Patience? You Talkin Bout Patience?!
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 7:00 AM EST
in Team Analysis
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PrintI caught The Sports Junkies from January 3rd's Wizards are Winless podcast (thanks to jasonj and Rook for the link), and found myself laughing. Typical radio mentality, I thought, listening to one putting Ernie on blast for not getting more out of the Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood/Caron Butler/DeShawn Stevenson trades. Of course, they never approached Colin Cowherd levels of idiocy. Of course, the chuckling stopped when I considered the root cause for all the frustration. We're six games into a shortened season and it feels a helluva lot longer.
Really, there's only one legitimate option to letting the frustration boil over; patience. Fans of rebuilding teams are well-acquainted with the need for patience. And to be honest, as bad as this season has gone thus far, at least we're not the New York Knicks. Being the Wizards, much is made of our speed and youth. Consequently the Wizards' opponents have come out pumped up and executing with an intensity that quickly blunts the advantages age and athleticism might have imparted.
I am not offering excuses. Any way you slice it, the beginning of this season is a catastrophe and the word 'patience' is starting to make my gorge rise a little. There is still merit in it, though, and I am not prepared to declare the sky is falling.
There is a level any basketball team must play to. The Toronto Raptors under Dwayne Casey are playing a different breed of basketball, and immediately. After a lockout with no training camp. I know it's a small sample size (if I had a dollar every time I read 'small sample size' this season I could put a down payment on my WRX STI), but not if we're talking about how these teams have come out of the gate. The way the team looks reminds me of the epic road losing streak last season, and whether you agree with that sentiment or not, everybody wants to know what is happening inside that locker room and on the practice floor.
Some suggest it is Flip's fault. Some suggest no one could motivate a roster like the Wizards enough to win, ipso facto Ernie's fault. The more disgusted prefer a package deal and wouldn't mind canning both in one go. I think it's worth taking a look at what players are trying to do that represents something new, before starting down any of those paths.
Nick Young is making a push to become a complete player. My face is perfectly straight. His quotes with respect to how seriously the league takes everything seem to indicate he's received the clarion call to maximum effort we were hoping he'd hear sooner. But then again, you are ready to hear it when you are ready to hear it. I'm a few years older than Nick, still learning about myself, how to make the right decisions and that includes the obvious ones. Some of his struggles are growing pains, not doing what comes perfectly natural, he is going to do some thinking rather than acting as he starts to hone his limited court vision. If his shooting form returns when he starts to get comfortable making the extra pass, a hefty pay day is all but assured.
But we could go on and the simple fact remains; this team is not playing team basketball. As much as Ted reminds us this is year two of the rebuild, wicked pixels are an inevitable result of what appears to be a zero accountability environment. Should the losses and inexcusable team play continue, the nature of fan patience is going to change. More and more fans will simply start marking time and placing prop bets on how long Flip has until he gets the boot.
Whether or not he deserves it is pretty much beside the point. My father is fond of saying, 'the players play, but coaches are the ones who get fired.' Either the team is going to start putting out a different vibe or Flip is gone. The quotes coming out from the locker room are alarming to say the least. We've got a divide a mile deep forming between the players. Ted won't wait forever, not while John Wall's attitude towards DC continues to corrode. No matter who the problem is, Flip has to be the solution.
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"Zero accountability environment" hits the nail on the head
Tying a couple threads together, particularly the “entitlement” comments from Mo Evans, I am reminded of when the Wizards played well last Spring. There seemed to be so much competition for minutes between the players. If one guy couldn’t do it, Flip brought in Crawford or Jeffers or Evans, etc. Guys knew that if they didn’t do their job, it would no longer be their job.
Accountability doesn’t have to involve screaming and yelling. Flip just has to throw all rotation spots open and say, “We need each player to do X, Y and Z. If you don’t do that, we’ll put in someone else to try. I won’t be mad at you. It’s not personal. You’ll just have to wait and work for another chance, and you WILL get other chances. But we’ll go with the guys who are doing X, Y, and Z.”
So much this.
Accountability doesn’t have to involve screaming and yelling.
Exactly why despairing quotes after player only meetings shake my faith in the organization so badly. When the players can’t even talk it out…how many years in a row have we had an emergency players-only meeting?
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 8:19 AM EST up reply actions
Rebuild, part 2?
Patience is fine, but so far all we have seen of the “rebuild” has been the tearing down of the old building. Yup, they’ve done a good job of that, clearing out all of the veteran players and most of the salaries from the 2009/2010 (Gungate) year. But unfortunately we have not seen much evidence that the current management team can excel at part 2 of the rebuild, i.e. the “building” part. Thus far, it looks like we’ve got one solid beam (Wall) installed and a bunch of temporary patchwork players filling out the roster. Building from the draft sounds great but takes a lot of luck both with the lottery and with the available players at a given slot in a given year. I guess that my issue is that Ted seems to think the building through the draft precludes any significant free agent action or trades for solid players. This year our big acquisitions were Roger Mason and Rony Turiaf? That’s kind of disappointing. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be more aggressive in both the trade and free agent market. Also, I’d like us to be more pro-active. Is Nick Young really going to walk after this year? Well then, let’s trade him before that happen. When the time comes, is it likely that John Wall will walk? Same thing. Try to get something of value in return rather than throwing up our hands and complaining about the system. Teams don’t go from 20 wins to 50 wins immediately. Usually they go to 30, then 40 wins first. So starting now, I would like to see some sort of incremental improvement each year in the team’s record. And I want us to be a player rather than just a facilitator in the trade/free agent game.
nobody wants blatche or young, so it seems
so i guess we have 15 guys, but how many are worth something?
what did we get with Ronnie, cash and two 2nd rounders?
so that’s 2 more 20yr olds we can add next season? great
Am I missing something ?
But I thought Ted was quoted of saying that we were done with adding young players I could be wrong but I thought that’s what I heard, so now what’s our aim to get another top 5 pick I don’t get it or this team right now. I am guessing this is where we are supposed to let the young players come together and form a core. My guess is a trade for a proven vet is in the works it’s got to be.
he said after this year (meaning 1 more draft)
But to me it’s about core pieces, not acquiring as many rookie contracts as you can. That’s counter productive.
Who won? Who lost? Who cares?! The NBA is Back! - David Aldridge
What seems to be the officer, problem? - Randy Marsh
by Dutch Hoopfan on Jan 6, 2012 3:00 PM EST up reply actions
I hope not. This team needs to keep some veterans who know how to play basketball
Otherwise it will continue to be kids playing streetball on the playground
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 9:43 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
also, we have been stuck on 23 or so wins for about three years now
the word is that when you draft an all-star that accounts for 10 wins alone….so does that mean wall isn’t the star that is needed on this team?
Get rid of Ernie
I would like to know how Atlanta picked up that beast Ivan Johnson from the D league when Ernie cannot find anyone close as good from multiple first round picks. That guy is clearly more talented than any of our big men. The Wiz are a soft team and need someone who can bang inside. He makes Saraphin look like a pudgy little boy.
by laxdog on Jan 6, 2012 8:20 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
to be fair, every other GM missed on that guy, anyone could have signed him
he played awesome last night, shocking he wasnt already on a roster somewhere…..or was it shocking? Every dleague player we bring up busts their butt 24/7, those guys are the best i dont care if they are less talented or whatever. We need players like that pushing the supposedly entitled crew.
i miss you OTHYUS!
by DCrez on Jan 6, 2012 9:46 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
The point about Dwayne Casey
is a valid one. There are other first year coaches with some early wins like Kevin McHale and Mike Brown.
As a Wizards fan I understand this team doesn’t play in a vacuum – they play in the NBA. Other coaches find ways to get Ws with injuries, youth and fatigue. Why can’t Flip?
I fear there is a permanent disconnect b’tween Flip & the young players from the countless admonishments & putdowns he has dished out.
If Bruce Boudreau could be canned for his abrasive ways inspite of his WINNING record what’s holding Ted & Ernie back from dumping Flip?
by el freako on Jan 6, 2012 8:42 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I was debating whether or not mention Boudreau
Ted isn’t afraid of making a coaching move if he has to, and unless Flip’s got a plan to fix whatever is happening, it can only be a matter of time until he admits he’s lost the team
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 8:50 AM EST up reply actions
The obvious difference is that the Caps are much further along.
Ted expects them to contend for a title. Plus, he trusts his GM. If he fires the coach and not the GM, it is a defacto vote of confidence for Ernie.
Anyway, bring back the D-Leaguers and Cartier Martin! They’ll put up a better showing than what we have now.
Bullets fan stuck in CO.
Your father is, of course, right.
But really, Mike, please don’t join the hyperbole wagon: the beginning of the season’s been a “catastrophe”? The tsunami in Japan was a catastrophe.
Just an FYI this article is not written by Mike
It has Bullet Nation In Exile’s signature writing style all over it
shine like bald head, smoke trees call me log head
The odds were definitely in your favor
Mike has been a posting beast this season…
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 9:18 AM EST up reply actions
Unlike the wordd tragic, catastrophic can be used within context
As in something being catastrophic for an organization
There's a lot of season to go, of course.
But I don’t know what else to call the beginning, with the myriad problems mounting on and off court. I don’t buy into hyperbole, I’m usually the one railing against it. Small sample size (that phrase again), there are plenty of factors to take into account and there’s time to right the ship. As the slide continues, it’s simply more likely Flip’s professional lifespan will be measured by an hourglass. And that sentiment this early, implies a catastrophic start to the season
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 8:58 AM EST up reply actions
I understand your point.
I just seem unable to view the misfortunes of my favorite basketball team in such radical terms.
And devaluation of language is one of my pet peeves.
; >
Usually I'm pretty fussy on that, too
Don’t blame ya one bit
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 9:42 AM EST up reply actions
I think it's fine to use catastrophe, since I'm sure BNIE was using it in this context only.
And in basketball terms, the word fits.
this isn't a "rebuild"
It’s an organizational skid. There’s NO direction at the moment, the “building block” guys aren’t good enough to anchor the team and aren’t going to get there, and you’ve got a guy who’s draft record sucks in charge of “building the team through the draft” – that’s just as likely as Blatche “rebuilding the team through effort and character.”
Time to blow this puppy up and figure out if you can salvage a couple of pieces (i.e. Wall). Otherwise, we’ll all be having the same discussions next year, just with a few different names.
It does feel like deja vu, doesn't it?
Otherwise, we’ll all be having the same discussions next year, just with a few different names.
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 8:59 AM EST up reply actions
Gotta face facts. That’s tough when your losing. Our guys don’t play as well as our opponents. It’s either talent or coaching.
by Janber on Jan 6, 2012 8:48 AM EST via mobile reply actions
It’s not lack of talent. The problem is that they don’t play together. There’s no team here. Rook counted up the number of possessions where we jacked up a shot after just one pass. Ugly, impatient, losing basketball. I’m sure Flip recognizes the problem, and I’m sure he’s telling them the right things, but it just doesn’t seem to be getting through. Not sure if any coach could get through to this bunch. They all seem to be convinced that their shots are all good, no matter what the coaches and the numbers say. They’ll only ever be as good as they think they are if they learn to play together.
by yop32 on Jan 6, 2012 10:43 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I'm sorry
All I got from this was that BNiE drives a really fast car ;)
In all serious though,
No matter who the problem is, Flip has to be the solution.
This is the lot of a coach. Fix the problem or you’re out on your ear. It’s only a matter of time…
Why on earth?
The gas or the lack of utility? Insurance? Geeze, now that I start thinking about it there are a lot of “adult” reasons to prefer an Impreza…
This team does not have the talent to compete.
So, yes, we are in year 2 of the rebuild. We’ve unencumbered ourselves of costly veterans, have plenty of cap space, and will most surely have a top pick in the upcoming draft. I really don’t care if the team goes 0-66 this year, as long as they start to give “maximum effort” on defense.
defense, defense, defense. if the defensive culture can improve in D.C. that will be a productive season. To that end, I think we need a new coach. Flip is too concerned with offense and seems to have become more apathetic than patient. But what good defensive coaches are out there? No way Van Gundy takes the job. Anyone?
No defense is good if you can't win consistently, and you win games on offense.
It seems that every team says “let’s get down on defense” and every coach is a defensive coach. That can only be valid if they assume that the players can run an offense half decently. Wow.
The offense of this team must improve FIRST! Defense is only about giving the other team uneasy shots to the extent possible, and that everyone must have an eye on that damn basketball for a transition bucket if the other team’s offense makes a mistake. Defense is important, yes, because you don’t want the offense to get easy shots, but
So in the end, offense wins games and offense wins championships. On defense, get into the offenses’ heads and we’ll be fine.
Defense is important, yes, because you don’t want the offense to get easy shots, but no one cares about D when the offense is worse
our offense is worse than our D
I disagree to some extent:
It is easier to ask someone to work on their scoring. People like to do that. They will practice shooting, moves, etc on their own free time even. It is really hard to get someone who does not want to really play defense to put in the effort to do so regularly. And forget about practicing it on their own time.
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 11:08 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I get the point that it's easier to work on scoring than defense
Shots can be learned in players’ own time, I agree. But team offense has to be emphasized really hard for the Wizards, and we have no semblance of that. In a 5 on 5 situation, five guys learn the plays, and five other guys learn team defense and they trade off. This team needs to have an identity somewhere and must do something good, well, and fast.
100% agree.
One aspect that suggests Flip is not the right coach is the offensive sets he runs: primarily jump shots coming off screens. He should be running pick and rolls on every half court offensive set….all day…and have them practice defending it…all day…until they master it.
It will boost their confidence immensely to be good at something.
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 2:59 PM EST up reply actions
I thought about Kirk H. last night
Wall seems to have started to regress as soon as he lost Kirk..
Bibby was supposed to replace him, but when he left, it basically left John to listen to Sam Cassell as opposed to watching and learning from a Vet.
One could argue that the best thing for Wall to do would be to sign or trade for a veteran PG.
I am still a big believer in Wall…he was playing fine, even without a J early last year.
Shooting can be taught. Pace can be taught. Athleticism can’t. My fear is John is too frustrated to stay. That is why it is so critical to get it together…
by DavidDunn on Jan 6, 2012 9:00 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah
Entitlement is contagious and competitive players cannot stand to be around it
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 9:22 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
the league is filled with athletic specimens
many of whom lack fundamental skills but succeed anyway. however, they are usually rebounding/defensive types. not point guards!
a point guard with athleticism and no skills is not very valuable in the NBA
by wizards24 on Jan 6, 2012 9:25 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
I wrote about this for .com today actually, and that's just not true
Look at the dude balling for Houston right now and what he was coming into the league.
Just went up
Thank you Mike....really good article
you should post it here…
(hint-if you don’t there will be a fan post linking to it soon ;) )
Really enjoyed that
blew Boswell’s dabbling right out of the water
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 1:39 PM EST up reply actions
Kyle Lowry was the 24th pick in a weak draft
As you noted in your article. It’s better to take a chance on an athletic point guard lacking skills late in the first round.
Wall was the number one pick! He needs to get better fast, not in 4 years. It will be just Bullets luck if Wall finally starts to improve at the end of his rookie contract.
It didn't happen overnight for even the best point guards in the league
Rose struggled the first half of his second year.
it was eventually dismissed as being more due to injury
he injured his ankle in preseason, and missed the rest of preseason and didnt start in the home opener. He did play though…and continued to play (and start) but he always seemed off. at the end of november he started to look explosive again, and by december he was playing at an all-star level.
I dont mean to suggest this as some sort of evidence in the wall case, im just stating that rose was slumping more due to an injury as opposed to/as much as slumping in general.
I dont care what the D.N.A. Says, the Guy wearing number 12 Cannot be Kirk Hinrich, he is definetly Kurt. Kirk can actually play basketball!
we can just hope this offseason was a lesson learned for Wall
he probably thought he was actually getting better crushing people on the summer league, hell durant plays even more than him right? Now he surely knows better and will spend next summer actually working on his game. Every year the good players come back with new wrinkles, Lamarcus Aldridge was an example from last night, clearly worked on going over his left shoulder and is even better than last season. John has to the same.
That said, he also has to get better during the course of this season.
by DCrez on Jan 6, 2012 9:39 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Perfect
Every year the good players come back with new wrinkles
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 9:43 AM EST up reply actions
Excellent way to close
No matter who the problem is, Flip has to be the solution.
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 9:40 AM EST reply actions
I keep hoping Flip Saunders is going to do an Al Pacino impersonation at some point...
I don’t know what to say, really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives. All comes down to today, and either, we heal as a team, or we’re gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play. Until we’re finished. We’re in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And, we can stay here, get the shit kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell… one inch at a time. Now I can’t do it for ya, I’m too old. I look around, I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I’ve made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I, uh, I’ve pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who’s ever loved me. And lately, I can’t even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know, when you get old, in life, things get taken from you. I mean, that’s… that’s… that’s a part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losin’ stuff. You find out life’s this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game – life or football – the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don’t quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don’t quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They’re in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that’s gonna make the fucking difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I’ll tell you this, in any fight it’s the guy whose willing to die whose gonna win that inch. And I know, if I’m gonna have any life anymore it’s because I’m still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that’s what living is, the six inches in front of your face. Now I can’t make you do it. You’ve got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think ya going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. Your gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for him. That’s a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That’s football guys, that’s all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?
by Bullet Nation in Exile on Jan 6, 2012 9:41 AM EST reply actions 4 recs
Super, ultra, mega Fagan rec'd
Possibly the greatest monologue in any sports movie, ever.
by imperialme on Jan 6, 2012 11:28 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think it's mainly John Wall's fault.
He’s the leader (self described). He’s the franchise player. He’s responsible for getting the offense into it’s sets. He sets the tone. If the team isn’t running the offense, and isn’t passing for open looks, that falls at John Wall’s feet. Flip may get the axe, but the next coach won’t have any better luck until John Wall accepts accountability for being a decent point guard.
On defense, well, we won’t talk about his defense for now. At the very least the team’s offense is on him.
He is 20 years old on an island
And therein lies a problem
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 9:55 AM EST up reply actions
And candidly, he does not have the basketball skills to be the team leader right now
Who listens to a guy that shoots 32% just because he can dribble fast?
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 9:56 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
Maybe...
if he had developed his jump shot over the summer. Then you could say he did everything he could. But he didn’t even do that.
No, the teams failures on offense mostly fall at John Wall’s feet no matter how old he is.
I continue to feel there is no one person to blame
If I had to pick one person, it is EG because he captains the ship. And many problems are recurring, known, and never addressed
But there is a collective failure with this organization
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 9:59 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I agree with Les
I wrote this on another post I think yesterday, but I would have to blame EG for the simple fact we had a chance to make a statement about changing the culture here in DC by signing a Franchise player like Amare’ Stoudemire and draft Wall the same year. As good as it felt to win again with the last regime of Arenas, Butler, and Jamison we were not a serious contender point blank, a point guards best friend is a KG type mold player and Amare’ would have not killed the rebuild at all for the simple fact Wall would not cost that much, so now you have two franchise players to build around and would have been a big time player in free agency because vet’s would have came here for cheap just to play with our big two, but instead we re-sign Blatche because he reminds people in the FO of KG. I know why KG is mad everytime we play the BIG C’s because we associate his name with Blatche I’d be mad too.
It feels like we're still in the Lockout
Until we get that 1st Win. Damn I forgot how sweet a victory used to feel. It’s quite depressing seeing this team get blown away in the 1st quarter. Oh how I miss the Arenas era and the Princeton Offense.
by Bread Lover on Jan 6, 2012 9:57 AM EST via mobile reply actions
I'm interested in reading how many folks are scared about Wall leaving...
when his contract’s up, because of the horrible team he’s on. Well, one big reason it’s horrible so far is his play! It’s hard to look in the mirror and say “I’m leaving, this team stinks”, when you’re a primary cause.
I read something yesterday (can’t remember where, but I’m sure someone else read it too, it was on ESPN I think) in which the writer said that Wall shouldn’t try to take so many jumpers, trying to prove he can do it. Stick to his strengths of penetrating, dishing, focusing on defense. Then let the rest of his game (i.e. jumpers) develop more slowly. It made sense to me.
In any event, I don’t know that Wall’s the type to jump ship immediately anyway. I think he has more character than that, and wants to build something here.
The worst case is that
Wall is still a "might be" type superstar when his deal is up. Then it’s a giant risk because someone will offer a Max deal that we may have to beat. That’s where we are with Javale. The guy is good…but is he really worth 15 Mil of Cap Space? Those decisions of whom to give max contracts to define an organization for better or worse
Hell No
Javale is not a franchise center he is a decent center who should get what Kwame got about 7 million a year. The only thing Javale brings is athleticism and thats it go after Bynum this off-season and go hard Bynum bangs and gets buckets if he had Howards athleticism there would be no discussion about who is better remember Kobe is not vouching for Howard L.A. is vouching for Howard. Now think about the time Kobe was threating to leave the Lakers because he had no one to play with that speaks volumes about how he feels about Bynum. Javale aint it and don’t get it twisted John don’t want him either he just that nice of a guy not to put him on blast like that.
Maybe but the market moved
and DeAndre Jordan resigned for $10 million per season. I wouldn’t expect anything less for JVM if you want him.
The shame is that EG is all in with JVM. We are so thin in the front court with players he has to sign him. We don’t even have a back up center, really. Odds are he drafts a PF next go around simply because that is the abundant position in the early lottery…he’d better at least
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 3:04 PM EST up reply actions
Good point Les
I am just stating that just because Javale thinks he’s worth the money does not mean you pay him that kind of money, if I was EG I would throw out every other game Javale plays against less elite centers(Howard, Bynum, Chandler) because we all know he can dunk and block shots that dandy and all that but has he ever changed a game for us by meaning has he ever shifted momentum or dictated the way the other teams run their offense when they play us knowing they are not going to get easy baskets NO he has not, but the season is still young but as of now NO let him walk and go after Bynum Hard.
Yes…and this is why I was in favor of moving him last year. We were forcing ourselves into a position of overpaying for his play and still paying for potential upside that, frankly, might not be realized at the end of the next contract.
But we didn’t. And he markedly improved this offseason when no one else did. So now I think you have to reward it by trying to resign him. But you still have to have a ceiling on what you are willing to pay. It is a perfect example of EG mismanagement: what are you going to do with the center position if JVM walks?
My prediction is that he asks for the bank and signs the QO, gives it another year and if Flip is gone and team has hope he will consider resigning; otherwise he is gone. These kids are smart. They will take a substantial pay raise (QO) and tough it out a year to be an UFA.
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 3:54 PM EST up reply actions
This is the problem with Ted's vision
What is he really offering: come play with us. you wont win for years because your team mates will all be young and need MAJOR development.
You won’t attract a meaningful free agent with that offer. Which is why the only real veterans we have came via trade.
And the minute your young guys like JVM reach free agency, why would they want to sign up for another run? This is not a close knit team. NY and JVM are tight- that is it. He is getting a substantial pay raise, and probably feels he “arrived.”
After four years of disfunction, my bet is he is really ready to move on to a team that has a roster with some veterans and promise and could use a good center to push them deeper in the playoffs (or at least have playoff visability!)
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 4:01 PM EST up reply actions
Ted has this rosy vision
of a young group of kids forced together that struggle, learn, grow together to one day grow up to be perennial contenders.
I think a more accurate picture is a group of kids thrown together with limited veteran player support asked to “figure it out” and will be ready to run away the first time chance they get.
Because that vision attracts players like Blatche who are smart enough to know that our offer was the best he would get. Or a Booker that through hard work will be a starter in this league when everyone projected him to be a bench player.
The John Walls, the JVM, the JV…they are gone if they develop because it will be a rotating door of players in constant need of development
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
Totally agree Les
That’s why I am pissed that we did not go after Amare’ when we had the chance, because we had a chance to sell a pitch to him about changing a mediocre culture because that’s who we were when we had our Big Three, but we could have pitched something between the lines of we are going to build around you and Wall and be serious contenders for many years. I mean just think who was on the Knicks roster at the time that would have made Amare’ want to play with them. As to John Wall being the first pick in the draft and had a lot of hype coming out. Just think we could have gotten Amare’ and Melo and still have cap space to sign some decent talent because John would not have cost that much.
I remember hearing someone say Ted is running this franchise like a small market team, and I think they are right we had a opportunity to stay competitive for years because if you look at the way their contracts are by the time Wall rookie contract ended Amare’ contract would have been up as well.
Bynum
I said go after Bynum and if not Bynum you got that backup Center in Chicago Asik but paying Javale Franchise money is rediculous on all fronts no frame, low IQ, no heart. I cannot stand behind a guy who makes excuses everytime he plays Howard if we ever want to go somewhere and if Howard stays in the East we will have to compete against Howard one way or the other and your bigman is scared of him not a good look.
We can not attract a top tier free agent like Bynum
He has championship rings. No way he is coming to anchor a rebuilding mess.
The backup center in CHI might be viable. We are an attractive landing spot for a bench player to showcase his talents as a starter…which by definition means your best is someone else’s second
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 4:09 PM EST up reply actions
I agree with some basic concepts of Ted's vision but the execution is a mess
and I dont think what he is doing will work unless our 2012 lottery pick comes in and plays lights out basketball in his first year
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 4:11 PM EST up reply actions
Amare' did not see it that way
Amare’ came on the radio and said he would look good in a Wizards jersey and two rings dont pay your bills make a hell of collection and a good reason to have a trophy room but that’s it remember CP3 plays for the Clippers now and their franchise was no better than ours in fact worst. John has talent it’s the front office that need to build a strong foundation around him. Like LA did griffin. I mean look at Griffin’s counterparts before CP3 Dre, Gordon, Mo, Kaman, Bledsoe, etc.
Yes, but it is a year later and now we have the benefit of seeing how this team progressed...err, regressed
The Clippers are doing it right
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 4:49 PM EST up reply actions
I think fans give you four years in a rebuild
You suck…you get a high lottery pick
you suck again but not as bad, you get another high-mid lottery pick
you suck again but not as bad, and you get a mid-high lottery pick
that fourth year, you had better show some real progress. that is 2012-2013 for us. You need to be competing for the playoffs by then or you will lose your fan base much faster. Fortunately for the Wizards, they already lost their fan base years ago so whoever is left might give them some extra time.
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 4:55 PM EST up reply actions
Not if he plays like he is playing
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 10:26 AM EST up reply actions
But I think every player on this team is counting out the days they can get out of here...except JV and Singleton
This shit wears on you. And no one wants to be a part of this long term or even mid term
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 10:28 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Letting Wall go after his rookie deal
will look just even dumber than letting Ben Wallace go . . . but Les Boulez have to get some guys in who he can play with. Why would ANYONE want to be a part of this organization?
if we do fire grunfeld...
hope we get pritchard, the old blazers GM, he built that team up very well and turned their culture around…he was also very creative in the draft and free agency
In Hindsight…
It seems the plan was to have a vet PG to take the pressure off Wall. But Gil was too flakey and the Heinrick trade / Bibby buyout were too enticing to pass up. Turning those vet guards into assets appears to be a giant error at this moment. But I don’t think anyone disagreed with Ernie for those trades at the time.
I disagree. Wall needs a veteran mentor on this team- a player not a coach
Not a journeyman veteran. And not a veteran whose skills have declined so badly everyone knows he is here because he is under contract in a big way. We have another high lottery pick this year and will probably add a couple more rookies. They really need to sign a FA this season that can be the face and leader of this team and knock em all down one notch on the pecking order and take the pressure off these kids so they can grow.
Last night’s Heat team is the perfect example, they beat Atlanta with
vets- Bosh, Warrick, Battier, jones
youth- cole, chalmers, anthony, harris
by les boulez bomber on Jan 6, 2012 11:00 AM EST up reply actions
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