Bullets Forever: All Posts by Nick Bilka"Ain't No Luck"https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48097/BulletsForever-fv.png2016-11-23T09:36:44-05:00https://www.bulletsforever.com/authors/nick-bilka/rss2016-11-23T09:36:44-05:002016-11-23T09:36:44-05:00How to talk to your family about the Wizards’ struggles
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="N7zalT">Thanksgiving can be a trying time for those of us who don’t always see eye to eye with our family on certain sensitive topics. Though most of us can see eye to eye on mundane issues like the 2016 Presidential Election, Kanye West, and whether cake is bread, there is the perennial topic that you always try to avoid but some pesky relative always brings up: The early season struggles of the Washington Wizards.</p>
<p id="gspcjT">While your extended family has known about your Wizard fandom for a long time, and have generally tolerated it with the bemused condescension that they reserve for a nephew who now identifies as a juggalo, they still can’t help needling you with uncomfortable questions and arguments when you are just trying to enjoy a holiday meal. Here, we offer helpful tips for answering those sure to come up questions and arguments at Thanksgiving.</p>
<p id="hHuZy6"><strong>Uncle Jim: </strong>“Sounds like things are a real mess down there in <em>Warshington”</em></p>
<p id="ivHFdC"><strong>Answer:</strong> “Mess doesn’t even begin to describe the situation. The bench is atrocious, the starters can’t defend the three point line, and it seems like someone is getting injured. I worry it is only a matter of time before John Wall starts to express his displeasure. <a href="http://stats.nba.com/team/#!/1610612764/lineups/advanced/?sort=MIN&dir=1">When they are on the floor together they have an offensive rating of 104 and a defensive rating of 98.6. That’s not bad!!</a> If they can just fix their bench (Ian Mahinmi is coming), keep their starters healthy, and fix their 4th quarter issues they can squeak into the 8 spot!”</p>
<p id="7WOuPQ"><strong>Overhears cousins talking:</strong> “That whole Hamilton controversy was weird. Do you think Mike…”</p>
<p id="Km2L8B"><strong>Answer:</strong> “Look, I don’t want to dwell on the past. Jerry Stackhouse was a fine player, but trading a young talent like Rip was just symptomatic of the problems with franchise’s overall philosophy and part of the reason Michael Jordan was let go. Washington can’t just rely on older veterans and neglect to develop young talent. It’s happened too often in Wizard history.”</p>
<p id="8rqKe6"><strong>Grandpa:</strong> “I am not sure quite what to think about this Sessions fellow. There was a time he couldn’t get on the court…</p>
<p id="FNDwLk"><strong>Answer:</strong> <em>(Sigh and give a knowing look to the relatives around the table and speak in a very loud voice)</em></p>
<p id="PRFQK1">“OH GRANDPA, HE’S IN CHARLOTTE NOW. THEY TRADED FOR TREY BURKE BUT NOW THEY ARE STARTING TOMAS SATORANSKY, IT’S COMPLICATED.” <em>(whisper to family)</em> “Poor grandpa, I think his memory is going”</p>
<p id="gMjUOC"><strong>Father:</strong> “Nobody is trying to talk about the Wizards. Besides, whatever happened to yinz telling us last thanksgiving that they were going to sign Kevin Durant and compete for a championship?”</p>
<p id="TC1Y0L"><strong>Answer:</strong> “Mom, Do you think you can fix me a plate for the road?”</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2016/11/23/13718808/washington-wizards-thanksgiving-struggles-how-to-talkNick Bilka2016-05-31T07:44:18-04:002016-05-31T07:44:18-04:00Player evaluations: Otto Porter
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<p>The Wizards small forward year improved across the board, but didn't live up to lofty expectations from the organization and fans. With the early extension deadline looming in </p> <p>By nearly any objective measure, <span>Otto Porter's</span> third year in the NBA was a significant improvement over second, and his improvement wasn't just a result of more playing time. Otto's production was up across the board this season and he even produced better in some areas than he did during his breakout performance in last year's playoffs.</p>
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<p dir="ltr">Nevertheless, his season was still a disappointment for many <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wizards</a> fans after his breakout playoff performance. Defensively, he never became the kind of stopper that the Wizards had with <span>Trevor Ariza</span>, and his slight build allowed stronger small forwards like <span>Carmelo Anthony</span> push him around in a way that they couldn't outmuscle Porter's predecessor Paul Pierce. He shot a respectable 36.7 percent from beyond the arc this season, but he hovered in the 30 percent range for the crucial 2 months of the season where the Wizards needed offense in the absence of <span>Bradley Beal</span> and Nene.</p>
<p dir="ltr">On the whole, he didn't show the kind of assertiveness on offense and/or dominance on defense that one might expect from a #3 pick in the draft.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But here's the thing: where Otto Porter was picked doesn't matter anymore. The Wizards organization has to analyze the player they have now, his potential to improve, and determine where he fits into their future plans. One of those key decision points will come this fall when the Wizards have to decide whether to offer Porter an early extension prior to the last year of his rookie contract.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Signing Porter to an extension before he hits the market could lock up a young talented player who has improved every year in Washington, and avoid the risk that he takes a big jump forward next season that forces the team to use most of the team's salary cap increase to retain him. The question would be, how much would it cost to sign Otto Porter to an early extension?</p>
<p dir="ltr">Given the rising cap and the relative infrequency of early extensions, comparables are few and far between. However there are a few, in the form of last year's early extensions and reported offers.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Here is a summary from <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2015/11/3/9664656/nba-contract-extensions-list-2015">SBNation's Blazers' site, Blazers Edge, of the early extensions from the 2012 draft</a>.</p>
<h4 style="text-align: left;"><b>CLASS OF 2012 EARLY EXTENSIONS</b></h4>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Anthony Davis</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">New Orleans Pelicans</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">5-year, $125M*</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Damian Lillard</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Portland Trail Blazers</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">5-year, $125M*</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Michael Kidd-Gilchrist</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Charlotte Hornets</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">4-year, $52M</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">John Henson</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Milwaukee Bucks</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">4-year, $44M</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Terrence Ross</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Toronto Raptors</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">3-year, $33M</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Jeremy Lamb</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">Charlotte Hornets</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal;">3-year, $21M</p>
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<p><i>* - Both contracts are full max deals that include <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2016/5/26/11790158/davis-anthony-pelicans-rose-rule">bonuses Davis and Lillard earned for All-NBA honors</a>.</i></p>
<p dir="ltr">Besides the obvious franchise cornerstone players of Davis and Lillard, we have a couple of useful comparables for Otto Porter in young wings Terrence Ross and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. We can also add <a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cavaliers</a> wing <span>Iman Shumpert</span>, who signed a <a href="http://www.si.com/nba/2015/07/01/nba-free-agency-grades-iman-shumpert-cavaliers-four-years-40-million">4 year, $40 million contract with the Cavaliers over the summer<span> </span></a>, and <span>Harrison Barnes</span>, who turned down a 4 year, $64 million extension offer with the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Warriors</a> and who may be one of the most<a href="http://hoopshype.com/2016/05/03/nba-free-agency-2016-the-top-players/"> sought after free agents who is actually available this summer</a>.</p>
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<img alt="Otto Porter vs. Early Extenders" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/OQEK0adpD7A-uGo5t6qeCYeZ1nU=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/6567305/Lineup__2_.0.png">
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<p dir="ltr">Porter's numbers are right in line with the other wings listed. He compares favorably to Ross/Shumpert, and perhaps a little lower than MKG/Barnes when you consider Gilchrist's defense and Barnes's shooting. Nevertheless, given the rising cap, this make the <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2016/5/18/11701142/washington-wizards-free-agent-salaries-podcast">4 years, $48 million that was discussed</a> on the Bullets Forever Podcast seem reasonable and possibly even a little low for what he's done so far in his career.</p>
<p dir="ltr">There are reasons for both sides to agree on an early extension in this range for Porter. He could bet on himself and potentially get more money next summer, but there is something to be said for the security of long-term money to insure against injury, and the opportunity to stay in the only city he's played in as an adult. For the Wizards, it would be an opportunity to lock up a young, improving player long term for a reasonable amount of money.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The move wouldn't necessarily hamper the Wizards future flexibility either. Take the example of the Toronto Raptors. They gave early extensions to <span>Jonas Valanciunas</span> (2011 draft) of 4 years, $64 million and Terrence Ross at 3 years, $33 million. If the Raptors wish to clear up cap space, they could easily move either of these contracts into another team's space or get decent players in return and it's hard to imagine that Jonas or Ross would have gotten less money on the free agent market this summer.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Similarly, the Wizards could maintain their core young starters (Wall, Beal, Porter and Morris) while maintaining flexibility going forward. There is a point at which the Wizards say no (he's not getting Giannis money, after all), and that will be based on where the market is set this summer. But the Wizards shouldn't be afraid to say yes to the right number. Even if Porter's peak is merely as a competent starter rather All-Star, it's worth trying to lock him up as part of Washington's future.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2016/5/31/11573284/otto-porter-washington-wizards-early-extension-contract-player-evaluation-nbaNick Bilka2016-04-20T18:27:29-04:002016-04-20T18:27:29-04:00Wiz reportedly offering Brooks $7 million per year
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<p>The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Wizards are trying to close a deal </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a> have offered their vacant head coaching to former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Thunder</a> head coach Scotty Brooks. Adrian Wojnarowski reports, "Brooks has been enthusiastic about reaching an agreement with the Wizards" and the deal could be in the range of $7 million a season.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheVertical">@TheVertical</a>. Washington, <span>Scott Brooks</span> meeting in California, trying to work on a deal. <a href="https://t.co/hpE38lQ7e8">https://t.co/hpE38lQ7e8</a>— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/722905283488391168">April 20, 2016</a></p>
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<p>If the Wizards truly believe that Brooks is the best man for the job, it's encouraging that they are being aggressive and unafraid to pay him significantly more than previous Wizards coaches. <span>Randy Wittman</span> <a href="http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/how-much-did-wizards-pay-randy-wittman-way-out">was estimated to make around $3 million per year</a>, and Flip Saunders contract was reported to be $18 million dollars over 4 years.</p>
<p>The contract would make Brooks one of the highest paid coaches in the NBA, but probably not for very long. With all the new money coming in under the new television deal, expect coaches salaries to rise as NBA teams get an infusion of new money.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2016/4/20/11475356/Scott-Brooks-Washington-Wizards-head-coach-salaryNick Bilka2016-01-17T21:57:12-05:002016-01-17T21:57:12-05:00Preview: Portland comes to town for MLK matinee
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<figcaption>Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Wizards battle a formidable Blazers offense in an MLK Day matinee at the Verizon Center</p> <p>The Portland Trailblazers at 18-25 are legitimately in the playoff hunt for the 8th seed in the West around the halfway point of the season. Both the fact that the Trailblazers are still in playofff contention and the fact that they could be so with such an unimpressive record, are two things that seemed unlikely at the beginning of the season.</p>
<p>Portland has lost four of the starters that helped lead them to consecutive 50 win seasons over the summer. The most conspicuous absence is the Blazers former franchise cornerstone Lamarcus Aldridge. who fled the Pacific Northwest for a chance to compete for a title with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a>. Wes Matthews and <span>Robin Lopez</span> left in free agency, and <span>Nicolas Batum</span> was traded east to Charlotte for <span>Noah Vonleh</span> and <span>Gerald Henderson</span>.</p>
<p>The Blazers filled out their roster by signing solid players like <span>Ed Davis</span> and <span>Al-Farouq Aminu</span> and trading for Mo Harkless from Orlando while leaving themselves enough cap space to sign <span>Enes Kanter</span> to a big offer sheet that was later matched by the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Thunder</a>. This left Portland well under the salary cap floor, which should make them an interesting team to watch at the trade deadline.</p>
<p>On the court this season, the Blazers defense has fallen off while their offense has remained among the top ten in the NBA. Damian Lillard is obviously a key here. The fourth year player remains among the best scoring point guard in the NBA averaging a career high 24.7 points a game. A bit more surprising is the play of 3rd year combo guard <span>C.J. McCollum</span>, who is in the running for the Most Improved Player award (<a href="http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=14577201">for a bit more on McCollum, listen to his excellent interview with Zach Lowe on this week's Lowe Post podcast</a>). He's averaging 20.4 points per game, up almost 14 points from last year. Statistically, McCollum's numbers read a lot like <span>Bradley Beal's</span> as he is a good scorer and three point shooter who rarely gets to the foul line but has the ability to distribute and handle the ball at the 2 guard position.</p>
<h3>Game Info</h3>
<p id="paragraph2" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>When: </b>Monday, January 18, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. ET<br><b>Where: </b>The Verizon Center<br><b>Watch: </b>CSN Washington<br><b>Listen:</b> WNEW 99.1 in the DMV</p>
<h3>Injury Report</h3>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">¯\_(ツ)_/¯</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Bradley Beal should be back, but <span>Drew Gooden</span>, <span>Kris Humphries</span> and Drew Gooden remain questionable and <span>Alan Anderson</span> is not expected back.</p>
<h3>Most likely Wizard Killer</h3>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Allen Crabbe. The third year wing from Cal is having his best season and has the ability to shoot from beyond the arc. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wPtCPaTWu4">Crabs are known to do quite well in this area</a>, and sure, the name is spelled differently but nobody claimed this was a scientific process.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2016/1/17/10784154/washington-wizards-portland-trail-blazers-nba-how-to-watch-prevewNick Bilka2015-12-04T09:50:08-05:002015-12-04T09:50:08-05:00No, Wizards fans didn't boo John Wall
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<p>Can we stop this narrative before it becomes an urban legend?</p> <p>It started as many urban legends start, with a grain of truth. With the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wizards</a> trailing the <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Los Angeles Lakers</a> in the waning moments of Monday night's game, John Wall came to the line for two critical free throws as Washington trailed 98-97. Up to that point, Wall had 29 points and 10 assists on the evening, and had scored the Wizards last 10 points. Which is to say, John Wall was playing well. Really well, in a way that even the most casual fan can appreciate.</p>
<p>As Wall dribbled in preparation to shoot his foul shots, a fair number of boos could be heard. How many boos, well, it depends on who you ask. Here are tweets that got people's attention on Wednesday:</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I just saw <span>John Wall's</span> mom crying after the game. I can't believe how fans boo him here. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wizards?src=hash">#wizards</a>— Erin Hawksworth (@ABC7Erin) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC7Erin/status/672248097272111106">December 3, 2015</a></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">This isn't the first time the Wizards have been boo'd at home. It's been an issue this season. <a href="https://t.co/aPqwug6pOE">https://t.co/aPqwug6pOE</a></p>
— Erin Hawksworth (@ABC7Erin) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC7Erin/status/672250012773011459">December 3, 2015</a>
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<p>The clear implication from this is that the mean Wizards fans booing John Wall made his mom cry. While we realize that television stations that cover the Wizards for one or two marquee games a year are maybe not a great source of inside information on Washington basketball, these tweets on the possibility of the Wizards fanbase booing their star player were picked up in the blogosphere.</p>
<p>Deadspin ran with the headline "<a href="http://deadspin.com/kobe-bryant-contributes-to-rare-lakers-victory-as-fans-1745876801" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Kobe Bryant Contributes to Rare Lakers Victory As Fans Boo John Wall</a>." Kevin Draper entertained the possibility that Wizards fans were booing Wall for the team's struggles:</p>
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<p>"I’m not usually one to lecture about fan decorum, but booing John Wall? Come the fuck on. Sure, he and the Wizards are underperforming this season, but we are barely into the second month! Last night the Wizards walloped the <a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cavaliers</a>—you know, the defending Eastern Conference champions—on the road, as Wall scored 35.If it was Wizards fan booing John Wall, it confirmed every stereotype about Washington fans only giving a shit or knowing anything about the NFL."</p>
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<p><a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/the--not-even-fun--wizards-hit-a-low-point--as-john-wall-hears-the-boos-173531088.html">Yahoo Sports ran with a similar headline</a>, "The 'not even fun' Wizards hit a low point, as John Wall hears the boos."</p>
<p>While both pieces don't outright say it, the implication is clear: Wizards fans are taking their team's poor start on John Wall. Nothing could be further from the truth.</p>
<p>First, consider the context. Wall was at the line to give the Wizards the lead and had just scored the team's last 10 points. He had just had one of the best games of his career the night before in scoring 35 points and adding 10 assists to beat Lebron and the hated Cleveland Cavaliers. Why would Wizards fans pick this, of all moments, to boo their star player? It defies logic, and it defies what actually happened.</p>
<p><a href="http://stats.nba.com/game/#!/0021500269/playbyplay/?GameID=0021500269&GameEventID=541&mtype=&mtitle=#play541">Let's go to the video</a>. Before the first shots, you hear a mix of boos and cheers as Wall calmly hits the first free throw, and then cheers as he hits it. Well, perhaps Wizards fans were frustrated and hitting the free throw settled them down? I guess not, as he prepares for the second shot we hear another mix of boos and cheers, then Wall hits the second shot (and the crowd cheers).</p>
<p>Given the dynamic of large numbers of Lakers fans at the game, particularly given it was Kobe's last game in DC, there were some Lakers fans booing and some Wizards fans cheering Wall. Washington, like every city in the US, has a decent contingent of Kobe fans and having their hero do so well in the last game they would see him in emboldened them.</p>
<p>What there was not was Wizards fans booing John Wall for the teams struggles. In fact, I'd argue that the Lakers fans there weren't really booing John Wall as a player or person. They were booing any Wizards player going to the line with the game in doubt with that amount of time left. Pope Francis could have been going to the line with a puppy he just saved and the reaction would have been roughly the same.</p>
<p>Later in Draper's piece for Deadspin, he went on to say "And if the arena was so overrun by Lakers fans (and it <a href="https://twitter.com/HoopDistrictDC/status/672250191785824256" target="_blank">sure sounds like</a> it was) that they were booing Wall, well, that’s a damning indictment of Wizards fans just the same."</p>
<p>Perhaps. There were a lot of Kobe/Lakers fans at the game last night, and they certainly got boisterous as their hero hit some big shots in the 4th quarter. I won't argue that the Wizards fanbase isn't particularly large in this area, though I wouldn't be surprised if you see similar displays for Kobe if he plays well in other cities. But the small and loyal Wizards fanbase that exists mostly knows they are happy to see #2 play for their team.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/12/4/9845448/washington-wizards-fans-john-wall-boo-los-angeles-lakersNick Bilka2015-11-11T14:29:12-05:002015-11-11T14:29:12-05:00Durant's homecoming defined by absences
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<p>WASHINGTON - In one of the most anticipated games of the early season, local hero and future free agent <span>Kevin Durant's</span> return to DC was characterized less by his presence and more by what was missing on his return home.</p>
<p>Much of the hoopla that surrounded Kevin Durant's return to the nation's capital in January was absent from the Verizon Center this time around. While there were vendors on F Street hawking KD2DC gear, there wasn't much besides the filled arena to separate it from a typical night at the Verizon Center.</p>
<p>There was no scrimmage with Durant's high school team at halftime and no sponsored weather report featuring Durant photoshopped in a Wizard jersey. Gone as well were Wizard fans cheering excessively for KD, In fact, perhaps cognizant of his recent comments to the press about Washington's "disrespectful" approach in January, a small contingent booed the former MVP each time he touched the ball early in the game.</p>
<p>And by the beginning of the second half, Kevin Durant had disappeared too, but by that point, any sense that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a> could win was long gone from the building.</p>
<p>The night started inauspiciously enough as starting shooting guard <span>Bradley Beal</span> and backup center Nene were ruled out for the evening with minor injuries. Given the large gap in ability between these two and their replacements, fans could be forgiven for not giving the Wizards much of a chance at that point.</p>
<p>From <span>Randy Wittman's</span> perspective, his team might have felt the same.</p>
<p>"It looked like we didn't believe we could win to me" he remarked following the game, noting Beal and Nene's absences did not excuse the Wizards effort. "You lose a couple of key guys to your team, and you still got guys who can play and win a game. We're just too soft right now. I might as well stick 4 guards and a center out there."</p>
<p>From the very beginning, the Wizards defensive effectiveness was lacking. Like nearly all of the Wizards opponents this year, the Thunder had no trouble scoring against the Wizards porous defense. When the Wizards turned their focus to stopping Durant and Westbrook, the rest of the Thunder were willing and able to step up. <span>Serge Ibaka</span> in particular punished the Wizards for not respecting his range, scoring 23 on as the Wizards never got it closer than the 18 points they trailed by at halftime.</p>
<p>It was the third straight game in which the Wizards have given up more than 115 points and lost by double digits. "We don't defend. Guys drive by us at will." Randy Wittman lamented, pointing particularly to an isolation play at the end of the first quarter where <span>Dion Waiters</span> drove right through the Wizards defense for an easy layup and trip to the line. Everywhere and anywhere the Wizards needed a stop or a board, the Thunder were a step ahead of them.</p>
<p>The Wizards were particularly absent on the glass, where the Thunder outrebounded the Wizards by 15 in the first three quarters. As John Wall put it, "they just outrebounded us and outhustled us on every play."</p>
<p>Wittman also lamented the Wizards failure to rebound and called out the Wizards bigs, specifically <span>Marcin Gortat</span>, for their lack of presence inside.</p>
<p>"We don't have any toughness, we don't hit anyone, and we don't rebound. You guys that play 27 minutes and get one defensive rebound. I can get you a rebound. You give me 27 minutes on Saturday and I can get you a rebound."</p>
<p>Though the Wizards eventually cut into the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Thunder's</a> rebounding edge in the fourth quarter, the outcome was no longer in doubt. What crowd energy there was at the beginning had long since disappeared. If fans wanted to avoid offending Kevin Durant with over exuberance, the mission was accomplished. The Wizards certainly gave them little to be exuberant about.</p>
<p>The crowd finally made itself heard at one point late in the game. As Steven Adams went to the foul line after missing the first of two shots, the crowd awoke. They then gave their biggest cheer of the night when the Thunder center missed the second of 2 shots, thereby giving fans in one of the richest metropolitan areas of the country potential access to a $5 chicken sandwich.</p>
<p>On a night that was missing so much we had hoped for, at least we saw one thing we expected.</p>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/11/11/9715676/washington-wizards-kevin-durant-oklahoma-city-absenceNick Bilka2015-11-01T14:50:09-05:002015-11-01T14:50:09-05:00Wittman shows a different side after tough loss
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<p>WASHINGTON - <span>Randy Wittman</span> took his time in answering the first question after the <a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/10/31/9652694/carmelo-anthony-scores-37-as-the-knicks-spoil-the-wizards-home-opener">Wizards' opening night loss to the New York Knicks</a>, looking away from the media to collect himself after initially remarking, "it was a tough day."</p>
<p>After a whirlwind 24 hours that saw Wittman go from the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Wizards</a> comeback win in Milwaukee, to Minnesota for the funeral for his longtime colleague and friend, Flip Saunders, and finally back to Washington, he appeared exhausted Saturday evening after the game. There would be no rants on a "<a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2013/11/2/5057730/magical-pixels-wizards-vs-76ers-fast-start-finishes-with-an-f-bomb">commitment to playing f***ing defense</a>" or "<a href="http://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/5/8/8573975/randy-wittman-NEXT-QUESTION-john-wall-washington-wizards-medical-staff-clash-wrist-hand-injury">next question</a>"; just somber laments of the team's failure to contain a <a href="https://www.postingandtoasting.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Knicks</a> offense that put up 117 points.</p>
<p>While Wittman's demeanor was different, the content of his responses was familiar. "The commitment to defend is just not there," Wittman complained. "We can talk about a lot of other things and make excuses, but to score 110 points at home and lose by seven, that's what it boils down to, we're not committed right now and we've got to change that." For the second night in a row, the Wizards failed to contain an offense that had, at least last season, ranked among the worst in the NBA.</p>
<p>The Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, unperturbed by any pressure from the Wizards, was a big part of the Wizards problem. Whether it was <span>Otto Porter</span> or <span>Jared Dudley</span> covering him, Melo was able to create a sliver of space where he could get off a shot, scoring 37 points in total. The biggest of which came with 1:35 left on the clock in a tied game, where Anthony beat the shot clock and the dogged defensive effort of Jared Dudley to hit a just-inside-the-line long 2 to give the Knicks a 108-106 lead.</p>
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<p lang="in" dir="ltr">dang melo <a href="https://t.co/kL1MFrgfCP">pic.twitter.com/kL1MFrgfCP</a></p>
— James Herbert (@outsidethenba) <a href="https://twitter.com/outsidethenba/status/660632559399911424">November 1, 2015</a>
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<p>Melo wasn't the Wizards' only problem, though. The Wizards struggled to contain a balanced attack from the Knicks. Langston Galloway hit some big shots and <span>Lance Thomas</span> exploited several mismatches on Wizards' guards in the post.</p>
<p>During the team's first two games, the Wizards had the luxury of being able to cruise a bit, with Wall and Beal taking over in the fourth quarters of each to win the game. Wall and Beal made big plays again tonight, but the Wizards' defense couldn't stop Melo and the Knicks from doing the same.</p>
<p>For Wittman, it's a matter of the Wizards changing their approach to the game. "We've got to change our mindset," he said after the game. "We've talked a lot about offense .... I can't come in at halftime and listen to, we're talking more about what we're doing offensively and we gave up 59 points. So our mindset needs to change."</p>
<p><span>Bradley Beal</span> concurred, saying: <b>"</b>We just didn't guard anybody. We were letting guys catch the ball too easily. We were just letting them do whatever they wanted offensively<b>."</b></p>
<p>The Wizards will have to make adjustments to be able to defend at a level that Wittman finds acceptable. And for all of the justified (and unjustified) criticisms of Wittman during his tenure in Washington, he always manages to cobble together a solid defense with the players he's been given. It remains an open question of whether Wittman can make the Wizards' defense work while continuing to support the team's new fast-paced offense.</p>
<p>But this was just one game of 82, and, for Wittman, the failures during this one game will surely fade compared to the importance of the day that preceded it. Even six years after Flip Saunders was hired by the Wizards, and almost four years after he was let go, the Wizards still retain a connection with his coaching legacy. The Wizards were initially co-coached on Saturday by assistants <span>Don Newman</span> and <span>Don Zierden</span>.</p>
<p>Zierden's ties to Saunders date back to the former's days as a Division III point guard playing pickup ball against the much better D1 player Saunders and continued through the pair coaching together in the CBA and at NBA stops in Minnesota, Detroit and Washington. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/17/AR2009071703167.html">As he told the Washington Post in 2009</a>, "Most of my coaching games in my pro career have been with Flip, and I think it's the same way with him," Zierden said. "We've really been together at every stage."</p>
<p>Delayed by his friend's funeral, Wittman eventually made it to the game by the end of the first quarter, completing a grueling day with a grueling game that lasted over two and a half hours and saw 62 foul calls. But for Wittman, whether to coach the game or not was never in question. With emotion in his voice once again, he explained why he came back from Minnesota last night: "You know what? Flip would have wanted me to coach. He would have never wanted me to miss a game based on him, I can guarantee you that." He ended the press conference where it began. "It was tough. It was a tough day."</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/11/1/9653922/randy-wittman-washington-wizards-new-york-knicksNick Bilka2015-07-01T21:20:59-04:002015-07-01T21:20:59-04:00Wizards show interest in Boozer
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<p>Add one more name to the rumor pile for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a>-former Cavs/<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.slcdunk.com/">Jazz</a>/<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blogabull.com/">Bulls</a>/<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a> Power Forward <span>Carlos Boozer</span>:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I'm told Carlos Boozer got interest from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">Spurs</a>, Blazers, Mavs, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thedreamshake.com/">Rockets</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.celticsblog.com/">Celtics</a>, Wizards, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Heat</a> & Lakers <a href="http://t.co/UHdt7VHIO1">http://t.co/UHdt7VHIO1</a></p>
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina/status/616402939016450052">July 2, 2015</a>
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<p>The two-time All Star spent the last season as a Los Angeles Laker, averaging 11.8 points and 6.8 rebounds per game on 49.9 percent shooting. The Lakers picked up the former Duke Blue Devil after he was amnestied by the Chicago Bulls in July 2014.</p>
<p>Despite Boozer's declining reputation as a player, he's still a decent rebounder and adept at hitting a 15 foot jumper. Also, few players in the league could bring Boozer's track record of messing with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fearthesword.com/">Cleveland Cavaliers</a></p>
<p>He doesn't make much sense for the Wizards though. Many of his skills are replicated and surpassed by Nene, Gortat, and <span>Kris Humphries</span>, and he lacks the ability to space the floor from beyond the arc that <span>Drew Gooden</span> and <span>Al Harrington</span> brought in past seasons. Frankly, it would make more sense to just bring Drew Gooden back.</p>
<p>If it sounds like I am not a fan of a Boozer acquisition, I am definitely not. I don't think it is likely to happen. The Wizards are probably exploring a lot of options, and acquiring Boozer doesn't really mesh with the idea of getting a stretch four next year.</p>
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https://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/7/1/8881283/washington-wizards-carlos-boozer-nba-free-agencyNick Bilka2015-06-30T21:23:43-04:002015-06-30T21:23:43-04:00Wizards reportedly interested in Williams
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<p>With Paul Pierce's status still up in the air, rumors of players that the Wizards' are potentially interested in with their salary cap exceptions have been few and far between. Chris Broussard added a name to the mix tonight on Twitter:</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sources: Sac, Wash, Hou, LAL, Mia, Phx, NYK expected to show interest in <span>Derrick Williams</span></p>
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chris_Broussard/status/616003212227805184">June 30, 2015</a>
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<p>If you'll recall, <a href="http://dc.sbnation.com/washington-wizards/2011/6/16/2227635/nba-rumors-2011-draft-javale-mcgee-derrick-williams/in/1884419">the Wizards were reportedly interested in trading up to acquire Derrick Williams in the 2011 Draft</a>, but decided to back off when Minnesota asked for JaVale McGee in return.</p>
<p>Since then, Derrick Williams has struggled to find his way in the NBA. After an unimpressive two-year stint with the <span>Minnesota Timberwolves</span>, Williams was traded to the <span>Sacramento Kings</span> for Luc Mbah A Moute early in the 2013-2014 season. Williams hasn't fared much better in Sacramento, struggling to perform consistently, defend or shoot well from outside that the NBA level. Last season, he averaged 8.3 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting from the field and 31 percent from three-point range.</p>
<p>The Wizards are surely looking at other options, but perhaps they see some promise in the young, athletic former Arizona Wildcat they tried to acquire four years ago. One could see the appeal of Williams running the floor with Wall if he could just improve his three pointer enough to provide spacing at the power forward position. The question then is whether that is a gamble the Wizards want to take.</p>
<p>As an athletic tweener, he seems like he might be a good fit in today's positionless NBA, but his difficulties in guarding the power forward position and hitting threes make him a questionable fit for the Wizards. Unless better options don't work out or Williams is available very cheap, I'd hope that the Wizards look elsewhere. Roster spots are scarce, and Williams could use an environment where he can get minutes and continue to find his role as an NBA player.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/6/30/8874093/nba-free-agency-washington-wizards-derrick-williamsNick Bilka2015-06-18T12:45:52-04:002015-06-18T12:45:52-04:00Regression is Mean: Rasual Butler evaluation
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<p>For <span>Rasual Butler</span>, just making an NBA roster in 2014-15 was a tremendous accomplishment. Left for dead after a bad stint with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.raptorshq.com/">Raptors</a> several years ago, Butler grinded his way through a stint in the D-League and earned himself a spot with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Pacers</a> in 2014-2015.</p>
<p>Coming into the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a> training camp, it was anything but certain that he would be on the Wizards roster for any time, let alone the whole season. To earn his roster spot for the season, Butler had to fight off numerous challenges, not the least of which being the Wizards desire to keep an open roster spot for the possibility of a <span>Ray Allen</span> signing later in the season.</p>
<p>Butler's season didn't begin auspiciously. In the Wizards season opener in Miami, he set himself up to take a charge on a Miami fast break and saw part of his feet just inside the restricted area, and his whole body underneath <span>James Ennis</span> as he laid down a ferocious slam.<br><br><iframe frameborder="0" height="600" width="600" src="https://vine.co/v/OMtVnUYUTh5/embed/simple"></iframe></p>
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<p>RIP Rasual Butler.</p>
<p>But Butler was far from departing us. With Bradley Beal and Martell Webster both out to start the season, there were minutes to be had on the wing and Butler took full advantage of his opportunity. Butler's first big game came in a November win over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a>, as he scored 18 points on 7-8 shooting. It was the first of several incredibly efficient performances to start the season.</p>
<p>In his first 20 games Butler managed four 20+ point games, only one short of the total <span>Paul Pierce</span> managed for the entire season, and shot 53.4 percent from 3 point range on 3.7 attempts per game. Butler filled the role Martell Webster had played during the prior two seasons, proving adept at getting to the right spot and making the most of catch and shoot opportunities. As hard as it would be to imagine before the season, Rasual Butler was a huge part of the Wizards getting off to their best start in decades.</p>
<p>That great start by Butler was not without its pitfalls. His emergence also led to a reduced amount of time available for <span>Otto Porter</span>. Though that can be justified by Butler's superior play early on, one could argue that Porter seeing more playing time earlier could have paid off later in the season.</p>
<p>As the Wizards had wanted to keep an open roster spot for the possible Ray Allen signing, they chose to clear up a different roster spot at the January 10th deadline for guaranteeing contracts. The Wizards chose to jettison their other non-guaranteed contract, Glen Rice Jr., who the Wizards had taken with a second round pick the season before. <a href="http://www.csnwashington.com/basketball-washington-wizards/talk/morning-tip-kudos-wizards-selling-2nd-round-pick">If as some have argued</a>, the Wizards gave up their 2014 2nd round pick to have the room for someone like Butler, the Wizards also gave up their 2013 2nd round pick in order to keep him and a roster spot that later went to <span>Will Bynum</span>.</p>
<p>All that would be easier to stomach, if Butler's regression to the mean hadn't been so steep. While nobody expected Butler to shoot Korveresque levels all season, it would have been easier to deal with if others had stepped up during his struggles. But Bradley Beal and <span>Garrett Temple</span> got hurt at various times, Otto struggled and Martell Webster didn't look like the player he was his first two years in Washington. From January 11th onward, Butler shot just 36.1 percent from the floor and 28 percent from deep as he and the Wizards struggled to regain the form they had shown early in the season.</p>
<p>The overall numbers for the year were respectable enough, as Butler still managed to shoot just under 39 percent from beyond the arc. On the other hand, most of his overall efficiency numbers were down even from his last season with Indiana. Perhaps we should be surprised at the decline, as Butler played more minutes than he had in any season since he was 30.</p>
<p>It should also be kept in mind that the 35 year old Butler was not signed to be a rotation wing, but more of a stop gap as Webster and Beal recovered from injuries and Otto Porter got adjusted to playing at the NBA level. So whatever disappointment we feel at the end of the season, it's only because Butler raised our expectations so much. It's to his credit that he stepped up to be something more than that for the first half of the season, and unfortunate that the Wizards couldn't get someone to fill the gap in the second half of the year.</p>
<p>He'll be a free agent this offseason once again, and it wouldn't be surprising if the Wizards looked elsewhere. But if he has anything to say about it, this won't be the last the NBA sees of Rasual Butler.</p>
https://www.bulletsforever.com/2015/6/18/8719385/regression-is-mean-rasual-butler-season-evalutationNick Bilka