Empty the Bench: Gilbert needs to go

Can't say I agree, but I'll let you take a look at it for yourselves.

7 months ago JakeTheSnake Comment 8 comments 0 recs |

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As far as I'm concerned...

It wouldn’t be NEARLY as much fun to be Wizards fan if Gilbert left. Yeah, I want the team to be as good as possible and there is some evidence that we MIGHT be better without him. But I don’t think Gilbert leaving will make the Wizards that much better (if it makes them better at all) that it would be worth losing Gilbert’s entertainment value.

Washington Wizards Playoffs 2008: "We're Bushing it."

by Gilbert4SpaceJam2 on Apr 23, 2008 5:54 PM EDT 0 recs

Another Half-Baked Analysis

Yet another attempt to diminish Gilbert’s value with little more than casual observation. The only statistics he cites are Gilbert’s raw shooting percentage and field goal attempts. Would someone like to mention to Mr. Thell that Gilbert shoots a lot of three pointers and goes to the free throw line a lot more than most players? When you compare Gilbert’s true shooting percentage (which takes into account those things) from last season, he shot 56.5%. As pointed out before, that was better than both Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James. So I guess the Nuggets should part ways with Melo and the Cavs with LeBron, since like Gilbert they shoot such a poor percentage.

Of course, it’s easy now to pick on Gilbert, since his team is losing 2 games to none and he had a poor performance in Game 2. Of course, the Wizards other two All-Stars weren’t exactly on fire that game either. In Game 1 I actually wished Gilbert would have shot more late in the 4th quarter, since Antawn clearly wasn’t up to the challenge. I think the fact that Gilbert has always played alongside other All-Stars or league-leading players proves that he is not the ball hog everybody makes him out to be.

Bottom line – I’m not willing to write either Gilbert or this team off yet. There is still at least two games left in this series. I will reserve my judgement until the Wizards’ season is actually over.

"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 Apr 24, 2008 8:20 AM EDT 0 recs

nice post cuppetcj

I don’t get the whole gilbert doesn’t improve the team. I’m not a stats guy but how is he unselfish when he’s dropping 8 dimes a game? How does he make the team worse when we led the east last year before he, tawn, and caron started suffering injuries? If you argue to me that Caron is more valuable, I might agree. If you argue to me that Antawn is nearly as valuable, I might agree. But to argue to me that this team is better off if we ship arenas and bring in a “true” point I’m just not seeing it. What happens to our three point shooting, our fast breaks, our free throws, and on and on. To argue that we’re better off bringing in somebody like elton brand (ala bill simmons) is equally ridiculous. It leaves us without a true point other than the aging AD and just gives us another player coming off serious injury who will eat up even more cap space than gil.

by five by five on Apr 24, 2008 10:45 AM EDT up 0 recs

i'm not a 100% gilbert backer

but it’s not the right time to write that article.

by DarrellWalkerFan on Apr 24, 2008 9:17 AM EDT 0 recs

i'm conflicted

I like Gilbert and he is good for our team, but we’re not that much worse without him. If we did let him go I would be a little concerned about crunch time. With him on the court I’m as confident as ever about this team when the time is winding down. Not that Caron and Antawn blow in crunch time, but sometimes they don’t always have their head in the game completely. But I do get sick of the center of attention crap, and I think we’ve seen in every sport that the athletes who are that way eventually cause problems for their team and franchise. I don’t know, I’ve thought about this every way and I can’t decide what we should do. But I’m leaning toward wanting him to stay, and I don’t even really know why.

by DC Pain on Apr 24, 2008 10:13 AM EDT 0 recs

Ernie G

I’m also conflicted…I used to love Gilbert but this year Butler really came through (when healthy). although he’s been off during these playoffs, I can’t HELP but feel that Butler and Jamison’s personalities are the kind you build a team around – hard nosed, professional athletes who compete every night and always seem to say the RIGHT things (not the things designed to rile anyone up).
Gilbert puns fans in the seats, but if you could get another star for him, WHY NOT? It’s at least something to consider.
All I know is that I trust Grunfield, and I’m glad I don’t have to make this decision! I have faith that whatever offseason moves he makes will be the right ones.

by DynaMix on Apr 24, 2008 11:11 AM EDT 0 recs

Gil's opt out

I suspect that Gil will decide not to opt out this year after all. People have forgotten all of the good things about his game and he will be better served by playing a full year healthy (hopefully) and then going to free agency.

by hotplate on Apr 25, 2008 11:23 AM EDT 0 recs

I'm surprised there's not more chatter about this...

The switch definitely flipped “on” for both Caron and Stevenson the moment Gilbert went into the locker room in game 3. Sorry if this isn’t statistical analysis, but I’m pretty sure having 5 aggressive guys on the court is better than having 4 passive and one ultra-aggressive guy with a bum left knee. I’ve been a pro-Gilbert guy all year, but since his latest comeback I’ve moved more toward the fence. After game three, I was (and still am) praying that he wouldn’t play in game 4. I should qualify this, however, because my wish to see Gilbert sit is due to his health, not his playing style. There’s no doubt in my mind that a Dec 06/Jan 07 version of Arenas would help this team. Unfortunately, a 75% Arenas going out there and messing up defensive rotations and offensive flow will only hurt our chances of beating Cleveland.

Looking forward, I agree with hotplate that Gilbert not opting out and playing a healthy year before heading to free agency is a good idea. That way, he could answer all the questions swirling around him. The team also deserves it, seeming how they have stuck up for Gilbert in the face of mounting evidence that they’re better (or at least as good) without him. But I think his mind is made up on opting out. On the capitalistic hand, you can’t fault him; a man is entitled to make as much money as he can, especially if his body is breaking down prematurely (which very well may be the case).

On the other side of the arguement, I think game 3 really hurt Gilbert’s potential for a max deal. How many players out there with max deals can you take off their team, and the team plays better? Sure, we only won 43 games without him this year, but the most we’ve ever won with him is 45. Sure, it’s just one half of one game, but it was game 3 of the playoffs. Sure, Gilbert helped some as we built a 16-point halftime lead, but he was hardly the engine pulling the train. Plus, the Cavs have more 4th quarter comebacks than any other team in the league, so the game was nowhere near over at halftime. But Lebron and co could not crack our Gilbert-less squad; the defense was too solid, the ball moved too well on offense, and the Cavs really stunk.

All this (except for the Cavs stinking…that was just enjoyable) makes it hard for me to see how Ernie can justify paying Gilbert the big bucks. Some other team may justify it and put in a max offer, but we’re continually proving we can win without him. I’d rather spend the money on Jamison and do a sign-and-trade with Arenas.

by jvflail on Apr 25, 2008 2:03 PM EDT 0 recs