Wiz trade Shard and 2nd rounder for Okafor and Ariza

[miller31time]

Shocking that people on the internet are reacting to a so-so sports trade by pretending it's the worst disaster since the Great Flood. Some of you guys need to start collecting stamps or something, find SOME hobby that isn't gonna give you a stroke.

The reactions here aren't nearly as bad as you make them out to be. It's perfectly reasonable to hate this trade. It's perfectly reasonable to point out that you think we're giving up massive cap space (that could be used on a multitude of things, not just free agent signing) in order to acquire two redundant, overpriced role players. And it's perfectly reasonably to state that this is the kind of trade that can set a franchise back a few years.

What are your feelings on the deal?

[omegatronic3]

seems to me this trade says were probably not drafting Robinson. That would be a serious logjam of bigs with roughly the same skill set. Okafor, Nene, Seraphin, veseley, Booker, Blache.
You gotta think this is lining up for some trades. I actually think any way you can get rid of Lewis horrible contract you do it. Okafor and Ariza are solid rotation players. There's no way we can not trade some of those pieces for a 2 guard. EG is the king of mediocre trades though.

[Halcyon]

Well it is good that we've come around to the understanding that we're so terrible that we couldn't possibly persuade Danny Green to play for us for a few million dollars and that this is a perfectly normal and entirely correct situation and we should counter the perception that we're pitiful by doing nice things for other teams if they would please talk to us in public places.

Ugh. Danny Green is getting way overrated, I really don't understand the love for him. First of all, he played in a beautifully run offensive system with 3 great players, and a great coach. Secondly, he would cost multiple years at near MLE levels at least for a fringe starting SF.

[WallToWall]

I dont understand the overwhelming negative response. We got rid of Shard, a player who did nothing but warm the bench. Heck, he didnt even do that! He took Ted's money and ran. In return, we get two serviceable players. They may both be 2nd string players, but the point is they can play minutes and not suck as bad a Shard, who was a waste. Yes, it cost us cap room. But, dont you think the front office went around the league to find out what they could do with that cap room? EG weighed the pros and cons and this is the best he could do right now: 2 defensive players for our trash. We got rid of trash and got 2 defensive players. I repeat, we got rid of wastage on our bench and got 2 defensive players who can play and teach! This is a good trade. What do you think we're going to get for our cap room? Durant? Kobe?
I wouldnt be surprised if we're not done with the trades. Perhaps Blatche is going to get us a pick or a good offensive player.

[miller31time]

Same whining and complaining that happened when the wiz got nene happening now. Guys get over it and for the record these players don't suck and emeka isn't always injured. Last five years he has played 82 games about three times or twice and 72 games once. Last season I believe Nola shut him down to trade him.

Not remotely. I was one of the most fervent supporters of the Nene deal. These are two completely separate situations.

With the Nene trade, we acquired a player in a position of need who helped change the mentality of the team. We shipped out knuckleheads who were dragging the collective IQ of the team down and replaced them with someone capable of running an actual offense. And while Nene was expensive, he wasn't grossly overpaid. A top-5 center in this league is going to cost you a pretty penny. Nene has a past that included injury problems and he is around 30 so his actual value is probably closer to 10 or 11 million per year rather than the 13 he's currently being paid for the next few seasons. But there was no question he was going to make this team better.

There is, however, question that the players we acquired here are going to make this team better. Hell, there's question whether they're not going to make us worse! And to make matters even more unfortunate, the most expensive piece to the trade on our end (Okafor) will take away minutes from one or more of our young players who we were supposedly building around. The other player (Ariza) is an average small forward which is nice, but that's forgetting that he's paid above-average money. Now I'm realistic -- we're not nabbing an All-Star in free agency. But we would have been able to lure an average small forward; someone like Danny/Jeff/Gerald Green, Brandon Rush, etc. Instead, we overpay for one here and for our trouble take on Emeka's bloated contract.

The fact we had to throw in a draft pick to make it happen is absolutely sickening. Not because the pick is great. Not because we would have chosen a sure-fire star with it. But because of the principle of the matter. We had to throw in extra incentives to make a trade to a team that favored them heavily. If anything, they should have given us their 10th pick. That's fair market value for clearing all of the team's bad contracts off their books.

There was a lot to like about the Nene trade. Even the detractors admitted that Nene would make us better. They simply questioned "at what cost?" and "for how long?" There really isn't much to like about this trade.

[colts18]

Anyone with ESPN Insider want to post Hollinger's reaction to this trade? Based on the 1 paragraph, he really hated it.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs ... on-wizards

[Dat2U]

http://www.basketballprospectus.com/art ... cleid=2357

There's also the question of how Ariza and Okafor fit with the Wizards. Conventional wisdom has quickly imagined Okafor and Nenê playing together in the Washington frontcourt. Consider me skeptical. Neither player has defended power forwards on a regular basis in years, and neither really has the kind of midrange game required of modern fours. If Okafor and Nenê can only play the middle, suddenly the Wizards have sunk $27 million a year into the center position.

Ariza's inefficient scoring doesn't exactly solve Washington's offensive issues, especially because he's a relative non-shooter at small forward.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Yeah, our rebuilding effort mimicking that of the bucks a few years back was my worst nightmare. It was like so much promise was just swept up and thrown away. And sadly we're moving in that direction. The only difference is that Nene still has positive value at his contract and Okafor/Ariza are only signed for two years.

If ever there were a time to simply be patient, this summer was it for Washington. Clearly, Rashard and Andray needed to go. Buy one out. Exercise the amnesty clause on the other. Draft wisely and be patient while the young players improve.

Washington could have drafted Beal and signed one free agent guard. That would have been so easy to do. Heck, they could had given Ray Allen money to mentor Beal.

I dunno ...

Ray Allen wasn't coming here. Give us a realistic FA that we could have signed that we now have no shot at?

Also didn't you suggest trading down to #10 just to get rid of Dray's deal? Now you say we should amnesty him and should have bought out Lewis...

I advocated trade down scenarios involving Blatche and the #3 but I don't remember doing any involving the #10. Any trade down would have brought back a perimeter player like Lowry, as well as returning a later pick and keeping both second round picks. None of them would have tied up cap space ilke this deal did.

[truwizfan4evr]

I like getting Ariza in the deal and i think he will help us. Getting Okafor was horrible i rather Ariza and number 10 pick for Rashard deal. What's next? the wizards draft Drummond or Barnes with the third pick?

[dangermouse]

Dat2U, Okafor and Nene not being able to play together scares the hell out of me. That article is right, if thats the case, that is a boatload of cash locked in to the C position

From the same article:

Washington's desire to add veterans is an understandable response to the shenanigans of the Andray Blatche-JaVale McGee era, but the Wizards seem to have gone too far in the opposite direction, leaving little upside around the duo of Wall and the No.3 pick.

I couldnt agree more.

But, just like every EG trade, there are stages that every Wizard fan goes through after the deal is announced. Some have started already it seems:

First there is denial (No way!! We must be getting the 10th pick, something is wrong here)

Then there is anger (WHAT!! NO PICK?? FIRE EG!!!)

Then there is acceptance (it is what it is i guess, at least we have some good vets on the team)

Then there is hope (i hope this works out and we prove all our doubters wrong! Go Wiz!)

And lastly there is either resentment or praise depending on how it works out.

[The Consiglieri]

To answer the question floating around, YES my opinion changes if the Wizards get the 10th pick. As reported, the Wizards have turned max cap room into players who aren't difference makers. Meanwhile, they've made the Hornets pay NOTHING of value in exchange for solving their cap issues and giving them the financial flexibility to re-sign Eric Gordon. And they've left New Orleans with the ability to get Davis plus another good player at 10.

Want to get a sense for how bad this trade is, look at it from New Orleans' end of things. They offload two contracts they don't want in exchange for financial flexibility to re-sign players, AND they don't have to give up a single asset for the future to do it. Plus, they pick up a 2nd round pick where they could get a solid role player if they choose wisely.

It's days like this that I wish I could bring myself to stop rooting for this team.

This is my read as well.

+1

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

dangermouse, I am already at the resentment or praise phase. I know this thing has the potential to be really bad. Nene's games gave some hope that maybe EG doesn't screw up every time after all.

Getting Okafor at his salary when Seraphin needs minutes and Vesely has shown himself to be a PF, with Booker better at that position; makes me really wonder. All this because of a hefty buyout? If Okafor fills a need what is it? Veteran leadership? Rebounding? What was the Nene trade for?

This is one that better work.

[popper]

I know there are a lot of teams looking for a center. Any chance we can flip Okafor for something more useful?

[BrooklynBulls]

I think its a bad deal for roster fit, but for value, it's not terrible. I think you need some ****ing shooters, since most shots in the game aren't taken from 3 feet and in. It is no longer 1932. I think the most likely scenario is that Okafor is a solid Center when he's healthy, provides rebounding and defense. And that Ariza will continue to be perfectly mediocre. But the downside is that you have one of the worst shooting rosters in the league, and you're paying a good sum of money for that privilege. If the Bulls cut Korver, Washington should pursue him HARD.

Also, what the hell are you guys doing with Booker? He's one of my favorite young players because of his motor and athleticism. He was really developing, imo.

[tugs]

suddenly, you guys have 5 tweener PF/C in your roster. who would you deal and for what now?

[popper]

I've heard Ariza wants to return to the West coast. Maybe we could entice him to leave after the coming season with a 3 or 4 million buyout. That would shave 3-4 million off our roster and open up a spot for a shooter (if we can find one).

[popper]

I think we amnesty Blatch now clearing substantial cap space for the future.

[BrooklynBulls]

I think we amnesty Blatch now clearing substantial cap space for the future.

I haven't done the math, but wouldn't amnestying him now still leave you without capspace above the MLE, which you'll have anyway? It wouldn't make sense to do it, then.

[The Consiglieri]

I'm going to laugh so hard when we draft MKG. We will have the worst shooting starting lineup in NBA history with Wall, Ariza and MKG on the perimeter.

Another thing that's wrong with the trade -- it makes draft day even MORE stressful.

Before this trade, we could have taken Beal, Robinson or MKG and I would have been moderately happy and really looking forward to watching them in action. Now? It's Beal or bust.

Charlotte takes Beal and we're screwed.
We take MKG and our offense crumbles.
We take Robinson and the frontcourt log-jam becomes even worse.

It's only Beal or Bust if you want this clusterflutch to work in the short term. I don't, I want it to be such a disaster that the moron gets drummed out yesterday. You can't pull off the stupidest pre-draft trade in any sport, twice, in three years and not pay a price for it. I don't care if we duplicate talent, or depth, i just want the very best player we can get at 3 in this draft, and don't give a damn what position he plays, Drummond, MKG, Beal, I don't care, take the best one, and dont force the issue because you just made another all world dumb as hell trade, and want to stick to your guns. Hell no, take MKG if he's the best player, Drummond if he is, or Beal, but take the player you think is best period, this team is a colossal freaking joke, run by a fool and his idiot messenger boy (people seem to think this was done because Ted is cheap and didnt want to pay Lewis to leave, wrong, i think Ted gave it away when he whined, "I don't want to be back here next year." at the lottery. Sorry buddy, when you suck, you go to the lottery, and we aint done sucking. What Ted's done, is superficially given the squad a chance to be sub par instead of merde, but what he's really done, is long term plunged us into Milwaukee buck land, to the wonderful fairy tale wold of 35-42 win seasons, 7th to 11th place finishes in the East and no hope for the future, EVER. Because he didnt want to go back to the lottery. Great job idiot, now can you pick up the phone and see if you can get GMGM to botch things worse than they already are with Kuznetsov signing a 2 year extension?

Man we've got terrile ownership in D.C., freaking terrible, across the board.

[from_ro_to_dirk]

I know nothing of your capspace or plans but if you are looking to rid yourselves of Nene the Mavs may be interested in doing a Lamar Kardashian Odumb plus 17th pick or stuff for Nene. This rids you of 4 years of Nene's contract and Odumb can be cut and you take only $2.4 million cap hit this year or you just TRY and play with him this year and let him walk after the season. Maybe you amnesty Blatche and there you go...more capspace....I think.