Predict the Eastern Conference Standings

[hands11]

So if all the decisions, good and bad, are attributable to the owner, why keep EG around? He doesn't do anything.

Because a good owner gets on the same page with a good plan and they vet the ideas more completely with the GM.

Once you have a good long term plan and you agree with it, then you can execute the plan and stick to it. Ted has a longer horizon then Abe has for 20 years. Ted isn't trying to win it all every next year. He doesn't think oh, if we just had Foye and Miller we could contend. Ted wants a plan that is sustainable.

Right now he is looking to contend for the playoffs but primarily he wants to set things up for Wall to step it up in year three. If they do, they could stick with what the have one more year. Then they will look to evaluate and go for a roster that will have something more like a 4 or 5 year window. This is just a 1 or 2 year roster as it is configured.

Abe as a younger owner when their wasn't the mega billionaire owner out there did ok. The Bullets may not have won a ton of championships but they almost always made the playoffs and they did actually win a title and made it to the finals twice. That is more then a lot of teams can say.

Then things changed and he couldn't or didn't adjust quick enough or correctly. He tried to make a late push by building the Version center and then bringing MJ here, but it was to little to late. He stuck with Wes way to long. He keep going for bandage solutions. Things were only doing to get better once the team was sold to a younger good owner.

This is the first time they have a legit structure in the front office and the first time they did a legit rebuild.
Not only do they have legit young talent, they have legit vets and they still have draft picks. This isn't like when they sold out 3 number ones to get Webber.

This may not be the final GM and coach structure but it is what we are doing for the next two years. Ted is not stuck. Its just phase 2 for two more year while he evaluates.

For those of you that have been Wiz/Bullets fans for a long time, how can you not see the structural difference ? This is a legit rebuild and it is not a dead end rebuild. This is what some of us have been waiting for them to do for a long time. We know they would be losing while they did it. That was expected. Go to the general board and read what people are posting. Most think the Wiz are in for a legit playoff run.

To many Wizards fans are stuck in bubble think and so bitter from the losing that they can't see how much things are different. Those that wanted to hit the reset button and not get to good to fast so they would get several top draft picks know they would such for a couple years while they did that.

This is year 3 of Teds ownership. At least wait to see what they do this year before calling it all a failure.

[montestewart]

Finals four times. Four times. Four.

Wouldn't mind seeing a fifth (final, that is) before I die.

[hands11]

Finals four times. Four times. Four.

Wouldn't mind seeing a fifth (final, that is) before I die.

We will have a better feel for that time line after this season.

Hey, only two teams go to the finals.

For now, the goal should be legit second round capable team. That would likely translate into a 4 or 5 seed.

Miami should be a top 4 for a while. As for the rest of the conference, we will have to see how things shake out this year. Boston seems to be our SA type team. They seem to be able to retool on the fly and always be in it. We will have to see what becomes of Chicago with Rose the entire year. Brooklyn should make it way up into the upper half of the top team.

Should be interesting to see how things work out. First things first, you have to be a legit top 8 team. Lets see how close we are to that.

[payitforward]

Hopefully we are bringing-in Mo Evans to groom as a Ernie's replacement. We desperately need a young, smart, quick-on-his feet GM who knows something about team-building and actually managing a team.

Oh for heaven's sake! Why? Why an ex-NBA player? Why someone groomed from within?

Young GMs who've come through the Spurs and OKC organizations are doing extremely well around the league. Were any of them NBA players? I can't think of any.

Clearly, Mo Evans is a smart guy, but that doesn't qualify him to become a GM. And being groomed by Ernie? That disqualifies him!

[payitforward]

Ted isn't trying to win it all every next year. He doesn't think oh, if we just had Foye and Miller we could contend.

No, he thinks "if we just had Okafor and Ariza we could be mediocre." And chucks away the flexibility you need to build a contender "through youth and the draft" to attain that mediocrity.

This is the first time they have a legit structure in the front office and the first time they did a legit rebuild. ...they have legit young talent, ...legit vets and they still have draft picks. This isn't like when they sold out 3 number ones to get Webber.

The problem w/ Webber was that we traded him for Mitch Richmond.

"did a legit rebuild"?? We have a sufficient young core of outstanding players? You are kidding, right?

This is year 3 of Teds ownership. At least wait to see what they do this year before calling it all a failure.

Who's "calling it all a failure"? We have a bad GM, Hands. He's averaged under 30 wins a year for 9 years. In that time, the average NBA GM has averaged 40+ wins. Ted is a smart businessman. Eventually, soon I hope, he'll get it and fire Ernie. Then, with any luck, he'll hire someone who's come up in a winning franchise. In the meantime, *of course* all we can do is "wait to see what they can do."

[Nivek]

Clearly, Mo Evans is a smart guy, but that doesn't qualify him to become a GM. And being groomed by Ernie? That disqualifies him!

What?! Ernie's grooming is first rate. Just look at that mustache. Look at that hair. Ernie can groom with the best of 'em.

[closg00]

Hopefully we are bringing-in Mo Evans to groom as a Ernie's replacement. We desperately need a young, smart, quick-on-his feet GM who knows something about team-building and actually managing a team.

Oh for heaven's sake! Why? Why an ex-NBA player? Why someone groomed from within?

Young GMs who've come through the Spurs and OKC organizations are doing extremely well around the league. Were any of them NBA players? I can't think of any.

Clearly, Mo Evans is a smart guy, but that doesn't qualify him to become a GM. And being groomed by Ernie? That disqualifies him!

Hey, I' m desperate for change, throw me a bone here

Just extrapolating from the USA Today piece on Mo. It would be just like Ted to bring-in someone like Mo and promote him in a few years. Hopefully Ernie will retire in two years. ( one can dream )

[hands11]

Ted isn't trying to win it all every next year. He doesn't think oh, if we just had Foye and Miller we could contend.

No, he thinks "if we just had Okafor and Ariza we could be mediocre." And chucks away the flexibility you need to build a contender "through youth and the draft" to attain that mediocrity.

This is the first time they have a legit structure in the front office and the first time they did a legit rebuild. ...they have legit young talent, ...legit vets and they still have draft picks. This isn't like when they sold out 3 number ones to get Webber.

The problem w/ Webber was that we traded him for Mitch Richmond.

"did a legit rebuild"?? We have a sufficient young core of outstanding players? You are kidding, right?

This is year 3 of Teds ownership. At least wait to see what they do this year before calling it all a failure.

Who's "calling it all a failure"? We have a bad GM, Hands. He's averaged under 30 wins a year for 9 years. In that time, the average NBA GM has averaged 40+ wins. Ted is a smart businessman. Eventually, soon I hope, he'll get it and fire Ernie. Then, with any luck, he'll hire someone who's come up in a winning franchise. In the meantime, *of course* all we can do is "wait to see what they can do."

This is year 3 of Ted ownership. He will not need to fire EG. He is only on a two year contract.

Also, I don't recall saying outstanding players. But we have a few that can be.

I stand by my post when you take it in its entirety. Look back 9 years if you want, Ted didn't look at it that way. He looked at it the way I am posting.

You'll get it eventually. No sense bickering about it. Those that want to look backward and be unhappy with where the team is will do that until they like what they see on the court. Since they are not playing right now, its just going to be that way until they are.

[payitforward]

You'll get it eventually.

Do me a favor and don't condescend to me, amigo. I can assure you that I've been right a great deal more often than you have. You can look for that to continue.

Those that want to look backward and be unhappy with where the team is...

Those that want to!?? Nobody wants to! Are you telling me that when you look backward you are happy with what you see?

In my experience, the only way to learn is from the past. If you don't look at it, you don't learn from it. You get to live in your dream of what could be -- and therefore will be. Enjoy it.

Since they are not playing right now, its just going to be that way until they are.

You know, if you watch a GM acquire journeymen who are below average producers for starters, and then count on starting them you don't really have to hold your breath in anticipation of what they're going to produce on the court.

Of course, you can dream -- what you seem to enjoy doing. You can imagine that Emeka Okafor will be the stud he was 6-7 years ago. You can imagine that Ariza will suddenly reproduce his one and only stretch of outstanding play (for the Lakers some years ago) once he puts on that magical Wizards uni. You can imagine that suddenly John Wall will become Chris Paul -- the last names do rhyme after all.

We all want the young players to improve and Beal to be the real deal (again, the rhyme should seal). But, overall, we have a roster that's not real competitive. And that's what we'll see during the season I'm sorry to say -- we won't be seeing your dream.

[hands11]

Look Amigo.

You saying you were right more often doesn't make it a fact. But believe what you want. Make no difference to me nor am I interested it litigating that with you.

Yes, looking back can provide important information. That is a fact. But there is lots of information there so just saying looking back is the answer is no an answer.

Again, I wrote a well rounded view and I stand by it. Ted has a valid plan. He is not locked in. What we need now is the information that will get provided this year and we won't have that until they play.

I'm done with the back and forth with you. Its going no where.

It will be what it will be. Lets see what happens this season and take it from there.

Just like looking to the past can yield insight, it is also not healthy to live in the past. Because you can't. The past is past. Best not to get mentally stuck in it.

[payitforward]

Look Amigo.... Lets see what happens this season and take it from there.

Yes, fair enough. And it's always a good idea to avoid excessive intensity about what is after all a form of entertainment! See below...

Just like looking to the past can yield incites,...

I like this; it has emotional truth (see above), but of course you meant "insights."

it is also not healthy to live in the past. ...Best not to get mentally stick in it.

Being stuck in the Wizards' past -- now that's a nightmare!

[Nivek]

Best not to get mentally stick in it.

Wait, who's putting a stick where?

[I_Like_Dirt]

Look back 9 years if you want, Ted didn't look at it that way. He looked at it the way I am posting.

I defy you to prove this statement. It's equally possible that Ted felt that the team wasn't in a position where immediate change was going to do much good so he would bide his time and wait to make a move once he understood the league a little more. I have a very hard time that a new boss would come in and would complete disregard any results from past ownership. They might not use them as a reason to let somebody go immediately but they also will not completely ignore them.

[pancakes3]

You'd have a case to fire EG based on draft history alone, much less the handling/developing of players and free agents. Vesely, Singleton, Mack, McGee, Young, DMac, OPec, Blatche, Party John, Hayes, Blake... they're no good. Even the good ones aren't that good.

Compare that to another terrible team like the Kings:
Isiah Thomas, Cousins, Evans, Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes, Francisco Garcia, KMart.

Or even the laughing stock bobcats:
Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, DJ Augustin, Brandan Wright, Jared Dudley, Raymond Felton, Okafor (and Gerald Wallace in the expansion draft).

we're terrible at drafting. we're terrible at attracting free agents. we're terrible at handling our existing players. we're horrible at rehabbing injured players. we're horrible at developing our horrible players. there's just no justification of "wait and see" with Ernie. He's mediocre at his job, and mediocre is the greatest compliment anyone's ever paid him.

[montestewart]

[Nivek]

You'd have a case to fire EG based on draft history alone, much less the handling/developing of players and free agents. Vesely, Singleton, Mack, McGee, Young, DMac, OPec, Blatche, Party John, Hayes, Blake... they're no good. Even the good ones aren't that good.

Compare that to another terrible team like the Kings:
Isiah Thomas, Cousins, Evans, Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes, Francisco Garcia, KMart.

Or even the laughing stock bobcats:
Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, DJ Augustin, Brandan Wright, Jared Dudley, Raymond Felton, Okafor (and Gerald Wallace in the expansion draft).

we're terrible at drafting. we're terrible at attracting free agents. we're terrible at handling our existing players. we're horrible at rehabbing injured players. we're horrible at developing our horrible players. there's just no justification of "wait and see" with Ernie. He's mediocre at his job, and mediocre is the greatest compliment anyone's ever paid him.

I'm not much of an Ernie defender, but...when I did some research on the draft, I found that Ernie has had a pretty average draft record during his time with the Wizards. Some busts, sure, but for where the Wizards had picks, Ernie has been...well...average.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

we're terrible at drafting. we're terrible at attracting free agents. we're terrible at handling our existing players. we're horrible at rehabbing injured players. we're horrible at developing our horrible players. there's just no justification of "wait and see" with Ernie. He's mediocre at his job, and mediocre is the greatest compliment anyone's ever paid him.

Consistency is the key.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

You'd have a case to fire EG based on draft history alone, much less the handling/developing of players and free agents. Vesely, Singleton, Mack, McGee, Young, DMac, OPec, Blatche, Party John, Hayes, Blake... they're no good. Even the good ones aren't that good.

Compare that to another terrible team like the Kings:
Isiah Thomas, Cousins, Evans, Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes, Francisco Garcia, KMart.

Or even the laughing stock bobcats:
Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, DJ Augustin, Brandan Wright, Jared Dudley, Raymond Felton, Okafor (and Gerald Wallace in the expansion draft).

we're terrible at drafting. we're terrible at attracting free agents. we're terrible at handling our existing players. we're horrible at rehabbing injured players. we're horrible at developing our horrible players. there's just no justification of "wait and see" with Ernie. He's mediocre at his job, and mediocre is the greatest compliment anyone's ever paid him.

I'm not much of an Ernie defender, but...when I did some research on the draft, I found that Ernie has had a pretty average draft record during his time with the Wizards. Some busts, sure, but for where the Wizards had picks, Ernie has been...well...average.

When I see guys like Dominic McGuire in the league after all these years I am reminded that EG does draft talented players. I don't think he drafts as horribly as he doesn't handle existing players well. Too many times he's drafted a host of young, soft, bigs. Blatche was still a baby out of HS not long before EG drafted Pecherov and McGee. That made no sense. IMO even Pecherov had talent.

EG has been horrific at not making roster moves in a timely fashion. Under EJ he stuck with the Big Three and didn't put any good, athletic, rugged, bigs with size around them. He'd find a Ruffin or a Songaila, when a bigger guy was needed to help Haywood. Blatche never played big. Despite that, EG and Flip built around Blatche, while neglecting McGee and all others. He brought in old and/or soft players like Oberto and Yi, who couldn't help.

EG has had talent, but it's been an unmanageable turnstile of players competing while in no position to support one another or grow with the team. Foye and Miller were only around a hot minute. Foye was a guy would should have been around to help a rookie Wall. Instead, Grunfeld convoluted things by having Gilbert and Kirk HInrich. It brought in awkwardness. They were both jettisoned soon after and Wall was back at square one with no mentor. That is where Ernie failed in player development and with continuity on his roster.

Just to show he hasn't learned from that, bringing in Okafor after Nene had great chemistry with Seraphin and Vesely, as well as with well-traveled pro James Singleton; we could see less cohesiveness as a result. For sure, there will be less minutes for the backups mentioned an Booker. I like adding talent but I'm not sure Okafor will help that much. Perhaps he can.

Ernie and Ted do what they want and they do it their way. The results will speak for themselves.

[hands11]

Look Amigo.... Lets see what happens this season and take it from there.

Yes, fair enough. And it's always a good idea to avoid excessive intensity about what is after all a form of entertainment! See below...

Just like looking to the past can yield incites,...

I like this; it has emotional truth (see above), but of course you meant "insights."

it is also not healthy to live in the past. ...Best not to get mentally stick in it.

Being stuck in the Wizards' past -- now that's a nightmare!

Now that is something we can agree on. I appreciate the more friendly tone. Here's to looking/hoping for a brighter future. All things being equal, I think most expect them to be better this year. Well have to see what happens after that. I think we will get to see our share of good stuff.

[hands11]

Best not to get mentally stick in it.

Wait, who's putting a stick where?

Adds a whole new meaning to .. I feel your pain.

My misspelling does make for some funny reading sometimes.