GT: Wizards host Bobcats - Nov 24th 7 pm

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

PG - Price
SG - Webster
SF - MARTIN!!!! (fixed)
PF - Nene
C - Okafor

With Beal, Singleton, Vesely, Seraphin, and Martin off the bench. I would trade Crawford for anybody's second round pick. Livingston I am sure is useful, but I would be looking to upgrade at PG--which is what will happen when Wall returns.

3 shooters and 2 bigs.

Agree that Barron needs more opportunities and those other guys would be better
suited to come off the bench.

Agree that patience is needed on Beal. We don't know that he isn't being told to
camp out in the corners. I'm guessing he is. He mostly needs to start splashing more of
those good looks that he does get.

Also the rebound Walker stole from Nene (if I'm thinking of the right play)....
how is that a foul on Nene? A guy comes flying in from outside the lane and
creates contact with the guy who caught the ball. SMH.

Singleton needs to play ahead of Ves (duh).

Ves has looked completely awful, no question. He needs Wall out there
as much as anyone on the team.

Wes needs to come in and show Kev how to set a pick so Beal can
start resembling Chenier or JMalone.

We lost mostly because we let Freaking Mullens be the most productive
player on the court. That's what 3 pt shooting can do for you as SAN and
Matt Bonner etal is likely to show us tonight.

BTW - I did NOT wear my paper bag nor did I see anyone else wearing one.
They fought hard and missed it by that much (max smart). I did have it with
me though as I will tonight in case it gets fugly which it well may.

If I were Ted I would get Wes Unseld and some of the old guard back on the scene, jim.

My suggestion for letting EG go now would be to put Bob Ferry in as (temporary) acting GM in much the same consulting role as guys around his age: Jerry West and Rod Thorn. Make in known this just to ride out this season with proven people in place.

jim, I would definitely PAY Wes, Bobby D, Phil, and any body else with WISDOM and ideas on what they would do to improve the Wizards. Bob Ferry is still a scout at heart and I know he's done some recently. His son is a GM of the Atlanta Hawks.

Glad to see you didn't wear the bag, jim. It is funny, but the players are the ones who see those bags, too.

I would go for a poster saying FIRE ERNIE myself.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I think Beal will be fine. I'm 100% comfortable saying he's not going to be a bust. However I've always had questions about how good Beal really will be in time. Solid? Yes. Above average starter at his position? In time, yes. All-star? I just don't see an all-star caliber player unless the hype about his jumper is eventually justified.

That's why I really was favoring MKG. I felt much stronger about what he could bring to the table. His strengths were clearly defined IMO. He's going to be the best SF outside of Durant, LeBron and maybe Melo (and LeBron & Melo are playing the 4 extensively now) in a year or two. After his pick on draft night, I suggested if I had any inclination Charlotte would have taken MKG, I would given up a lot to move into their slot and grab him.

Ditto on MKG and Beal.

I keep looking at other rosters, Dat. Some players I rated highly are getting off to slow starts or not playing at all. Terrence Ross, Will Barton, and John Jenkins are all guys I thought might be more ready than Beal. Beal has played better than Barton by a lot and Ross, too. Jenkins hasn't played I guess because ATL is deep at his spot. However, I think in every case they are like Jeffrey Taylor of the Bobcats. He didn't get an opportunity until an injury opened minutes (Henderson). The more Taylor plays the better he looks.

I think the Wizards would be really wise to look at possible trades and offer up Crawford, Booker, and possibly Vesely (who I still like for reasons I don't even understand).

[Nivek]

On Beal -- while YODA had him as one of the top players in THIS draft, his overall score did not suggest he was ironclad lock as a future All-Star. I created a standardized score and he ended up with a 9 where the top score is 36 (that was Shaq's sophomore season). For comparison, Anthony Davis scored a 29.

Some other FRESHMAN who rated where Beal did: Vince Carter, Derrick Favors, Paul Millsap, Clyde Drexler, Thaddeus Young, Grant Hill, Quentin Richardson, Gilbert Arenas.

Some others: Tayshaun Prince (JR), Channing Frye (SO), Brandon Bass (SO), DeJuan Blair (SO), James Harden (SO), Paul Millsap (SO), Carlos Boozer (SO), Luke Babbit (SO), Chris Wilcox (SO), Brad Miller (SR), Tony Allen (SO), Paul Pierce (JR), Rudy Gay (SO).

Most of the players rated at his level have been at least solid pros. A few busts in there, though not among the freshman group.

My feeling is he's going to be fine. He's not going to keep shooting 32% from 2pt range.

[AFM]

I trust in Nivek. Have faith in numbers my friends. This kid is 19.
What were you doing at 19?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I trust in Nivek. Have faith in numbers my friends. This kid is 19.
What were you doing at 19?

Who? Oh, what ...

[AFM]

What?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

On Beal -- while YODA had him as one of the top players in THIS draft, his overall score did not suggest he was ironclad lock as a future All-Star. I created a standardized score and he ended up with a 9 where the top score is 36 (that was Shaq's sophomore season). For comparison, Anthony Davis scored a 29.

Some other FRESHMAN who rated where Beal did: Vince Carter, Derrick Favors, Paul Millsap, Clyde Drexler, Thaddeus Young, Grant Hill, Quentin Richardson, Gilbert Arenas.

Some others: Tayshaun Prince (JR), Channing Frye (SO), Brandon Bass (SO), DeJuan Blair (SO), James Harden (SO), Paul Millsap (SO), Carlos Boozer (SO), Luke Babbit (SO), Chris Wilcox (SO), Brad Miller (SR), Tony Allen (SO), Paul Pierce (JR), Rudy Gay (SO).

Most of the players rated at his level have been at least solid pros. A few busts in there, though not among the freshman group.

My feeling is he's going to be fine. He's not going to keep shooting 32% from 2pt range.

Nivek, this is really great as you are. The best comparison IMO to Beal is Derrick Favors, and your similar scores may illustrate a point.

Favors was 18 coming out of GA Tech. His initial run with NJ was very similar to Beal being drafted by the Wizards. Losing team, desperate coach/front office, impatient fans, unrealistically high expectations on a kid who would be just 19 as a rookie. The New Jersey Nets, 2010-2011, was a terrible team reminiscent of this Wizard team. Avery Johnson, a veteran coach, didn't have any patience with Favors. Favors got off to a slow start, despite being drafted right after John Wall and Evan Turner, but before DeMarcus Cousins and Greg Monroe.

Favors was named second team all rookie, but traded after one season with the Nets. However, I look at Favors and see him steadily improving and turning into a very solid NBA player. Beal will be at least a very solid NBA player. Favors is steadily getting better, and so will Beal.