Official Washington Wizards Thread

[Kmart128]

Think we are gonna need John Wall to be an MVP this year if we want to take the next step. Think we really needed to make a splash and add a 3rd star next to Wall and Beal if we wanted to compete for a championship... oh well. Impressive win in the opener.

[turtle28]

On 10/19/2017 at 1:10 PM, marshawn lynch said:

Think we are gonna need John Wall to be an MVP this year if we want to take the next step. Think we really needed to make a splash and add a 3rd star next to Wall and Beal if we wanted to compete for a championship... oh well. Impressive win in the opener.

Which didn’t happen... anyways...

So, it seems that unless something crazy happens where the Wizards click and are able to turn it on in the playoffs that they are likely to be one and done in the playoffs.

This has been a crazy year for the team with Wall battling a knee injury most of the year and finally having surgery which cost him over a month. The team has had chemistry issues all year and has never played good defense. After Wall went out, the team started off playing well, but they couldn’t keep that up and are finishing the season horribly losing I believe 7 or 8 of their last 10 games.

I continue to believe that Marcin Gortat needs to be traded. I’ve wanted that since the middle of the 2016 season when the trade deadline was coming up and I’m disapointed he’s still the Wizards starting center.

The silver lining here is the Wizards will get a draft pick in the teens this year and with that pick they can take a young power forward/center to develop or a SG to have as a back up behind Beal, which they badly need.

Here are the players I’ve been scouting for the Wizards to take with their 1st round pick and some good players that should be available for them to select in round 2 to develop as well.

For their 1st round pick:

1. Mortiz Wagner, 6’11, 235 lb PF/C from Michigan  (obviously he has to get stronger but he’s already a stretch 4/5 and will be a match up nightmare in the nba.)

2. Miles Bridges, 6’7, 230 lb PF from Michigan St.

3. Lonnie Walker, 6’4, 200 lb PG/SG from Miami

4. Gary Trent, JR., 6’6 215 lb SG from Duke

5. Robert Williams, 6’9, 240 lb PF/C from Texas A&M

6. Zahire Smith, 6’5, 195 lb SG from Texas Tech

7. Keita Bates-Diop, 6’7, 230 lb PF from Ohio State

8. Troy Brown, 6’7, 215 PG/SG from Oregon 

9. Mitchell Robinson, 7’1, 225 C - sat out a year and didn’t play college basketball 

10. Jontay Porter, 6’11, 240 PF/C from Missouri 

11. Caleb Martin, 6’7, 215 lb SG/SF, Nevada

12. Brandon McCoy, 7’, 255 lb C from UNLV 

 

Round 2 :

Issac Bonga, 6’9, 200 lb SG from Germany

Devonte Graham, 6’2, 215 lb PG from Kansas 

Cody Martin, 6’7 215 lb PG/SG from Nevada 

Austin Wiley, 6’11 255 lb C from Auburn 

Goga Bitadze, 7’ 250 lb C from the Republic of Georgia 

Keenan Evans,  6’3 205 lb PG/SG from Texas Tech

Kendall Stephens, 6’7 205 lb SG/SF from Nevada

Robert Franks, 6’7 240 lb PF, Washington St.

Theo Pinson, 6’6 220 lb SG/SF from Unc 

 

• My preference right now is to trade Marcin Gortat for a different starting center or for a draft pick to a team which has a good team but needs a starting center. His contract will be expiring after next season so that should be attractive to teams. 

• Then, I’d take Mortiz Wagner in round 1 and Keenan Evans in round 2 to develop as a combo guard who can back up both Wall and Beal.

Edited April 10, 2018 by turtle28

[turtle28]

Wizards grapple with what they’ve become: ‘The team we were watching on film wasn’t us’ 

https://wapo.st/2EuTKbO?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.195c3f83dfcd

 

Edited April 10, 2018 by turtle28

[Kmart128]

21 hours ago, turtle28 said:

Wizards grapple with what they’ve become: ‘The team we were watching on film wasn’t us’ 

https://wapo.st/2EuTKbO?tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.195c3f83dfcd

 

Gortat is a big part of that. I see him attempt hook shots when he is double teamed instead of kicking the ball out to the wide open shooter all the time.

[turtle28]

 

[turtle28]

6 hours ago, marshawn lynch said:

Gortat is a big part of that. I see him attempt hook shots when he is double teamed instead of kicking the ball out to the wide open shooter all the time.

Or turning his back and trying to tip out possible rebounds instead of turning around and boxing out to get rebounds. He offers nothing, absolutely noting on defense and the only thing he offers on offense is when Wall or Sato spoon feed him lay ups and the last two years he’s missed about 1/2 of his layups. He gets bullied on the block by other bigs every game, and he has no mid range jumper let alone the ability to stretch it to the 3 point line. I really hope Ernie finally pulls the plug and trades him to a team for a draft pick or a back up player we can use. Then, we can draft a big to develop in round 1 and I really hope we sign Monroe to be our starting C for the next 3 years or so.

Edited April 11, 2018 by turtle28

[turtle28]

@cmillersnbcs

Confirming @WashWizards signed Ty Lawson for the playoffs #DCFamily

[turtle28]

@marshawn lynch 

Toronto vs Washington may be the best series of the first round even though it’s a 1 v. 8. Wall vs Lowry in a great match up, as is Beal v. DeRozan. I think the series goes 7 with Toronto likely winning at home in game 7.

That being said, the way Toronto will win this series is with Valanciunas and Poeltl. 

The clear advantage for the Raptors are their two centers. Gortat is a few years past his prime, and his prime was barely above average anyways and while Mahinmi is a good defender on the block and good rebounder, he offers little on offense except as a screener and on lay ups. If Toronto wind it will be because their bigs dominate the Wizards bigs.

[turtle28]

Bottom line for the Wizards to improve, Beal and Morris need to be more efficient and Porter needs to shoot more. They also need to play more consistent perimeter defense - and that’s every last one of them from Wall to their 8th-10th guy - the Wizards aren’t going to get past the 2nd round until these things happen. 

The only huge change I could see happening that could possibly make the team better is by trading Beal or Porter, Oubre and Gortat for Kawhai Leonard and some young pieces from the Spurs but I seriously doubt Leonard is going to agree to come to the East coast. I fully believe he wants to go to one of the LA teams or another team out west like maybe Phoenix to team up with Booker bc it’s close to LA.

 

[Kmart128]

What are we hoping for guys?

I think Center and Power Forward are our top 2 needs.

Round 1 I'm hoping Robert Williams or Miles Bridges. Williams I think would be perfect fit for us. If neither of those two are available I wouldn't mind taking the risk for Mitchell Robinson. Could be a steal.

With us going big man in round 1 I'd expect us to get up a backup shooting guard in round 2. Maybe Diallo if he is still there 

[MKnight82]

10 minutes ago, marshawn lynch said:

What are we hoping for guys?

I think Center and Power Forward are our top 2 needs.

Round 1 I'm hoping Robert Williams or Miles Bridges. Williams I think would be perfect fit for us. If neither of those two are available I wouldn't mind taking the risk for Mitchell Robinson. Could be a steal.

With us going big man in round 1 I'd expect us to get up a backup shooting guard in round 2. Maybe Diallo if he is still there 

Knox would be good too.

[Kmart128]

46 minutes ago, MKnight82 said:

Knox would be good too.

I have a feeling we are gonna end up with Zharie Smith. I like him but I don't think he is the best fit for this team with Oubre already on team. Really hoping that Williams gets past the Clippers

 

[Kmart128]

Do we take Porter Jr if he gets past Denver... Couldn't imagine him getting to 15

[Kmart128]

Well we ended up with Troy Brown Jr....not a huge fan of this pick. Bad jump shot and not a position of need. He is the size of a SF with the skills of a PG and no shooting ability. I'm guessing that Oubre will become our primary backup PF and we let Mike Scott walk.

But Mitchell Robinson could call to 44 for us. Brandon McCoy would be a nice pick as well

[turtle28]

On 6/21/2018 at 10:58 PM, marshawn lynch said:

Well we ended up with Troy Brown Jr....not a huge fan of this pick. Bad jump shot and not a position of need. He is the size of a SF with the skills of a PG and no shooting ability. I'm guessing that Oubre will become our primary backup PF and we let Mike Scott walk.

But Mitchell Robinson could call to 44 for us. Brandon McCoy would be a nice pick as well

Brown is a developmental pick like Oubre was. They’ll work on his shooting. I had wished that they had taken Robert Williams because they need an athletic big who can rebound and play D but I think Brown will be good in time; it just won’t be immediately.