Hollinger's chat today

Akim (washington DC): Did the Wizards improve at all this offseason? The resigning of core players is nice, but the teams above them (with the exception of maybe Cleveland, but they cant beat Cleveland anyway) have improved. What do the Wiz need to do to improve??
SportsNation John Hollinger: That's why I didn't like the Wizards' moves -- it was like they were perfectly content to go 44-38 for the next five years.
SportsNation John Hollinger: In response to the second question, they still have to improve the D, and they need to get more out of the kids (Blatche, Young, etc.)

Hollinger's chat (In$ider required).

2 months ago Pradamaster Comment 22 comments 0 recs |

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Interestingly

He also fesses up to being a diehard ‘Skins fan in the same chat – he couldn’t be a closet Bullets lover could he?

Getting buckets since 2003.

by Icantfeelmyface on Aug 5, 2008 5:15 PM EDT 0 recs

he also believes that Ricky Davis will be "helpfu"

I think John has gone off the reservation

Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!

by ledellforlife on Aug 5, 2008 5:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

IIRC

He’s a NOVA resident. I know he went to UVA.

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

by Pradamaster on Aug 5, 2008 5:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

John Hollinger

Really hates the Wizards doesnt he.

by lj15 on Aug 5, 2008 8:28 PM EDT 0 recs

That's just Hollinger being Hollinger dog

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

by Truth About It on Aug 6, 2008 4:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

I hate to say it, but I kind of agree with him. I’m not saying the Wiz had much of an alternative to the offseason they had, but they didn’t do anything to get better. That’s a fact. It’s just too much of a gamble to hope that Arenas, Jamison and Butler will stay healthy. Some would argue, although I disagree, that they can’t go to the Finals with the big three healthy anyway. It’s been a long and uneventful summer.

by Unselds on Aug 6, 2008 9:32 AM EDT 0 recs

They're basically adding Arenas to a 43-win team

That strikes me as getting better.

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

by Pradamaster on Aug 6, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up 0 recs

AND

The bench is immesurably better than in 2006-2007.

By moving Daniels back to the bench, it should make the second unit better this year than last.
The addition of backup Center (Etan Thomas) can’t hurt the bench either.

The way I look at it, the Wizards DID add to both their starting unit, and their bench…. and they should improve on last year’s record.

Will it be enough to compete for a Championship? NO. In my opinion, they’re still a year away…

But next year, 2008-2009, if the Wizards can add a key piece or two by trading their expiring contracts, they could be very close.

Pradmaster ran a very nice piece about a week ago called “Eyeing the prize”.... in which he laid out the case for 10 potential trades in 2008-2009… The most intriguing trade was for Atlanta’s Joe Johnson. Someone who I think COULD put the Wizards over the top – would make the starting 5 one of the best in the league, and would simultaneously provide scoring punch to the bench by moving Stevenson to the second unit.

by Rook6980 on Aug 6, 2008 12:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

I will say

That I do see where Hollinger is coming from. From the standpoint of adding players from other teams, the Wizards did stand still, and it has gotten to the point where a trade in 2010 really is the only way to make significant external improvement.

I just think it’s really unfair to suggest that 44-38 for the next five years is our destiny.

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

by Pradamaster on Aug 6, 2008 12:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

And I think

it’s unfair to suggest that 44-38 is the team’s destiny THIS year…

If you look back at the top teams in the league every year – with very few exceptions those teams had few major injuries during the year (luck?).. with the top 7 or 8 players playing in 75 or more games…

Assuming injury to a team like Washington WILL occur because they have in the past – is just as stupid as assuming NO injuries to a team like Boston, so they should repeat as Champions.

If Pierce or Garnett gets injured this year, Boston is toast… Same can be said about the Lakers if Kobe is injured….. or Orlando if Howard goes down…... or Cleveland if James is sidelined for any length of time…. or Pick a Team if their best player is hurt….!!

Hollinger is making an assumption that since Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler have not been able to play together for any length of time last year (or the year before) – they will be unable to play together again this year… That, even if they DO play together for 75-80 games, the Wizards are essentially the same team as 2005-2006 when they went 42-40…. Well, I don’t buy it.!!

That 2005-2006 team went 42-40 with Jarred Jeffries as the starting SG, and Jarvis Hayes, Michael Ruffin, & Donell Taylor playing significant minutes off the bench.

by Rook6980 on Aug 6, 2008 4:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well

At least his prediction for this year is better than last year’s:

33-49, 5th in Southeast, 13th in Eastern Conference (out of the playoffs)

Hey – Hollinger is a “numbers” guy – Let’s extrapolate those wins that Hollinger predicted for last year against the ACTUAL wins for 2007-2008 and apply that same formula to the 2008-2009 season – - – - – The Wizards should end up 59-23

I think that’s a more reasonable assumption than saying “they were 44-38 last year, so they’ll be 44-38 this year”.... At least there’s some logic behind it…

by Rook6980 on Aug 6, 2008 5:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

Well, I agree with you

But predicting 44-38 this year is pretty understandable, especially if you account for injuries preventing the Big 3 from playing together at the same time for 15-20 games this season.

Our range is somewhere between the 43 wins we had last year and the 52 wins the Magic had. 44 is on the low end of that range, but it’s in the range.

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

by Pradamaster on Aug 6, 2008 5:07 PM EDT up 0 recs

What am I missing?

Did any of the East playoff teams from last year make any moves to get better besides Phili? Toronto I suppose, but again big injury history. Rose will help the Bulls, but maybe not a lot this year. Boston lost Posey. Bucks added Jefferson. Am I forgetting anything? Why is our lack of big moves more of a big deal than the rest of the conference’s?

by MR on Aug 6, 2008 6:15 PM EDT 0 recs

I guess Miami and Beasley too

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

by Pradamaster on Aug 6, 2008 6:36 PM EDT up 0 recs

Mark my words:

Hollinger won’t look at injury history for any other teams…

I guarantee he’ll move Toronto up, based on their off season moves to get O’Neal… regardless of the fact that he’s been injured and hasn’t played 70 or more games since 2003. He’s already said he “expect(s) the Raptors to be significantly better next season”.

He’ll find a way to jump Philly over the Wiz because of the acquisition of Brand – even though Brand was injured all last year. He’s already called them “instant East challengers”.

He loves Dwayne Wade – and will almost certainly move the Miami Heat into the playoff picture since he’s already said “Wade looks FANTASTIC, yes, he’s been the U.S. team’s best player in the tune-up games. If he plays like this, playoffs are a very realistic goal for the Heaters.” – again, even though Wade was injured most of last year… he’s assuming that Dwayne Wade will just pop the Heat back into playoff contention.

He’ll say that Indiana got better because of their Draft day deals…. and move them above the Wizards… (He’s already called the Toronto/Indiana trade a win-win deal – and that both teams are in a “far better position than they were before”).

He’ll find ways to pump up the other teams in the East (Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, and New Jersey) – While at the same time denegrating anything about the Wizards; and excluding the fact that a 44 win team is adding an All-Star player (Arenas), and a very competent Back-up Center (Thomas)... He’ll say the Wizards are 12th or 13th in the East…

by Rook6980 on Aug 6, 2008 7:23 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don't think he has it in for us

While I disagree with Hollinger’s analysis, I don’t think he will go out of his way to overlook the dangers of signing O’Neal or Brand. In the case of O’Neal, the trade was great from the perspective that it cleared the PG logjam. Brand supposedly gives Philly the low post player that they need.

What all ESPN columnists and talking heads have agreed on for years (fairly or not) is that the Wiz don’t play defense. I think you would see the opinion of Hollinger et al. change if we brought someone in who was a known stopper or had a sea change in the way we approach defending the ball. Brand and O’Neal change their teams fundamentally in the style of basketball that Philly and Toronto respectively can play. Adding Gilbert is great, but it doesn’t really change us as a team in terms of style of play ect..

Its always Roger Mason (Jr.) time!

by ledellforlife on Aug 7, 2008 11:33 AM EDT up 0 recs

Well, I don't think JO changes Toronto that much

Seeing as how he’s a perimeter-oriented big on a team full of perimeter-oriented players, but I agree that Hollinger doesn’t have it out for us.

He did have high hopes for the 04/05 team, after all.

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

by Pradamaster on Aug 7, 2008 11:56 AM EDT up 0 recs

He's paid to be a critic

Other than last year’s slightly gloomy prognostication, I don’t have a lot of problems with what he says. His analysis is usually okay; it’s the conclusions that we (predictably) disagree with. Everyone, including Hollinger, who says we need to play better defense is correct – what champion this decade has won with subpar defense?

Getting buckets since 2003.

by Icantfeelmyface on Aug 8, 2008 10:42 AM EDT up 0 recs

Right. I knew there was one obvious one I was missing. But how much better will he really make that team next year? I think the point still stands.

by MR on Aug 6, 2008 7:10 PM EDT 0 recs

It does

Miami won 15 games last year. Beasley isn’t making up 28 games.

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

by Pradamaster on Aug 6, 2008 7:24 PM EDT up 0 recs

Look - I agree with you

I think Miami WILL be better, but not a playoff team…

But Hollinger will point at Wade, and say that with him being healthy, and the acquisition of Beasley, Miami is a playoff team.

My point is that he won’t say the same thing about the Wizards….

The Wizards, a 44 win team last year, should be markedly better with the addition of Arenas – but Hollinger won’t see it that way…essentially saying the Wizards are WORSE by adding Arenas (and Thomas) ...

by Rook6980 on Aug 6, 2008 7:34 PM EDT up 0 recs