Wiz trade Shard and 2nd rounder for Okafor and Ariza

[captaincrunk]

Wow, weren't we just specilating about a trade just like that? This board is impressive.

Hmm, does EG get his ideas from here?

I don't feel like scouring the trade threads of months ago to confirm that I was the first with this idea, but I'm pretty sure I can take credit for this one.

why was this a good idea at all?

[nuposse04]

ted is about to get an irate email

[miller31time]

Hey, that extension that EG got wasn't bad, right? I mean, sure, he kinda sorta built a terrible, capped-out team that was (and still is) an NBA bottom-feeder but hey, he kinda sorta cleaned up his mess and built a bottom-feeding team with a dash of potential.

So giving him that extension was a good move, right? Because, hey, a guy with a track record of poor moves probably won't make another one. Right? RIGHT?

Kill me.

[dandrews]

There are the veterans Ted was talking about.

[closg00]

Waiting for the other shoe to drop, we help NO clear-up cap with Shard's expiring contract and WE give-up a pick??? There's got to be something else happening on draft-night for us.

[TheKingOfVa360]

Im pissed if we don't get the number 10 pick if this trade. We blow our cap for a chance to be a treadmill playoff team for the next two seasons. I rather lose and stock pile picks like OKC did.

[Rafael122]

I may be in the minority but I like the move. Add Beal, and you've probably got a 35-40 win team here guys. This team is STACKED in the front court, almost to the point that another move might be made between now and draft night.

We got better defensively, especially on the inside. Add Beal, and your starting 5 will probably be this:

Wall/Beal/Ariza/Seraphin/Nene

Bench: Crawford, Mack, Okafor, Booker, Vesely, Singleton.

I think this team should add another outside shooter for the vet minimum or close to it and go from there.

[Severn Hoos]

Maybe we've stopped modeling ourselves after the Thunder and have now switched to the Hornets

Perhaps Ernie got the two franchises confused from that season that the Hornets played in OKC?

[montestewart]

I'm going to take a wait and see approach. There has to be another move or two in the works to balance the roster out some more. My guess is Booker gets moved. We have plenty of young players, it was obvious Ted and the FO want some experienced vets in here to create a better locker room. Remember how much Wall was gushing about the presence of Nene? A happy Wall hopefully = a better and more developed Wall which ultimately is our best shot at being a good team.

It doesn't matter what move he makes. EG just did the Hornets a huge favor, clearing their payroll. This year or next they can add a big FA to go with Davis and a resigned Gordon. What he get in return: salary, and he had to give a 2nd for his trouble. He was had.

[Rafael122]

Im pissed if we don't get the number 10 pick if this trade. We blow out cap for a chance to be a treadmill playoff team for the next two seasons. I rather lose and stock pile picks like OKC did.

Short term, would you rather have another 20 win season and realize the season is over by January, or would you want to make a run at the playoffs with this group and see what happens? I'm saying short term here. This team hasn't won a lot of games the last 4 years or so. It's not like this is crippling the franchise, the free agent market wasn't going to be that stacked to begin with, and then you have to ask yourself, who's going to want to play here anyway.

[dandrews]

I may be in the minority but I like the move. Add Beal, and you've probably got a 35-40 win team here guys. This team is STACKED in the front court, almost to the point that another move might be made between now and draft night.

We got better defensively, especially on the inside. Add Beal, and your starting 5 will probably be this:

Wall/Beal/Ariza/Seraphin/Nene

Bench: Crawford, Mack, Okafor, Booker, Vesely, Singleton.

I think this team should add another outside shooter for the vet minimum or close to it and go from there.

I'm with you. It's not a championship team, but they damn sure won't have the 2nd worst record in the league next season.

Wonder if EG would consider amnestying Okafor instead of Blatche. If you REALLY want the cap room, Okafor makes twice as much as Blatche.

[closg00]

You know-what fella's? It's because Ted/Ernie would rather have Okafor and Ariza rather than pay Shard to walk. Blatche isn't going anywhere either.

[Rafael122]

I may be in the minority but I like the move. Add Beal, and you've probably got a 35-40 win team here guys. This team is STACKED in the front court, almost to the point that another move might be made between now and draft night.

We got better defensively, especially on the inside. Add Beal, and your starting 5 will probably be this:

Wall/Beal/Ariza/Seraphin/Nene

Bench: Crawford, Mack, Okafor, Booker, Vesely, Singleton.

I think this team should add another outside shooter for the vet minimum or close to it and go from there.

I'm with you. It's not a championship team, but they damn sure won't have the 2nd worst record in the league next season.

Wonder if EG would consider amnestying Okafor instead of Blatche. If you REALLY want the cap room, Okafor makes twice as much as Blatche.

Can't amnesty Okafor. New CBA, it has to be Blatche.

[Ruzious]

Scary stat - Okafor averaged less than a block a game in 28.9 minutes a game this season, and he's going to turn 30 before next season starts. And he's one of the highest paid players in the game. Ummm.

[Severn Hoos]

I may be in the minority but I like the move. Add Beal, and you've probably got a 35-40 win team here guys. This team is STACKED in the front court, almost to the point that another move might be made between now and draft night.

We got better defensively, especially on the inside. Add Beal, and your starting 5 will probably be this:

Wall/Beal/Ariza/Seraphin/Nene

Bench: Crawford, Mack, Okafor, Booker, Vesely, Singleton.

I think this team should add another outside shooter for the vet minimum or close to it and go from there.

FWIW, wouldn't this trade put the Wiz back over the cap this summer? And that would mean they'd have access to the MLE (or whatever it's called these days)? Not sure if it would be wise to commit even MORE salary, but if they chose to, they could bid up a little bit, more than the vet min. Still might get you a Danny Green or Brandon Rush to help on the perimeter.

And it wouldn't eat into the cap space next summer because THERE WON'T BE ANY!!!

[keynote]

^ It's my understanding that we can't amnesty Okafor (or any player that we just traded for). Am I wrong?

[LyricalRico]

Listening to Scott and BMitch on ESPN 980 right now and Scott makes a good point: cap space doesn't do us any good because how many guys are gunna want to come play for us?

Cap space is always viewed as the ultimate pipe dream - until your team has it, and then you fall in love with it. I wasn't expecting any legit FAs to come here over the next two summers and our future ability to retain our promising young guys is in tact, so I don't really see us losing anything with this move.

I'm going to take a wait and see approach. There has to be another move or two in the works to balance the roster out some more. My guess is Booker gets moved. We have plenty of young players, it was obvious Ted and the FO want some experienced vets in here to create a better locker room. Remember how much Wall was gushing about the presence of Nene? A happy Wall hopefully = a better and more developed Wall which ultimately is our best shot at being a good team.

Another good post. The offseason isn't over and this team isn't done making moves. We now have a clear indication that this team is looking to compete for a playoff spot next season, and that Ted is at least willing to spend money. Let's see how the rest of this plays out.

Would you not play Nene at the 4 and Okafor at the 5?

That's what I'm thinking as well. This basically means 3 of our 4 starting big rotation is set:

Okafor/Seraphin
Nene/???

It's up to Booker and Vesely to fight it out for backup PF minutes, and the loser is then likely used to acquire swingman talent. I don't have a problem with that.

[miller31time]

[miller31time]

The only way this trade is even mildly not grand theft is if we get the 10th pick.

But it's looking like that isn't the case at all.

[Rafael122]

I may be in the minority but I like the move. Add Beal, and you've probably got a 35-40 win team here guys. This team is STACKED in the front court, almost to the point that another move might be made between now and draft night.

We got better defensively, especially on the inside. Add Beal, and your starting 5 will probably be this:

Wall/Beal/Ariza/Seraphin/Nene

Bench: Crawford, Mack, Okafor, Booker, Vesely, Singleton.

I think this team should add another outside shooter for the vet minimum or close to it and go from there.

FWIW, wouldn't this trade put the Wiz back over the cap this summer? And that would mean they'd have access to the MLE (or whatever it's called these days)? Not sure if it would be wise to commit even MORE salary, but if they chose to, they could bid up a little bit, more than the vet min. Still might get you a Danny Green or Brandon Rush to help on the perimeter.

And it wouldn't eat into the cap space next summer because THERE WON'T BE ANY!!!

My rationale on Green and Rush, you might pay these guys 3-4 mil a year, same as Beal. Only difference is Beal is 18 years old with room to grow. I'd be willing to bet Ernie and Ted looked at the free agency landscape the next two years and REALISTICALLY told themselves no one will want to play here anyway. We're talking about giving some dude named Eryan Illasova $12 million per year, but we scoff at the notion of having Arizona for $7.5 mil per year.