Grunfeld a Great GM. Proves Doubters Wrong

[dckingsfan]

EG committed to Maynor, a total scrub, on the first day of free agency. He could have gotten a bum like Maynor months later but he had to commit to him on day 1 when a bunch of better options were available.

And the reason Nate's playoff performance with the Bulls matters is because it occured just a few weeks before he became a free agent. It isn't complex. How exactly would Robinson's injury this year affect the decision whether or not to sign him last summer?

Leonard plays in San Antonio. He is a good player but you can't assume his PER would be the same on the Wizards.

Faried is a good player too. Good, not great.

Those players, all of them on the Wizards replacing backups does not a champion make.

I didn't say anything about those guys making the Wizards a champion but i guess you feel the need to make up stuff like that so you can pretend like you make sense. News flash, it isn't working.

And those guys wouldn't just be replacing backups, they would be replacing bums that don't belong on the court. Replacing 3 bums with 3 good players will make any team much better.

But you bring Nate in IF NATE WANTED TO SIGN HERE, that may be a chemistry problem. Ernie is not signing anybody that may bring problems. I know Nate can be a problem they don't want as a backup. And he ain't playing so why does he matter? I understand your complaint about the Maynor signing. But still, whoever else he did not sign instead of Maynor would not matter that much in playoff advancement.

Draft Kawhi. Draft Faried. How good are Wall, Beal, Kawhi, Faried, Ariza, Gortat, and Nene? Who starts at SF? How good? I'm basically replacing Webster and Singleton because you don't need to sign Webster. Does Ariza or Kawhi start? Does Ariza play as well in less minutes ff the bench as he played starting this year? What does that team for you. I agree it would be better, but you still don't win. And thats what matter.

If you don't want a champion, what do you want?

All I can say is Wow...

[tontoz]

But you bring Nate in IF NATE WANTED TO SIGN HERE, that may be a chemistry problem. Ernie is not signing anybody that may bring problems. I know Nate can be a problem they don't want as a backup. And he ain't playing so why does he matter? I understand your complaint about the Maynor signing. But still, whoever else he did not sign instead of Maynor would not matter that much in playoff advancement.

Draft Kawhi. Draft Faried. How good are Wall, Beal, Kawhi, Faried, Ariza, Gortat, and Nene? Who starts at SF? How good? I'm basically replacing Webster and Singleton because you don't need to sign Webster. Does Ariza or Kawhi start? Does Ariza play as well in less minutes ff the bench as he played starting this year? What does that team for you. I agree it would be better, but you still don't win. And thats what matter.

If you don't want a champion, what do you want?

So much nonsense i don't know where to begin.

You said the Wizards wouldnt be much better with 3 good players replacing 3 bums. When i pointed out how ridiculous this is you counter with your "champion" strawman because you can't make a coherent argument.

We don't know if Robinson wanted to play here or not. We do know that EG committed to Maynor on day 1 when other better players were still available, including Robinson. A smart GM pursues the best players first and then may settle for lesser players at a later date if the best players are taken. A smart GM doesn''t go for the scrub first.

And the reason why it matters is that if Nate signed here there is no reason to think he would suffer the same injury here since he wouldn't be playing in the game where he got hurt.

Chemistry problem? Where do you come up with this nonsense? Are you tring to say it is better to get players who suck rather than a good player who might be a chemistry problem? Nate came up huge for the Bulls last year and played well in Denver until he got hurt.

[montestewart]

Brenice, you have taken millyilly's thread and made it your own. Still the best thread on the board. Well done.

[TGW]

Not to mention that EG was simply doing what the team's owner asked him to do. That's called "doing your job"...not saving your job.

He could have done his job without sacrificing future assets if he was actually competent. How much better would this team have been with Nate Robinson over Maynor? How about Leonard over Ves? Faried over Singleton? And so on

Not much better.

You're kidding right?

edit: Apparently not. Wow.

[Nivek]

He could have done his job without sacrificing future assets if he was actually competent. How much better would this team have been with Nate Robinson over Maynor? How about Leonard over Ves? Faried over Singleton? And so on

Not much better.

You're kidding right?

edit: Apparently not. Wow.

Is it even possible to improve a team without weaknesses?

[tontoz]

Not much better.

You're kidding right?

edit: Apparently not. Wow.

Is it even possible to improve a team without weaknesses?

True. After all we are much better than our record. We are really a 60+ win team so why mess with success?

[hands11]

J Micheal on AM 980

Listen for yourselves
http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... &f=2815423

Looks like Ted has a one year option on Ernie

Ted is sneaky. He didn't tell anyone that one.

So Ernie is likely back next year but maybe only on a one year option.

As for Randy. Miller came out saying he was the best prepared he had ever been before a game. Ringing endorsement for Randy given the coaching Miller had played for including I believe George Karl.

Gortat says he wants to come back but requires 1) he want to play for a team with a good PG and 2) he wants to be featured in the offense. Not sure what that says for Nene.

How about this. Denver likes to trade with us and they no longer need McGee's contract holding them back. How about Nene for McGee and Faried

Anyway. EG's back on a 1 year and Randy get resigned for at least 2 years.

AH is having off season shoulder surgery. Maybe thats why he clanked so many 3 balls

[milellie111]

The Wizards are in the best possible position this offseason. Coming off this seasons playoff success, they can only build from that. Grunfeld has a chance to prove his worth here this offseason. Gortat and Ariza sound as if they want to re-sign. DC is now a place where free agents could be attracted to play. We have valuable trade assets in Nene, Webster and Porter and there are definitely deals to be made and attractive free agents to go after that can make this team even better.

[Nigel Tufnel]

Ernie's never demonstrated the ability to build a contender before, but from your mouth to God's ears. Even a blind squirrel . . .

[verbal8]

Not much better.

You're kidding right?

edit: Apparently not. Wow.

Is it even possible to improve a team without weaknesses?

That would be like asking if EG could improve as a GM.

[hands11]

John Wall to Sports Illustrated: 'We could've easily been a 55-win team

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/9/ ... -john-wall

[BarnabyJones]

Ted Leonsis is still defiant: The Wizards' owner never misses an opportunity to nod to his team's critics. From the end of the story:

"That we were able to trade Gilbert Arenas for Rashard Lewis, then for Rashard to get [Emeka] Okafor and Ariza -- and then from that one end up with Gortat? We have Gortat and Ariza, two starters, for Gilbert Arenas, who's been out of the league for several years. And that trade was unbelievably criticized. Why? We got two starters!"

[TGW]

Ted Leonsis is still defiant: The Wizards' owner never misses an opportunity to nod to his team's critics. From the end of the story:

"That we were able to trade Gilbert Arenas for Rashard Lewis, then for Rashard to get [Emeka] Okafor and Ariza -- and then from that one end up with Gortat? We have Gortat and Ariza, two starters, for Gilbert Arenas, who's been out of the league for several years. And that trade was unbelievably criticized. Why? We got two starters!"

Turd should stay away from talking basketball. He's even said he knows very little about the game.

[LyricalRico]

Here's what jumped out to me from the part of the article about Wall's early season play:

"I'm not going to lie: [Wall] was getting a lot of people nervous," Marcin Gortat said in the story. "My question was, 'Is anybody going to do anything about that?'

To me that's a shot at Wittman, along with Wall's other statement about guys regularly not being ready to play (including himself). Even with the games Nene missed, I still think with a better coach they could have won 50.

[hands11]

Here's what jumped out to me from the part of the article about Wall's early season play:

"I'm not going to lie: [Wall] was getting a lot of people nervous," Marcin Gortat said in the story. "My question was, 'Is anybody going to do anything about that?'

To me that's a shot at Wittman, along with Wall's other statement about guys regularly not being ready to play (including himself). Even with the games Nene missed, I still think with a better coach they could have won 50.

Maybe. Maybe not. If you listen to all the exit interviews this is what I took from it.

Wall was the #1 and he was given the team to carry from day one which was clearly to much for him at his age. Specially with Gil still here. But back then it was a young team once they rebooted expect for some Lewis and Kirk types floating through. Once they added the vets and Wall got his max extension for next year, there was an adjustment that needed to get made. Wall was clearly it, but he wasn't fully owning it yet. He was still maturing. He hadn't seized full ownership of it being his team.

Then Nene spoke out. Then they had the meeting. And the vets turned to Wall and said....

This is your team. Own it. You explain to us how this is going down. And at that moment, Wall started to step into the true leader of the team. Its not something a coach can really do. Its something players need to work out. Not that coaching don't lead, but there has to be a player who do that as well.

Its what Love never did at MIN. Its that no mans land. Its the way things were with Gil. Gil never stepped fully into that role. He was the best player on the team, but he wasn't the leader. CB and AJ were the captains. That was one of Gils big short comings. Talented scorer, but not a leader. Sounds like Love and Melo.

Well Wall is clearly that on this team. He knows it and so do the vets that play with him. And thats when the team really started to gel and turn the corner.

But it did seem that it was Wall and Beal who were the ones not ready every game. But that shouldn't be all that much of a surprise given their ages. Specially Beal at 20. I think both Wall and Beal matured a lot this last year. Next year should be awesome.

[Brenice]

Well Wall is clearly that on this team. He knows it and so do the vets that play with him. And thats when the team really started to gel and turn the corner.

But it did seem that it was Wall and Beal who were the ones not ready every game. But that shouldn't be all that much of a surprise given their ages. Specially Beal at 20. I think both Wall and Beal matured a lot this last year. Next year should be awesome.

The Wall and Beal maturation process is not their agenda. Their agenda is to fire Ernie and go from there.

[noworriesinmd]

John Wall to Sports Illustrated: 'We could've easily been a 55-win team

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/9/ ... -john-wall

Thats like me saying I could have easily have been a billionaire if I founded Google. Take that quote with a grain of salt.

[verbal8]

Ted Leonsis is still defiant: The Wizards' owner never misses an opportunity to nod to his team's critics. From the end of the story:

"That we were able to trade Gilbert Arenas for Rashard Lewis, then for Rashard to get [Emeka] Okafor and Ariza -- and then from that one end up with Gortat? We have Gortat and Ariza, two starters, for Gilbert Arenas, who's been out of the league for several years. And that trade was unbelievably criticized. Why? We got two starters!"

Turd should stay away from talking basketball. He's even said he knows very little about the game.

$30 million(salary minus Lewis' buyout) and 2 draft picks(2nd in Lewis deal and 1st in Gortat deal) seems like a lot for 4 seasons of play 2 of which are average or only slightly above(Ariza and Okafor last year).

[payitforward]

Ted Leonsis is still defiant: The Wizards' owner never misses an opportunity to nod to his team's critics. From the end of the story:

"That we were able to trade Gilbert Arenas for Rashard Lewis, then for Rashard to get [Emeka] Okafor and Ariza -- and then from that one end up with Gortat? We have Gortat and Ariza, two starters, for Gilbert Arenas, who's been out of the league for several years. And that trade was unbelievably criticized. Why? We got two starters!"

Trading Gilbert for Rashard was without question a terrific move; Ernie should be congratulated for that one! It goes on the list of maybe 1/2 dozen excellent deals he's done. We all liked Kwame for Butler, and his turning essentially nothing into a 2010 #17, a 2011 #18, and a then-valuable Jordan Crawford should also be mentioned. Ditto picking up Gooden. And, no doubt, a few other deals as well.

But Ted misrepresents the history, obviously. We made the Okariza trade instead of buying out Lewis, which would have given us extraordinary cap room to go along w/ our many draft assets. And we also gave up a R2 pick that would have given us the opportunity to draft a guy who is now one of the best young-and-developing bigs in the league (and, yes, I was explicit in calling for O'Quinn at the time -- no hindsight here; I ain't Hands).

Moreover, we also gave up a R1 pick this year in that sequence of moves he is bragging about. And, finally, it would be more accurate to say that they were starters rather than that they are starters. Both guys are unrestricted Free Agents. They aren't Washington Wizards any more.

In other words, the assets we gave are gone, and so are the guys we got for those assets. Now, of course we can re-sign them, and of course we almost certainly have a better shot at them than if they hadn't played here. But the cap consequences of these and other "win a little now" moves mean that we will be up against the luxury tax without being able to build our future. We've become an old team.

And of course we just had a very fun post-season. That was a relief after so many many years of failure. Oh... whose failure? Ernie Grunfeld's failure.

[dckingsfan]

John Wall to Sports Illustrated: 'We could've easily been a 55-win team

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/5/9/ ... -john-wall

Thats like me saying I could have easily have been a billionaire if I founded Google. Take that quote with a grain of salt.

If I had ham

I could have a ham and cheese sandwich

If I had cheese