Deron Williams comments on Wall and the Wizards

[doclinkin]

While the tank would be best if they lose to MIK tonight, if they then turnaround and take down Miami in Miami, we may start to hear some props sooner rather then later.

Headline like.

Are the Wizards starting to turn it around after beating two of the best in the league.

No the headlines would be about the Heat starting to stumble or falter heading into the postseason. Are they vulnerable? Are they losing focus on court looking ahead to the postseason etc. And the pundits on late night or half-time NBA jibberjabber programs would rip on them for losing to the 15-win Washington Wizards. That's just a fact.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Except, reputations decay and alter slowly. It's not like Deron follows this team with the obsessive exactitude that we do on here. Teams who have played our squad recently do give props and recognize, but anyone else will tend to look at the record and not really pay much attention to the idea that the manbearpig has begun to devour opponents up front, for instance. (MBP!) Next year's narrative may include the phrase 'much-improved' and 'infusion of talent' and refer to this year's midseason trade or the startling development of then 3rd year player Keveen SeRAFon(g). I hope the language will include references to John Wall's vastly improved jumpshot, but in truth the only thing that will instantlyy change perception of this team around the league will be the late May revelation that our squad has landed the number one overall pick for the 2nd time in 3 years. Anything short of that will simply require hard work and wins to change anyone's mind.

Deron Williams was on point. He got it right. This has been one of the dumbest teams ever. Perhaps by next season it will be more than obvious that the Wizards are on an upward trajectory, and able to win games.

The lineup they have right now has shooters, hustle players, long and rangy athletes, and they excel in the open court. They aren't stupid, either, with the exception of some shots by both Crawford and errors by Wall. They are overmatched at SF physically, and need to improve there to take the leap towards respectability.

doc, I've been optimistic many times over the years, only to be disappointed with the Wizards. This time, with defense they never could play before occurring more than occasionally, I'm pretty sure things will be better next season.

[hands11]

Gil was the main problem. He is gone.
Nick and McGee were infected. They are gone.
Dray was infected but he is in ER getting life saving treatment. We will see if he pulls through.

I both LOL'd and nodded in agreement. Very well put, hands11.

I guess maybe I am funniest when I'm not trying to be.

[DallasShalDune]

Gil was the main problem. He is gone.
Nick and McGee were infected. They are gone.
Dray was infected but he is in ER getting life saving treatment. We will see if he pulls through.

I both LOL'd and nodded in agreement. Very well put, hands11.

I guess maybe I am funniest when I'm not trying to be.

It was clever, so yes.

[hands11]

While the tank would be best if they lose to MIK tonight, if they then turnaround and take down Miami in Miami, we may start to hear some props sooner rather then later.

Headline like.

Are the Wizards starting to turn it around after beating two of the best in the league.

No the headlines would be about the Heat starting to stumble or falter heading into the postseason. Are they vulnerable? Are they losing focus on court looking ahead to the postseason etc. And the pundits on late night or half-time NBA jibberjabber programs would rip on them for losing to the 15-win Washington Wizards. That's just a fact.

Lol. You're probably right. Watch this clip.

http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?id=320416004

1 highlight of the Wizards. The rest was all about Chicago. "Washington hangs on for the win."

Where all the nice KS moves? 13 rebound 21 pts 5 blocks. They could have done a highlight reel on KS. What about Mo ? What about a Wall coast to coast or that nice dish for a dunk by Singleton. I saw that game summery and was like

We have seen this movie before. They won't get any love until they are an established winner. Until then, they will look backward. They don't see all the changes and they don't understand the difference between being bad and designing a TANK. They don't follow them like we do. Hell, some member here aren't much better.

[hands11]

Except, reputations decay and alter slowly. It's not like Deron follows this team with the obsessive exactitude that we do on here. Teams who have played our squad recently do give props and recognize, but anyone else will tend to look at the record and not really pay much attention to the idea that the manbearpig has begun to devour opponents up front, for instance. (MBP!) Next year's narrative may include the phrase 'much-improved' and 'infusion of talent' and refer to this year's midseason trade or the startling development of then 3rd year player Keveen SeRAFon(g). I hope the language will include references to John Wall's vastly improved jumpshot, but in truth the only thing that will instantlyy change perception of this team around the league will be the late May revelation that our squad has landed the number one overall pick for the 2nd time in 3 years. Anything short of that will simply require hard work and wins to change anyone's mind.

Deron Williams was on point. He got it right. This has been one of the dumbest teams ever. Perhaps by next season it will be more than obvious that the Wizards are on an upward trajectory, and able to win games.

The lineup they have right now has shooters, hustle players, long and rangy athletes, and they excel in the open court. They aren't stupid, either, with the exception of some shots by both Crawford and errors by Wall. They are overmatched at SF physically, and need to improve there to take the leap towards respectability.

doc, I've been optimistic many times over the years, only to be disappointed with the Wizards. This time, with defense they never could play before occurring more than occasionally, I'm pretty sure things will be better next season.

And for all those reasons, I most fear a change of coach and GM at this point. It isn't the right time. I want to see them keep everything in place one more year. Then if you need to change... change. I thought the same about Flip. I mostly supported him while he was here, but I also supported the change when they made it. I didn't think it was to late. Felt like good timing to me.

I could say I would have liked to have seen more of Randy, but at the same time, Randy's hands are cleaner for having taken over when he did. I just hope we reach none tank mode and have Nene available long enough that he can solidify one more year. I like watching a team coached by Randy. I respect the influence he has had on the team and how they fight to win under his leadership.

Did you hear his post game interview. Good stuff.

[montestewart]

Hands, when you say one more year, do you mean Wittman and EG on one year deals? I'm not in favor of that at all, but the argument for one-year deals would be much different than for multi-year contracts: EG one more year to (as one argument goes) see if he's really turned around a mess largely imposed on him by a meddling owner, Wittman one full year to see if he really can help turn the team around long term, especially with a normal offseason and a few choice additions to the roster. One year contracts as auditions for their futures with the Wizards. Right?

[hands11]

Hands, when you say one more year, do you mean Wittman and EG on one year deals? I'm not in favor of that at all, but the argument for one-year deals would be much different than for multi-year contracts: EG one more year to (as one argument goes) see if he's really turned around a mess largely imposed on him by a meddling owner, Wittman one full year to see if he really can help turn the team around long term, especially with a normal offseason and a few choice additions to the roster. One year contracts as auditions for their futures with the Wizards. Right?

Yeep. That is what I have been saying.

Randy on a one year deal should be easy to pull off. The challenge may be getting EG to agree to a one year deal. I don't know enough about how this works to know if that is doable or not. I will assume the way to position it is, you extend him for one more year. I assume there is some PR etiquette and expectations for this kind of thing. Signing a new 1 year deal for less money seems like a different kettle of fish. But that is just my perception of what would work. I do hear EG is paid top dollar so many a small cut in pay is workable since that seems to be the trend of owners. But if you want to get it done, just pay the man one more year on his existing contract. If things aren't looking good after next year, then you move on. I would have no feeling like we changed at the wrong time at that point.

And as for blowing the draft, I don't see much risk there. You get the 2, 3, or 4 pick, there is a high chance you end up with MGK or Beal. They just have to decide which they like more. You get the 4th, you either get Beal or Robinson. The only real questions are what do you do with #1 or #5. If you get the first, do you trade down with NO for Robinson at 4 and one of.. their 2nd first rounder ( which you can use or trade down again) or hopefully a deal with Gordon in it. Or if you get the 5th which end up being Drummonds, what do you do. Keep him or trade down.

Ted/EG moved well in the draft 2 years ago. I trust them to handle it again.

[Zonkerbl]

uh, if you get the first you draft Davis. Full stop. I would trade down if we got the #5 and hire ccj to do the draft for us. Jae Crowder or bust!!! Have no idea who the guy is but I trust ccj and doc's analysis.

[Nivek]

If you get the #1 pick, there's no question about it -- take Davis. He's as good a prospect as guys like Duncan and Hakeem. Total no-brainer to take him.

I'm as big a Crowder proponent as anyone, but if other teams truly view him as a 2nd round pick, and I was sitting at 5, I'd probably try to trade down to pick up an extra 1st round pick in the 20s to make sure I could get him there.

Actually, there are two guys currently rated as 2nd round picks by the draft sites that I have rated in the top 5 in this draft -- Crowder and Denmon. Lillard is another guy I have as a top 5 prospect, who's expected to go in the 10-15 range.

They can trade back and get good players down the board a little. Which, by the way, is NORMAL in a draft year. In aggregate, the best players are at the top of the draft. But year after year, good players are taken further down the board. I think there are three guys in this draft who are going to get picked later, but make good pros (assuming they get the opportunity to play -- which can be iffy because playing time for young players is decided initially by draft position).

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

Hands, when you say one more year, do you mean Wittman and EG on one year deals? I'm not in favor of that at all, but the argument for one-year deals would be much different than for multi-year contracts: EG one more year to (as one argument goes) see if he's really turned around a mess largely imposed on him by a meddling owner, Wittman one full year to see if he really can help turn the team around long term, especially with a normal offseason and a few choice additions to the roster. One year contracts as auditions for their futures with the Wizards. Right?

Yeep. That is what I have been saying.

Randy on a one year deal should be easy to pull off. The challenge may be getting EG to agree to a one year deal. I don't know enough about how this works to know if that is doable or not. I will assume the way to position it is, you extend him for one more year. I assume there is some PR etiquette and expectations for this kind of thing. Signing a new 1 year deal for less money seems like a different kettle of fish. But that is just my perception of what would work. I do hear EG is paid top dollar so many a small cut in pay is workable since that seems to be the trend of owners. But if you want to get it done, just pay the man one more year on his existing contract. If things aren't looking good after next year, then you move on. I would have no feeling like we changed at the wrong time at that point.

And as for blowing the draft, I don't see much risk there. You get the 2, 3, or 4 pick, there is a high chance you end up with MGK or Beal. They just have to decide which they like more. You get the 4th, you either get Beal or Robinson. The only real questions are what do you do with #1 or #5. If you get the first, do you trade down with NO for Robinson at 4 and one of.. their 2nd first rounder ( which you can use or trade down again) or hopefully a deal with Gordon in it. Or if you get the 5th which end up being Drummonds, what do you do. Keep him or trade down.

Ted/EG moved well in the draft 2 years ago. I trust them to handle it again.

Ernie Grunfeld is not deserving of another season. Wall was a no-brainer two years ago and I don't buy for a second that Grunfeld expected or knew that Seraphin or Booker would be what they have turned out to be for the Wizards; they were brought in as beef for added toughness in a soft lineup. Grunfeld blew last year's top pick on Vesely, and it's my opinion that Grunfeld is liable to find another gem late in this year's draft on accident, than he is to select a sure thing being positioned with a top 5 pick if it isn't a complete no-brainer (consensus No.1). Grunfeld was involved in the drafting of Nick Young, Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee, but worse than Grunfeld not knowing what he was getting in drafting them, was not knowing when it was time to let them go (to think the Wizards could've possibly landed Enes Kanter if they were willing to part ways with McGee earlier). Only thing I'm ever willing to give Grunfeld credit for is his ability to pull off one-sided trades that favor the Wizards. He's average at assessing players all the way through and addressing team needs.

Leave it to Grunfeld, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be the guy selected.