How aggressively the Wizards look to unload contracts as they try to pick up the pieces from Gilbert Arenas’ suspension depends on how a fundamental internal disagreement is resolved. Some elements of the Wizards’ power structure favor "completely blowing it up," according to one source, while others are holding out for a more patient approach.
Ken Berger. I know, I know, another trade deadline rumor, but this is the first rumor I've read indicating there's internal disagreement on the direction of the franchise.
about 2 years ago
Mike Prada
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Shouldn't the next owner of the team be making these decisions?
The current Wizards’ “power structure” shouldn’t be setting the future direction of the franchise.
What if Ted is on one side and EG is on the other?
Actually, that’s kind of my guess here.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Same here
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by Jake Whitacre on Feb 9, 2010 5:52 PM EST up reply actions
if thats the case
I bet Ernie is just trying to save his job. If the owners come in and think the team needs to be blown up, you would think that includes the gm. Where as if the new owners actually do not have authority yet, and by the time they do Ernie can have something to show for the team, maybe he can save his job. Just a thought off the top of my head
It's pretty much a foregone conclusion
This stuff is all posturing over the price. Everyone I’ve spoken to has alluded to this.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Antawn Jamison, for one, is sure he'll be the next owner
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
Probably
But I’ve been in deals that fell apart well after everyone thought they were a foregone conclusion.
If I were selling an NBA team and there was a disagreement over price I wouldn’t let the prospective buyer make personnel decisions.
by MR on Feb 9, 2010 4:12 PM EST up reply actions
yeah
But doesn’t Ted already own a large chunk of the team? Maybe, he is part of the power structure already to an extent?
by zeke5123 on Feb 9, 2010 5:20 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, 44 percent
In which case he is a part of the power structure, I’d think.
You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.
It would be interesting to know:
(1) How Berger defines the Wizards power structure. Is it EG vs Ted? Where do the Pollins fit in (if they can get below the cap with deals now then the valuation of the team has to improve)? Does Flip have any say?
(2) What are the definitions of “patience” and “blowing it up”?
In a few days we shall surely know more.
Uniquely awful
I doubt any other member of any other NBA organization would seriously argue for the “patient approach” over the completely blowing up approach. What is there to be patient about? Antawn’s going to go from all-star to Wade/Bron/Kobe/Roy/Dwight-esque superstar once he turns 35? Zetus lapedus!
blowup or patient rebuilding
The blowup approach means an ugly, uncompetitive team, closer to the quality of the New Jersey Nets than the Wizards right now. The patient rebuilding means keeping some decent and overpaid (for rebuilding) players who keep the team more competitive, provide some veteran leadership, while understanding that the young players and future draft picks are the future of the team.
The advantage of the blowup is it gives other players a greater chance to step up and play larger and more leading roles for the team. That can be a good experience for some people. Also, the terrible record means more balls in the lottery.
The advantage of the more patient approach is you probably sell more tickets (I’d rather go see this team for example than last season’s). Your team is more competitive, you win more, and that itself can have a positive impact on your players (it’s less demoralizing). And you’re still bad enough to be a lottery team and get a shot at a high draft choice.
by Johnnie Futbol on Feb 9, 2010 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
"patient"
You just described the Bullets / Wizards teams for most of the last 40 years…. “keeping some decent and overpaid (for rebuilding) players who keep the team more competitive, provide some veteran leadership, while understanding that the young players and future draft picks are the future of the team.”
I just don’t want to watch that team again for the next 40 years…..
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
Well they also have a history of trading away young prospects for aging vets. Let’s hope they don’t do that anymore.
by Johnnie Futbol on Feb 9, 2010 8:21 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Yeah
Besides, you have to be really bad in order to get really good young players. We’re basically going to need three or four high lottery picks if we want to have any chance of being elite again, and that’s assuming we draft well. Look at the Thunder – their core is made up of four guys taken in the top five. You don’t get picks like that by winning 30-35 games a year a la the Pacers.
by pantslessyoda1 on Feb 9, 2010 8:30 PM EST up reply actions
So, MR, there you go....
The Wizards with a “measured” and patient approach to rebuilding
Bullets Forever - where "Dagger ! " happens......
Glad to see someone else out there is using their brain.
by MR on Feb 10, 2010 9:07 AM EST up reply actions
We are back to those old Bullets ways
Wake me when Ted is the owner. We just have to accept that they will screw up any of the deals and plans that everyone on this board has spent more time and effort analyzing than the Pollin family’s mom and pop operation (with no pop, mind you). Remember the Redskins when they had to find a new owner … no decisions could be made. Even worse, the current leadership should not be making any decisions anyway.
I am somewhere between "classic bullet patience" and "blowing it up"
I think that the Wizards should part with Jamsion and Haywood now, and if they can force a trading partner to take on Stevenson, they should by all means. Take Blake, T Outlaw and a first rounder from the Blazers for Haywood and take Z and a first rounder or Hickson for Jamison.
If a contender offers a couple of good draft picks for Miller, take that too.
Butler is suddenly playing too well and in any case has too favorable a contract to part with immediately.
That is why the rumored three way that would send Butler and Haywood to Houston, T Mac to the Knicks and Harrington and some pou-pou platter here should NOT be considered… would you rather have Butler or Harrington as your de facto centerpiece for the rest of this year and into next season as well?
With this approach, the Wizzies could field a semi-interesting team for the rest of this year and go into next year with a raft of cap space and at least 3 first rounders (including our own lottery pick).
The starting lineup for the rest of this season:
PG Foye/Blake/Boykins
SG Miller (if he stays)/Young/Foye
C Blatche/McGee
PF Hickson/Blatche
SF Butler/T Outlaw (when he is back from injury)/McGuire
The young players get some burn, Butler gets to show what he can do as the main man… and 2010/11 offers the opportunity for the new day to begin.
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