mohammed10's Official "Ted's Wizards" Thread

[closg00]

The restaurant analogy was a good-one CCJ. Ted has let it be known where he is at as an owner. If people are buying tickets, he ain't changing much. Ted has never fired a GM.

[payitforward]

Ted said he is "highly motivated to win a championship." I'm going to take him at his word.

Yeah, I think we should wait until he puts on the Wizards uniform so we can see how it turns out.

[payitforward]

^or maybe giving him more than 2 yrs to fix up what was a mess when he took it over?

No question.

On the other hand, who created the "mess when he took it over?"

Who's running it now?

Ernie bought the owner's regard by making some very clever moves to take advantage of an FA stampede in 2010, then doubling down on one of them at the '10-11 trade deadline to good effect. That's been the sum total of his good work (no... trading up from 31 to 23 to take Booker has also turned out well).

[montestewart]

I liked the restaurant analogy too, and I knew what you meant CCJ about watching them this year and deciding next year, but I already saw reasons to be disappointed in this year's team, all of them attributable to the way the team is run:

1) the team needed shooting everywhere and, other than the obvious (not shrewd, brilliant, prescient) drafting of Beal, has done nothing about it. They had two later picks they could have used to try something. They could have tried trades (offering some combination of Crawford, C. Singleton, and Booker or Vesely). They could have gone after FAs. As far as I can see, they didn't even really try to do anything. They didn't even try. It looks like rookie Beal and vet Cartier Martin will be the Wizards deadeye 1-2 punch.

2) after years of squirming their way out of the hell of Arenas and Jamison contracts, it seems they haven't learned anything. They could have had some flexibility over the next few years, snagging underrated role player FAs (if you have the nerve to say, "Oh yeah, like who?" you must have Nivek, nate33, etc. on ignore. Stop smoking weed and reclaim your short term memory). They could have at least tried to be in a position to sign a bigger name FA that isn't obsessed with nightlife on the level of Miami, NYC, Paris, or Montreal. They could have tried to leverage BOYD deals or gain windfall as the required 3rd or 4th party in trades. They could have held their breath, assessed the situation, thought like winners. Instead, they prematurely blew their wad on the first thing available. Though it was risky, I didn't hate getting Nene, because such veterans usually cost money, and that move left room for other future moves. Those future moves turned out to be taking on more high-salaried players, likely or certainly on the downside of their careers, killing most any flexibility left.

3) E.G. Pringles is still running the show, "happy just to be here," offering tepid pablum as rationalization, showing little creativity, boldness, or long-term planning, and getting singularly obsessed with the team's latest need. I will not be surprised when the next move is to acquire another defense-minded, rebounding, no-score interior player, who costs too much. Astonishingly, people are still using the "He's only following orders," line. It is beyond distaste to repeatedly offer Grunfeld the Nuremberg defense. Just let him go. He can be director of player development somewhere, anywhere. But not here.

I could complain about other things, but they seem pretty minor compared to the above. Failure to address backup PG? I doubt Mack will ever be very good, but one lockout-shortened season wasn't enough for me to judge him. He and Price can fight out for 3rd PG, while the team continues looking for the 2nd PG.

PS: Maybe you're not a stakeholder CCJ, but passionate fans are something important, whether they buy or not. Passionate, involved fans promote the team product around the NBA and around the world. They're free advertising. Think of all those Yankees, Cowboys, Lakers, United fans. And they also get TV advertising dollars.

[DCZards]

They could have had some flexibility over the next few years, snagging underrated role player FAs (if you have the nerve to say, "Oh yeah, like who?" you must have Nivek, nate33, etc. on ignore. Stop smoking weed and reclaim your short term memory).

My bad short term memory recalls that guys like Josh Childress, Danny Green and players of similar "talent" were those that some posters thought the Zards missed out. Well, count me among those Zard fans who ain't losing any sleep over not snagging these and other marginal players.

And, oh yeah, I like Ryan Anderson. He's a talented shooter and a decent rebounder. But we don't know if the Zards could have swung a deal for him and it ain't like he's a game changer. As for Ilyasov, the Bucks were going to match anything short of max money...and he ain't worth max money.

[gesa2]

Ilyasova was unrestricted DCZards.

[DCZards]

Ilyasova was unrestricted DCZards.

And he ended up back with the Bucks...which was probably his plan all along absent a max contract.

[closg00]

Ilyasova was unrestricted DCZards.

And he ended up back with the Bucks...which was probably his plan all along absent a max contract.

Your arguments shift with the wind Zard

[DCZards]

Ilyasova was unrestricted DCZards.

And he ended up back with the Bucks...which was probably his plan all along absent a max contract.

Your arguments shift with the wind Zard

No, my argument has been pretty consistent. The Okafor/Ariza trade will help the Wizards...and the hopes and wishes of those wanting a different trade or to sign marginal talent like Green and Childress are just that....hopes and wishes.

BTW, read Doc's post over on the "In Defense of Okafor and Nene" for thread for a very insightful analysis...especially as it relates to Emeka.

[Ruzious]

Ilyasova was unrestricted DCZards.

And he ended up back with the Bucks...which was probably his plan all along absent a max contract.

Ilyasova said he was going to the highest bidder.

[payitforward]

Ilyasova was unrestricted DCZards.

And he ended up back with the Bucks...which was probably his plan all along absent a max contract.

Ilyasova said he was going to the highest bidder.

Don't disturb Zards with facts, man. Don't you know, you have to wait until those facts put on a Wizards uni and we can see how they turn out.

[Induveca]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable paying Ilyasova nearly 8 million a year for 5 years.

I'll happily take Ariza for two years. After Blatche etc...committing a 5 year contract to a one year wonder is a deal I'll happily pass on. Ilyasova had an exciting March and April......sound familiar? It's year 4, and his stats have been pretty consistent.

With Okafor/Beal/Ariza/Nene our culture has changed substantially enough to make a major leap forward as a professional organization IMMEDIATELY. We've been anything but the past few years.

[Dat2U]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable paying Ilyasova nearly 8 million a year for 5 years.

I'll happily take Ariza for two years. After Blatche etc...committing a 5 year contract to a one year wonder is a deal I'll happily pass on. Ilyasova had an exciting March and April......sound familiar? It's year 4, and his stats have been pretty consistent.

With Okafor/Beal/Ariza/Nene our culture has changed substantially enough to make a major leap forward as a professional organization IMMEDIATELY. We've been anything but the past few years.

So you have no problem paying $42 mil over the next two years to two players that weren't nearly as good as Ilyasova last year but you have a problem paying Ilyasocva? (b/w Ilyasova only got $34 mil guaranteed). And Ilyasova would only be able to get a four year deal if he signed with any team outside of Milwaukee.

Anderson was available too, but of course, who wants to come to DC when you can play for a winner like NO or MIL? Well, maybe if were mediocre next year we can attract some free agents, lol.

[closg00]

The long anticipated answers to the Bulletsforever Q & A to Ted is finally up.
http://www.bulletsforever.com/2012/7/31 ... #storyjump

Edit: Part 1 only.

In Part 2, Leonsis discusses the team's player development infrastructure, advanced stats, the medical and training staffs, the decision to pick Tomas Satoransky and more.

[Induveca]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable paying Ilyasova nearly 8 million a year for 5 years.

I'll happily take Ariza for two years. After Blatche etc...committing a 5 year contract to a one year wonder is a deal I'll happily pass on. Ilyasova had an exciting March and April......sound familiar? It's year 4, and his stats have been pretty consistent.

With Okafor/Beal/Ariza/Nene our culture has changed substantially enough to make a major leap forward as a professional organization IMMEDIATELY. We've been anything but the past few years.

So you have no problem paying $42 mil over the next two years to two players that weren't nearly as good as Ilyasova last year but you have a problem paying Ilyasocva? (b/w Ilyasova only got $34 mil guaranteed). And Ilyasova would only be able to get a four year deal if he signed with any team outside of Milwaukee.

Anderson was available too, but of course, who wants to come to DC when you can play for a winner like NO or MIL? Well, maybe if were mediocre next year we can attract some free agents, lol.

Zero problem with Okafor/Ariza's TWO YEAR contracts....both Ariza and Okafor are good locker room presences with decent to solid production. We can trade either quite easily at the deadline or next year if desired. We know what we're getting and aren't committed to more than two years.

Ilyasova screams unneeded risk to me. If he regresses to 8 point / 7 rebound form he'll be wildly overpaid and we were committed to 4-5 years of yet another Blatche type risk. He had a nice 2-3 month run last year, not much more in his career. I like the vibe/reliability of the current roster. Idea is to build a learning organization. To do that you need good citizens, youth and vets.

Understand you don't agree with DC not being a destination, but that's one area where I agree completely with Leonsis. Trade was the only logical way to go.....assures us an injection of vet leadership this year which will lead to another stage of the learning process for our 8 players or rookie contracts.

[Nivek]

Understand you don't agree with DC not being a destination, but that's one area where I agree completely with Leonsis. Trade was the only logical way to go.....assures us an injection of vet leadership this year which will lead to another stage of the learning process for our 8 players or rookie contracts.

No one with any sense objects to the Wizards using their cap space in a trade. The problem is the specific trade that they made. I did not like the trade, but I hope it works out. It's a lot more fun rooting for a team that wins.