevion Williams, Kenneth Lofton Jr. & OKC's 2023 R2 pick! I don't think I can do better than that, Zards. I hope at least you'll give me the proverbial A for effort!

7 new player assets -- I'd say that's a start on a total rebuild.

Our opening day roster last year was Deni Avdija, Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans, Thomas Bryant, KCP, Spencer Dinwiddie, Daniel Gafford, Anthony Gill, Rui Hachimura, Montrezl Harrell, Aaron Holiday, Corey Kispert, Kyle Kuzma, Raul Neto, & Isaiah Todd -- plus Cassius Winston & Joel Ayayi as our 2 way players.

Coming out of my off season 10 of those 17 guys are gone. Plus, leaving aside the new guys I just added, every single player on the roster except Bradley Beal & Daniel Gafford is expiring either this year or next. So we definitely have a lot of flexibility going forward.

[B8RcDeMktfxC]

I’m a little disappointed by this PIF. ...I expected more from the king of draft day trades. Maybe like 4 or 5 promising rookies -- or future first round picks. I’m not seeing the “major rebuild.”

I'm tellin' ya -- you can't win around here! I try to restrain myself, be thoughtful instead of going nuts, & they want me to lead'em off the cliff, b/c after all, you can't learn to fly unless you try!



It's Eason who replaces Davis. He's a far better prospect IMO & getting him via my trade down makes my 2d trade down possible, which gets us another player -- TyTy or Procida, or whoever you, dat, nate, Ruzious (where are you, brother!?!?) or whoever else would prefer.

TBH, I think that guys's got as much chance to be good as Johnny Davis has.

Plus yet another one in a couple of years because trading 26 to the T-Wolves for their 29 gets us a future R2. So that turned the #10 into 2 now & a 3d later.

Still... Minny did have 3 R2 picks this year, & they did trade 2. So, let's say we get 1 of them in place of the future pick. Make it 29 & 48 for 26. Ok, now we've turned the 10 into 3 picks (17, 29 & 48). But, hey, maybe there's another move in there somewhere. Hmmm.... I know -- let's turn around & trade that 29 to OKC for their #34 & their 2023 R2 pick. Kind of a stretch I guess... but hey we can do it.

So, now we have:

17 - Tari Eason
34 - Procida...? He's still there. Nah. How about Jaylin Williams, the guy who actually went at that spot. Boring.... Wait, I've got it -- let's go for one of your faves, Zards; let's pick Kennedy Chandler.
48 -- Let's take Kendall Brown here -- big 1 'n done guard out of Baylor. Kid was rated #10 on RSCI's 2021 Top 100, & NBAdraftroom had him mocked to go at the end of R1.
54 -- To change it up, this time I'm picking Gui Santos. Very talented, long wing who's only 20 & was taken by Golden State at 55 in the real draft. You could call this a little unfair, since I'd never even heard of the guy before he had a terrific Summer League for the Warriors but, hey, you're making me do this!

Still grabbing Trevion Williams & Kenneth Lofton Jr. undrafted.

So that's Tari Eason, Kennedy Chandler, Kendall Brown, Gui Santos, Trevion Williams, Kenneth Lofton Jr. & OKC's 2023 R2 pick! I don't think I can do better than that, Zards. I hope at least you'll give me the proverbial A for effort!

7 new player assets -- I'd say that's a start on a total rebuild.

Our opening day roster last year was Deni Avdija, Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans, Thomas Bryant, KCP, Spencer Dinwiddie, Daniel Gafford, Anthony Gill, Rui Hachimura, Montrezl Harrell, Aaron Holiday, Corey Kispert, Kyle Kuzma, Raul Neto, & Isaiah Todd -- plus Cassius Winston & Joel Ayayi as our 2 way players.

Coming out of my off season 10 of those 17 guys are gone. Plus, leaving aside the new guys I just added, every single player on the roster except Bradley Beal & Daniel Gafford is expiring either this year or next. So we definitely have a lot of flexibility going forward.

I'm pretty definitely not understanding what is going on in these/this post(s). But...I mean...aren't 9 of those 17 gone in real life? And the one difference is Isaiah Todd?

[payitforward]

For sure -- obviously, Bertans, Holiday, Dinwiddie & Trez went at the deadline. They brought back Ish, who's gone, & KP.

Maybe another way to look at it is to list who is still with us from that opening day roster last year:

Bradley Beal
Kyle Kuzma
Rui Hachimura
Isaiah Todd
Deni Avdija
Corey Kispert
Daniel Gafford
Anthony Gill

Of those 8 guys:

1. first off, I change the way we deal with Brad -- no supermax. But of course that forces me to leave him hanging. Don't know how it resolves.

2. I try to trade Kuzma & Rui but can't count on making the deal.

3. I do get rid of Todd.

The other 4 (Avdija, Kispert, Gafford & Gill) I want to keep.

I bring on 6 rookies: Eason, Chandler, Brown, Santos, Williams & Lofton (the last 2 as 2way players). Hard to get much more radical than that! In fact, I might be 1 over 17 total. Let me see:

PG -- Morris, Wright, Chandler
SG -- Beal, Barton, Brown
SF -- Avdija, Kispert, Eason, Santos
PF -- Kuzma, Hachimura, Gill
C -- Porzingis, Gafford
2-way -- Williams, Lofton Jr.

No, that's 17.

From opening day 2021, I still have Beal, Avdija, Kispert, Kuzma, Hachimura, Gill & Gafford. KP arrived at the deadline. 8 guys. New acquisitions Morris, Wright & Barton are veterans; they take us to 11. Plus 6 rookies -- that's the full complement of 17.

[payitforward]

It's definitely worth noting that as much as I have changed the team, Tommy changed it even more with his first opening day roster in 2019.

11 of the 17 were new to the Wizards: Bertans, Bonga, Chiozza, Hachimura, Mathews, Miles, Justin Robinson, Schofield, Ish, IT & Wagner.

Only 6 returnees on that day: Beal, Brown, Bryant, Mahinmi, McRae & Wall.

& then 4 of those guys were gone the following year!

No one can claim Tommy Sheppard is a wishy-washy GM!

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Drafted Eason and Treyvion Williams.

Gotta admit I wouldn't have landed Delon Wright or Monte Morris.

I never ever ever would have given Beal a no trade. In fact, I would have preferred he departed in a huff.

I don't know but Vegas has 35.5 wins and no predictions for Brooklyn and one other east team. Knicks?

Regardless, I see no benefit to striving for seed 8th, 9th or 10th . I would have allowed youth to grow or die on the court not the bench. Not bring in mediocre older vets.

We shall see.

[Dat2U]

Ok if i had full control and could deal Beal to rebuild. This is an obvious retrospective fantasy scenario so be kind lol.

Tell Beal we have no interest in extending. Advise him to opt in with promise he'd be dealt to a contender.

Beal opts in and i would pull off a massive 6 team deal for two high picks and another mid first while nearly moving everything on the roster including recent draft picks

Wizards receive:
4th pick from Kings
6th pick from Pacers
16th pick from Rockets
2022 1st (WAS protected pick returned from NY)
F Cam Reddish
F Tobias Harris
F David Nwaba
F Danny Green (bought out)
F Mo Harkless (bought out)

76ers receive:
G Bradley Beal
F Kyle Kuzma

Kings receive:
G Tyrese Maxey
F Matisse Thybulle

Pacers receive:
F Deni Avdija
2024 1st from Wizards (top 7 protected)

Rockets receive:
Corey Kispert
23rd pick from 76ers

Knicks receive:
Rui Hachimura
(2) future 2nds from Wizards

Draft:
4. Jaden Ivey
6. Bennedict Mathurin
10. Jalen Williams
16. Tari Eason
53. Keon Ellis

New roster:

G Jalen Williams, Monte Morris, Raul Neto
G Jaden Ivey, Will Barton, Keon Ellis
F Bennedict Mathurin, Cam Reddish, David Nwaba
F Tari Eason, Tobias Harris, Anthony Gill
C Kristaps Porzingis, Daniel Gafford, Vernon Carey

I keep KP as the high post C who we can run the offense through to take pressure off the young guards. Jalen is listed as PG but make no doubt Ivey will have it in his hands alot. Jalen's skill off the ball as a spot up shooter and on ball creation & passing skills make him an ideal fit.

Tari & Bennedict provide athleticism, energy & skill at the F spots. Mathurin was one of the most skilled shooters in college. With Tari's motor and rebounding I love the synergy of the 4 picks playing together.

Best of both worlds scenario. A young exciting core to build with and watch, yet clearly a roster not ready to win yet so the growing pains ensure a high lottery pick in '23 which means a chance a Wembamyama.

[nate33]

Ok if i had full control and could deal Beal to rebuild. This is an obvious retrospective fantasy scenario so be kind lol.

Tell Beal we have no interest in extending. Advise him to opt in with promise he'd be dealt to a contender.

Beal opts in and i would pull off a massive 6 team deal for two high picks and another mid first while nearly moving everything on the roster including recent draft picks

Wizards receive:
4th pick from Kings
6th pick from Pacers
16th pick from Rockets
2022 1st (WAS protected pick returned from NY)
F Cam Reddish
F Tobias Harris
F David Nwaba
F Danny Green (bought out)
F Mo Harkless (bought out)

76ers receive:
G Bradley Beal
F Kyle Kuzma

Kings receive:
G Tyrese Maxey
F Matisse Thybulle

Pacers receive:
F Deni Avdija
2024 1st from Wizards (top 7 protected)

Rockets receive:
Corey Kispert
23rd pick from 76ers

Knicks receive:
Rui Hachimura
(2) future 2nds from Wizards

Draft:
4. Jaden Ivey
6. Bennedict Mathurin
10. Jalen Williams
16. Tari Eason
53. Keon Ellis

New roster:

G Jalen Williams, Monte Morris, Raul Neto
G Jaden Ivey, Will Barton, Keon Ellis
F Bennedict Mathurin, Cam Reddish, David Nwaba
F Tari Eason, Tobias Harris, Anthony Gill
C Kristaps Porzingis, Daniel Gafford, Vernon Carey

I keep KP as the high post C who we can run the offense through to take pressure off the young guards. Jalen is listed as PG but make no doubt Ivey will have it in his hands alot. Jalen's skill off the ball as a spot up shooter and on ball creation & passing skills make him an ideal fit.

Tari & Bennedict provide athleticism, energy & skill at the F spots. Mathurin was one of the most skilled shooters in college. With Tari's motor and rebounding I love the synergy of the 4 picks playing together.

Best of both worlds scenario. A young exciting core to build with and watch, yet clearly a roster not ready to win yet so the growing pains ensure a high lottery pick in '23 which means a chance a Wembamyama.

I don't see a compelling reason to trade Avdija and our (likely) 2024 lotto pick for Mathurin. I'd leave that part out. But the rest of this is great. Frankly, just trading Beal for Ivey is all that matters. The rest is just details.

[payitforward]

Wild stuff, Dat -- I love it just for the major change it illustrates.

Obviously, the key is not re-signing Beal, which means that the vision begins with a basic decision, the most important decision, which is in complete contradiction with the Wizards' firmly fixed strategy.

TBH, that's the first requirement for any set of moves that might actually have started turning things around here. Instead, we have basically decided to freeze a terrible team as if it was something special.