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

[Silvie Lysandra]

Nene himself said that we needed to learn the important lessons from that loss to Indiana- hopefully the front office learned that he isn't the center that is going to carry us to a title.

...which is why it baffles me that people are so against drafting Andre Drummond. Maybe the potential for a Kwame-like bust is there, but his upside makes him the clear #2 pick.

[hands11]

So this is the crux of the downside of this trade -- the risk the last two years on Nene's deal. I think I think (I'm not yet sure that I think) that given where the Wiz are, that this was a worthwhile risk.

After seeing one good game and one bad game from Nene, I'm worrying about more than the last two years. Maybe it's a little premature, but he doesn't have any explosion in his legs right now- and that cost him any chance of containing Hibbert the last game. Is he going to get that explosiveness back? Hopefully, but his age and his injury history don't bode particularly well.

Right now, he looks a little like an old Chris Webber- which still gives us a better chance of winning than with JaVale - but I don't see him as a true solution at center. Even C-Webb in his prime needed to have a Vlade Divac playing center before he got deep into the playoffs.

Again, my point is- if we are serious about contending we need to get a true stud center- whether it be through the draft, or somehow through trades or free agency. As much as we are missing shooters right now, any wing players (unless they are Lebron, Wade, or Kobe) we get will take us to the level of our Gilbert Arenas teams- 1st round playoffs, and then steamrolled by the Hibberts, Howards, and Bynums of the league.

Nene himself said that we needed to learn the important lessons from that loss to Indiana- hopefully the front office learned that he isn't the center that is going to carry us to a title.

I disagree that you need a stud center. You can center by committee. You do need to have a combination of length/strength, rebounding, defense and some scoring, but it doesnt have to be in one person. What they need a lot more than a stud center is to cover the required skills needed at SG and SF. One of those two needs an all around game, the other needs to be a sharp shooter.

Wall has no help handling the ball or driving from those two positions and little help shooting from outside to stretch the floor. Nick would get hot, but his handles sucked and he over dribbled anyway. That killed the offense. Crawford has handles but he is hot and cold. Crawford is a poor mans version of the skills that need at on of the two positions. So if he is that player at SG, you need a shape shooter at the 3. They dont have that. Closest thing they have is Mason which is why you are now seeing some Wall, Craw, Mason. But isnt viable in most situations. Mason would need to be taller and a better defender. And younger.

They really need to reload at SF and SG now. They have enough options at PF and Center for now.
Booker, Nene, KS, Ves and Dray.

Compare that to

Crawford, Mason, Singleton, Mo Evans with Mason and Mo unsigned. This is the big hole.

[Kanyewest]

the good thing is, we still have cap flexibility but we cannot... CANNOT have Ernie moving this ship any longer. He is going to $#%# up any flexibility left by making another panic move.

I wonder if the panics move happened as a result of previous ownership. Still, I'm not sure either way if Ted is going to move in a different direction with another GM.

[WizarDynasty]

nene is a p/f through and through he needs a shootblocker blocker dominant high jumping rebounder behind him offensivey and defensively. He isn't a shotblocker which is why it's a good idea to put him next to a seven footer that is a high jumping great rebounder and shot blocker because Nene is great at boxing out but not at getting up high like mcgee and blocking shots.

Javale would be a great compliment to Nene actually. I pretty much see all the great things about Javale plus the bulk to bang on the blocks with Drummond. At the same time, i would like a serious evaluation of Drummonds lateral foot speed before i make a decision on him. Otherwise, i go with Lamb.

[closg00]

Hollinger on the trade

I don't think anyone posted this. I happen to agree 100%. Whether you guys like it or not, it's Classic Grunfeld. Whatever Teddy's plan was, Ernie IMO must must have talked him into altering it.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/story/_/ ... line-deals

Washington: C-

I get why they did it -- Washington didn't want to pay for McGee and had no interest at all in keeping Nick Young. That said, I can't help thinking this is the classic Ernie Grunfeld maneuver, making a deal as if his team is one player away from contending for the title regardless of where they actually stand. While this might not be quite as bad as going "all in" for Randy Foye and Mike Miller two years ago, the Wizards gained five years and considerable dollars at the center position, and it's not clear if they gained at all in the talent department.

Washington is still far enough below the cap that the dollars may not matter much, particularly if they amnesty Rashard Lewis this summer. Nonetheless, I think they overreacted to McGee's agent's contract demands heading into this summer -- again, NBA teams have been amazingly slow to realize how much leverage they have in restricted free agency. They do at least get a high second-round pick belonging to the Hornets in return for Young, who was gone after the season otherwise.

Hollinger has had Ernie pegged for years. Hollinger invented the phrase "Grunfeldian ridiculousness"
Let's see if we add another legit starter and not waste this move.

[closg00]

Nene gets his first Wizard DNP due to his back.

[Galinheiro]

mcgee 6/7 and 9 rebounds... probably a great PER.

-13 +/- and nuggets on pace to allow 120 points again, tho.

mcgee + boozer would be the emptiest-stats' Front Court ever. Hollinger would probably rank them the best FC in the league.

[closg00]

Denver IS getting blown-out by Minny who are w/o Rubio and Pekovic...they aren't even using a Center.

[tontoz]

mcgee 6/7 and 9 rebounds... probably a great PER.

-13 +/- and nuggets on pace to allow 120 points again, tho.

mcgee + boozer would be the emptiest-stats' Front Court ever. Hollinger would probably rank them the best FC in the league.

In the 3 games Denver has played with Mcgee they have given up 121, 115 and 117 points.

In the 6 games the Wizards have played without Mcgee they have given up less than 93 ppg.

Small sample size but i see a trend developing.

[nate33]

Denver has totally fallen apart since the Nene trade.

In their first game (without McGee playing), they lost at home to OKC in a blowout. The final score was 103-90 but Denver was down by 19 with 2:30 to go.

In their second game (also without McGee), they beat the Celtics at home 98-91 in their only respectable performance.

In their third game (again, no McGee), they got blown out at home by Dallas 112-95. They were down by 22 with 3 minutes to go.

In their fourth game without Nene (and first with McGee playing), they squeaked out a win at home against the lowly Pistons 116-115. How do you give up 115 to Detroit? McGee was +2.

In their fifth game, they got blown out by Utah on the road, 121-102. McGee was -7.

In their sixth game, they got blown out by Chicago on the road, 117-100. They were down 22 with 2:30 to go. McGee was -12.

So in their 6 games without Nene, 4 of which were at home, they are 2-4 and their average point differential is -10. They're giving up 111 points a game.

[nate33]

Ha. I just spent about 15 minutes putting that post together and didn't see tontoz's much more succinct post.

[Severn Hoos]

But nate, you're saying that Denver's defense is worse without Nene? Obviously that can't be true, because you have to have a shotblocker in the middle to anchor a good defense. And since Nene doesn't block shots, he can't be a good defender. Now, if you had a 7-footer who's top 3 in the league in Blocks per game, now that would be the makings of an elite defense!

[eathb_au]

I don't think Denver's losses have anything to do with Nene.

Denver's GM knew the team was falling apart and made a move for the future.

[montestewart]

But nate, you're saying that Denver's defense is worse without Nene? Obviously that can't be true, because you have to have a shotblocker in the middle to anchor a good defense. And since Nene doesn't block shots, he can't be a good defender. Now, if you had a 7-footer who's top 3 in the league in Blocks per game, now that would be the makings of an elite defense!

How is the Wizards' defense (opponent points per possession, opponent FG%, etc.) looking since they traded away their guardian of the paint and leading man defender, as compared with pre-trade?

[Severn Hoos]

About the way many of us suspected it would, monte!

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

And how many games do you think Nene is going to miss over the next 4 years?

[nate33]

And how many games do you think Nene is going to miss over the next 4 years?

My guess is that Nene could have played tonight if we really needed him. There's no sense in wearing him down during meaningless games that we'd prefer to lose anyhow.

But to your greater point: yes, I expect McGee to be a healthier player than Nene over the next 4 years.

[hands11]

And how many games do you think Nene is going to miss over the next 4 years?

My guess is that Nene could have played tonight if we really needed him. There's no sense in wearing him down during meaningless games that we'd prefer to lose anyhow.

But to your greater point: yes, I expect McGee to be a healthier player than Nene over the next 4 years.

Unless McGee has some freak injury.

McGee is young and has no injury history. And it isn't like he is a banger.

But you can probably make the same prediction about most young players vs older players.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

But you can probably make the same prediction about most young players vs older players.

Which is why the whole thing isn't about McGee or Nene.

[montestewart]

But you can probably make the same prediction about most young players vs older players.

Which is why the whole thing isn't about McGee or Nene.

Talk about it CCJ! It's bigger than this or that player. It's about us. The fans!