Randy Wittman, Veterans And The Washington Wizards' Lack Of Them

by Mike Prada on Feb 6, 2012 2:18 PM EST in Team Analysis

Much has been made in recent days of Washington Wizards' interim coach Randy Wittman saying the following after Saturday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers:

Maybe I gotta sprinkle in another veteran that knows what that game's all about before it starts. I think once that game started and they saw how hard they came at us that it was a 'Holy smoke' type of thing. I'm searching, too.

It's a fair premise. Young players, from time to time, lose focus, so it's nice to have a proven guy to plug in when that happens to be a band-aid and provide motivation for the young players to improve. Except, there's a problem, as Kyle Weidie pointed out over the weekend.

A veteran in addition to Rashard Lewis (even though Wittman said ‘other than')? A veteran aside from Lewis (because he does bring needed veteran traits, aside from playing so poorly)? There are no other veteran options. Searching for... no one really knows.

The only other nominal "veterans" on the roster are Ronny Turiaf, who is injured, Roger Mason, who never shoots as well in games as he shoots in practices, and Maurice Evans, who isn't in tip-top shape due to being signed late and solving the lockout. So what is Wittman supposed to do, exactly?

This strikes me as one of the major problems with stockpiling youth in the NBA. Basketball isn't hockey. In the NBA, you only have 15 roster spots, injury or otherwise. If you devote eight of those spots to first- and second-year players, and three of those spots to Andray Blatche, Nick Young and JaVale McGee, you have four spots left to devote to veterans. If you're also trying to keep costs down, you end up hoping Turiaf's injury history doesn't pop up, Lewis' knees stay upright and Mason and Evans discover a fountain of youth they haven't seen in two years. That's not fair on a coach.

This is why I was so adamant that the Wizards needed to sign some guys this summer. At the end of the day, you need guys who can play, if only to act as a buffer to aid the development of the youngsters. Player growth is never linear. There are peaks and valleys along the way. When those peaks and valleys happen, a coach needs a steady hand to rely on that still can play a bit. That becomes hard to make room for when 11 players need their hands to be held.

Wittman's right to be searching, but I don't think he's going to find much. That's not his fault.

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I thought Wittman was refering to Turiaf

It seems like there was recent news of him participating in practices.

by djnnnou on Feb 6, 2012 2:59 PM EST reply actions

Well Mike....to be fair...

This is why I was so adamant that the Wizards needed to sign some guys this summer. At the end of the day, you need guys who can play, if only to act as a buffer to aid the development of the youngsters. Player growth is never linear.

they did sign some guys…Turiaf, Mason, Evans were all signed. I bellieve a proactive decision was made to bring Hamady back.

So I think it may be fair to not only ask were enough players signed, but to also evaluate the signings.

by DavidDunn on Feb 6, 2012 3:19 PM EST reply actions

I think that's what he was getting at

Veteran minimum players = Veteran minimum production.

If the Wizards had invested a little more money in players who could actually compete with the younger players for playing time based on their skills, it would give the young guys more incentive to improve their game. As it is, these guys know when they’re benched that its just a ruse to get them to play smarter or harder.

Bullets Forever: Waiting for the Fat Lady to sing since 2006. | @jakewhitacre

by Jake Whitacre on Feb 6, 2012 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

I think Mike's point is that the Wizards should have added veterans to long-term contracts as part of the rebuild

Ted’s plan is to not add veterans long-term until it becomes clear which young players form part of the core, what types of veterans are needed, etc. The only veterans added this summer were for mentoring purposes, not for playing purposes.

I’m with Ted on this one, although I agree that having a veteran or two in place could help the young players’ development. But especially with the coach and style of place in flux (and perhaps the GM), I think it makes more sense to wait until this summer when a new coach is named, a new GM, etc. before the team starts locking up vets long term.

by disgrunted on Feb 6, 2012 4:02 PM EST up reply actions

Thanks for clarifying

It looks like Jake had the same take.

Do you think they planned on restarting this summer last year when they were making their decisions? Did Ted know he was planning on dumping Flip and Ernie this summer? (It seemed like Mike was referring to FA signing before the season, even though he said “this summer”. I think he meant last summer.)

by DavidDunn on Feb 6, 2012 4:30 PM EST up reply actions

For the ten minutes he was healthy Turiaf was a great signing....

I hope he makes it back sooner than later.

Mo Evans was a Flip guy and the NBA surely wanted to see him on someone’s roster for services rendered in the negotiations. But truly the signing made no sense for the Wiz.

Mason was a gamble… hometown guy not that old and not that far removed from being a rotation player on the Spurs… but it means something that the Knicks, with a horrid bench, saw no place for him.

I think it is time to do some D-league dredging.

by khrabb on Feb 6, 2012 3:56 PM EST reply actions

Other than Dwight Howard (and that is NOT happening)...

There are no real big name Super Star players available in Free Agency this year…

Assuming Ernie can’t swing a blockbuster trade to get a Spiderman to play alongside John Wall’s, Flash…….. And given the fact that there aren’t any big names in next year’s (2013) Free Agent market either….. Why not overspend a little to get some better Veterans in here to play with Wall until one of these youngsters develops into a stud – or until Ernie can turn some of these young “assets” into a real player…..

I’m talking about offering 2-year contracts for GOOD money to some solid veteran players to come in and play for the Wizards…. Guys like:
Kirk Hinrich
Ray Allen
Jermaine O’Neal
Kevin Garnett
Boris Diaw
Antawn Jamison
Jeff Foster
Chauncey Billups
Mehmet Okur
Kris Humphries
DeShawn Stevenson

Retain McGee with a 5-year deal starting at $10 Million. Let Nick Young walk.
If the Wizards amnesty Blatche, and buy out Rashard’s last year, they would have 10 players under contract for $33.8 Million. Add two cap holds (roughly $1.5 Million); and assume the 2012-2013 salary cap is somewhere close to the $58 Million it was this year, and the Wizards could potentially have $22 – $23 Million to spend in Free Agency….

Pay Ray Allen a two year contract starting at $9 Million… and Kris Humphries the same… Give Chauncey Billups a two year contract starting at $5 Million…

Could you see a team led by John Wall, with Ray Allen starting at Shooting Guard and rebounding beast Kris Humphries playing next to JaVale McGee? Give Chauncey Billups plenty of time at both back up spots. Perhaps offer a mini-mid level contract to Jermaine O’Neal; or bring back Turiaf.

Now John Wall has some guys around him that can really play. The new Coach (whoever that may be) has options to play the youngsters in the traditional back-up roles; where they have to actually earn minutes. That won’t be a problem for guys like Singleton, Booker, Mack and Vesely….but Jordan Crawford better learn to curb his appetite for bad shots; and JaVale better concentrate on defense and rebounding, or both of them could find themselves firmly planted on the bench.

What say you BF community? Get some high quality veterans in here?

Kirk Hinrich
Ray Allen
Jermaine O’Neal
Kevin Garnett
Boris Diaw
Antawn Jamison
Jeff Foster
Chauncey Billups
Mehmet Okur
Kris Humphries
DeShawn Stevenson

I used to have super powers until my psychiatrist took them away.

by Rook6980 on Feb 6, 2012 4:54 PM EST reply actions

How do we convince them to come? Won't most of those

players be more than willing to go championship hunting? If so, will we need to overpay materially as opposed to slightly? Would that change the calculus?

Regardless, I would focus on the vets that could still run with us. Ray, Billups, Humphries, maybe DeShawn. I wouldn’t mind KG just as a drill sergeant. Not that excited about the other options. I want folks that could materially contribute.

by DavidDunn on Feb 6, 2012 5:36 PM EST up reply actions

Money

If they can make 4 million on the heat or Lakers but 10 on the Wizards we can get 2 really good vets, like Allen and Humphries. Add our high lottery pick, the amnesty of blatche, NY walking and Rashard beeing bought out or traded and we can also sign a third vet.

Wall, Hinrich, Mack
Allen, Crawford, second round pick
Barnes, Singleton, Vesely
Humphries, Booker, Seraphin
McGee, Foster, Oneal.

Something like that

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 Feb 7, 2012 4:43 AM EST up reply actions

You're right

It’s not Randy’s fault, just like it wasn’t Flip’s fault. If you want to point fingers, look first to the owner’s box and then to Ern. I’m scared that I’m pretty sure you have to look at the owner first in this situation. Ernie is the good footsoldier executing the owner’s plan (poorly, but still the owner’s plan). But Ted is the one who dictates the “no signing veterans” plan. If the brain trust doesn’t realize the value of high-quality veterans, this team is in big-time trouble.

by jakenbake on Feb 6, 2012 5:20 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

btw, anyone notice how varejao has been balling...

he’s been killing it!…and I think his contract averages out to 8 mil a year…even before this year he was known as an underrated defensive player who is a solid piece…no way we should be paying mcgee more when varejao is like twice as better…

by jasonj on Feb 6, 2012 5:30 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Perfect Call

Pick up Humphries or Jamison type and a pure spot up shooter via trade or free agency. Remember, we need players to supplement Wall and train our younger players.When you add a draft of skilled players with a performing vet, (now) we have a real team….By the way, I still think PJ lll is the most skilled big in the draft.

by Kevin Biscoe on Feb 6, 2012 6:00 PM EST reply actions

Correctamundo!

It’s Ernie’s fault for putting together this roster. I would love to get Antawn back (doubt he’d come) and a shooter like Ray Allen.

by Ron Carlos Jeines on Feb 6, 2012 6:36 PM EST reply actions

Ray Allen loves Boston.

but Why would he come?

Shooters can’t shoot once they come to this team. Shooting is somehow contagious. The whole team misses once they start missing, and on the other hand, if somebody start making shots, they tend to shoot better. It’s a confidence thing. And of course, if we are running the offense better and create/find the open guy, the chance of making shots increase.

by isum on Feb 6, 2012 10:47 PM EST up reply actions