GT #17: Clippers @ Bullets 7 PM (MonSportsNet/980 AM)

[trast66]

Only bad move they've made is not trading Kuzma, it was a gamble that we'd get a better return later, maybe at this trade deadline, but so far it looks like his stock is dropping.

Bad mistake. Also the Paul/Poole trade not good.

[TGW]

Only bad move they've made is not trading Kuzma, it was a gamble that we'd get a better return later, maybe at this trade deadline, but so far it looks like his stock is dropping.

It’s not the only bad move. They have several bad moves.

[closg00]

Only bad move they've made is not trading Kuzma, it was a gamble that we'd get a better return later, maybe at this trade deadline, but so far it looks like his stock is dropping.

It’s not the only bad move. They have several bad moves.

Yes, save for trade-filler reasons, there were zero basketball reasons to keep Corey around for another 4-years. PBJR option picked-up, why? Gill re-signed etc.
One of the things that I admire so-much about the Grizzly org is that they are constantly looking to upgrade the talent of all non-starter positions, they do it until they find players that they like, and they find solid players everywhere on the draft board, and they contribute right-away while still having upside left.

[Frichuela]

Only bad move they've made is not trading Kuzma, it was a gamble that we'd get a better return later, maybe at this trade deadline, but so far it looks like his stock is dropping.

It’s not the only bad move. They have several bad moves.

Yes, save for trade-filler reasons, there were zero basketball reasons to keep Corey around for another 4-years. PBJR option picked-up, why? Gill re-signed etc.
One of the things that I admire so-much about the Grizzly org is that they are constantly looking to upgrade the talent of all non-starter positions, they do it until they find players that they like, and they find solid players everywhere on the draft board, and they contribute right-away while still having upside left.

Agreed on the Corey Kispert front...He is empty calories. Completely inept defensively. Watch how the opposition targets him again and again. I wonder what is the opponents FG% at the rim when guarded by Kispert, it must be a league record...

[payitforward]

Only bad move they've made is not trading Kuzma, it was a gamble that we'd get a better return later, maybe at this trade deadline, but so far it looks like his stock is dropping.

It’s not the only bad move. They have several bad moves.

Yes, save for trade-filler reasons, there were zero basketball reasons to keep Corey around for another 4-years. PBJR option picked-up, why? Gill re-signed etc....

Sorry, I can't see it that way in the slightest.

1. Letting Corey walk would have been foolish. His new contract is at a reasonable value level. Yes, he will be a tradable NBA journeyman.
2. Complaining that we kept Baldwin at $2m is inane.
3. Ditto Gill at at the same $2m.

Note that in each of these cases, without an alternative suggestion any objection is entirely empty. Whom do you have in mind to take Baldwin's spot on the roster? How about Gill's spot -- whom do you want instead? Rinse & repeat for Kispert -- let's have a name please.

As to the following:

One of the things that I admire so-much about the Grizzly org is that they are constantly looking to upgrade the talent of all non-starter positions, they do it until they find players that they like, and they find solid players everywhere on the draft board, and they contribute right-away while still having upside left.

Every team is constantly looking to upgrade at every spot!

Still, like you, I think the Grizzlies FO has been extraordinarily effective. & those guys took over in the spring of 2019 -- just like Tommy.

Of course they had the #2 pick in the draft & got off to a flying start by grabbing Ja Morant. That's a help.
And, they also had #21 that year & drafted Brandon Clarke, an outstanding player.

Then in 2020, they snagged Desmond Bane in a trade w/ Boston for the 30th pick.
(Boston offered us that pick, btw, for Bertans -- Tommy turned the deal down. Foolishly.)

Great work both years! But they didn't have a very good draft in '21 -- tho they did trade w/ Utah to get Santi Aldama at 30. Reasonably good value. They screwed up the 2022 R1 big time, but did come away with Vince Williams late in R2. He's been a solid journeyman for them.

'23 didn't yield much. But getting Jaylen Williams at 39 in '24 is making them look really smart!

Again, tho, none of this constitutes comparison with the current Wizards FO. After all, 4 of Dawkins 5 draft picks have looked like great choices so far. The 5th was Vukcevic, a #42 pick who hasn't shown much to date. So far, in other words, the new Wizards FO has been outstanding in the draft. Signing Valanciunas as a FA also looks great. The Deni trade is also looking very good so far.

Still, I wish they had moved Kuzma to Dallas -- not doing so was their one mistake so far.

[payitforward]

...the Paul/Poole trade not good.

Sorry. that's just not true.

What did GS get for Chris Paul? Do you know?
Answer: they got absolutely nothing for Chris Paul.

Do you think we would have done better? Really?

If we'd kept CP3, if we hadn't moved him to GS for a guy they had to get rid of, we would have gotten nothing for for him. Just like GS -- the Warriors got nothing for Chris Paul.

IOW, trading him for Poole was an excellent move.

[trast66]

...the Paul/Poole trade not good.

Sorry. that's just not true.

What did GS get for Chris Paul? Do you know?
Answer: they got absolutely nothing for Chris Paul.

Do you think we would have done better? Really?

If we'd kept CP3, if we hadn't moved him to GS for a guy they had to get rid of, we would have gotten nothing for for him. Just like GS -- the Warriors got nothing for Chris Paul.

IOW, trading him for Poole was an excellent move.

I value Poole as a fairly large negative both in productivity and influence.

I’d rather not have Poole for 3-4 years than a 2030 first rounder.

I think GS is very happy with that deal and I don’t think we should be.

[Kanyewest]

I was at the game

The team generates a lot of open shots. But teams do not respect the ability to shoot the 3, of course.

I don't know why Bilal isn't being aggressive.

Sarr needs to take it to the basket more. He's also open on the roll a lot.

I liked the competitiveness of George and Carrington in the face of James Harden.

Brogdon and Jonas will garner calls from other teams.

And Poole had his worst game of the season. Dunn was a menace on defense.

I guess progress isn't always linear- there may be times where Bilal takes one step forward, two steps back- especially when teams get the updated scouting report. Bilal was very passive to close out the season last season as well. A lot of his good play did occur when Trae Young was guarding him. And maybe he struggles when his 3 point shot isn't falling.

[payitforward]

...the Paul/Poole trade not good.

Sorry. that's just not true.

What did GS get for Chris Paul? Do you know?
Answer: they got absolutely nothing for Chris Paul.

Do you think we would have done better? Really?

If we'd kept CP3, if we hadn't moved him to GS for a guy they had to get rid of, we would have gotten nothing for for him. Just like GS -- the Warriors got nothing for Chris Paul.

IOW, trading him for Poole was an excellent move.

I value Poole as a fairly large negative both in productivity and influence.

On the court, he was horrible last year to be sure. But I know of no reason whatever to think he was a negative as an influence. He's described as an extremely hard worker & an excellent teammate. OTOH, it goes w/o saying that neither you nor I can have any real idea about that.

...the Paul/Poole trade not good.

I’d rather not have Poole for 3-4 years than a 2030 first rounder.

You have a right to your opinion. You're a fan.

...the Paul/Poole trade not good.

I think GS is very happy with that deal and I don’t think we should be.

GS traded Poole for nothing. If that made them "happy," I don't see why.

As to what you have against Jordan Poole, maybe you could explain a bit? He certainly doesn't seem like a bad guy to me.

[closg00]

It’s not the only bad move. They have several bad moves.

Yes, save for trade-filler reasons, there were zero basketball reasons to keep Corey around for another 4-years. PBJR option picked-up, why? Gill re-signed etc....

Sorry, I can't see it that way in the slightest.

1. Letting Corey walk would have been foolish. His new contract is at a reasonable value level. Yes, he will be a tradable NBA journeyman.
2. Complaining that we kept Baldwin at $2m is inane.
3. Ditto Gill at at the same $2m.

Note that in each of these cases, without an alternative suggestion any objection is entirely empty. Whom do you have in mind to take Baldwin's spot on the roster? How about Gill's spot -- whom do you want instead? Rinse & repeat for Kispert -- let's have a name please.

As to the following:

One of the things that I admire so-much about the Grizzly org is that they are constantly looking to upgrade the talent of all non-starter positions, they do it until they find players that they like, and they find solid players everywhere on the draft board, and they contribute right-away while still having upside left.

Every team is constantly looking to upgrade at every spot!

Still, like you, I think the Grizzlies FO has been extraordinarily effective. & those guys took over in the spring of 2019 -- just like Tommy.

Of course they had the #2 pick in the draft & got off to a flying start by grabbing Ja Morant. That's a help.
And, they also had #21 that year & drafted Brandon Clarke, an outstanding player.

Then in 2020, they snagged Desmond Bane in a trade w/ Boston for the 30th pick.
(Boston offered us that pick, btw, for Bertans -- Tommy turned the deal down. Foolishly.)

Great work both years! But they didn't have a very good draft in '21 -- tho they did trade w/ Utah to get Santi Aldama at 30. Reasonably good value. They screwed up the 2022 R1 big time, but did come away with Vince Williams late in R2. He's been a solid journeyman for them.

'23 didn't yield much. But getting Jaylen Williams at 39 in '24 is making them look really smart!

Again, tho, none of this constitutes comparison with the current Wizards FO. After all, 4 of Dawkins 5 draft picks have looked like great choices so far. The 5th was Vukcevic, a #42 pick who hasn't shown much to date. So far, in other words, the new Wizards FO has been outstanding in the draft. Signing Valanciunas as a FA also looks great. The Deni trade is also looking very good so far.

Still, I wish they had moved Kuzma to Dallas -- not doing so was their one mistake so far.

I disagree and it reminds me of old poverty mindset of the Wizards, the idea that there doesn’t exist a prospect that could possibly be better than Corey, Anthony Gill or PBJR, so let’s just bring them back, it’s their job to find out.

[payitforward]

...old poverty mindset of the Wizards, the idea that there doesn’t exist a prospect that could possibly be better than Corey, Anthony Gill or PBJR, so let’s just bring them back, it’s their job to find out.

Absolutely. Just go out to the garden & pick them off the trees. You bet.

Plus, what could be more obvious than the fact that because Deni got tons better when he was 23, there is no way Baldwin can develop since he's already 22. Do I have that right?

Plus, when it comes to veteran minimum end-of-the-bench veterans, a whole lot of them are better than Anthony Gill.

After all, there's nothing hard about rebuilding a mess of a team like the Wizards. Everybody knows that! You just replace bad players with good players -- what's so hard about that?