Woj - Westbrook for Wall and 1st Rounder

[FAH1223]

Read on Twitter

[dobrojim]

Love you too bruh!

Read on Twitter

Classy farewell tweet.

Thank you John Wall!

[dobrojim]

The trade was good - going into the season with John's situation (both injury-wise and trade-wise) up in the air was clearly going to be a distraction, and I'm comfortable trusting the front office's judgment on that. A first rounder protected like the one we sent out is much less than I thought we'd have to pay to dump the Wall contract, let alone receive any kind of impactful player in return.

The Westbrook hate in here is absurd (and has been over-exaggerated in the broader NBA world for a few years now). Whatever you think of his efficiency numbers, he's a productive player; more importantly, he's the sort of absolute hardass leader that this team hasn't had this millennium. His OKC teammates love him, OKC fans still love him, and even at the usage rates he was putting up with the post-KD Thunder he was getting the best out of his teammates. Beal, Bertans, and even Thomas Bryant are miles beyond anyone Russ has had around him, spacing-wise (I'm excluding Harden here, obviously, because of how much of a special case that Houston system is).

Anyway, I'm excited to see what happens. I think the team's going to play hard as hell, be an absolute menace in transition, and hopefully win more games than we lose. I really like the Westbrook/Beal/Bonga/Bertans/Bryant starting lineup that was mentioned up-thread, and the fact that we can stagger the backcourt rotation to have top-notch playmaking out there for 48 minutes a game. (I really hope we get to see Russ with an Avdija/Gill small-ball frontcourt out there while Brad sits). Frankly, I don't care that we're re-building less than 100% optimally - the Wall/Beal situation put us in an impossible position suspended between all-out tanking and trying to compete, and if we're determined to take the latter route then I think we've made about the most that we could of the cards we were dealt.

I'll also really miss John, as will (as should) the whole Wizards fanbase. There aren't a lot of players who stick it out with teams long enough for their presence to be a bona fide era, and especially not in markets like DC. Look at the connection he made with the city during his time here, though, and it's no mystery. My basketball mind is ready to see Brad and Russ give it a go, but my heart will really hurt seeing John in another uniform. I'm beyond proud to have been there for Game 6 in 2017 - that'll forever be my most treasured basketball memory, and the one I'll return to when I think about Wizards basketball in the 2010s.

Was there for that game 6 as well. Great memory. Thanks for the reminder.

[AFM]

Damn. I feel a bit sad tbh, but that's just me emotions speaking. Objectively this seems like a good trade for the Wizards. Guess we'll see how John plays this year.

[payitforward]

I'm pretty sure that, given the choice, most of us would prefer "winning sooner rather than later."

I don't mean to be ironic -- its' just that the question is... winning what? I can't see how the Wizards are trying to "win" anything in particular. Get more regular season wins? Sure. Be respectable? Absolutely. Fill the seats? You bet. Keep Brad happy (& in a Wizards uni)? Of course.

But, win a title? No. Contending for a title is in conflict with "winning sooner rather than later."

In fact, not only aren't we trying to win a title "sooner rather than later," we're not trying to do that at all.

PIF, how many teams actually "rebuild" from scratch and win a title or even make it to the playoffs...very few. Maybe, GS with Curry & Thompson leading the way. Most so-called rebuilding teams with high draft picks--like Charlotte or Orlando--have been rebuilding FOREVER.

My opinion is if you become "respectable" and make the playoffs on the strength of two all-NBA players like Beal and Westbrook, the shooting of Bertans, and the development of 2-3 of your youngins, then you stand a good chance of trading for and signing that last piece or two in free agency. Then you get a lot closer to competing for what we all desire--a championship.

I disagree that "winning sooner rather than later" conflicts with winning a title.

Ah, but see — this is the platonic ideal of the contemporary BB fan. Not just to be good, or even to be great, but to build a team almost entirely through the draft, hitting on second round picks (which are fetishized), never making a trade for a journeyman, never even taking a stab at a Sheed-to-the-Pistons trade, a put-us-over-the-top trade. No: the build must be clean.

It’s a yearning for purity, and like all yearnings for purity, a romanticization, a fiction. And possibly dangerous.

Wow... I never thought of it that way! You are totally right, & I'm going to stop doing it right now -- in fear of the very dangers you mention. Or, I mean, fail to mention (they're too awful).

Of course, this has nothing to do with Plato or "Platonic." But, it's asking too much for a single post to demonstrate knowledge of two such abstract subjects (both beginning with the letter "p") as "purity" & "Platonic." &, anyway, it's probably been a while since you spent much time with Plato's late dialogue, Timaeus, in which he discusses (well... his characters do) how things are created.

Only... why'd you put that "almost" in there. There's no almost in purity. That's why we're going to have to waive Thomas Bryant, Isaac Bonga, Davis Bertans, etc. Only guys we can keep are Beal, Brown & Rui. Plus Avdija & Winston of course. &, I guess, Yoeli Childs -- I count on you to tell me if he qualifies, having been an undrafted FA -- ditto Mathews.

Could be important, so I look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, as we've seen over the last 4 years in Washington, things have to get worse before they can get better -- so maybe you are right, whatever you think!

What do you think, btw? Serious question....

[Cramer]

Yep everytime I sip some Fireball, I get flashbacks about my interaction with Ted.

Dat acting like he sips his Fireball.

[dckingsfan]

Yep everytime I sip some Fireball, I get flashbacks about my interaction with Ted.

Dat acting like he sips his Fireball.

[WallToWall]

I know its just business.
But, the sadness just hit me.
Thanks for all you have done, and will continue to do. You will be missed.

Love you too bruh!

Read on Twitter

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

[MDStar]

Has anyone brought up that Westbrook’s tenacity and strength for rebounding may actually be a huge plus for the Wizards as while considering our two starting bigs (Bryant/Rui) often times struggle in that area?

[Doug_Blew]

he's the sort of absolute hardass leader that this team hasn't had this millennium.

Michael Jordan says hi. Great post!

[payitforward]

Has anyone brought up that Westbrook’s tenacity and strength for rebounding may actually be a huge plus for the Wizards as while considering our two starting bigs (Bryant/Rui) often times struggle in that area?

It's a great point -- except that Bryant is a very good rebounder. But, you are right that Rui wasn't -- as a rookie. Let's see if he gets better.

Still a great point....

[dckingsfan]

Has anyone brought up that Westbrook’s tenacity and strength for rebounding may actually be a huge plus for the Wizards as while considering our two starting bigs (Bryant/Rui) often times struggle in that area?

It's a great point -- except that Bryant is a very good rebounder. But, you are right that Rui wasn't -- as a rookie. Let's see if he gets better.

Still a great point....

Nit picking but I would (opinion) call Bryant a good not very good rebounder for his position. And to add to MDStar, Brown and Westbrook are very good defensive rebounders for their positions. That might (or will have to) make up for Rui, Bertans and Bonga's weakness.

[payitforward]

If you become "respectable" and make the playoffs on the strength of two all-NBA players like Beal and Westbrook, the shooting of Bertans, and the development of 2-3 of your youngins, then you stand a good chance of trading for or signing that last piece or two in free agency. Then you get a lot closer to competing for what we all want--a championship....

Zards, how many teams do what you describe & then add "that last piece or two" & get "what we all want--a championship?"

Well, actually the last two championship teams have done it--Toronto with Kawhi and the Lakers with Davis.

And then there's Miami which went from 10th in the East in 2018-19 to the finals last season. That happens primarily because of the addition of Butler.

Fine. Be that way!

This is kind of a pointless dispute. a) it's obvious that the Wizards have been rebuilt from the bottom up; we have 1 player who was with us 2 years ago. One player! b) of course you can name the Lakers, but the Lakers are typical of nothing: they have a market & an ability to draw players that is nothing like the Washington Wizards, & c) for every Toronto you can name, I can name a dozen other teams that have tried the same thing & won nothing -- isn't that kind of obvious?

That said, to be sure, we want to retain Beal, & we want to win more games next year than this year -- & win more the following year than we do next year! Etc. Who would want anything else?

Hey, if Deni Avdija turns out to be great, Brown/Bryant/Bonga take the most optimistic paths we think of for them, Bertans stays Bertans, Rui turns into something, Winston is what you I think he can be, Childs, Mathews & -- why not? -- even Robinson turn into really solid NBA pros, & we get an outstanding rookie (maybe even two) next year... whereupon we take Miami (or Boston, or Philly, or Toronto, or Milwaukee) to game 7 of the EC Finals & maybe even win that game, then tell me...

Who will have been right? Me who wanted to rebuild totally (which obviously we will have done!)? Or you who wanted to win sooner by building around Beal (which obviously we will have done as well!)?

We both know what'll happen: it'll be a chorus -- in unison we will crow, "see, I was right!"

Be nice if it happened that way, don't you agree?

[Rafael122]

There's a lot of sentimental/emotional attachment to Wall. I'm guilty of it, lot of talk on Twitter about it. But taking the blinders off: no matter how great Wall may look in practice or pick up games, there's a good chance he's done. I'd say the same thing about KD, and Klay as well. I remember an ACL tear was a career ender, and with advanced medicine, players are coming back in about a year or less.

Achilles? That's an entirely different ball game. Literally the only player who had any success was Wilkins and that was almost 30 years ago. Every player who have torn their Achilles since then has seen a decline in production, in efficiency, etc etc. People are wondering why the Wizards had to give up a pick (even if it doesn't convey) and that's exactly why, Wall hasn't played in a game in 2 years and is coming back from an injury that's essentially a career killer. And while Westbrook isn't a beacon of health (knee issues), there's a good chance he's going to be playing big minutes right out of the gate.

I hate that this is how it ended, but at worse it's a lateral move, at best it shoots us up from like 9th or 10th to a possible top 6 seed.

[payitforward]

Are people not aware of the history of Achilles injuries???

I read about them in the Iliad....

Man, you're so old you heard it from Homer directly.

Dude... I'm the one clued Homer in on the matter. It's in book XVIII cleverly hidden in the description of his shield. For soon as I saw it, I advised him of. From where I was above, I

Stoop’d from the steep Olympian hill, hid in eternal snow

& gave him the news.

[NatP4]

Has anyone brought up that Westbrook’s tenacity and strength for rebounding may actually be a huge plus for the Wizards as while considering our two starting bigs (Bryant/Rui) often times struggle in that area?

It's a great point -- except that Bryant is a very good rebounder. But, you are right that Rui wasn't -- as a rookie. Let's see if he gets better.

Still a great point....

Nit picking but I would (opinion) call Bryant a good not very good rebounder for his position. And to add to MDStar, Brown and Westbrook are very good defensive rebounders for their positions. That might (or will have to) make up for Rui, Bertans and Bonga's weakness.

Isn’t Bonga also a good rebounder? Something like 6.5 per 36?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Ted Leonsis spouting off about character reminds me of Abe Pollin being furious after MJ made Abe even richer.

Pour some of Dat’s Fireball whiskey on the memories of John Wall of the Wizards. Feels like someone died to me.

Watch on YouTube

[dckingsfan]

It's a great point -- except that Bryant is a very good rebounder. But, you are right that Rui wasn't -- as a rookie. Let's see if he gets better.

Still a great point....

Nit picking but I would (opinion) call Bryant a good not very good rebounder for his position. And to add to MDStar, Brown and Westbrook are very good defensive rebounders for their positions. That might (or will have to) make up for Rui, Bertans and Bonga's weakness.

Isn’t Bonga also a good rebounder? Something like 6.5 per 36?

His defensive rebounding percentage is in the 13s - good for a guard. Meh for a SF and poor for a PF.

[Wizardspride]

Read on Twitter

?s=19

[NatP4]

Grain of salt. That guy is a complete idiot. Here is another silly take:

Read on Twitter