2016 Offseason Thread -- Not (just) #KD2DC

[gambitx777]

I guess I am just more optimistic than most. Last year I predicted 48 -55 wins, I was wrong but I was in the magin of error for having an awful HC and beal getting hurt, a better HC and a healthy beal for a full season might have gotten us to 50. IDk I like the team. Im' not being a fan boy here, I know smith was a horrible sign, but I do like the team. So far. lets see who else we get.

Within the margin of error?? Lets see... the mean of your predicted range is 51.5 wins. We won 41 games. So you were 25% over reality.

As to Beal -- what was our record in games he played? Was it over .500?

As to "an awful HC" you knew who the head coach was when you made your prediction. Plus, how do you know we had "an awful HC"? You know it because we didn't win as many games as you predicted?

How do you know how many more wins, if any, we'd have had w/ a different coach? You don't.

I'm not trying to bust your b*lls, Gambit -- it's great to be an optimistic fan. But if you look at deals based on being an optimistic fan, then it's obvious that you have no chance of assessing them accurately.

Hey, I would have loved to win 50+ games last year -- or this year. Or any year, ever. But looking directly at what is, what Ernie has done, we look right now, I'm sad to say, like we'll win 30-35 games.

I am not the only person who predicted 50+ wins last year

[pcbothwel]

I have basically taken the stance (Once KD/Horford went elsewhere) that this FA period for us was going to be underwhelming and mostly unimportant to the future compared to most summers. Why?
The big question (and the only real important one) is how do Wall, Beal, Otto, Oubre, and Sato progress with an entirely new coaching staff?
Remember, most of the coaching staff all derived from Saunders. So its really been the same structure and message for 6 years. If they improve enough to carry this team to a 4th - 6th seed, then trading the other guys to get a Star wont be an issue as Gortat, Nicholson, Morris, Sato, etc. are going to be positive assets. The cap increase makes it easier to have manageable salaries.

If they fail to take the next step, none of us are going to give a damn about Mahimi getting 2-3M per year too much. We'll be in the middle of shipping out Wall, Beal, etc.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Jason Smith was a player the Wizards brought in for a predraft workout back when Eddie was coach, and they just raved about him and how impressed they were with his shooting for a big man.

Then they proceeded to draft Nick Young. Smith went later to Miami at #20, one spot after Javaris Crittenton.


I'm hopeful for 40 wins this year. That's probably best case scenario.

[gambitx777]

I'm the only believe here lol.

[nuposse04]

Instead of Jason Smith, why didn't they kick the tires on T. Jones? I mean at least he has upside. And if one of Nicholson or Morris really show out to start the season possibly use then as a trade chip later.... I'm amazed how allergic Grunfeld is to young bigs. It is like Jan's level of suck traumatized him.

[80sballboy]

I don't know much about Tim Bontemps other than he works for the Washington Post, covers the NBA and now the Wiz temporarily, lives in N.Y. and went to St. Bonny's (home of Andrew Nicholson). And he likes what the Wiz did (before Jason Smith move). Not sure what the national media feels. I'm guessing they'll have their grades after July 8 and most probably don't care since we're irrelevant to them.

https://live.washingtonpost.com/posting-up-nba-chat-with-tim-bontemps160705.html

[WallToWall]

Ok so if you see a new subaru next to a ferrari you are going to think that car looks like **** right ? That is what's going on right now We missed out on the two ferrari we were eyeing and we got a few nice subarus instead. They are not bad cars, this is not a bad team. It just looks bad because now we are driving around in a bunch of nice subarus, and not a brand new ferrari. yes the smith signing is head scratching, I have a feeling it was probably a favor to someone, but it does have team options so we can dump him after the year. Ian was a slight overpay. 4 mill less and he would be a solid deal 2 mill less and he would probably be decent, this was a fair market deal but he is slightly overpaid but that is the market. Hell if gortat was a FA right now he would be getting near max money and would be the second or third best center on the market this year. The nicholson deal was really solid, he has skills and still has potential. We gave up a 2ed round pick in 2021 5 years away mind you for a 23 year old PG who needs a change of location and a new HC and a new system. Give him a chance. Tomas could be a special, legit the kid is good, he was a couple games away from being the euroleague finals MVP. We still have a couple mill in cap room, the room, and after we sign beal we can use vet mins and our mid level. Just because we got subarus and not ferraris does not mean it was a horrible off season, we just need to get use to the new car.

I like your optimism. I was there once. To me is seems we purchased a used Subaru from Minnesota in the dead of winter, a couple Gremlins from a car collector, and a Pinto from a happy Jay Leno. We wanted the Tesla, and a salesman opened the door for us to sit in the Lexus.
We took a step back with our bench players. Perhaps the new coach has a better feel for how to have these player play better together, when to yank them, and a better offensive and defensive methodology. Perhaps that negates the weaker bench that we now have. We will see. As it stands, this is no better than a 40 win team if the stars align...more likely a 35 win team.

[nuposse04]

I don't know much about Tim Bontemps other than he works for the Washington Post, covers the NBA and now the Wiz temporarily, lives in N.Y. and went to St. Bonny's (home of Andrew Nicholson). And he likes what the Wiz did (before Jason Smith move). Not sure what the national media feels. I'm guessing they'll have their grades after July 8 and most probably don't care since we're irrelevant to them.

https://live.washingtonpost.com/posting-up-nba-chat-with-tim-bontemps160705.html

Q: Why is Ernie still the Wizards GM?
Why is Ernie still the Wizards GM?

A: Tim Bontemps
The Wizards just had a good weekend in free agency. Not the right time to be asking this.

While I am ok with 3 of the signings... I would hardly say that absolves Grunfeld of criticism. I seriously think Grunfeld buys off local media somehow.

[gambitx777]

I don't know much about Tim Bontemps other than he works for the Washington Post, covers the NBA and now the Wiz temporarily, lives in N.Y. and went to St. Bonny's (home of Andrew Nicholson). And he likes what the Wiz did (before Jason Smith move). Not sure what the national media feels. I'm guessing they'll have their grades after July 8 and most probably don't care since we're irrelevant to them.

https://live.washingtonpost.com/posting-up-nba-chat-with-tim-bontemps160705.html

Q: Why is Ernie still the Wizards GM?
Why is Ernie still the Wizards GM?

A: Tim Bontemps
The Wizards just had a good weekend in free agency. Not the right time to be asking this.

While I am ok with 3 of the signings... I would hardly say that absolves Grunfeld of criticism. I seriously think Grunfeld buys off local media somehow.

Hookers and Blow more likely than not.

[bleeds_purple]

Hey guys. Curious what you all have to say about Garrett Temple. What are his strengths and weaknesses? Can he meaningfully contribute on both ends?

[Kanyewest]

Hey guys. Curious what you all have to say about Garrett Temple. What are his strengths and weaknesses? Can he meaningfully contribute on both ends?

Strengths- He's a relatively good defender, although he has trouble defending quicker point guards. He's a hardworker and has improved on his jump shot in each of the season's he's been in Washington; although 34.5% on 3s which were mostly uncontested isn't great. He's an unselfish player in the half court.

Weaknesses- While he's a willing passer, you are in trouble if you want him to be a point guard. He has tunnel vision when he's on the fast break and rarely passes. He's not a good rebounder. He's not going to attract much attention when he's on the offensive end.

[Kanyewest]

Nate Duncan and Danny Leroux discuss the Wizard's offseason moves (before the Smith signing)

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/duncdon/2016/07/05/free-agency-days-3-and-4-part-1 starting at 39:10

[Ed Wood]

Hey guys. Curious what you all have to say about Garrett Temple. What are his strengths and weaknesses? Can he meaningfully contribute on both ends?

Strengths:
Effortful Defense
Not at All Fussed if Daughter Brings Home
Slightly Racist Old Announcers Will Quite Like

Weaknesses:
Capacity to Have Lasting Impact on any given Game, Wider World


Also why are we pretending that coaches will do anything at all to an NBA team? We are hanging our hopes on a big upswing this season on a coaching effect? A coaching effect from Scott Brooks?

[gesa2]

Great locker room guy, will never cause waves. Has a rep as a good defender but slipped a bit in the last year or two. Offensively only ok, had some serious cold stretches. Solid fourth guard, did better with a primary ballhandler on the floor as he can't create for himself.

[tontoz]

Nene, Sessions, Neal, Dudley and Temple all played fairly well for us last year and all are gone. I am not seeing how we improved, especially relative to other teams.

[verbal8]

Hey guys. Curious what you all have to say about Garrett Temple. What are his strengths and weaknesses? Can he meaningfully contribute on both ends?

Although they are different players, you will probably wish you kept Seth Curry. Temple is ok as a depth guard, low usage and solid defender. Seems to be a good locker room guy, which may have been a lot of the reason for acquiring him.

[TGW]

A: Tim Bontemps
The Wizards just had a good weekend in free agency. Not the right time to be asking this.

While I am ok with 3 of the signings... I would hardly say that absolves Grunfeld of criticism. I seriously think Grunfeld buys off local media somehow.[/quote]

Tim Bontemps has officially been thrown in the JMichael bucket, which essentially means he does not know WTF he's talking about.

[queridiculo]

After two years of patchwork rosters and pinning the franchise hope on a strong 2016 offseason Ernie's free agency haul was a 30 year old backup center on a 4 year $64 million deal.

His best move off the season, finally managing to sign his 2nd round from four years ago to a contract.

Incredulously the Post's national NBA writer doesn't deem the quality of that performance even worth a discussion.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StJS51d1Fzg[/youtube]

[DCZards]

I'm not trying to bust your b*lls, Gambit -- it's great to be an optimistic fan. But if you look at deals based on being an optimistic fan, then it's obvious that you have no chance of assessing them accurately.

Isn't the opposite also true? If you look at deals based on being a "pessimistic" fan, you also have no chance of assessing them accurately. Just sayin'.

[TGW]

Hey guys. Curious what you all have to say about Garrett Temple. What are his strengths and weaknesses? Can he meaningfully contribute on both ends?

He's a 14-15 man. Not sure why the Kings paid him more than the minimum. Sheesh...it's nice to be a marginal basketball player.