GT: 2/11 Wizards @ Bucks 8PM CSN......

[tontoz]

Don't get me wrong. I do think the loss to the Kings was the nail in the coffin. I think there is virtually zero chance of making the playoffs. But that doesn't mean that we should commence tanking. Tanking should only be on the table once we are mathematically eliminated. There is a principle here. Players need to play the right way.

I agree i am just giving you a hard time. Players have to play to win. Period.

Tanking is up to management, not the players. This isn't the type of draft class that would make tanking worthwhile anyway. It isn't 2003.

[tontoz]

Don't get me wrong. I do think the loss to the Kings was the nail in the coffin. I think there is virtually zero chance of making the playoffs. But that doesn't mean that we should commence tanking. Tanking should only be on the table once we are mathematically eliminated. There is a principle here. Players need to play the right way.

I agree i am just giving you a hard time. Players have to play to win. Period.

Tanking is up to management, not the players. This isn't the type of draft class that would make tanking worthwhile anyway. It isn't 2003.

[DCZards]

You also have to consider the psyche of the players. It's just a bad idea to tank once you've got all the players buying into the idea that they must give max effort every game, every night, every play.

I don't know how you take a team/players who are winning (sustainable or not) and feeling good about themselves, and ask them to accept tanking. These are professional athletes who "play the game to win."

Winning breeds a winning attitude...an attitude and approach that sometimes helps you win games even when you're overmatched.

[DCZards]

You also have to consider the psyche of the players. It's just a bad idea to tank once you've got all the players buying into the idea that they must give max effort every game, every night, every play.

I don't know how you take a team/players who are winning (sustainable or not) and feeling good about themselves, and ask them to accept tanking. These are professional athletes who "play the game to win."

Winning breeds a winning attitude...an attitude and approach that sometimes helps you win games even when you're overmatched.

[pancakes3]

While I understand and agree with what Nate, Fish, and the other "pro-winning" guys are saying, I want Noel on this team so freakin' bad. I haven't had a draft crush like this in a while - moreso than when we were tanking for Wall. If by some miracle we do land him, I think it would turn our franchise around akin to how Westbrook and Durant did for the Thunder.

[Knighthonor]

Looks like Drummond is dealing with a bad back and will probably be out on Wednesday.

Good news for the Wiz.

LOl no it is not . We need to lose to obtain pics I mean yes we are playing better but we needa lose I mean we are not even gonna be the #1 pick no more and will hurt us. If we wanna win that trade the pick.

Given the nature of this upcoming draft (no superstar, lot's of decent players) and the fact that we are too good to finish in the bottom 3, I don't think the payoff of tanking is worth the psychological cost. All things considered, I'd rather pick 10th while developing a winning mentality than tank and pick 5th.

At least that's my stance for now while we're not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. It's unprofessional to tank this early in the season and professionalism should be one of our primary goals. If we are mathematically eliminated with, say, 10 games to go, and Nene is playing hurt, I wouldn't be opposed to sitting him and tanking at that point in order to move up 2 or 3 slots in the draft.

I say bench Beal and Wall for 30 first games of next season, so the Wizards get a nice tank moving faster. Get some nice Wiggins/Parker's loving... Lol

[dobrojim]

While I understand and agree with what Nate, Fish, and the other "pro-winning" guys are saying, I want Noel on this team so freakin' bad. I haven't had a draft crush like this in a while - moreso than when we were tanking for Wall. If by some miracle we do land him, I think it would turn our franchise around akin to how Westbrook and Durant did for the Thunder.

Considering the relatively modest impact of a guy, AD, many thought to be
much better than Noel projects to, I don't share your optimism for what
his immediate impact would be. Long term is another much harder to
predict question.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

This comment really does put a damper on things. There is no way this team goes through next year without major injury time taking its toll. We need to have the depth necessary to continue moving forward. But honestly, consistency in approach should take care of a lot of that. Once everyone knows their roles, and the roles they need to fill in the case of injury, they should step up better. We just need a long string of no major injuries for this to happen.

And it's a very similar story to the previous playoff team Ernie built, except this version is even more fragile than the Gilbert-led team which was undone by injuries, staleness of the roster and the lack of drafting & developing good players. We've even got our own new Juan Dixon (Jordan Crawford), Jared Jeffries (Jan Vesely) & Etan Thomas (Kevin Seraphin) to boot.

It's hilarious to hear these EG apologists like hands, dczards and others make excuse after excuse as if the other 29 teams in the league all play with a full deck every night. The Wizards are 15-35, big whoop. It means nothing. Absolutely nothing. You know when this would have actually meant something???? If we didn't start off 4-28! We aren't making the playoffs, we don't carry the record into next year and if God help us, we suffer injuries (gasp!) next season and start off 5-25 once again or even better 9-19, then what???

I guess what I'm saying is I don't believe this is sustainable. One injury knocks over the apple cart. As I said the other day, its like setting up a deck of cards on a picnic table... eventually a gust a wind is going to come. I don't trust the roster to stay healthy. I don't trust Ernie to make good decisions this offseason (I think he's going overpay big time for Webster or/and potentially draft someone like Rudy Goubert) . I don't trust that this feel good season ending run is going to automatically carry over into next season.

I'm just waiting for Teddy to give Ernie that 5 yr extension this offseason because of this little stretch.

Dat, the only things I see different are Nene, Ariza, and Beal.

Wall's not as good as Gilbert, but he is better at setting up others because of his threat to penetrate. John is also better defensively, (but is not an outstanding defender yet). Nene is a BIG IMPROVEMENT when healthy over anything the Wizards have ever had at PF or C. The problem is those words "when healthy." I think he is the reason, along with Okafor, who I liken a bit to Haywood, that the interior defense is insanely good right now. Ariza is that wing defender the Wizards have not had under EG's watch. Every prior season teams have feasted from the perimeter against the Wizards. Also helping out defending the perimeter is Beal, at just 19 years old. Beal and Ariza with Wall are capable of blanketing teams defensively. I was very impressed with Beal's block at the rim on Jennings. We haven't had that before under any EG team.

I think it is reasonable to expect injuries won't be as bad next season and to believe trades will be much more possible. The team should have a much better record. I don't trust EG to make the right offseason moves, but I'm not going to worry about that right now because I suspect no moves won't be a disaster. Okafor and Ariza make a lot of cheddar. It will be interesting to see what happens with both.