Washington Wizards 2012-2013 Season Thread - Thanks for a great year!

[joe cool23]

I know I haven't posted in here in a while, but I received an interesting email from the NBA.

It was a very detailed, in depth survey on how I felt about our broadcast team & production.

I guess the NBA/Ted is up to something...

 

[pmatic]

David Stern discussed the presence of "homer" television broadcasters with the league's Board of Governors, so yeah.

 

[jking0821]

When you watch a wiz game though on MASN or CSN you expect home town announcers. I actually like Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier. But were they talking about national games? Like TNT and ESPN coverage having homer announcers?

Anyway i am hoping we get a decent pick maybe we some how get up to 5 in the lottery or something. I still don't see us landing Otto no matter what.

But would you guys be cool with some one like Shabazz or Olidipo? I love Trey Burke and there is a chance he may be there around 5...but we would never draft him. I just don't want Zeller or Len. I think id want Otto or Bennett but i think they are both gone by the time we get our pick.

 

[jjs07]

 

[victor page]

No value @ 8 right now.

Trade the pick.

 

[hypebeast5]

^ What if we win the lottery tho?

Hopefully we move up after the lottery is over at 8 we really don't have any appealing options

This draft was weak and with some of the top prospects sitting out it seems even worse

 

[Methodical Management]

When you watch a wiz game though on MASN or CSN you expect home town announcers. I actually like Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier. But were they talking about national games? Like TNT and ESPN coverage having homer announcers?

I like Buck and Phil, too.  I certainly prefer them to ESPN's awful national TV crews.  Are they "impartial"?  I guess, unless it comes to star players.  Are they interesting?  No.  They're just annoying.  

At least Buck and Phil are more relaxed.  "DAGGER" throws aside, they're not going overboard trying to hustle you on how AMAZING the game is. 

I don't get the big outcry over hometown announcers.  Just include BOTH home and away broadcasts in NBA League pass and pick your crew.  I'll take somebody with character, like Charles Barkley or Tommy Heinsohn, (the most unabashedly biased "hometown" announcer of them all) over the likes of John Barry and Kevin Harlan any day.  

No value @ 8 right now.

Trade the pick.

What trades do you think might be out there?  Your likely buyer is either looking for a cheap big or interested in stockpiling lottery picks to make a more ambitious move, like Houston did last year.  

As much as I hate to admit it, I think the odds favor Ernie selecting some stiff like Zeller or Len.  Okafor's coming in to his last year.  He's our best trade asset.  They'll look for somebody low cost to do the job if/when he leaves.  

Personally, I'd rather pick up a reliable veteran reserve center in free agency or via trade than gamble on a low ceiling center prospect in the draft.  

Oladipo's also a possibility, though he's sure to make Wizards fans nervous.  If you read his scouting report, it sounds suspiciously similar to that of a certain foul-prone forward we drafted recently...  

 

[Methodical Management]

I have to say, I'm proud of the way the Wizards have reacted thus far to Jason Collins' SI article:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/29/4282866/jason-collins-gay-washington-wizards-reaction

Rarely do we use the word "progress" to describe this team, but they've certainly shown it here - and for reasons far more important than their win/loss record.  

Hopefully we'll see a similarly supportive statement from John Wall soon.

 

[KMante]

I have to say, I'm proud of the way the Wizards have reacted thus far to Jason Collins' SI article:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/29/4282866/jason-collins-gay-washington-wizards-reaction

Rarely do we use the word "progress" to describe this team, but they've certainly shown it here - and for reasons far more important than their win/loss record.  

Hopefully we'll see a similarly supportive statement from John Wall soon.

I'm really glad Jason Collins came out as openly gay today. It takes a lot of courage to do what he did. It's still sad that it's big new when an athlete comes out, because it shouldn't be. Nonetheless, great for Jason and hopefully there will be more support for him!

Also, John Wall has showed his support for his teammate!

 

[victor page]

I like Buck and Phil, too.  I certainly prefer them to ESPN's awful national TV crews.  Are they "impartial"?  I guess, unless it comes to star players.  Are they interesting?  No.  They're just annoying.  

At least Buck and Phil are more relaxed.  "DAGGER" throws aside, they're not going overboard trying to hustle you on how AMAZING the game is. 

I don't get the big outcry over hometown announcers.  Just include BOTH home and away broadcasts in NBA League pass and pick your crew.  I'll take somebody with character, like Charles Barkley or Tommy Heinsohn, (the most unabashedly biased "hometown" announcer of them all) over the likes of John Barry and Kevin Harlan any day.  

What trades do you think might be out there?  Your likely buyer is either looking for a cheap big or interested in stockpiling lottery picks to make a more ambitious move, like Houston did last year.  

As much as I hate to admit it, I think the odds favor Ernie selecting some stiff like Zeller or Len.  Okafor's coming in to his last year.  He's our best trade asset.  They'll look for somebody low cost to do the job if/when he leaves.  

Personally, I'd rather pick up a reliable veteran reserve center in free agency or via trade than gamble on a low ceiling center prospect in the draft.  

Oladipo's also a possibility, though he's sure to make Wizards fans nervous.  If you read his scouting report, it sounds suspiciously similar to that of a certain foul-prone forward we drafted recently...  

Ehh...if you're referring to Jan...Oladipo was better in the 11th grade than Jan is now.

I'm against drafting multiple positions in back to back drafts but Vic wouldn't be the WORST they could do. Vic is hands down an NBA player but I don't see the point in the drafting a backup for the guy you drafted a year before.

 

[hypebeast5]

I have to say, I'm proud of the way the Wizards have reacted thus far to Jason Collins' SI article:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/4/29/4282866/jason-collins-gay-washington-wizards-reaction

Rarely do we use the word "progress" to describe this team, but they've certainly shown it here - and for reasons far more important than their win/loss record.  

Hopefully we'll see a similarly supportive statement from John Wall soon.

I'm really glad Jason Collins came out as openly gay today. It takes a lot of courage to do what he did. It's still sad that it's big new when an athlete comes out, because it shouldn't be. Nonetheless, great for Jason and hopefully there will be more support for him!

Also, John Wall has showed his support for his teammate!

Westboro church is protesting as expected, those at the church are lames

 

[Methodical Management]

Also, John Wall has showed his support for his teammate! 

Good stuff.  Nice to see John won't shrink away from the moment - even off the court. 

And, incidentally, here are the headlines being made by the guy we traded for Collins:

http://greenstreet.weei.com/sports/.../30/jordan-crawfords-strange-choice-of-socks/

Perhaps we got the better of that deal after all.

Ehh...if you're referring to Jan...Oladipo was better in the 11th grade  utero than Jan is now.

Fixed.

 

[jjs07]

Good stuff.  Nice to see John won't shrink away from the moment - even off the court. 


And, incidentally, here are the headlines being made by the guy we traded for Collins:

http://greenstreet.weei.com/sports/.../30/jordan-crawfords-strange-choice-of-socks/

Perhaps we got the better of that deal after all.

Fixed.

Collins/Barbosa for Crawford is addition by subtraction.

I questioned the trade at first, but after reading the article of how Crawford was stunting Beal's development by undermining him off the court, it was a no-brainer trade. He was toxic. Judging from the pic, he has a lot of growing up to do.

 

[mrtarheel]

Well the Bulls can get to the second round of the playoffs with a ton of injuries... Wizards???

 

[jjs07]

Well the Bulls can get to the second round of the playoffs with a ton of injuries... Wizards???

They have a better roster and coaching.

 

[victor page]

Well the Bulls can get to the second round of the playoffs with a ton of injuries... Wizards???

You being serious? Or nah.

The Bulls are way better than the Wizards even without Rose.

 

[mrtarheel]

You being serious? Or nah.

The Bulls are way better than the Wizards even without Rose.

I was just pointing out how Ernie & Ted use the injury excuse all day long... Maybe they should build the team like the Bulls

 

[pmatic]

In a few ways, they are given the stingy team defense and star point guard. The team's depth (since 2009, the only draft picks that have looked good are Wall and Beal :x) needs revamping and shooting has to be addressed.

 

[hypebeast5]

We really need a defensive minded coach that can elevate our team defense to another level, cause like the bulls show you can win alot of games showing up on D

only thing we are missing is a real defensive anchor, Okafor is impacting the game but not on that level

 

[pmatic]

The Wizards gave up 100.2 points per 100 possessions (ranked seventh) and using effective field goal percentage, had opponents shooting 48%(seventh)*. Team defense can always get better, but the defense was more than fine for the season.

The real improvement needed is on the offensive end.

*Using Hoopdata's stat database.

 

[Platinum State]

Does anyone feel Stan Van Gundy should be given a chance to coach the Wiz?

 

[victor page]

Coaching isn't the problem.

A piss poor roster is the problem.

 

[Methodical Management]

We really need a defensive minded coach that can elevate our team defense to another level, cause like the bulls show you can win alot of games showing up on D

People forget, we literally hired Tom Thibodeau in 2007 as an assistant.  He bailed on us to take the Celtics job.  I'd say that worked out pretty well for him.  The Wizards?  Not so much.  

Wittman isn't the answer; he's just cheap.  I'd much rather bring in Nate McMillan or Mike Budenholzer for this team.  Instead, we'll stand pat for one year while all the top talent is taken off the board.  It's embarrassing. 

Coaching isn't the problem.

A piss poor roster is the problem.

It's both.  Our half court offense is AWFUL.  Our rotations are AWFUL.  Game management has been AWFUL.  The team doesn't bring the same intensity every night, and plays to the level of the competition as a result.

Watch those Detroit games and tell me that's just a "roster problem."  We had the better lineup and we lost.  Badly.  We made Calderon and Monroe look like Magic and Kareem.  

Don't forget, this is the same staff that embarrassed us under Flip Saunders.  I don't think Flip was "holding them back."  As a group, they didn't get it done and, to be honest, they've NEVER gotten it done.  We're living with a bunch of Flip's Minnesota nepotism hires.  Randy Wittman?  Sam Cassell?  RYAN SAUNDERS?  

This entire front office needs to go.  Ernie, Randy, the works.  They only thing they've brought us with any consistency is failure.  

Rarely will you have this large of a talent pool to select from.  

There's a reason why nobody's mentioning Washington as a possible front-office destination for Phil Jackson.   Ted was our hope for shedding the "low end franchise" moniker.  Clearly, that hasn't happened.  This is as cheap a franchise today as it was under Abe.

How are they building a "winning culture?"  Flushing out the knuckleheads?  Why hasn't that extended to management, then?  Ernie's been around longer than Andray Blatche.  Randy has been around longer than Jordan Crawford.  (And, don't forget, Ernie brought them all in to begin with.)  Instead of bringing in first class people and making that the foundation of the franchise, Ted's been content to accept and perpetuate the status quo.  He inherited a losing organization and all he's done is change the uniforms. 

It's more than a coaching problem or a roster problem.  It's a management problem.  That's our constant.  

The players have changed.  The coaches have changed.  The outcome hasn't changed.  I can't look at the last thirty years of this franchise's history and say, "well, why don't we try changing the players again?"  

 

[victor page]

That all may be true but I'm going off of what the team has been saying about coaching.

Wall, Webster, Beal, and more all spoke volumes about Wittman's impact on them last season and I can't remember the last time the team went to bat for their coach like that. He got them to buy into something apparently so I'm guessing he can't be all that bad.

 

[Methodical Management]

Maybe you've read different statements than I have, but it's rare to see players be anything but supportive of coaches when asked.  At worst, a player is ambiguous or noncomittal. 

Kyrie Irving called Byron Scott his "basketball father" a couple of weeks before he was canned.  Chris Paul expressed support for Vinny Del Negro recently, too.  You'd have to believe that he was a little less glowing during his exit interview.

I agree that the team's commitment to defense has improved this season, and if that's true then Randy served his purpose.  I don't think anyone believes that he's the guy to guide this team to contention.  If they are to take that next step, they'll need a better coach at the helm.  

Wittman's best suited to an assistant's role.  He's at his best during practice and perhaps film sessions.  We need coaches like that, sure, but we desperately need someone who's at his best during ACTUAL GAMES.  

I'm done with this "we're almost back in this game... now let's sub in AJ Price for no discernible reason" nonsense.