nate33 wrote:Illmatic12 wrote:?s=21
I have mixed feelings.
Chiozza played consistently well in Summer League and preseason, so I'm happy we retained him on a 2-way. The guy looks like he'll have a career in the NBA, even if only as a 3rd string PG. And maybe he'll get better.
But I do wonder why in the world we are keeping so many point guards. I've got Ish, Thomas, Robinson and Chiozza, plus we have Beal and Brown who can play PG in a pinch (meaning it's less critical to have a 3rd string PG on the active roster). There's also Wall, and possibly Bonga down the road.
It sure would be nice to trade one of our PG prospects for someone else's prospect at SF or C.
Robinson and Chiozza can both be sent down to the GoGo for key stretches. Recall that Tommy is charged with oversight of both teams, the Wiz and the G-Squad. If he can get cross-pollination in how to build the teams and a similar play style then he can do more sandbox experiments at the lower level and players who are able to shift back and forth learn applicable skills.
Even if the rules now are restrictive on the use of the G-League, we are going to get a flood of highschool players in future years, likely the role of the minor league system will have to expand. Sounds like Ted was advocating for us to have pro team academies at all levels of schooling, like European football clubs or the Croatian basketball academy system. If he can sell our G Team as a pipeline to the bigs, that wins and plays the right way he can recruit the UFAs and late picks like Justin Robinson whose agent helped discourage teams from picking him in order to ink here. Talented young kids will be eager to play on the Wizards sponsored AAU squad (Ted cited ownership of AAU teams by both Wall and Beal as inspirational).
I think this is a side benefit from promoting J McRae. He played well in our G Squad and earned a contract here when he was called up. Ditto retaining Chiozza and keeping him around since he played well for us on the GoGo and in preseason. IT is a risk we are taking. Ish Smith is a known commodity and placeholder for a rehabbing Wall, with little upside in long term value. In a system where we will rely heavily on ballhandlers to kick to shooters and set up Bigs (in a Houston Jr model. IIRC from the BBAll stat nerd board Dean Oliver helped create the Houston system) it will be useful to have homegrown floor generals who can take a lead role and teach incoming players how its run and where to be.
Too often the minor league players are just jacking shots trying to be noticed. We are trying to institute a system. Like I said in other places, it is instructive to me that Coach Thibault has input on how the Wiz squad should be built. HIs team just won the whole thing with ball handlers and outside shooting. Ted said he thinks cross pollination between all our BBall squads is a good idea.
Just saying, it's not only Pops making decisions on the lower level team, but Tommy trying to figure out a holistic team concept that translates and improves synergy between all phases: Roster. Coaching. Medical. Analytics. Promotion. Etc.Leastways that is what they suggested at their ten person press conference or whatever.