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2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades

Moderators: nate33, montestewart, LyricalRico

Offseason grade

A
7
25%
B
17
61%
C
3
11%
D
1
4%
F
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 28

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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1381 » by doclinkin » Wed Aug 25, 2021 1:55 pm

WallToWall wrote:
payitforward wrote:
DCZards wrote:I found it particularly interesting what Unseld Jr. had to say about Kuzma. He seems to have serious plans for using him as an offensive weapon. Of all the new players, I think Kuzma is the one most likely to really shine in a new setting.

For sure he will have plenty of opportunities to shine.
I'm really interested to see how minutes are distributed & who winds up playing with whom at forward. Rui played 31.5 minutes per game last year. Bertans played over 25.5 minutes per game. For the moment, let's assume those minutes don't drop.
Kuzma logged almost 29 minutes a game for LA last year. His career average in 4 seasons is almost 30 minutes a game. If his minutes don't drop -- which is what one would expect, given that he is going from a better team to a worse team -- those 3 guys only leave about 10 minutes per game for anyone else at forward.
Presumably, KCP will back up Brad & probably also eat up those 10 minutes -- that should get him close to the 28 minutes a game he played for the Lakers last year.
Kind of leaves Deni the odd man out -- & no minutes for Kispert either.
It'll be extremely interesting to see how this works out! Seems kind of challenging to me....


This is a great problem to have. If a forward is not playing well, or just doesnt match up well, then he will get fewer minutes. I think the coach will play to the strengths of each forward and put each in the game at opportune times. I, for one, dont expect to have the same predictable starters, or minutes spread each game at the forward spots, like I would at SG or PG. Also, keep in mind that injuries will happen. This depth at forward is a good thing.


One thing I like about our depth is that we can form two pretty even teams to contest each other in practice, even starters vs back-ups. The depth is thin at guard, but everywhere else the coach can freely mix and match to see what wins and who is playing well with each other.


And to get a running start on the chemistry he can field two teams each with a core of guys who have played together:

once and future wizards

D-widdie/Neto
Beal
Bertans
Hachimura
Gafford/Bryant

-vs-

the new guys

Holiday
KCP/Kispert
Kuzma
Deni (injury shortened rookie year, counting him as new)
Harrell

That seems like a pretty close contest, and you could swap any one player for another to see how the chemistry works. Hmm.

Seems like this belongs in the line-up thread. I'll move it there.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1382 » by TGW » Fri Aug 27, 2021 1:31 pm

NBA.com has ranked the Wizards 10th in the east.

Sheppard has done a helluva job turning this ship around.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1383 » by DCZards » Fri Aug 27, 2021 2:05 pm

TGW wrote:NBA.com has ranked the Wizards 10th in the east.

Sheppard has done a helluva job turning this ship around.

Rankings ain’t standings.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1384 » by Dat2U » Fri Aug 27, 2021 4:28 pm

DCZards wrote:
TGW wrote:NBA.com has ranked the Wizards 10th in the east.

Sheppard has done a helluva job turning this ship around.

Rankings ain’t standings.


The more things change, the more they stay the same.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1385 » by Chocolate City Jordanaire » Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:31 pm

DCZards wrote:
TGW wrote:
DCZards wrote:Why would you trade Kuzma if he's playing well and helping the Zards win games? His salary is a fairly reasonable $13 mil and he's under team control for that salary for two seasons after this one.


Because he's going to stifle the development of Rui, Deni, and Kispert. Can't play all of them, and I'd rather they move him and/or Bertans.

I’m all for developing Rui, Deni and Kispert. That’s important. But it’s obvious that this team is built around Beal--and his new running mate Dinwiddie--both of whom are 28 years old.

It will probably be 2-3 years before Deni and Kispert are ready to contribute at a high level, and I don’t think the Zards (or Beal) are interested in waiting around for that to happen. They want to at least try to win sooner rather than later.

Kuzma is 26 years old and just approaching his prime. So it’s not like it’s a 30 plus year old stealing minutes from the youngins’. If Kuzma is playing well and the Zards are improving and winning, it doesn't make sense to trade him, imo, especially if they hope to resign Beal.

Rui, Deni and Kispert will get minutes, albeit maybe limited minutes in the cases of Deni and Kispert. They’ll just have to prove that they deserve those minutes and more by playing well when they get the opportunity.
The smartest thing that Tommy Shepherd has done is Not One player age 30 or older. Neto is the only 29-year old.


I will disagree with you on Kuzma. If he scores a lot of points but his efficiency isn't exceptionally high he is really an empty stats player. Trade that player. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison were good but not elite players. If Kuzma is at best in this category and Bertans is clearly below but an elite shooter, that is when you look to trade him for a better piece.

You never know what's going to happen with Paul George. Karl Anthony towns is probably out of the question but you never know, cuz you might be able to package Kuzma and Davis. Keep Kyle Kuzma if fans, coach, and team thrive...but look to upgrade if salary and contracts dictate BECAUSE YOU HAVE RUI who is similar. Deni. Kispert. Todd. They need to watch a player like Kuzma who is ready to take it to the next level and then they do the same.

It doesn't look that way right now but that kid Isaiah Todd might be a stud in about 3 or 4 years.
Bye bye Beal.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1386 » by Chocolate City Jordanaire » Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:32 pm

Dat2U wrote:
DCZards wrote:
TGW wrote:NBA.com has ranked the Wizards 10th in the east.

Sheppard has done a helluva job turning this ship around.

Rankings ain’t standings.


The more things change, the more they stay the same.
This is one of those times where I'm glad you and I disagree. I believe you're going to be pleasantly surprised before the season is over
Bye bye Beal.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1387 » by payitforward » Fri Aug 27, 2021 9:53 pm

Dat2U wrote:
DCZards wrote:
TGW wrote:NBA.com has ranked the Wizards 10th in the east.

Sheppard has done a helluva job turning this ship around.

Rankings ain’t standings.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I don't think that's fair, dat. In fact, the one thing that seems clear is that things have not "stayed the same."

Surely you recognize what a mess Tommy was handed at the end of the season 2 years ago? Here's who was on the team as 2018-19 closed: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Thomas Bryant, Troy Brown, Ian Mahinmi, Tomas Satoransky, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Jeff Green, Jabari Parker, Sam Dekker, Devin Robinson, Bobby Portis, Jordan McRae, & Chasson Randle.

The last 8 expired, & we had no further interest in them -- nor should we have (though in fact, we re-signed McRae). Howard picked up his option, & we dumped him for a guy who was injured almost immediately, missed the season, & then expired & retired. Mahinmi was dead weight -- expensive & unmovable. Not someone Tommy could move.

I don't see any way to criticize Tommy Sheppard for any of the above. As for the rest of the roster remake:

We traded Satoransky for 2 R2 picks. -- a perfectly good deal, wouldn't you say?

We turned Troy Brown into Daniel Gafford -- any problem with that?

We kept Bryant, & he developed into quite a good player. If you consider what he cost us, Bryant has been an amazing success story for the Wizards.

We still have Brad.

& that leaves John Wall -- the injured John Wall with an enormous salary. Obviously, until John enormous contract was turned into assets that could be developed, valued, traded, etc. we were dead in the water.

& that's what Tommy did. His work in turning John & a proteced pick into KCP, Kuzma, Harrell, Holiday, Todd, plus the ability to sign/trade for Spencer Dinwiddie was an outstanding piece of work.

So... where is "the more things change, the more they stay the same" in this picture? Nowhere.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1388 » by penbeast0 » Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:50 pm

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:
DCZards wrote:
TGW wrote:
Because he's going to stifle the development of Rui, Deni, and Kispert. Can't play all of them, and I'd rather they move him and/or Bertans.

I’m all for developing Rui, Deni and Kispert. That’s important. But it’s obvious that this team is built around Beal--and his new running mate Dinwiddie--both of whom are 28 years old.

It will probably be 2-3 years before Deni and Kispert are ready to contribute at a high level, and I don’t think the Zards (or Beal) are interested in waiting around for that to happen. They want to at least try to win sooner rather than later.

Kuzma is 26 years old and just approaching his prime. So it’s not like it’s a 30 plus year old stealing minutes from the youngins’. If Kuzma is playing well and the Zards are improving and winning, it doesn't make sense to trade him, imo, especially if they hope to resign Beal.

Rui, Deni and Kispert will get minutes, albeit maybe limited minutes in the cases of Deni and Kispert. They’ll just have to prove that they deserve those minutes and more by playing well when they get the opportunity.
The smartest thing that Tommy Shepherd has done is Not One player age 30 or older. Neto is the only 29-year old.


I will disagree with you on Kuzma. If he scores a lot of points but his efficiency isn't exceptionally high he is really an empty stats player. Trade that player. Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison were good but not elite players. If Kuzma is at best in this category and Bertans is clearly below but an elite shooter, that is when you look to trade him for a better piece.

You never know what's going to happen with Paul George. Karl Anthony towns is probably out of the question but you never know, cuz you might be able to package Kuzma and Davis. Keep Kyle Kuzma if fans, coach, and team thrive...but look to upgrade if salary and contracts dictate BECAUSE YOU HAVE RUI who is similar. Deni. Kispert. Todd. They need to watch a player like Kuzma who is ready to take it to the next level and then they do the same.

It doesn't look that way right now but that kid Isaiah Todd might be a stud in about 3 or 4 years.


Or look for a package to move Rui and ? for a legit upgrade somewhere since Rui is the player who seems to have the biggest differential between his perceived value and his numbers (other than Avdija). Harrell is the opposite; his numbers suggest he's Christian Wood plus but his perceived value seems to be bad contract. Unless you really believe in Rui as a great defensive forward.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1389 » by doclinkin » Fri Aug 27, 2021 11:55 pm

payitforward wrote:
Dat2U wrote:
DCZards wrote:Rankings ain’t standings.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I don't think that's fair, dat. In fact, the one thing that seems clear is that things have not "stayed the same."


Until we win a few series in the postseason, then Dat's point stands. Whether we blame or credit Tommy, we can say his grade is incomplete until we are actually contending at the top of the leaderboard. Are things headed in the right direction? Could be. But we did squander an opportunity to "Suck to get Lucky" in a year with more than one potential franchise players at the top of the lotto.

So. Yeah. We might be better, but the team has been a long time on the treadmill of mediocrity. Unless you think otherwise. If we catch lightning in a bottle with this crew and all the moves work out as we can only hope, do you still see this team winning the Eastern Conference championship? If so I'd like to see the case for it. Shoot:
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1390 » by Dat2U » Sat Aug 28, 2021 1:18 am

doclinkin wrote:
payitforward wrote:
Dat2U wrote:The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I don't think that's fair, dat. In fact, the one thing that seems clear is that things have not "stayed the same."


Until we win a few series in the postseason, then Dat's point stands. Whether we blame or credit Tommy, we can say his grade is incomplete until we are actually contending at the top of the leaderboard. Are things headed in the right direction? Could be. But we did squander an opportunity to "Suck to get Lucky" in a year with more than one potential franchise players at the top of the lotto.

So. Yeah. We might be better, but the team has been a long time on the treadmill of mediocrity. Unless you think otherwise. If we catch lightning in a bottle with this crew and all the moves work out as we can only hope, do you still see this team winning the Eastern Conference championship? If so I'd like to see the case for it. Shoot:


If this team wins a playoff series. It will feel like a successful season. No one will complain. That's a been a beautiful sweet spot for the DC franchise for a long time. Modest optimism.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1391 » by DCZards » Sat Aug 28, 2021 1:23 am

doclinkin wrote:
payitforward wrote:
Dat2U wrote:The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I don't think that's fair, dat. In fact, the one thing that seems clear is that things have not "stayed the same."


Until we win a few series in the postseason, then Dat's point stands. Whether we blame or credit Tommy, we can say his grade is incomplete until we are actually contending at the top of the leaderboard. Are things headed in the right direction? Could be. But we did squander an opportunity to "Suck to get Lucky" in a year with more than one potential franchise players at the top of the lotto.

So. Yeah. We might be better, but the team has been a long time on the treadmill of mediocrity. Unless you think otherwise. If we catch lightning in a bottle with this crew and all the moves work out as we can only hope, do you still see this team winning the Eastern Conference championship? If so I'd like to see the case for it. Shoot:

Winning an EC championship and the NBA championship are indeed the ultimate goals. But I’m not going to judge Shep strictly on how quickly we get there because there are other short-term goals along the way. Like a 50 win season and advancing to the second round or finals of the EC playoffs.

I’m not expecting the Zards to go from 0 to 100 in a season.

But, then again, you can’t rule anything out. How many people here thought the Heat, which finished 39-43 and 10th in the EC in the 2018-19 season, would end up in the 2020 NBA finals. Or that the Suns, which finished 34-39 and 10th in the WC in the 2019-20 season, would end up in the 2021 NBA finals.

The Zards (at least on paper) are a significantly improved team--both talent and depth-wise--from last season. I'm going to be happy about that at this point.

(BTW, NBA.com projected that the Suns would win 41 games last season.They ended up winning 51 games. So much for "projections.")
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1392 » by payitforward » Sat Aug 28, 2021 3:14 am

DCZards wrote:
doclinkin wrote:Whether we blame or credit Tommy, we can say his grade is incomplete until we are actually contending at the top of the leaderboard.... We might be better, but the team has been a long time on the treadmill of mediocrity. ...

...I’m not going to judge Shep strictly on how quickly we get there ....

The Zards (at least on paper) are a significantly improved team--both talent and depth-wise--from last season. I'm going to be happy about that at this point....

How long it takes you to get someplace has a lot to do with where you start out. Tommy started out in the desert.

At the close of the 2018-19 season, we were an absolutely horrible team. On top of that we had really nothing to work with to change that. We had fewer picks than average in the coming drafts, we had essentially no players with any trade value outside of Brad, Bryant & Brown, & we were burdened with what was commonly referred to "the worst contract in the NBA."

Two years later the situation is radically different.

Doesn't mean Tommy's work has been uniformly outstanding. Not at all. If we'd managed the 2019 draft better, traded Bertans for a 2020 R1 pick, & then managed the 2020 draft better (Deni was a reasonable risk, but add in that extra R1 pick & trade up to get Tillman, and... now you're talking!) -- just those 2 drafts done well would have put us up a tier in the East.

All the same, we are starting to move towards being a real NBA team again. Tommy Sheppard did that. As I wrote:
payitforward wrote:...the one thing that seems clear is that things have not "stayed the same."
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1393 » by doclinkin » Sat Aug 28, 2021 5:44 pm

DCZards wrote:
doclinkin wrote:
payitforward wrote:I don't think that's fair, dat. In fact, the one thing that seems clear is that things have not "stayed the same."


Until we win a few series in the postseason, then Dat's point stands. Whether we blame or credit Tommy, we can say his grade is incomplete until we are actually contending at the top of the leaderboard. Are things headed in the right direction? Could be. But we did squander an opportunity to "Suck to get Lucky" in a year with more than one potential franchise players at the top of the lotto.

So. Yeah. We might be better, but the team has been a long time on the treadmill of mediocrity. Unless you think otherwise. If we catch lightning in a bottle with this crew and all the moves work out as we can only hope, do you still see this team winning the Eastern Conference championship? If so I'd like to see the case for it. Shoot:

Winning an EC championship and the NBA championship are indeed the ultimate goals. But I’m not going to judge Shep strictly on how quickly we get there because there are other short-term goals along the way. Like a 50 win season and advancing to the second round or finals of the EC playoffs.

I’m not expecting the Zards to go from 0 to 100 in a season.

But, then again, you can’t rule anything out. How many people here thought the Heat, which finished 39-43 and 10th in the EC in the 2018-19 season, would end up in the 2020 NBA finals. Or that the Suns, which finished 34-39 and 10th in the WC in the 2019-20 season, would end up in the 2021 NBA finals.

The Zards (at least on paper) are a significantly improved team--both talent and depth-wise--from last season. I'm going to be happy about that at this point.

(BTW, NBA.com projected that the Suns would win 41 games last season.They ended up winning 51 games. So much for "projections.")



Sure, could happen. I honestly could write the case for how it could happen. Not that I'd believe it, yet, but I could dream it. Envision it. It's not impossible.

The question is as an organizational goal, is it enough for the Wizards to be a pretty good team of real good guys or is there a restless pursuit of I dunno, championship then dynasty. I'm less discrediting Tommy's skills, and more squinting at Ted's mission statements. Tommy has clearly proven 'restless', and his real good guy nature has helped get things done that I wouldn't think possible til they happened. Ted, though, I have my doubts if he helps or hinders the cause. I read his job postings (for scouts) and they are full of self-congratulating fluff that seems to be more important to the Monumental nonsense than the ability to do the job. Like there are 2 pages of organizational mission statements and happy talk before you get to the job description and qualifications.

I was always half joking that Ted's do-goodery tends to muddy the mission, but reading his recruiting statements, no, he has read his own book and believes every word. The team's primary mission is to appear to be good people, then: anything else. And it comes out in his public persona. He didn't need to even hint at any negative word about Westbrook, who saved his tail from embarrassment and injected energy into the franchise when many local fans were alienated about his treatment of John Wall. Ted likes to make everything about Ted, and he tries to paint even his dog droppings as gold trophies. As a fan frankly I don't want to know the owner of my team. Most owners you hear about, in any sport, are interfering meddling busybodies.

Do I think Ted's bloviating is an insurmountable handicap? No. Giannis is one of the league's real good guys as well as being a transcendent talent. But I do think it drives certain actions and takes some tools out of the hands of a guy like Tommy. Like: if it were a matter of of "Get closer to a championship, or trade our homegrown star" Pat Riley would trade the star. Not that I am advocating it in this case, but it is a way to frame priorities: Tommy, I don't think he would trade the star, and even if he wanted to I expect Ted would veto.

Until we do win, and sustain winning, and advance and progress, I think it is a fair statement to say things have "stayed the same" in terms of the organization's arc towards a championship. We are committed to Being Good, double bottom good, first and above everything else. It gives us 2 finish lines. And as long as we cross the first finish line, then Ted can declare everything else a win.

And, man, I dunno, I am conflicted. Even as a fan I'm not ruthless. I like cheering for good guys. I mean-- I also like complex individuals like Wall and Arenas, who have good hearts and make questionable choices. You know, that represents the best of us. We clearly make questionable choices. We are Wizards fans. This means in order to cheer for the team and maintain hope we extend a certain grace and optimism and give our good hearts to an organization that consistently proves itself sub par. But we stick with it. Hoping loyalty is rewarded the way it was in Golden State (the Bay area Bullets, basically). We stay loyal.

We don't chase LeBron from team to team to be associated with glory and the greatest player of this generation. Because there is something dishonorable about that. Cheating to win by being born great and breaking the structure of the league so players can make superteams wherever they feel like it, so teams that already have more championships than the rest of the league combined can entertain movie stars and successful people. For what. They don't need it. They don't deserve more joy than everyone else.

Props to inner city blue collar mid west Milwaukee. Every now and again a Toronto can win for a year. Detroit. Those One-year sparks of success that make it worth it. Okay Maybe the Wizards get lucky. Maybe we can be Dallas with a meddling owner who won at least one year. Maybe we build a solid foundation and grow around our home grown talent and find chemistry and have ourselves a great year and make a few memories. I like this group, I can see possibilities and line-ups and cause for excitement. The DMV with its incredible depth of basketball talent and good people with complicated lives deserves a winner who represents us. I'll cheer for this group of interesting individuals, like I will cheer for the ones after that. I will cheer for Tommy and Wes who are bright guys who did the work without self promotion or complaint for decades. But my cautious heart has got to be skeptical, until we do put together a surge of wins and I lose my freaking mind again. Gilbert shooting that dagger in Chicago. Us swapping Kwame for Caron. Winning John Wall in the lottery. I am willing to lose my mind over and over. But I am self aware enough to know it's a ridiculous pursuit, not hopeless, but improbable in the short term. Good is the enemy of great, but Sucks is "teh suck". So hey, I'll take good. I just don't have to smile and thank Ted for it. He's lost my good will. That's all.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1394 » by verbal8 » Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:37 pm

doclinkin wrote:Props to inner city blue collar mid west Milwaukee. Every now and again a Toronto can win for a year. Detroit. Those One-year sparks of success that make it worth it. Okay Maybe the Wizards get lucky. Maybe we can be Dallas with a meddling owner who won at least one year.


Since 2000 the type of team that wins the championship tends to depend on the conference. The NBA Champs from the Western Conference have been "dynasty team" with the exception of the Mavs. While in the Eastern Conference having LeBron was a "Conference Dynasty" they NBA champs have been a mix of teams.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1395 » by nate33 » Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:44 pm

Nate Duncan and Danny Leroux gave the Wizards' offseason an A-.

Basically, they loved the Westbrook trade, the Dinwiddie acquisition, and Neto resigning, but didn't care all that much for drafting Kispert.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1396 » by payitforward » Sat Aug 28, 2021 9:08 pm

That sounds about right. But, to me at least, "drafting Kispert" doesn't describe the problem rightly.

It's that for now the 3d year in a row, Tommy has managed the draft in an unimaginative & (to my way of thinking) excessively conservative way. YMMV, but for me it's one of the 2 big worries in his record so far (the other one being that he failed to take a R1 pick for Bertans & then re-signed him for way more than he's worth).

edit: it's worth mentioning that, other than the above, he's been absolutely brilliant. Just tremendous.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1397 » by gambitx777 » Sun Aug 29, 2021 11:24 am

So let's say we do trade bertans for something and a TPE to NO like some of us suggested , how does that change the ratting of the off-season.

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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1398 » by nate33 » Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:08 pm

gambitx777 wrote:So let's say we do trade bertans for something and a TPE to NO like some of us suggested , how does that change the ratting of the off-season.

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I don't think it does. That would basically be a neutral move. It hurts our team slightly in the short term, but gives us more flexibility in the long term. You can't really grade the transaction until you know what they will do with that flexibility. So it's an incomplete.
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1399 » by nate33 » Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:12 pm

payitforward wrote:That sounds about right. But, to me at least, "drafting Kispert" doesn't describe the problem rightly.

It's that for now the 3d year in a row, Tommy has managed the draft in an unimaginative & (to my way of thinking) excessively conservative way. YMMV, but for me it's one of the 2 big worries in his record so far (the other one being that he failed to take a R1 pick for Bertans & then re-signed him for way more than he's worth).

I dunno about that characterization.

I do agree that Kispert was unimaginative and excessively conservative, and perhaps Hachimura was too. But I'd argue that Avdija was actually a pretty aggressive, high-upside pick. He went with the young guy with innate instincts, even though he lacked the polish to be all that helpful immediately, and didn't play a position of need. Indeed, I was hoping Sheppard would go with the lower upside, shorter, older prospect who fit a need (Haliburton).

I'm not saying Avdija was a good pick. I'm just saying that he doesn't really fit your description that Sheppard is consistently unimaginative and conservative.
badinage
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Re: 2021 Offseason & Offseason Grades 

Post#1400 » by badinage » Sun Aug 29, 2021 7:19 pm

Yes, good point.

It also may turn out that these three drafts yield three good players. Years ago, a GM said that if you have three straight good drafts you can become a good team. It’s hard to do.

Good drafts; not great. Great x 3 would be tremendous — that’s an even harder thing to pull off. But just good. Not that they were the best pick for that slot — but again: good; a player who is good, and/or whom other teams would be glad to have. And for three consecutive years. I think it’s entirely possible that Tommy Shepp has done that.

Think about it: when was the last time in the history of this franchise that we drafted well three years in a row? Have we ever? Masai did it not long ago with Toronto — Anunoby in 2017, Siakam and Poetl in 2016, Delon Wright in 2015.

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