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

[veji1]

The key for a potential FA signee will be that after the draft, this team will have 3 positions filled with very good players out of 5, and the potential to grow and be competitive. If a FA wants :1/ to get some doe, 2/play for a team that is evolving in the right direction, becoming competitive, 3/have a central role in such a team... Well than the Wizards can contend. Had the trade not been done it would be Wall, a good draftee and knuckleheads, ie still a very young shapeless team with no organisation nor discernable future... Basically the only incentive would have been to massively overpay.

[dobrojim]

the biggest issue with not trading McGee and what might have
happened in the offseason is that we might have ended up
keeping him which would mean we could never be a good
defensive team with him as a rotation player.

[tontoz]

the biggest issue with not trading McGee and what might have
happened in the offseason is that we might have ended up
keeping him which would mean we could never be a good
defensive team with him as a rotation player.

That is the way i see it, especially considering the way they have been playing defense since the trade. At this point i wouldn't pay Mcgee MLE money because i just don't want him here screwing up the defense.

An argument can certainly be made that Nene's contract will come back to bite them. However i don't see any argument for resigning McGee that makes sense.

[Zonkerbl]

I don't think McGee contributed significantly to the loss. I think Denver's perimeter defense was pretty lousy (not McGee's fault) and Bargnani was on fire (not McGee's fault).

[Ruzious]

I don't think McGee contributed significantly to the loss. I think Denver's perimeter defense was pretty lousy (not McGee's fault) and Bargnani was on fire (not McGee's fault).

Yeah, I think Bargs caught fire in the 4th quarter, and Javale wasn't in the game at the time. I remember checking the box score at the end of the 3rd quarter (since Bargs is on my fantasy team) and Denver was up with Bargs not shooting well. And Javale's minutes were I think the same then as at the end of the game, while Bargs shooting numbers were much improved at the end.

[closg00]

I don't think McGee contributed significantly to the loss. I think Denver's perimeter defense was pretty lousy (not McGee's fault) and Bargnani was on fire (not McGee's fault).

But...but..you're ruining the clown-McGee narrative.

[dobrojim]

what position does Bargs play?

[Ruzious]

what position does Bargs play?

PseudoCenter

[Ruzious]

I don't think McGee contributed significantly to the loss. I think Denver's perimeter defense was pretty lousy (not McGee's fault) and Bargnani was on fire (not McGee's fault).

But...but..you're ruining the clown-McGee narrative.

Zonk let his integrity get in the way. Luckily, we don't have that character problem.

[Higga]

Man these excuses for McGee sound like the excuses Skins fans(myself included)used to make for Jason Campbell. It's never his fault it's always someone else's fault, until you replace him and everyone else suddenly plays better....

[Ruzious]

Even when the Wiz keep losing without him, it's his fault!

[montestewart]

Part of (I think it was) nate33's original point wasn't so much that McGee's defense was killing the Nuggets, but that the Nuggets defense seems to have fallen apart since Nene departed. McGee has had a few good games on defense when the opposing players didn't figure out how to exploit his positioning shortcomings and his extreme blocking hindered opposition shooting. Overall, it's hard to imagine McGee helping correct their faltering defense in the long run, unless he has an amazing awakening and is suddenly much more teachable regarding defense.

Likewise, Nene didn't turn the Wizards' defense around. Looking at the numbers, it looks like opponents' ppg started to go down when McGee and Young departed and before Nene started playing. I don't know how much of that is due to an altered pace, but even a hobbled, lethargic Nene understands and can contribute to team defense in a way McGee and Young apparently cannot. It's not enough games to tell yet, but just based upon the players as we know them, it shouldn't be a surprise that Wizards' D improves while Nuggets' D gets worse.

PS: That was the Raptors' 5th highest point total this year, and 2nd highest in a regulation game.

[Dat2U]

McGee is definitely not the only factor. Especially considering the modest minutes he's played. Karl has been playing Wilson Chandler at PF for long stretches and also more of Al Harrington recently, so that's not helping. Neither does the loss of Danilo Gallinari.

[dandridge 10]

I don't know if McGee has made Denver's defense worse. All I know is that the Wizards defense has dramatically improved since both McGee and Young were traded.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I don't think McGee contributed significantly to the loss. I think Denver's perimeter defense was pretty lousy (not McGee's fault) and Bargnani was on fire (not McGee's fault).

But...but..you're ruining the clown-McGee narrative.

Zonk let his integrity get in the way. Luckily, we don't have that character problem.

Thanks, Ruz. First time I've smiled today. Couldn't manage a real laugh, but that gave me a slight chuckle.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Part of (I think it was) nate33's original point wasn't so much that McGee's defense was killing the Nuggets, but that the Nuggets defense seems to have fallen apart since Nene departed. McGee has had a few good games on defense when the opposing players didn't figure out how to exploit his positioning shortcomings and his extreme blocking hindered opposition shooting. Overall, it's hard to imagine McGee helping correct their faltering defense in the long run, unless he has an amazing awakening and is suddenly much more teachable regarding defense.

Likewise, Nene didn't turn the Wizards' defense around. Looking at the numbers, it looks like opponents' ppg started to go down when McGee and Young departed and before Nene started playing. I don't know how much of that is due to an altered pace, but even a hobbled, lethargic Nene understands and can contribute to team defense in a way McGee and Young apparently cannot. It's not enough games to tell yet, but just based upon the players as we know them, it shouldn't be a surprise that Wizards' D improves while Nuggets' D gets worse.

PS: That was the Raptors' 5th highest point total this year, and 2nd highest in a regulation game.

Whatever the difference is I see it at both ends of the court.

Nene can be the focal point on offense. When Crawford and Wall feed the post, generally good things happen. He knows how to play. I hated the trade but I definitely see the difference. Nene gets to the rim and he likes to do reverse layups. When he's paired with Seraphin the passing is superb. He hits Kevin at the FT line or, on the low block and vice versa. Today they each had turnovers trying to facilitate, but it was still good basketball and good court awareness.

The defense is night and day better. There is not a coincidence that the defense has improved. There's a lot more physical play in the paint and guys are moving their feet.

I complained vehemently about the trade, but I will stop focusing on the reality of the long haul and just look at the immediate. Nene has played well and he's helped the team look focused. I like watching him play.

Short run goal has been met. The team is better.

[Higga]

Since the trade our D is only giving up 90.7 PPG on average and has only allowed 100+ once.

Pretty impressive. I don't know for sure but only allowing 90 a game probably puts us among the top Ds in the league.

[montestewart]

Since the trade our D is only giving up 90.7 PPG on average and has only allowed 100+ once.

Pretty impressive. I don't know for sure but only allowing 90 a game probably puts us among the top Ds in the league.

Someone with a good spreadsheet could answer how that compares with pre-trade, especially with regard to opponent FG%, points per possession, and pace factor. They sure aren't playing as fast, and that might be exposing Wall's halfcourt weaknesses more, hence his really lousy play recently.

[nate33]

Since the trade our D is only giving up 90.7 PPG on average and has only allowed 100+ once.

Pretty impressive. I don't know for sure but only allowing 90 a game probably puts us among the top Ds in the league.

Someone with a good spreadsheet could answer how that compares with pre-trade, especially with regard to opponent FG%, points per possession, and pace factor. They sure aren't playing as fast, and that might be exposing Wall's halfcourt weaknesses more, hence his really lousy play recently.

Pre-trade:
Poss: 95.8
OffEff: 97.9
DefEff: 106.9

Post-trade:
Poss: 91.6
OffEff: 97.6
DefEff: 98.9

If we just look at the games when Nene was in the lineup:

With Nene:
Poss: 91.0
OffEff: 98.9
DefEff: 95.9

Note, these numbers don't include the Indy game, which appears to be in line with the general trend. OffEff and DefEff are points scored and points yielded per 100 possessions. Poss is possessions per game.

[nate33]

For what it's worth, the league OffEff is 101.4. If we maintained those "with Nene" ratings for an entire season, we would have the 2nd best defense in the league and the 25th best offense. Our +3.0 point differential would rank us as the 8th best team in the league.