Nick Young traded to Clippers/McGee to Denver/Nene to DC

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Nene could not have had a better debut.

I'm all in, hoping for the best from this deal--that Nene plays at this level and stays healthy at least 2-3 seasons.

Also, that now FAs like Nicolas Batum will definitely want to be a Wizard if the money is right.

[tontoz]

Nick has definitely gotten off to a rough start with the Clips, 2-9 so far tonight.

[GhostsOfGil]

Nick has definitely gotten off to a rough start with the Clips, 2-9 so far tonight.

Ya from what I've seen, hes still forcing his shots. Knowing Nick, he'll go on a hot streak and those numbers will even out.

[hands11]

Nick has definitely gotten off to a rough start with the Clips, 2-9 so far tonight.

Ya from what I've seen, hes still forcing his shots. Knowing Nick, he'll go on a hot streak and those numbers will even out.

Not our problem.

I thought Nick could have a harder time adjusting. He should show improvement though.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Javale McGee: Game winner

I had a feeling Afflalo was going to miss. I like Javale, no matter what. Before that last free throw, I literally prayed, "Lord, let Javale get the rebound and win the game."

It happened.

Today has been a remarkable day for me, personally, and my teams did well, too.

McGee got blamed for silly mistakes, but I never felt he deserved the jeers. Many of you feel differently, and I respect that.

I just want him to succeed.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Raffy, Cousins is the guy I took so much crap for saying he'd be very good. Now you're saying he's more talented than Javale?

If you call playing intelligently and shoring up one's weaknesses talent, sure, Cousins is better than McGee. DeMarcus has skilled moves. He's improved his rebounding a lot. He's cut down his turnovers a lot. He's cut down his fouls some. He shoots FTs much better. But, he's a very limited player physically. He's a guy who needs a McGee next to him.

McGee is going to be like Cousins in one respect. The same people who are down him now (like they were Cousins this time last year) will come back and say Javale is much better than they thought.

McGee is going to have more impact on big games than Cousins in the very near future. Now that Javale plays with a leader, Lawson, and he plays with a tough PF who can rebound consistently, Faried; that guy is going to kill it.

McGee is a stud and people in Washington will get to watch him win just like they watched Rip, when he went to a decent organization.

All this crap about McGee being so dumb wasn't what people were saying as recently as January. Flip's team got off to a terrible start, especially John Wall, but McGee was the bright spot. People let approximately 7 weeks of ball color their perspective. They ignore metrics that show McGee's worth. They say he's NEVER going to get it????

Incredible. I think he just got his first good break. I am so happy for McGee.

I thought it would take 2 weeks, not his debut.

Also, on the last play McGee waited to actually follow and slam the ball through. Immediately following the game, a reporter asked him about it and he said he didn't want to goal tend. She asked McGee about the game, and he sounded like a coach, explaining the team struggled to stop Ben Gordon on the perimeter, and how they contested more. I watched the game, and McGee covered pick and roll and actually blocked Gordon after Gordon had 9-straight threes. He ran the court and got the dunk. Until the dunk at the end, McGee had had the next two best plays. Javale played a smart game and gave a good interview after hitting the game winner.

McGee was absolutely the player of the game in Denver on the same night Nene did the same in Washington.

[JonathanJoseph]

Raffy, Cousins is the guy I took so much crap for saying he'd be very good. Now you're saying he's more talented than Javale?

If you call playing intelligently and shoring up one's weaknesses talent, sure, Cousins is better than McGee. DeMarcus has skilled moves. He's improved his rebounding a lot. He's cut down his turnovers a lot. He's cut down his fouls some. He shoots FTs much better. But, he's a very limited player physically. He's a guy who needs a McGee next to him.

McGee is going to be like Cousins in one respect. The same people who are down him now (like they were Cousins this time last year) will come back and say Javale is much better than they thought.

McGee is going to have more impact on big games than Cousins in the very near future. Now that Javale plays with a leader, Lawson, and he plays with a tough PF who can rebound consistently, Faried; that guy is going to kill it.

McGee is a stud and people in Washington will get to watch him win just like they watched Rip, when he went to a decent organization.

All this crap about McGee being so dumb wasn't what people were saying as recently as January. Flip's team got off to a terrible start, especially John Wall, but McGee was the bright spot. People let approximately 7 weeks of ball color their perspective. They ignore metrics that show McGee's worth. They say he's NEVER going to get it????

Incredible. I think he just got his first good break. I am so happy for McGee.

I thought it would take 2 weeks, not his debut.

Also, on the last play McGee waited to actually follow and slam the ball through. Immediately following the game, a reporter asked him about it and he said he didn't want to goal tend. She asked McGee about the game, and he sounded like a coach, explaining the team struggled to stop Ben Gordon on the perimeter, and how they contested more. I watched the game, and McGee covered pick and roll and actually blocked Gordon after Gordon had 9-straight threes. He ran the court and got the dunk. Until the dunk at the end, McGee had had the next two best plays. Javale played a smart game and gave a good interview after hitting the game winner.

McGee was absolutely the player of the game in Denver on the same night Nene did the same in Washington.

Sure, and McGee was the player of the game more than a few times in DC too.

Besides the game winner (where he showed hustle that he didn't show in DC), Javale also tried a 6 foot behind the back pass in the lane and tried to take a charge at mid-court. That's just from the few times I flipped the game on.

It's those glimpses of special play that are going to make someone give McGee $10M+/year and I'm just incredibly glad it isn't the Wizards.

With Nene and Seraphin, it appears that the Wizards will probably have the best center rotation in the NBA for the next few years.

[Ruzious]

The trade may turn out to be a big mistake for the Wiz or not, and Javale may turn into an all-star for all we know, but... right now it feels so good to have professionals out there who know how to play the game - and don't make you worry about what they're going to do next. And my dentist will be happy, because I can watch Wiz games without grinding my teeth. Though it would be nice if they can find a couple more 3 point shooters.

[nate33]

I fail to see how one decent game in Denver means that McGee has "turned the corner". McGee had tons of awesome games with big numbers and good effort with the Wizards too. The issue with McGee is whether or not he ever learns how to defend the pick and roll. It's worth pointing out that Denver barely squeaked by with a win at home against the lowly Detroit Pistons, and they gave up 115 points in the process. I didn't watch the game so I have no idea how instrumental McGee was in giving up those points.

[Rafael122]

McGee has had a ton of 15 and 7 games here. I'm not sure what last night's game tells us?

[Saqs]

Maybe being traded switches off the blinding headlights from the deer that were in them (Pam and Javale), but I see nothing to be excited about. How many times has he "turned the corner" here?

[fishercob]

Good for Vale. The simple fact is that he has a much better chance of success in Denver because he has much better teammates and a much more specialized role. I really doubt we're ever going to view him in the Webber/Wallace/Wallace/Rip/Ruffin class as "one that got away."

[Severn Hoos]

Good for Vale. The simple fact is that he has a much better chance of success in Denver because he has much better teammates and a much more specialized role. I really doubt we're ever going to view him in the Webber/Wallace/Wallace/Rip/Ruffin class as "one that got away."

I see what you did there...

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The trade may turn out to be a big mistake for the Wiz or not, and Javale may turn into an all-star for all we know, but... right now it feels so good to have professionals out there who know how to play the game - and don't make you worry about what they're going to do next. And my dentist will be happy, because I can watch Wiz games without grinding my teeth. Though it would be nice if they can find a couple more 3 point shooters.

+1

Although Chuck Crawford had a great game, I still think Mason is the better option at SG. I like RMJ shooting threes. In the draft John Jenkins and Damian Lillard are automatic from three point territory. This offseason, the Wizards need to acquire Batum--he can hit threes and is also good in transition.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I fail to see how one decent game in Denver means that McGee has "turned the corner". McGee had tons of awesome games with big numbers and good effort with the Wizards too. The issue with McGee is whether or not he ever learns how to defend the pick and roll. It's worth pointing out that Denver barely squeaked by with a win at home against the lowly Detroit Pistons, and they gave up 115 points in the process. I didn't watch the game so I have no idea how instrumental McGee was in giving up those points.

McGee played the same way he played in DC with one exception. I saw McGee mix it up with Monroe and Wallace. McGee crashed into guys at the defensive end. Usually, his contact comes on offensive fouls where he is out of control. The thing about yesterday is McGee played as physically as I've seen.

Where the breakthrough for McGee came is how his coach utilized him and also, with his new teammates. Karl played McGee like he was an elite or key player. He subbed Javale in with 5 fouls, and McGee played over the last 8 minutes of the fourth. Karl subbed him in with 5.6 seconds, just so McGee could rebound a potential miss. The thing Washington never seemed to value and appreciate is McGee's rebound rate. Far better than Booker's or Seraphin's or Nene's.

Another breakthrough is I saw Faried pass to Javale for an assist and I saw McGee assist Faried. Some might not have like the behind-the-back pass Javale made to Faried, but it was delivered. A control freak like Saunders or an easily-agitated-at-Javale Coach Wittman would have sat McGee. I think McGee is going to get to play through mistakes, now. WInning the first game--and make no mistake about it McGee made 3 or 4 exceptional plays before the game winner--is going to give him credibility he never had in DC.

Javale is going to blow up.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

McGee has had a ton of 15 and 7 games here. I'm not sure what last night's game tells us?

George Karl will use him more intelligently than Flip or Wittman did. His Denver fans already know to expect highs and lows, but they love him from day 1.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Good for Vale. The simple fact is that he has a much better chance of success in Denver because he has much better teammates and a much more specialized role. I really doubt we're ever going to view him in the Webber/Wallace/Wallace/Rip/Ruffin class as "one that got away."

I think there is a chance McGee shows out in the playoffs.

The one way McGee will be viewed as one that got away is if McGee gets stronger and begins to play physical ball consistently. Playing with Faried could rub off on him.

[Zonkerbl]

So... it was a win-win trade. McGee next to Booker/Blatche/Singleton sucks. McGee next to Faried is awesome. Denver can surround McGee with enough disciplined players to give McGee the freedome to make OHY plays.

On the flip side, because Denver has enough disciplined players, they don't really need a player like Nene as much as they need McGee. While Nene is precisely the kind of player that the zards need.

So both sides benefit. I think it's unfortunate that we were not in a position to surround McGee with disciplined players. Four years from now, McGee will be in his prime and Nene will more than likely be on his way to retirement. At that point we'll be sad we let him go. But if we resign Wall four years from now because Nene helped us get home court advantage in the playoffs, it was all essentially worth it.

[Ruzious]

So... it was a win-win trade. McGee next to Booker/Blatche/Singleton sucks. McGee next to Faried is awesome. Denver can surround McGee with enough disciplined players to give McGee the freedome to make OHY plays.

On the flip side, because Denver has enough disciplined players, they don't really need a player like Nene as much as they need McGee. While Nene is precisely the kind of player that the zards need.

So both sides benefit. I think it's unfortunate that we were not in a position to surround McGee with disciplined players. Four years from now, McGee will be in his prime and Nene will more than likely be on his way to retirement. At that point we'll be sad we let him go. But if we resign Wall four years from now because Nene helped us get home court advantage in the playoffs, it was all essentially worth it.

That's a nice way to look at it. The one thing I'd pick at is - I'm not sure it's ever good to have an undisciplined player - no matter how solid your team is. At some point, Javale is going to have to be consistent and reliable, or he's going to end up disappointing his new team and giving Shaq more material.

[Induveca]

Last night's game had a semblance of professional basketball to it......shocking.

Good riddance McGee. The guy is an out of this world athlete, but a complete dolt on the court.....and will NEVER provide any leadership. He can join Gerald Green, JR Rider, Harold Miner and others on the SportsCenter highlight reel of history.

The biggest thing with Nene is the guy is a vocal leader which is what we desperately need. Wall/Nene/Booker/Seraphin is a foursome I'll be happy to watch. Good riddance Young, and especially McGee and Blatche.

Next up, throw Crawford on the bench and figure out a way to trade for Harden (if we drop to #6, #6 and Vesely for Harden?).

Wall
Harden
Booker
Seraphin
Nene

::drool::

That team would play hard every game, and win games even.