Gortat trade salvaged the season

[Kanyewest]

Again, it was widely reported that Pierce wasn't even considering the Wiz until his top 2 choices turned him down. Players, for the most part, choose whoever offers the most money.

Do you believe that Pierce would have signed with Milwaukee if they had offered him a few more dollars than the Zards did?

The Wizards still isn't a player's top choice but they are at least moving up on the list. They made the playoffs, they have a point guard and a team that will share the ball, and DC is a decent city to live in.

[Kanyewest]

People keep talking about playoff experience but Wall sucked in the playoffs. I don't think that is going to be a big help to him going forward.

Completely disagree. I believe that an opportunity to experience something new, makes mistakes, and learn from them IS a big help to a person. Lots of guys poop the bed in their first postseason, it's part of the process IMO.

Wall now knows what it feels like to be in the playoffs, and can see the ways in which he personally wasn't equal to the challenge. That knowledge, combined with an offseason to correct those things, is invaluable IMO. Same with Beal, same with Wittman. They all should be learning from the experience.

Yup postseason experience is different than the regular season. Teams can actually game plan more effectively and both teams are fully rested. Even the game is officiated differently. Gilbert Arenas struggled in his first postseason and improved significantly in the 2006 postseason against the Cavs who were one of the top defensive teams. By failing the Wizards have a chance to learn from their mistakes and work on improving those areas in the offseaon which potentially could carry over into the regular season.

[fishercob]

Because they only got Gortat on an expiring deal and they gave up a pick it was a BAD deal by a GM and a coach only interested in saving their jobs THIS SEASON. Essentially, Okafor got hurt and they reacted by giving up a first and getting a short look at a similarly talented C. I actually like Gortat, but his contract ends. Washington burned a pick because Okafor got hurt.

I said the above early last season. How I feel now is that Gortat really has been a welcome addition. I like him a lot. Making the playoffs meant a lot to Wall and Beal. The unexpected payoff has been Washington is now an attractive FA destination. In a very convulted turn of events, Gortat trade has landed Pierce and Blair. I assume they wouldn't have come to a stinky Wizards team.

I can't say it was worth wasting a pick but I can say the end appears to have justified the means. Gortat is a fun guy, a good player, and his presence does represent some newfound hope and optimism moving forward.

Again, it was widely reported that Pierce wasn't even considering the Wiz until his top 2 choices turned him down. Players, for the most part, choose whoever offers the most money.

I read his top 2 choices were to worm his way to the Clips (and they only had the room exception) and a $10M/yr deal to stay in BKN. Did you read otherwise (asking, not challenging)?

The Wiz had the same non-taxpayer MLE that what -- 20 other teams had? Not to say that they all wanted Pierce, but I still think it's somewhat impressive that he took the same money from the Wiz that he likely could have gotten elsewhere.

[hands11]

No playoff experience for our young backcourt and buzz about the Zards being a team on the rise. But, instead, a chance to be in the lottery and draft a college kid who MIGHT someday help the Zards get into the playoffs and become contenders. Along with cap space that could prove useless if a Gortat or Monroe sign elsewhere.

No thanks. I prefer the current situation.

That implies that they were contenders last season and will be this coming season. When you use the word contenders, do you mean just for a playoff spot in a terrible conference?

There's something in between perpetual suckitude - where we have been for the majority of the last 30 years - and a contender. Personally, after 30 years of suckitude, I'm quite OK watching a team that tries hard and plans on slowly evolving for the next two years in hopes of landing Durant in 2016.

I would not be OK tanking in the hopes of a better draft pick. For recent top picks we're 2-1-1, with two wins (Wall and Beal), one loss (Vesely) and one yet to be decided (Porter). Our mid-level and lower pick numbers are far worse. Nobody here likes this result and we rightly blame EG. But the bottom line is we are where we are - if this results in a 6 year run of mid-level payoff losses, that is still FAR better to me than the last 30 years. I can honestly say I enjoyed watching the wizards more this season than any time since like '83. That we have an outside chance of either lucking into a championship run due to injuries of other teams or phenominal pickups, or more likely to Durant coming home, this is again far far better than wizards fans have had for 30 years - that's T h i r t y years.

Don't act like most long time wizards fans aren't beggars. Because we are. Even if this run doesn't result in a championship, its not worthless. I'd like my son to see his favorite team in the playofs most years with at least an outside hope that something goods could happen. Yes, EG owns the suckitude, but again, beggars can't be...

Exactly.

And hey. Most here loved what OKC did. OKC was the model.

Well how many titles have they won.

They have one or two year left to do it.

After that, we are talking about KD coming here.
People are talking about Westbrook leaving as well.

So was it all worth it. Sure it was.

Being the bottom of the league sucks. Losing Conference games sucks also. Just not a bad.

[hands11]

People keep talking about playoff experience but Wall sucked in the playoffs. I don't think that is going to be a big help to him going forward.

Completely disagree. I believe that an opportunity to experience something new, makes mistakes, and learn from them IS a big help to a person. Lots of guys poop the bed in their first postseason, it's part of the process IMO.

Wall now knows what it feels like to be in the playoffs, and can see the ways in which he personally wasn't equal to the challenge. That knowledge, combined with an offseason to correct those things, is invaluable IMO. Same with Beal, same with Wittman. They all should be learning from the experience.

Watching, reading, hear about something is not the same as doing.

The playoff experience was a vital step in their development. And we know we are all about development.

How many teams with two starter core pieces, one with 3 years experience and one with 1 season of experience have gone from never being in the playoffs, straight to a conference title game or a title game ?

Magic and Norm NIxon Lakers 1979 ?

[The Consiglieri]

People keep talking about playoff experience but Wall sucked in the playoffs. I don't think that is going to be a big help to him going forward.

Completely disagree. I believe that an opportunity to experience something new, makes mistakes, and learn from them IS a big help to a person. Lots of guys poop the bed in their first postseason, it's part of the process IMO.

Wall now knows what it feels like to be in the playoffs, and can see the ways in which he personally wasn't equal to the challenge. That knowledge, combined with an offseason to correct those things, is invaluable IMO. Same with Beal, same with Wittman. They all should be learning from the experience.

Agreed.

I bash Wall with the best of them but I see his playoff experience as being a positive. One good series against Chicago and one bad series against Indiana. John Wall can build on both. His failure shows what he needs to work on.

I remember Kobe Bryant being really bad early in his career one playoffs. I remember a lot of forced shots and some airballs. But Kobe got much better quickly.

Wall can improve a lot. I am glad he now knows something about the intensity of playoff games.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using RealGM Forums mobile app

Good memory.

1997 playoffs, game 5 against Utah. Launched a series of air ball/brick 3 point chucks late w/better options around him.

Don't think he learned anything from it though.

He always thought he was the best player on earth. Maybe it made him stay even 1 minute longer in the gym, though, going forward..

[payitforward]

Stop rehashing the bad moves Ernie has made before you make yourself sick.

Time to look forward with optimism, not gloom.

I guess we can look backward with gloom.

This is for Lyrical Rico

Look Backward with Gloom

I see optimism as gloom
'cuz something in the room
that runs from womb to tomb
is back again too soon.

I see the man in the moon
sing the astronauts a tune
better even than you'n
any other guy can croon.

Does it make me a loon
to love a cartoon?
Though a fork may be a boon,
a fork is not a spoon.

I could write like this -- like a goon
til the sea washed every dune

but it's early afternoon
& I got stuff I should be doin'

[doclinkin]

^^^ eh I'll take it. Reposted to poetry thread.