IS IT TIME FOR A TANK JOB???

by KDP on Nov 6, 2008 10:46 AM EST Comment 21 comments

I think it's time for the Bullets to go ahead and start making vacation plans. Tank the season, get a high ranking draft choice, and try to compete for a championship in 2 years. We'll never win with Antawn Jamison having to play defense, Blatche looks like he's never going to turn the corner under Eddie.

The question is, are the top 4 projected picks in the draft IMPACT players?

I am so frustrated with this franchise right now it's unbelievable. I watch Cleveland and Detroit, Boston... we aren't competing with them even with a healthy Gilbert. Hell, we aren't competing with Atlanta (hurls in his own mouth).

This is going to be a long season... for betting purposes I am on the LA Lakers bandwagon for the season. Wake me up when it's training camp.

And yes, this is as kneejerk as it gets.

This represents the view of the user who wrote the FanPost, and not the entire Bullets Forever community. We're a place of many opinions, not just one.

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Not yet it isn't

I might have agreed with you at 10:30 last night.

Gotta remember, we lost 5 straight to start the season last year. So no, I’m not ready to write the team off quite yet.

That said, I’m not far away from it. The lack of Brendan HURTS. The extra year of wear and tear on Antonio HURTS. The whatever-the-hell-is-wrong-with-Stevenson HURTS.

At some point, though we don’t need to tank it, per se, we may need to start viewing this as a rebuilding year of sorts. Give JaVale a lot of burn, let him develop… who knows what that dude’s ceiling is. Give Young the starting job and see what he can develop into. Let McGuire and Opec either play themselves into or out of the league. (Notice I ain’t saying anything about Blatche. He’s either going to get motivated or not, and if Eddie has to leave him in the doghouse, I say it’s his own damn fault.)

The big question mark surrounds Gilbert. When does he come back, and will he be anything near his old self this season? Because if he’s back and 90% in early December, this team could still squeak into the playoffs with a late run. Caron and Antawn are going to win some games for us, they’re still working themselves back into game-shape. But if Gil is coming back late and rusty, then this becomes a project-year where we give the young guys a chance and, yes, hope to pick up someone solid in the draft. Injuries led to San Antonio getting Tim Duncan, there are worse models to work off of.

Bottom line is that I think this year without Gilbert is far worse than last year without him. AD is declining — god bless the dude, but you can’t play that rough for as long as he has without suffering the effects. More importantly, we just don’t have an answer at the 5. Blatche is playing without heart, Etan is incredibly rusty, and JaVale is raw. As much as I want to see him get quality minutes, we have to remember that one week ago we were largely hoping he would get sent off to the D-League for more seasoning. Without a decent center taking up space, Antawn isn’t going to put up crazy rebounding numbers and our defense simply cannot be average. And without Gil, we don’t have the scoring options to simply outshoot the other team.

So tank job? No, not yet. But it’s going to be a frustrating season, and we may need to readjust our thinking from finally reaching the second round to seeing how our young guys can mature. Nick Young’s jumpers and JaVale’s couple highlight-reel dunks were the only things that got me out of my seat last night.

by sierradave on Nov 6, 2008 1:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Nope.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Nov 6, 2008 1:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It's been three games

Understand the sentiment, but we have 79 games left.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 6, 2008 2:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't truly condone tanking

but my reasons for optimism with this team are running out.

Eddie is a problem not a solution.
Team doctors are a problem not a solution.
Gilbert needs to sit out a year to be truly healthy
Antawn will never play defense. Ever.
AD has regressed the last three seasons, which direction will he continue in?
Haywood’s stepping up, but is lost for the year.
None of our young guys scream future superstar.

blah.

Does Etan’s contract expire this year? Is he a trade asset?

'he nails an open three from the corner....just like you and me, this one was made by penetration' - Truthaboutit - Round 1 Game 5 Recap

by KDP on Nov 6, 2008 6:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

next year

his contract expires next year, same with AD’s.

I’m not entirely ready to give up yet, but it’s definitely the case that if we end up in the lottery this year, and give our young guys some PT to grow, then next year we’ll have some decent young guys, a decent center, the big 3, and some serious trading assets in the form of expiring contracts.

by sierradave on Nov 7, 2008 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

my only response to this post is

lol

by hibachi on Nov 7, 2008 1:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

still laughing?

this is getting disgusting

'he nails an open three from the corner....just like you and me, this one was made by penetration' - Truthaboutit - Round 1 Game 5 Recap

by KDP on Nov 11, 2008 8:45 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

no this is just exactly my point

We should have been rebuilding already. Locking gil and Antawn up only puts us in this mess for several years to come. We should have let the walk and build the team around Caron…

by hibachi on Nov 11, 2008 4:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i can understand locking Gil up

but i didn’t see the sense behind signing Antawn and dooming your team to have no PF defense for another 3 years.

i misunderstood your LOL- i’ve been MIA from the blog for a while and haven’t caught up with everybody’s POV’s

'he nails an open three from the corner....just like you and me, this one was made by penetration' - Truthaboutit - Round 1 Game 5 Recap

by KDP on Nov 13, 2008 4:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

for the record

I was the one at the beginning of last season that suggested Antawn be benched. However with this roster he is the lesser of all evils.

'he nails an open three from the corner....just like you and me, this one was made by penetration' - Truthaboutit - Round 1 Game 5 Recap

by KDP on Nov 13, 2008 4:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I on the other hand can't see the point of locking Gil up.

Listen, there’s no doubting what he’s done for this franchise. There’s no doubting the excitement he’s brought to this city. However, the roster we currently have isn’t going to get it done. I can’t sit here like everyone else and say, “well, we’ve never been healthy”. Unless ernie impresses me with a trade for expiring contracts (something that is not as easy as it sounds) then I’m going to be upset with both Gil and AJ’s resigning to massive contracts that they can’t exactly play up to.

by hibachi on Nov 13, 2008 11:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather not go down this path again

Since we spent all offseason talking about it, but I don’t really have a huge problem with either contract. They could have rebuilt the team, but Caron’s 28, their key role players are mostly in their mid 20s and we had no expiring deals in 09.

In a perfect world, both contracts would be smaller and shorter, but this isn’t a perfect world.

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Nov 13, 2008 11:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I'm not trying to create controversy when it's clearly pointless at this point

I’m just frustrated with the way things are shaping up. If it weren’t for Javale I’d probably have to go crawl into a dark hole…

by hibachi on Nov 14, 2008 12:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't Tank

I’m with you on the pessimism, but the lottery makes tanking less appealing. Even if the Wizards tank, there is no guarantee that they will get the #1 pick, or even a top 3 pick. I say give it all they’ve got, hope that Gilbert comes back healthy early next month, hope that Brendan comes back healthy after the All-Star break, and hope to make a run to somehow squeak into the playoffs by the skin of everyone’s teeth.

Until then, look for a lot of quality time for our youngens to mature. Look for more JaVale McGee playing above the rim, even if we don’t win. Look for Nick Young to continue to polish his game as he tries to become the next Kobe. Look for Dominic to discover a jump shot. Look for Juan Dixon to play like he’s back at Maryland. Look for Blatche to somehow get back to the progress he was making last year.

Try to look at the bright side, because otherwise it is going to get real depressing.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Nov 11, 2008 9:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

hope that Gilbert comes back healthy early next month, hope that Brendan comes back healthy after the All-Star break, and hope to make a run to somehow squeak into the playoffs by the skin of everyone’s teeth.

Then we can look forward to another one and out in the Playoffs (against Boston, Detroit or, heaven forbid, Cleveland) – And if we muddle through the season, limp into the playoffs, and bow out again in the 1st round – we’ll be looking at another mid 1st round draft pick.

On the other hand, if they tank the season, they may have a chance at a top 3 pick in the draft….

Ricky Rubio – the phenominal Spanish PG, who is going to be a star in the NBA. This kid has had NBA GM’s drooling over him since he was 13. (He’s still only 18 now!!! ). We shoud be so lucky… Imagine him paired with Arenas as SG…! You think the Wizards throw a lot of alley-oops now? Wait until you see this kid… No one would be able to keep our back court duo out of the lane; guys like Haywood and McGee would be getting dunks left and right, and guys like Butler, Stevenson and Young would be getting wide open looks from outside from all the drive-and-dish assists.

Blake Griffin – the 6’10" can’t miss PF from Oklahoma; who at Worst Case is another David Lee. Strong and powerful inside player with fluid moves, and the ability to finish inside. Also an oustanding rebounder. (gee whiz, could the Wizards use a guy like that?)

Hasheem Thabeet – 7’3" Center from UConn. Put McGee at PF and you’d have two guys with incredible size, wingspan, mobility, athleticism , leaping ability and explosiveness. NO ONE would be able to get a shot off inside against the Wiz with that duo patrolling the paint ! Heck, have the other three just patrol the 3-point line and make sure they contest outside shots – who cares if someone tries to drive the lane!

by Rook6980 on Nov 11, 2008 1:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think you guys badly need Blake Griffin more than any other player in the 09 draft

But that’s a personal opinion.

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. It's simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get tangled, you tango on

by pookeyguru on Nov 25, 2008 4:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I second this motion.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Nov 20, 2008 9:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

MY MAN GIL SEES MY SIDE!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3715803

'he nails an open three from the corner....just like you and me, this one was made by penetration' - Truthaboutit - Round 1 Game 5 Recap

by KDP on Nov 20, 2008 6:24 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Uhh....yep...NOPE.

He doesn’t come close to suggesting a tank job.

He’s just trying to find a silver lining to losing.

Tanking suggests that a team is not trying. Why would we want to create that kind of environment?

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net

by Truth About It on Nov 20, 2008 9:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It could also mean

Tanking doesn’t necessarily mean not trying.

Tanking the season could also mean playing the rookies and young players more (McGee, Mcguire, Young, Brown, Pech, etc…) and the old vets much less (Jamison in particular)…..

Not exactly suggesting that the club stop “trying”, but rather create a different focus. Less focus on winning games, and more focus on developing young players.

By the mid-way point in the season, the GM and Coaching staff should be able to tell what these young players can do against veteran NBA Starters. The team should also be well out of the Playoff race by then.

The advantages for the long term are enormous.
It gives the Wizards a Lottery pick (and the chance at a top 3 player in the Draft).
It saves the older players wear and tear this year, so they can give more next year.
It provides a good gauge for Ernie to determine where he may want to enhance the roster through trades.
It gives Gilbert more time to get 100% – and half a year to incorporate his game with the team.

I think this year is lost anyway… But by changing focus, the Wizards could position themselves for a Championship run next year, or the year after.

The other way to do things is to keep trying to play to win every game. Ride the vets hard (Butler, Jamison, Daniels, Stevenson, etc…); with lots of 40 and 45 minute nights. Risk additional injuries to the Veteran players. Hope that they hold up. Hope that when Arenas comes back 100% that he can provide the spark, RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE, to help the Wizards limp into the Playoffs for a 5th consecutive year ; with a tired team – and bow out in the 1st round again. Get a mid First round draft pick; and do it all over again the next year.

I don’t know about you – but I’d rather see the Wizards with a high draft pick. Draft a player like Ricky Rubio or Blake Griffin. With a healthy Arenas, and with Haywood back; two All-star forwards in Jamison and Butler. A rising star in JaVale McGee. And whatever extra pieces Ernie Grunfeld can add by trading expiring contracts…. And that could be a very competitive team.

Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......

by Rook6980 on Nov 20, 2008 10:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs