Links: Reaction galore to Ernie Grunfeld's return as Washington Wizards GM

If you haven't had your fill of Ernie Grunfeld-related news yet, you're about to. Seemingly everyone has something to say about the Wizards' oft-criticized general manager and his vote of confidence from team owner Ted Leonsis. Here's some links:

• First, various recaps of Grunfeld's presser yesterday: [Us | Washington Post (story, quotes) | Washington Times (story, quotes) | Washington Examiner (story, transcription)]
• Chris Miller chatted with Grunfeld about his extension. [CSN Washington]
• Leonsis first confirmed the reports of Grunfeld's extension on his blog. For those that didn't come across it at some point yesterday, here ya go. [Ted's Take]
• Craig Stouffer recaps Grunfeld's hits and missed with the Wizards before concluding that the franchise is "in a better position than they have been in ages, and Grunfeld gets credit for making it happen." [Washington Examiner]
• Now that the Three Stooges are (all but) gone, Kyle Weidie is cautiously optimistic about the future but also can't help but feel that the 2011-2012 campaign was "another useless season." [Truth About It]
• A former Wizards beat writer is not happy about Grunfeld's extension.
• Count Kelly Dwyer among those perplexed by Grunfeld's extension. [Ball Don't Lie]
• An argument in support of Grunfeld's extension, including a suggestion that Ernie may not have been totally at fault for creating a zero-accountability locker room given the relationship between Gilbert Arenas and Abe Pollin. [Wiz of Awes]
• Here's a take that's decidedly "meh" on Ernie sticking around. [Wizards Extreme]
• Matt Moore draws a nifty parallel between Grunfeld's record in D.C. and that of Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace before Memphis get good. [CBS Sports]
• It's weird how little things have changed since 2003. [D.C. Sports Bog]
• Because this links post can't get enough Grunfeld, here's Ernie's kid on why no NBA player actually "sucks" as basketball (Note: He actually alludes to this several times, but I can assure Dan that when most fans say an NBA player "sucks," they mean "sucks relative to their NBA peers." Sports fans are not a verbose lot). [SB Nation]
• More on the Wizards' 101-73 thrashing of the hapless Bobcats. [Truth About It]
• Jan Vesely has become something of a whipping boy for Wizards fans who expected much more from the No. 6 overall pick in his rookie season. But with more playing time, Vesely has gained confidence and played much better of late, culminating Monday with an 8-for-8 performance against the Bobcats. [Washington Post]
• Oh, and in case you were worried, don't be. The Wiz have clinched the second-worst record (and second-most draft lottery ping pong balls) in the NBA! Woo!!
• The power struggle at the top of the NBPA continues and only figures to intensify following this Bloomberg report that the union has paid nearly $4.8 million to executive director Billy Hunter's family since 2001.
• Ron Artest got hit with a seven-game suspension for knocking James Harden senseless with an errant elbow Sunday, a punishment that Ramona Shelburne believes reflects Artest's efforts to reform his image. [ESPN Los Angeles]
• Though not as egregious as Artest's haymaker, it sounds like Tyrus Thomas's elbow to James Singleton was enough to warrant his ejection Monday night, especially given that the league was probably in full 'elbow crackdown' mode after Harden's concussion. [Truth About It]
• Ben Standig on Sam Cassell's peculiar impact on the 2012 NBA Draft. [CSN Washington]
• This might be hard to stomach for any John Wall fans who also happen to root for D.C. United. [D.C. Sports Bog]