Poll: Grade Ernie Grunfeld

[willbcocks]

Re: the resources to grab Henry: We had them. OKC moved up to #11 where Henry was available using picks 21 and 26. We had picks 17 and 30 and 35--we easily could have beat that package.

Don't forget that OKC also took on MoPete's contract in that deal for Aldrich.

Also don't forget that using assets to move up from 17 for a swingman probably wasn't in the team's longterm best interests. IMO they were always targeting a big with upside like Seraphin, which I think was the right thing to do.

Mo Pete expires this year, and him, Thornton, and NY1 could have formed our backup 2/3 position.

Seraphin, Yi, Josh Howard, Booker
vs
Henry, Peterson, #35 pick

I definitely would have gone with the second one, then tried to move Gil for expirings at the trade deadline this year (or this past summer, but I doubt we were offered that). That would leave us a Tanktastic team (remember, I think we're going to be bad this year anyway) with a bright future.

[hands11]

JonathanJoseph

Consider who you are arguing with. I mean it can be entertaining if you're into beating your head against the wall but I wouldn't expect an Ahh haa moment to happen. The glass will be half empty or empty until is isn't. And if that happens, for all the pages arguing against your point, you aren't likely to see more than a "opp" once the facts play out differently.

But if the glass does indeed end of being half empty or empty, there will be a thread on it.

And I'm sure you'll be the one to start that thread, or criticize someone else for starting it.

And you take a half empty glass and shove it where the sun don't shine. Because your wrong. Maybe I argue my points so vehemently that you never noticed or paid attention to how optimistic I've been about the core of Wall, Arenas & Blatche. How often I've suggested they can surprise and make the playoffs. How an athletic frontline of Blatche & McGee will cause match-up problems for a number of teams. How I've predicted at least 40 wins. Maybe I don't like much of rest of the roster or what Ernie has done but no one is more excited or optimistic about the future of John Wall, the Wall/Arenas backcourt or our owner Teddy Leonsis running things.

If your going to jump into an argument and make broad generalizations about my posts, make sure you know what the **** your talking about, otherwise your silence is golden.

Sorry. Even if you could pull that half empty glass out of your shady spot, I don't think I would be interested.

As for no one being more optimistic that you. Well, we will just have to crown you King Optimistic then.

[LyricalRico]

Seraphin, Yi, Josh Howard, Booker
vs
Henry, Peterson, #35 pick

I definitely would have gone with the second one

Even listing it out like that, I still have to go with Seraphin. With McGee still unproven, and both he and Blatche up for new contracts soon, I think drafting a big with upside was the correct top priority.

[closg00]

Which is it?, you put faith in EG's judgment in late picks.. but his only late pick in this past draft "sucks"?

Re: Booker, I hope he'll be the steal of the draft and Thornton's back-up at SF ahead of Martin (if we sign Martin). We used two picks to get him, so that's what we should expect.

I consider Booker a late pick so I was referring to him. Hell, Seraphin's even a late pick given the flameout rate of bigs not drafted #1 (or drafted #1 by THE #1).

Once I can judge for myself I do of course factor that in. And EG did not sign Ndiaye, allowing him to play overseas, when he's already quite old. Not exactly a beaming endorsement on a team with no defense presence in the middle.

Re: the resources to grab Henry: We had them. OKC moved up to #11 where Henry was available using picks 21 and 26. We had picks 17 and 30 and 35--we easily could have beat that package.

You cast a pretty wide net when you talk about late picks. I guess there's late first round, but Seraphin fell right outside the lottery, that's late? I suppose Booker could be considered a later 1st round pick.

I don't think NO does 17 & 30 or 35 for #11 and taking Mo Pete's salary, OKC's offer would have been the better of the two. Had we pulled that deal-off, I think we would have taken Cole Aldrich at #11. Ending the night with Aldrich (at PF for us) and Hobson or Ebanks would have been a good night for us IMO.

[Dat2U]

I don't think NO does 17 & 30 or 35 for #11 and taking Mo Pete's salary, OKC's offer would have been the better of the two. Had we pulled that deal-off, I think we would have taken Cole Aldrich at #11. Ending the night with Aldrich (at PF for us) and Hobson or Ebanks would have been a good night for us IMO.

I'd definitely prefer Seraphin to Aldrich. It's not that I'm certain of Seraphin being a success, but I'm pretty damn sure Aldrich will be nothing more than a marginal backup. Even if Aldrich might be the better player this coming season, if Seraphin develops at all and lives up to an ounce of his potential, he'll be better in the long run.

[closg00]

I don't think NO does 17 & 30 or 35 for #11 and taking Mo Pete's salary, OKC's offer would have been the better of the two. Had we pulled that deal-off, I think we would have taken Cole Aldrich at #11. Ending the night with Aldrich (at PF for us) and Hobson or Ebanks would have been a good night for us IMO.

I'd definitely prefer Seraphin to Aldrich. It's not that I'm certain of Seraphin being a success, but I'm pretty damn sure Aldrich will be nothing more than a marginal backup. Even if Aldrich might be the better player this coming season, if Seraphin develops at all and lives up to an ounce of his potential, he'll be better in the long run.

Agree on Seraphin, had we ended-up with the 11th pick that night, 11 probably would have been too-high to take Seraphin. I suspect we would have taken Aldrich at 11 and I could have lived with it.
Happy with Seraphin, unhappy with trading 30 & 35 for Booker and not taking BPA at 56. David Kahn's eyes must light-up whenever Ernie Grunfeld is calling to make a trade-offer.

[closg00]

melodious_thunk is back on the Wiz blog

Ernest Grunfeld has done the impossible.

The Wizards are poised to have a playoff year and, other than Arenas, have no burdensome, long-term contracts to impede their progress moving forward.

Some of you tin-ear haters blasted Ernest because N'Diaye doesn't have a contract. As I suggested, the Wizards have offered him a contract commensurate with his draft position and N'Diaye has not signed it. The market has determined that N'Diaye is not worthy of a guaranteed contract and Ernest is offering him exactly what he deserves that this point in career. He will play in the D-League this year if he doesn't get an overseas contract and that's that.

Bask in the warmth of Ernest's brilliance and be assured that the Wizards will be far more entertaining and competitive than the haters would have you believe!

In Grunfeld We Trust!!

Posted by: melodious_thunk | September 24, 2010 11:35 AM |

[TheGreatWall]

David Kahn's eyes must light-up whenever Ernie Grunfeld is calling to make a trade-offer.

[sarcasm] Yes because David Kahn has obviously done so much to improve the Timberwolves with what he's received from the Wizards [/sarcasm]

[LyricalRico]

David Kahn's eyes must light-up whenever Ernie Grunfeld is calling to make a trade-offer.

[sarcasm] Yes because David Kahn has obviously done so much to improve the Timberwolves with what he's received from the Wizards [/sarcasm]

Exactly. Once Rubio shows himself to be the bust he truly is, we can finally put this Minny stuff to bed. E-Grun will be vindicated again!

[closg00]

David Kahn's eyes must light-up whenever Ernie Grunfeld is calling to make a trade-offer.

[sarcasm] Yes because David Kahn has obviously done so much to improve the Timberwolves with what he's received from the Wizards [/sarcasm]

The fact that Kahn squandered his opportunites after getting the better or Ernie in a trade is besides the point.....and the 19 y/o Rubio is far from a bust, he hasn't even played in the NBA yet, he's got time to develop his shooting.

[TheGreatWall]

David Kahn's eyes must light-up whenever Ernie Grunfeld is calling to make a trade-offer.

[sarcasm] Yes because David Kahn has obviously done so much to improve the Timberwolves with what he's received from the Wizards [/sarcasm]

The fact that Kahn squandered his opportunites after getting the better or Ernie in a trade is besides the point.....and the 19 y/o Rubio is far from a bust, he hasn't even played in the NBA yet, he's got time to develop his shooting.

So the fact that Kahn's eyes light up when Ernie calls doesn't really matter, huh?

[closg00]

TGW - Kahn's eye light-up because he knows that Ernie can be had, ask Mark Cuban.

[JonathanJoseph]

TGW - Kahn's eye light-up because he knows that Ernie can be had, ask Mark Cuban.

The Wizards/Wolves trades did not work out as the Wizards had hoped, but the Wolves did NOT win that trade. They took on bad contracts and drafted a player who refuses to play for them. It was the Wizards cap flexibility that allowed them to make the moves they made this summer. So, no, Kahn did not "win" anything as much as neither team benefited.

And I hate to break this to you, but we fleeced Mark Cuban on that deal. I know that ruins your anti-EG view of the world but he took on Caron/Deshawn's contracts and didn't win a playoff series for it. I wouldn't take Caron Butler back at the MLE.

And EG's extension of Blatche at 5/$30M is the biggest bargain contract of the summer league wide. After the Seraphin/Hinrich trade, the Yi deal and the Blatche contract, there is no chance of Grunfeld's offseason grade being less than an A-.

[LyricalRico]

TGW - Kahn's eye light-up because he knows that Ernie can be had, ask Mark Cuban.

The Wizards/Wolves trades did not work out as the Wizards had hoped, but the Wolves did NOT win that trade. They took on bad contracts and drafted a player who refuses to play for them. It was the Wizards cap flexibility that allowed them to make the moves they made this summer. So, no, Kahn did not "win" anything as much as neither team benefited.

And I hate to break this to you, but we fleeced Mark Cuban on that deal. I know that ruins your anti-EG view of the world but he took on Caron/Deshawn's contracts and didn't win a playoff series for it. I wouldn't take Caron Butler back at the MLE.

Couldn't have said it better.

[TheGreatWall]

Damn! I had no idea they extended Blatche today for 5/30. That is fantastic! Good job EG.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Bump this. Might even want to sticky it.

EG be GM'ing now! This is a kid he drafted 49th in 2005.

Mike Prada on Bullets Forever:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2010/9/24 ... ?ref=yahoo

Getting Andray Blatche for what basically amounts to the value of the mid-level exception? Wow. That's a flippin' steal, regardless of the new CBA. The fact that they've restructured it to lower the cap hit in the post-CBA years makes it even better. Ernie Grunfeld and his team deserve major kudos for this one.

UPDATE: Some quick thoughts on SB Nation D.C. I noted how this is similar to what Ernie did with Brendan Haywood in 2004 and Caron Butler in 2005. Both of those moves worked out great.

I have a really good feeling about things moving forward under Leonsis, and EG of the last 9 or so months, for the Wizards. Just changed EG's grade from D to B. Prematurely, I think he's going to trade either Gil or Hinrich for something that makes sense.

[montestewart]

^
I'm good with upping to a B as well (can you just go in and change your vote?), and waiting to see how the rest (picks, Hinrich, Yi, etc.) pans out. EG, Ted, and company seem to have pulled the Wizards away from last year's insane toilet.

I have to admit, even though it can be the source of jokes, I don't really care about Morrison in camp. I don't think he'll ever convert his one real talent (as a tall perimeter shooter) into an NBA-level weapon, but it doesn't hurt to look, and he's not a drama queen. Maybe I would have liked looking at other players instead, but I'm a whole lot more concerned w/ roster spots 1-10 than I am with spots 11-15. There should be a little room for taking some risks with these last spots or, alternatively, signing very predictable end-of-bench players.

[JonathanJoseph]

Yes, the rebuilding process is farther along than anyone thought possible. Despite everyone thinking that Arenas will be traded at some point, I'd now say that he looks like he's here to stay.

The Wall/Arenas/Blatche/McGee core is now signed through 2012-2013 when they collectively count about only $36M against the cap. That year McGee will be up for an extension, but the Wall/Arenas/Blatche trio (as well as Seraphin/Booker) is signed through 2013-2014.

If the Wall/Arenas backcourt is dynamic as I think it will be, the Wizards future is bright.

edit:

"In 20, 21 years that I've been a general manager, this is one of the most anticipated seasons I've had," Grunfeld said. "It's a fresh start. This is more exciting, because this is the beginning of a new era. We've made no secret of the fact that we're rebuilding."

No way Grunfeld is THAT excited if he isn't thinking that this team is in great shape. He has no idea how quickly things will come together but I bet he thinks this team will be much better than anyone thinks and doesn't want to say anything after last season blew up in his face

[willbcocks]

Grunny was pumped as hell last year and look how that turned out.

[closg00]

Grunny was pumped as hell last year and look how that turned out.

EG would make a great politician.