Wiz trade Shard and 2nd rounder for Okafor and Ariza

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I'm stunned that people are worried about the opportunity of young guys to play. The core young guys like Seraphin/ Wall/ the upcoming pick will play. I could care less if Singleton and Crawford see the court and frankly, Vesely has to earn anything more than 10-15 minutes a game at this point. The problem last yr and for the last 5 yrs with our young players has been a sense of entitlement, yet people seem to be advocating for an environment that would allow for that. Talk about jumping to both sides of the fence here...

What most of us are questioning is whether Okafor is any better than the young guys, particularly Seraphin and Booker, to be taking their minutes. Those of us who like the glimpse of potential that Vesely showed are wondering how he can improve from the bench. Still others have seen it as having faith in Wittman to play the right guys in a meritocracy.

I think the owner spent money on guys and those guys will play, young guys and chemistry be damned.

[Dat2U]

I'll just be happy to watch some competitive basketball next year.

Is it an ideal trade? No......but it is a good sign there is a real attempt once again to be competitive,

...

It's a hell of an upgrade over Young, Blatche, McGee and Rashard Lewis.

Leonsis/EG have flipped:
Young
McGee
Rashard Lewis
(Blatche soon)

For:
Nene
Okafor
Ariza
and an addition of MKG (pray)

It's a real attempt to compete next year, and protect our young guys from the idiocy and losing culture that has infected this franchise. Don't complain too much.....NO ONE was going to sign in DC regardless.

Did EG pay too much? No doubt. Just be happy he didn't take back Milicic and Beasley....it could have been much worse.

I would like to see another trade of Okafor/Crawford for Ben Gordon possibly.

An attempt? So were giving cookies for trying now? You must be easily pleased if your excited about an upgrade over Blatche, Shard, et al.

[FAH1223]

I blame this on Kevin Seraphin

if he had not played so well, Ernie would have gotten fired

that 6 game winning streak killed us

CONVENTIONAL wisdom would be to go back to battle with those same guys... bring back Singleton and draft the two rookies and make some noise

instead of cap stringing ourselves

[Ruzious]

its easy to say buy out Lewis unless you are the actual owner. How many of you guys would pay 14 million dollars and get nothing in return. Its a horrible trade but put yourself in the owners shoes. 14 million dollars!

So because you don't want to pay $14 mil to make someone go away, you pay $42 mil instead over two years instead?

What kind of math is that?

Yeah, and remember they saved a pile of money by trading for Lewis. Jay's not the only one who's used that logic today, so I feel like the Robot on Lost in Space saying "Does not compute! Does not compute! Danger Will Robinson!"

[tontoz]

Buy out Lewis if there are no good deals to be had. Don't make a deal just to make one. Garbage deals don't lead to winning. I would rather buy out Lewis and sign Cartier to a small deal rather than do this traveshamockery of a deal.

If we had said back in Feb that we should trade for Nene guys like you and Spence would have brushed it off as nonsense. Not possible. No way is Denver going to trade Nene right after they signed him. But that is exactly what happened.

The opportunities to land quality players aren't going to come around all the time so when they do you need to be able to take advantage of them.

So buy out Lewis and re-sign Cartier would have been your alternative, correct?

1. I don't see why you still can't re-sign Cartier and I think its likely he comes back here.

2. So if that's you itch with the deal, really you're concern is with cap space we sacrificed in '13, right? Who did you want in '13?

My alternative? It was just something i made up assuming we couldn't get a better offer for Shard and assuming we couldn't land a big name free agent.

You and Spence crack me up asking about specific deals as if we would know what players are/would be available.

'Let's take this turd because we might not be able to do better later'. WTF

[FAH1223]

CCJ,

If Morris Almond makes the squad, we're heading deep in the playoffs.

[jivelikenice]

The Okafor/Ariza trade is for a pair of mismatched vets on hefty salaries and your arguing we couldn't do any better?

Nonsense.

Doing absolutely nothing would have been better.

Mismatched? We need rebounded and we need an upgrade at the 3.

The cost in yr 1 is minimal in picking up these two players. The real cost kicks in for yr, 2 which is their expiring yrs. At that time, if we become a better team in part because of this deal then who cares about the money. And expirings are worth something when they can contribute. Okafor and Ariza on expiring deals is potentially an attractive piece to a contender. If our young guys develop enough to the point where they become expendable, then it will be a lot easier to move them at the '13-'14 trade deadline.

[fishercob]

I'll just be happy to watch some competitive basketball next year.

Is it an ideal trade? No......but it is a good sign there is a real attempt once again to be competitive,

...

It's a hell of an upgrade over Young, Blatche, McGee and Rashard Lewis.

Leonsis/EG have flipped:
Young
McGee
Rashard Lewis
(Blatche soon)

For:
Nene
Okafor
Ariza
and an addition of MKG (pray)

It's a real attempt to compete next year, and protect our young guys from the idiocy and losing culture that has infected this franchise. Don't complain too much.....NO ONE was going to sign in DC regardless.

Did EG pay too much? No doubt. Just be happy he didn't take back Milicic and Beasley....it could have been much worse.

I would like to see another trade of Okafor/Crawford for Ben Gordon possibly.

An attempt? So were giving cookies for trying now? You must be easily pleased if your excited about an upgrade over Blatche, Shard, et al.

If there are cookies to be had and no one told me, I'm going to be pissed.

[Induveca]

I'll just be happy to watch some competitive basketball next year.

Is it an ideal trade? No......but it is a good sign there is a real attempt once again to be competitive,

...

It's a hell of an upgrade over Young, Blatche, McGee and Rashard Lewis.

Leonsis/EG have flipped:
Young
McGee
Rashard Lewis
(Blatche soon)

For:
Nene
Okafor
Ariza
and an addition of MKG (pray)

It's a real attempt to compete next year, and protect our young guys from the idiocy and losing culture that has infected this franchise. Don't complain too much.....NO ONE was going to sign in DC regardless.

Did EG pay too much? No doubt. Just be happy he didn't take back Milicic and Beasley....it could have been much worse.

I would like to see another trade of Okafor/Crawford for Ben Gordon possibly.

An attempt? So were giving cookies for trying now? You must be easily pleased if your excited about an upgrade over Blatche, Shard, et al.

I'm realistic. I'm more excited about the draft picks. If we have to carry trash on the roster, I'm happy they aren't the idiots we've had in the past. Instead of screaming at the computer, I'm being a realist.

We'll compete next year, and I'll be happy to watch a team that isn't a complete embarrassment. Wall needs to learn to win, as does MKG or Beal....this will help in that regard. Okafor and Nene will provide some leadership, and that will be nice for a change.

[tontoz]

A team looking to dump salary is much more likely to want cap space as opposed to an expirer.

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush, but a turd in hand isn't.

[Jay81]

its easy to say buy out Lewis unless you are the actual owner. How many of you guys would pay 14 million dollars and get nothing in return. Its a horrible trade but put yourself in the owners shoes. 14 million dollars!

Well, it's funny math if you ask me since you've essentially added a year to Lewis contract, or better yet, you might as well have kept Arenas.

yes but Ted is seeing his money actually rebound and play bad defense. Not sit on the bench in a suit. I am saying its a terrible trade but I am just trying to see Teds point of view

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I'll just be happy to watch some competitive basketball next year.

Is it an ideal trade? No......but it is a good sign there is a real attempt once again to be competitive, no championship mind you...but be a real threat to win. The organization is so bad at trying, they are bound to make missteps. If Grunfeld was fired, this likely wouldn't have happened.....but it did and it isn't horrible. Okafor is a good guy, plays at a decent level. Same with Ariza. And they've both played for winners.

It's a hell of an upgrade over Young, Blatche, McGee and Rashard Lewis.

Leonsis/EG have flipped:
Young
McGee
Rashard Lewis
(Blatche soon)

For:
Nene
Okafor
Ariza
and an addition of MKG (pray)

It's a real attempt to compete next year, and protect our young guys from the idiocy and losing culture that has infected this franchise. Don't complain too much.....NO ONE was going to sign in DC regardless.

Did EG pay too much? No doubt. Just be happy he didn't take back Milicic and Beasley....it could have been much worse.

I would like to see another trade of Okafor/Crawford for Ben Gordon possibly.

Fact: Javale McGee has already appeared in more career playoff games (7) than Okafor (6).
Opinion: Irrational dislike of Javale McGee and media emphasis will reverse this season, as it began to in the playoffs, when McGee averaged 9 points, 10 rebound, 3 blocks in 25 minutes as the Nuggets took the Lakers to 7 games. I still stick to what I said the night McGee was traded. He will sign for around 10Mil per year and prove to be worth that. He will play his best basketball in years to come. Nene remains an injury risk. If anyone won the trade, it was the Denver Nuggets. The pick and roll defense got much better when McGee was traded, but I don't know what it would have looked like if they simply had played McGee with Seraphin--I thought it was the obvious solution. Denver played Faried and McGee against Gasol and Bynum and they competed reasonably well!

What I hope is this makes Seraphin even better some how. The same with Vesely. I didn't see how they would get minutes with Nene on the team, but they did. Maybe they will still play quality minutes.

Induveca, you are one of my favorite posters. I hope you are right about this making the team respectable. Ariza has Dominican roots, in case you didn't know. I really hope this works out despite much pessimism.

[Induveca]

A team looking to dump salary is much more likely to want cap space as opposed to an expirer.

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush, but a turd in hand isn't.

Problem is these amazing trades you're predicting could "Arise" suddenly would require an intelligent GM, luck, and a very real possibility of another 18-22 win season for our supposed franchise player.

Risk / Reward

Reward is having some leadership, and getting some wins under our young guys belts. It helps in that regard. It also helps salvage some season ticket holders, and the actual value of the franchise before a whole generation writes them off.

Complete overreaction here. We were never getting Howard, Harden or any top level player......

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ,

If Morris Almond makes the squad, we're heading deep in the playoffs.

That is actually true. It would probably indicate they moved Crawford, and that would be a good thing IMO.

[Ruzious]

I'm stunned that people are worried about the opportunity of young guys to play. The core young guys like Seraphin/ Wall/ the upcoming pick will play. I could care less if Singleton and Crawford see the court and frankly, Vesely has to earn anything more than 10-15 minutes a game at this point. The problem last yr and for the last 5 yrs with our young players has been a sense of entitlement, yet people seem to be advocating for an environment that would allow for that. Talk about jumping to both sides of the fence here...

What most of us are questioning is whether Okafor is any better than the young guys, particularly Seraphin and Booker, to be taking their minutes. Those of us who like the glimpse of potential that Vesely showed are wondering how he can improve from the bench. Still others have seen it as having faith in Wittman to play the right guys in a meritocracy.

I think the owner spent money on guys and those guys will play, young guys and chemistry be damned.

Exactly. Okafor doesn't fill any need and probably takes minutes away from both Seraphin and Vesely, while they could have signed James Singleton for the roster spot that Okafor takes. And they can probably get Crowder with their 2nd round pick to be just as effective as Ariza. So say James Singleton and Crowder cost a combined 6 mil over 2 years, and we know Ariza and Okafor combine for 43 mil over 2 years...That's a difference of 37 mil. Subtract from that the 13 mil Lewis is due. That's 24 million dollars that Leonsis just put in his fireplace to use as kindling. Hmm, 24 mil is what's owed to Blatche over the next 3 years. He's got lots of kindling.

Btw, I love Dat's line - "So were giving cookies for trying now?"

[DCZards]

Okafor can't guard Dirk on the perimeter like James Singleton. Okafor cannot step out and consistently hit a jumper like Singleton. Last season with the Wizards, James scored more, rebounded better, and even blocks shots at a higher rate than Okafor did with the Hornets.

I really don't understand the need for Okafor and I see no way James Singleton is resigned, DCZ.

Guard Dirk? One of the best (and only) outside shooters at PF and a player that the Zards have to worry about matching up with twice a season. Not the best example, ccj.

[Dat2U]

The Okafor/Ariza trade is for a pair of mismatched vets on hefty salaries and your arguing we couldn't do any better?

Nonsense.

Doing absolutely nothing would have been better.

Mismatched? We need rebounded and we need an upgrade at the 3.

The cost in yr 1 is minimal in picking up these two players. The real cost kicks in for yr, 2 which is their expiring yrs. At that time, if we become a better team in part because of this deal then who cares about the money. And expirings are worth something when they can contribute. Okafor and Ariza on expiring deals is potentially an attractive piece to a contender. If our young guys develop enough to the point where they become expendable, then it will be a lot easier to move them at the '13-'14 trade deadline.

You want rebounding? Fine go sign Reggie Evans.

Paying $28 million over two years for 'rebounding' is insane. Yes, rebounding was an issue but when your 2nd worst team in the league, frankly there are going to be multiple issues.

And now those multiple issues can't be dealt with because we blew our entire wad on rebounding and a guy who may be an upgrade at the 3, but still clearly in the lower tier of starting SFs in the league.

[Ruzious]

A team looking to dump salary is much more likely to want cap space as opposed to an expirer.

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush, but a turd in hand isn't.

Right, I think it was Phoenix that one year got 2 1st round picks for taking Kurt Thomas' expiring contract - because the team trading him was trying to avoid the lux tax.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I blame this on Kevin Seraphin

if he had not played so well, Ernie would have gotten fired

that 6 game winning streak killed us

CONVENTIONAL wisdom would be to go back to battle with those same guys... bring back Singleton and draft the two rookies and make some noise

instead of cap stringing ourselves

This.

If the Wizards wanted to do something unconventional, they could have gone after Jeremy Lin or Steve Novak. They can shoot the ball. They are high character guys. Novak is a seasoned veteran. Those two with MKG, James Singleton, and my main man (channeling Ahmad Rashad) Morris Almond and this team would have been FUN to follow. Who would have been upset with Linsanity in DC? That would make Wall improve fast … or else.

As much as I thought Thomas Robinson is overrated, I would be excited to have him on the team. I am not excited about Emeka's salary and the cap implications.

[tontoz]

A team looking to dump salary is much more likely to want cap space as opposed to an expirer.

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush, but a turd in hand isn't.

Problem is these amazing trades you're predicting could "Arise" suddenly would require an intelligent GM, luck, and a very real possibility of another 18-22 win season for our supposed franchise player.

Risk / Reward

Reward is having some leadership, and getting some wins under our young guys belts. It helps in that regard. It also helps salvage some season ticket holders, and the actual value of the franchise before a whole generation writes them off.

Complete overreaction here. We were never getting Howard, Harden or any top level player......

Wow, it is hard to get so much nonsense into one post.

First of all what "amazing trades" did I propose, and how would an 18-22 win season facilitate them? And are you really saying that this is an 18-22 win team without this deal? They just won 20 in a 66 game season.

Do you think that people will buy tickets because of Okafor/Ariza? Wow. And how are these two qualify to be leaders? Their "leadership" didn't seem to do much for the Hornets. Playing poorly on a bad team doesn't qualify someone as a leader.

And where did i mention Howard or Harden?