SHAMS: Otto to Chicago for Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker...

[WindyCityBorn]

I think Porter just landed in a really good situation. Porter is now the guy and is EXPECTED to have high usage.

Porter and Markkanen will be a really good 2-way forward rotation moving forward. Carter is going to be solid although it may not be for two years. Dunn and Lavine are fine for depth - what they need is guards in the next two drafts. If they get one of Morant or Barrett in the draft, they are well along the way forward.

Dunn is done, but LaVine is playing REALLY well with Markkanen and Porter. Bulls are not looking to replace him at all.

[WindyCityBorn]

there just isn't room on the wizards for a guy averaging 22 points per game on .700 TS%.

Few game samples

Porter is a former Gt Hoya not back in the day when David Wingate, Patrick Ewing, Reggie Willims, Charles Smith etc. played under John Thompson. Porter will be great let him play the role of a focal point on a Playoff team if not get back to us when he does. He is a 2nd 3rd best option on a good team. JMO

He is nowhere near the focal point of the offense. That's still Markkanen and LaVine. But he scores so well within the flow of the offense. I think he could easily average 18ppg without plays being run for him, but We a are running to run some offense through him. Honestly reminds me of Klay Thompson with how quick and deadly accurate his shooting is. He even showed some iso skills with some step back jumpers. Also seems to have good leadership skills and intangibles.

[payitforward]

Lets see this from Otto 20 or even 10 straight games than I may be a believer. No hate just subjective hes getting paid handsomely.

Wait... you'd like to see him have "20 or even 10 straight games" in which he goes 16-20, & then you "may be" a believer? Who you?

Agreed. ...one 37-point game means nothing, ... Mostly it's just that he hit nearly all of his jumpers. ...I just chalk it up to a hot shooting night.

For sure it was "a hot shooting night."

This seems like a lot more rational assessment:

Witt/Brooks for the most part told Otto to go stand in the corner.

Finally Brooks this season told Otto to get more shots up but had no plan in place for actually getting him shots.

Meanwhile, John did everything but verbally throw shots at Otto and never showed much respect for his game.

Otto is a player that thrives off player movement and ball movement. He was always more than a stand in the corner guy. I always wondered why we didn't run this guy off more screens or put him in more P&R action as the ballhandler.

This coaching staff and organization never knew what it actually had.

He's not going to score 37 points a night. But, if he's overpaid then what is Jabari Parker at $20m?

As usual, we'll get to see how things work out. & as usual, however they work out, most people will remember whatever they said that accords with that result, or else make something up in memory to accord with it.

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The Wizards are now 6 and 12 without Otto Porter including wins against the Knicks, the Cavaliers, the Bulls, and the Suns. Their other two wins came against the Hornets and Lakers meaning that Washington has yet to beat a team above 500 without Otto Porter this season! Although one could argue that the Lakers are above 500 when they are healthy.

Yes Otto has not been as effective this season but one could factor in the low sample size when healthy as well as injuries. Not to mention Wall not being 100% and teammates like Oubre/Rivers struggling. I am guessing he will bounce back if he can stay healthy.

Great to read a sensible, fact-based assessment -- thanks.

A lot more useful than ex cathedra pronouncements on what a guy can & can't do & what is & isn't sustainable.

Otto Porter is a terrific young player. He was key to two of the very few good seasons this franchise has had in its bumbling last dozen years. He deserves respect & good wishes. Not to be kicked in the ass on the way out the door. Save that for Ernie Grunfeld.

[payitforward]

there just isn't room on the wizards for a guy averaging 22 points per game on .700 TS%.

But he's doubled his turnovers and is only getting half the steals he did as a Wiz - therefore he's a terrible player. Add several paragraphs describing the horrors of having 50% fewer steals.

Just working on my Pif impersonation if he didn't love Otto.

Btw, Portis' numbers with the Wiz aren't up to Otto's as a Bull, but they're pretty good.

They're quite good, yes. May they stay that way -- or get better. & I like your tag line too.

[nate33]

Agreed. ...one 37-point game means nothing, ... Mostly it's just that he hit nearly all of his jumpers. ...I just chalk it up to a hot shooting night.

For sure it was "a hot shooting night."

That's some pretty selective editing there. Who are you? MSNBC?

[Ruzious]

I think Porter just landed in a really good situation. Porter is now the guy and is EXPECTED to have high usage.

Porter and Markkanen will be a really good 2-way forward rotation moving forward. Carter is going to be solid although it may not be for two years. Dunn and Lavine are fine for depth - what they need is guards in the next two drafts. If they get one of Morant or Barrett in the draft, they are well along the way forward.

Dunn is done, but LaVine is playing REALLY well with Markkanen and Porter. Bulls are not looking to replace him at all.

Agreed about Lavine. He's gained the strength that he needed to become as good as he can be, and it took a while - understandably - for him to fully get his quickness back from the ACL. I pushed earlier for a Beal trade for Lavine and Chi's lotto pick.

[dckingsfan]

I think Porter just landed in a really good situation. Porter is now the guy and is EXPECTED to have high usage.
Porter and Markkanen will be a really good 2-way forward rotation moving forward. Carter is going to be solid although it may not be for two years. Dunn and Lavine are fine for depth - what they need is guards in the next two drafts. If they get one of Morant or Barrett in the draft, they are well along the way forward.

Dunn is done, but LaVine is playing REALLY well with Markkanen and Porter. Bulls are not looking to replace him at all.

Agreed about Lavine. He's gained the strength that he needed to become as good as he can be, and it took a while - understandably - for him to fully get his quickness back from the ACL. I pushed earlier for a Beal trade for Lavine and Chi's lotto pick.

So, what is the upside on Carter and the probability to get Morant?

[Ruzious]

Dunn is done, but LaVine is playing REALLY well with Markkanen and Porter. Bulls are not looking to replace him at all.

Agreed about Lavine. He's gained the strength that he needed to become as good as he can be, and it took a while - understandably - for him to fully get his quickness back from the ACL. I pushed earlier for a Beal trade for Lavine and Chi's lotto pick.

So, what is the upside on Carter and the probability to get Morant?

Carter's upside is Horford with a little less defense and a little more offense. He ain't going anywhere. I have Morant going 3rd, so the Bulls have a decent chance to get him, but I think he'd be a bad fit for them - he's too ball dominant, and they already have plenty of scorers.

[dckingsfan]

Agreed about Lavine. He's gained the strength that he needed to become as good as he can be, and it took a while - understandably - for him to fully get his quickness back from the ACL. I pushed earlier for a Beal trade for Lavine and Chi's lotto pick.

So, what is the upside on Carter and the probability to get Morant?

Carter's upside is Horford with a little less defense and a little more offense. He ain't going anywhere. I have Morant going 3rd, so the Bulls have a decent chance to get him, but I think he'd be a bad fit for them - he's too ball dominant, and they already have plenty of scorers.

So a wing in the draft and a FA PG?

[payitforward]

I think all 3 are at fault there - not just Wall or Porter or Brooks. Otto was called out by Wall and Brooks, and as far as I know never defended himself to the point that he was heard and understood. When you're in any job - particularly one where you're getting paid 27 million, there are times where you have to stand up to folks in the organization - rather than literally... stand in the corner. His replacement - Ariza - who's even known as a 3 and D guy... has driven to the hoop a ton more than Otto ever did. Did they really give Ariza more freedom to do that than Otto had? I doubt it. The Otto/Wall/Brooks problem should be owned by all 3 of them, because it should have been resolved by simple adult communication. They all dropped the ball that repsonsible grownups should have handled - they all deserve blame.

This.

It's easy to say it was Wall or Brooks or someone else's fault that OP was not more involved on the offensive end. But Otto has to share some of the blame. The comparison you make to Ariza is spot on. My biggest disappointment with Otto has been that he rarely drives to the hoop, which would also result in more trips to the free throw line. And rarely does OP set up teammates for easy hoops with his passing/playmaking, something that Parker appears to be pretty good at.

Otto is a helluva of a player. A much better player than either Portis
or Parker, imo. He will be missed.

But OP does have his flaws and he was not living up to his max salary in the view of many, including more and more Zards fans. I can assure you of that. I attend just about every home game and the grumbling among fans regarding OP's play vs his salary was becoming increasingly apparent. The grumbling/booing probably would have been worse if it were not for the fact that Porter was basically seen as a local kid because of his Hoya roots.

As others have said, the Zards probably did Otto a favor by trading him.

High order bits emphasized. But... Otto is an ex-Wizard, not on the team. IMO, it's time to wish him the best & move on.

As to Parker/Portis -- I'm pulling for them both. Whether they stay or go, I'd like to see both guys perform at the level of their potential.

[payitforward]

Agreed. ...one 37-point game means nothing, ... Mostly it's just that he hit nearly all of his jumpers. ...I just chalk it up to a hot shooting night.

For sure it was "a hot shooting night."

That's some pretty selective editing there. Who are you? MSNBC Fox News?

LOL. I didn't mean to suppress anything important, nate. Your post is still recent & there to read -- & you said a bunch of nice things about Otto.

In fairness, I'm letting myself get caught up in the same "gotta prove something" about Porter that has started to make me impatient with babymaker's posts (you have a right to your opinions, babymaker -- no need for me to be impatient). As I've written, & so have you, I'm sure we all wish Otto well. But none of us have to prove anything about him -- not positive not negative. Time will provide all we need to know.

Yet, Otto Porter is not a Wizard, he's an ex-Wizard. Right now, I'm more interested in our future -- how we're going to handle our salary & talent problems, whether Jabari Parker, who is obviously talented (you don't go to Duke & get drafted #2 if talent is what you lack), saves his career while also making us look lucky, etc.

In short, if I offended you by snipping bits from your post, I apologize. You are one of the most thoughtful, best-informed folks here, & what you write is almost always extremely useful & smart!

[panthermark]

So, what is the upside on Carter and the probability to get Morant?

Carter's upside is Horford with a little less defense and a little more offense. He ain't going anywhere. I have Morant going 3rd, so the Bulls have a decent chance to get him, but I think he'd be a bad fit for them - he's too ball dominant, and they already have plenty of scorers.

So a wing in the draft and a FA PG?

BPA in the draft...so yeah....most likely a wing assuming we draft around #4. Maybe a PG who knows what will happen. There seems to be a big drop-off after Zion.

We need a PG, and some depth.

[payitforward]

...LaVine is playing REALLY well with Markkanen and Porter. Bulls are not looking to replace him at all.

Agreed about Lavine. He's gained the strength that he needed to become as good as he can be, and it took a while - understandably - for him to fully get his quickness back from the ACL. I pushed earlier for a Beal trade for Lavine and Chi's lotto pick.

& I agreed with you didn't I? Nah... But, I'm starting to get your point.

It's interesting to look at Beal & Lavine's numbers this year. Beal is way better right now, but there are intriguing similarities.

Their usage is very close. Their TS% is also close -- Beal's is higher, but if LaVine shot the same number of 3-pointers as Beal (i.e. just a couple more per 40 minutes), their %s would be virtually identical.

Virtually the entire difference between their numbers -- i.e. between Beal having a really terrific year & Lavine still being, overall, below average -- is in 3 areas: offensive rebounds, turnovers & steals. I.e. the 3 numbers that most directly affect possessions.

Per 40 minutes, Beal is only minus .33 of a possession. Zach Lavine is almost 2 possessions worse than that i.e. he's giving the other team 2 extra possessions.

But, Zach is also almost 2 years younger than Beal, & he's had an ACL injury to recover from. If you look at the first 3 years of the two guys, they were very close.

It'd be a roll of the dice for sure, but on reconsideration I can see why one might have wanted to do the trade you suggested, Ruz -- Beal for Lavine & the Bulls' R1 pick this year. It would depend, obviously, on how one assessed the first 1/2 dozen likely R1 picks -- & also on how much better Beal would have made the Bulls for the rest of this year (i.e. potentially pushing Chicago down a pick or two in the draft).

[Ruzious]

So, what is the upside on Carter and the probability to get Morant?

Carter's upside is Horford with a little less defense and a little more offense. He ain't going anywhere. I have Morant going 3rd, so the Bulls have a decent chance to get him, but I think he'd be a bad fit for them - he's too ball dominant, and they already have plenty of scorers.

So a wing in the draft and a FA PG?

Probably yes to a FA PG, though I don't have anyone in mind. I'd say they should just go BPA in the draft.