Official Washington Wizards Thread

[turtle28]

1 hour ago, NYRaider said:

You guys looked like a team that will compete for a playoff spot for sure, Avdija needs to be more aggressive offensively but that should come with time. 

Well when Rui comes back, Avdija will be coming off the bench as the 7th/8th man or if he’s starting at SF, he’ll be the 5th option. I’m not too worried about him, as you said, that’ll come.

I’m worried about Troy Brown and him being aggressive. He can play/has tools but I don’t get it, he’s just so inconsistent. Also, Ish Smith has to be more consistent. Those two weren’t good and arguably are the biggest reason we lost on top of poor free throw shooting.

[turtle28]

Wizards aren’t going to win many games by continuing to give up near or over 40 pts in the 4th quarter like they’ve done the first 3 games. 
 

Also, they aren’t going to win with Beal & Bertans combining to go 1-11 from 3 (Beal 0-7). Overall they shot an awful 25% from 3 and they obviously got no calls.
 

How do the Magic shoot 38 free throws and the Wiz just 13? WTF 

[turtle28]

Westbrook has an amazing 8 pts, 7 rebs & 5 assists in 11 minutes vs the Bulls tonight.

Beal: 7 pts, (1-1 from 3) 2 reb, 1 assist 

Bryant: 7 pts (1-1 from 3) 0 rebs in 7 min which is a concern though

Avdija: 3 pts (1-2 from 3) 3 rebs, 3 assists, 1 block

Bertans: 7 pts (1-3 from 3), 1 assist 

[turtle28]

FIRE SCOTT BROOKS!

[turtle28]

Best rotation IMO-

PG: Westbrook, TBJ

SG: Beal, Matthews

SF: Avdija, Bertans (15 min)

PF: Rui, Bertans (15 min)

C : Wagner, Len

Bertans splits time as the back up SF/PF depending on if Avdija or Bertans are in the game with the second unit. That’s my 9 man rotation.
 

Ish, Neto, Bonga, Robinson & Lopez get no minutes. The young guys with potential to be good for us in the future either as role players/4-7 players or good back ups need to play over our mediocre vets who give us nothing as well as over Bonga & Robinson who haven’t developed enough on the offensive end to have earned minutes.

What say you?

[turtle28]

Something I’ve been pointing out all year is that the players that are taking most of the 3-pt shots for the Wizards Arndt shooting good percentages, including Beal and this wasn’t a problem last year. This must improve, it’s supposed to be the strength of this team and it’s a weakness. 🤦‍♂️ 

Beal should be shooting near 40% & Bertans should be at 40% or over.

I like that Avdija is shooting 37% & Rui is shooting 33% from three this year but these guys need more shots.

Edited February 15, 2021 by turtle28

[turtle28]

Wizards pre COVID outbreak on their team/missing games this year bc of COVID:

11 games before:

120.5 ppg (2nd in NBA)

113.6 off rtg (7th)

38.9 3 pt% (7th)

 

12 games since:

105.9 ppg (27th in NBA)

103.7 off rtg (last in NBA)

29.7% off rtg (last in NBA)

[turtle28]

The Wizards just beat the Celtics which again shows their potential like when they beat Brooklyn and for the most part they played much, much better today - especially their effort and energy. It was obvious the Wizards caught the Celtics on a bad day, but I’ll take it. For example, Jayson Tatum only had 6 points.
 

The difference for the Wiz was obviously effort on defense & rebounding. The Wiz still didn’t shoot it well, 9/33 from 3, only 27%. If they defend & have effort every game though, they’ll be in games & can win their fair share.

Westbrook still has not found his rhythm on this team and in this offense but, at least he does other things well. He nearly had a triple double again despite a poor shooting performance. He only had 13 pts and missed some rather easy shots like short jumpers and a few layups. He was an awful (6-19, 0-2 from 3) but had 9 rebs and 11 assists.

Starting Wagner was something that Brooks should’ve done since Bryant went down, I’m glad he finally did and I hope he continues to. Brooks wasted so many games by starting Lopez over Wagner, just another reason out of countless which proves he needs to go. Wagner gives us more athleticism, effort, defense and rebounding vs what Lopez does. Lopez should be Wagner’s back up, or preferably Len - but I don’t see Brooks not playing Lopez at all. Lopez & Len can take advantage of other teams back up centers which gives the Wizards a strength off the bench where they don’t have any others but Bertans’s shooting but he’s been trash this year from deep. Here’s the stats:

Westbrook: 13 pts (6-19, 0-2 from 3), 9 rebs, 11 assists, better on D today.

Beal: 35 pts (4-9 from 3), 7 rebs, 5 assists, 2 stls, better on D today.

Rui: 15 pts, 4 rebs, 1 assist he had a lot of energy today & was better on D

Matthews: 0 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls but he played solid D & gave a lot of energy which he always does. Being a starter w/ Westbrook & Beal means that our starting front court will never get a lot of touches but, at least Matthews gave a lot of energy and played better D than our wings usually play - even Beal.

Wagner: 11 pts, 4 rebs, 2 stls, he played solid D & like Matthew’s gave the starting 5 a lot of energy which they hadn’t had all year.

Lopez: 10 pts, 4 rebs, 2 assists, 1 block, he played solid D, gave a lot of energy & took advantage of his match up vs Tristan Thompson.

Bertans: 8 pts (2-6 from 3), 8 rebs, 1 assist, 1 block, actually played D today & rebounded. He gave more energy this game than I’ve seen all year.

Avdija: 8 pts, (1-5 from 3, which is still an issue) but, he had 10 rebs and like the others he played solid D & gave a lot of energy today. Him coming off the bench is something I’ve been calling for for weeks w/ Matthews or Bonga starting over him. Coming off the benc really helped him bc he could create some and take advantage going against the Celtics back up forwards rather than going against the leagues best wings while getting no consistent shots or play making opportunities bc Beal & Westbrook take them all.

Edited February 15, 2021 by turtle28

[turtle28]

A major concern for the Wizards still has to be Westbrook’s offensive inconsistency. He has been good at rebounding and creating for others as he is still averaging near a triple double (20 pts, 9 rebs & 9 assists) but he has been very inconsistent this year. His efficiency on offense is awful right now. It’s like you want him on offense to do everything but take a shot. His awful efficiency and chemistry with his teammates is still a major problem they’re still not comfortable together. 
 

Westbrook has had a hard time adjusting to playing with these guys & they’ve had a hard time adjusting to him. Him missing the preseason bc of the quad was an issue, him not playing back to backs bc of the quad was an issue & I put that on Brooks.

Westbrook shouldn’t have played until he was 100% over that injury but regardless chemistry is an issue with their offense. It’s not that he can’t play anymore, it’s just not clicking bc he & his teammates are still working on chemistry.
 

So far, the Wall/Westbrook trade looks like a major mistake for the Wizards. It’s not that Wall is having a great year either but Wall’s chemistry w/ this team was already there - especially w/ Beal - which Westbrook doesn’t have yet and he may never develop with these guys & Beal.

Westbrook’s 20 ppg average looks good on its face but his efficiency & chemistry with his teammates has been a huge problem so far this year.

His overall shooting % is just 42%, down from 47% last year. His 2% shooting % this year is only 45%, last year it was 51%, that drop is huge! Also, his FT% is down 11% from 76.3% to 65.5% which is also a huge drop. 

From watching him I don’t see it improving too much this year. He doesn’t look comfortable with his teammates and they don’t look comfortable w/ him plus, his explosion isn’t the same. It looks like he’s a little bit heavier, that quad injury really set him and this team back.

Edited February 15, 2021 by turtle28

[turtle28]

 Gafford needs to get starters minutes against Embid, people may not realize this but, the Wizards didn’t have Gafford for any of the games they played vs the 76ers. Gafford’s staple is his defense which is something that Bryant, Lopez & Wagner struggled with trying to guard Embid in their 3 meetings this year. I’m not saying Gafford can shut down Embid, but I think he and Len’s size and athleticism will make it harder for Embid to score on us than what he faced early in the season.

Where the Wizards have a huge problem - as most teams do agains the Sixers - is matching up with their size. As everyone knows they go 7’, 6’11 & 6’8 across the front line. The Wizards have the size & 3 bodies to throw at Embid w/ Gafford, Len & Lopez but they don’t have anyone who can stop Simmons. 
 

The Wizards have also employed a 3 guard line up almost the entire season and especially wince Deni Avdija broke his ankle. They don’t have the size to guard the Sixers front line with their regular rotation but, they do have a forward Anthony Gill who’s a hustle/defensive guy who’s athletic but Brooks rarely plays him bc he likes his Mighty Mouse PGs, Ish & Neto.

I proposed something in the Washington Football Team forum that I haven’t got a response to yet from anyone but, I’ll throw it out here as well and see what people think:

 

I know people probably don’t know much about Anthony Gill, he was the PF on for the University of Virginia like 5 years ago. He’s always been a defensive minded, hustle guy who’s athletic and csn hit the occasional open 3 Just wondering if people think like I do that Brooks should start Anthony Gill over going with a 3 guard line up of Westbrook, Neto & Beal or have you all even watched the Wizards enough to know?

I hate to sit Neto bc I love what he brings to our offense but he’s a huge liability on defense, especially in this series when the Sixers front line goes 6’8, 6’11 & 7’. 
 

I feel like Gill would be the perfect guy for the Ben Simmons assignment in this series. I think Gill should start and he should guard Simmons. If it’s not Gill, it’s going to have to be Rui to guard Simmons but then we have to have someone with the size to guard Tobias Harris too.

I think our best bet is to start Gill, have him guard Simmons and Rui can guard Harris. With Gill all he needs to focus on is D, it makes a lot of sense to have him lock in on guarding Simmons to me.
 

At 6’8, 230 Gill is the best to handle Simmons of our forwards IMO and he has defensive mindset and  toughness to do so also. And, unlike Rui, Gill doesn’t need to be counted on for offense that much so it makes more sense to me to have him take that assignment and Rui to take the Tobias Harris assignment.

I love Neto, but starting him in this series doesn’t make sense to me given the size of the Sixers.

Basically, if Gill doesn’t start & check Simmons who’s going to guard Simmons in our line up?

Russ or Beal on Simmons would be a terrible mismatch, he’ll get whatever he wants driving vs them all day bc he’s 8 inches taller than them and outweighs them by 30 plus pounds. 
 

Brooks is going to have to make a defensive move for once in his coaching career by inserting Anthony Gill into his starting line up for and put Neto on the bench in favor of starting Gill so that they can have someone out there who can guard Simmons.

[turtle28]

I know the playoffs start today and it’s weird to be thinking about mock drafts but I’m board so I’ve been looking at some wondering what the Wizards could get with the 15th pick as a I don’t see them beating the Sixers, at most they win 2 games but likely they steal just one in the series.

There are some good prospect for us that should be available when we pick. We could use a young SG to envelop behind Beal, another forward as I like Rui & Avdija but I just feel we need another guy in that rotation who isn’t Bertans - I really wish Gill got more playing this year but Brooks chose to go small w/ 3 guard lineups almost all year - anyway, they could also use a young PF/stretch 5 to develop behind Bryant & Gafford.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2021-nba-mock-draft-4-0-cade-cunningham-evan-mobley-jalen-suggs-go-1-2-3-as-lottery-picture-clears-up/amp/

So as of right now these look like our options:

1. Scottie Barnes, SG/SF, 6’9 230, Florida St.

Scottie Barnes is a top-10 talent in this class with the one question -- his shot and offensive production -- being significant enough to potentially push him into this range. He made 27.5% of his 40 3-point attempts at FSU and isn't much of a scoring threat. Yet there's enough to love about his game that he has a lot of value and he can always improve his outside shot. He is a monstrous defender who at times guarded 1-5 in college and has some serious playmaking chops to go with his huge frame and long wingspan.

2. Josh Giddey, SF, 6’8 205, Australia 

Giddey shut his season down after a strong last month in the NBL. For Adelaide, he posted three triple-doubles in his last six games, showcasing his elite feel for the game and ability to affect winning in every facet. Almost every NBA team would sign up to add a 6-foot-8 playmaking wing to the roster, so the if the Wizards could add him here to bolster their wing depth.

3. Franz Wagner, SF, 6’9 220, Michigan 

We have Avdija and Rui but we lack the most on the roster is depth at wing. Wagner is a better shooter currently than Avdija so, he may even win the starting SF job over him if we drafted him. He can be an instant impact addition at SF immediately. He also thrived for Michigan as a defensive specialist who can knock down 3s and provide support for the team's top dogs.

4. Tre Mann, G, 6’5 190, Memphis

Memphis adds an intriguing combo guard in Tre Mann, who offers potent scoring from the guard spot. Mann is a threat to score it from every level because of his ability to pull up and get his shot from anywhere, from deep in 3-point range to around the cup with good touch on his floaters. He's also made strides as a passer.

5. Alperen Sengun, PF/C, 6’10 240, Turkey

Alperen Sengun dominated in the Turkish BSL. He averaged nearly 20 points and 10 boards per game as an 18-year-old and was just crowned the league's MVP. That type of production has him as a potential lottery pick. He would be a fit in Washington as a developmental prospect on a team that has Rui, Bertans, Gafford & Bryant coming back off injury but doesn’t have a long term developmental prospect as a 4/stretch 5.

6. Jaden Springer, G, 6’4 204, Tennessee 
 

The future of the Wizards point guard position is a mystery when Russ’s contract expires after the 2022-2023 season. If Russ wants to continue playing at 34 I’m sure the Wizards would entertain re-signing him at the right price. Beyond that though there’s nothing, Ish isn’t a long term option, Neto is more back up than starter and we’re not even sure if Cassius Winston will be good enough to be a back up PG. 

Jaden Springer is a young, high-upside talent who could help them reset. He's a talented scorer who showed enough as a live-dribble passer at Tennessee to bet on him developing into a starting-caliber lead guard in time.

7. Jared Butler, G, 6’3 195, Baylor
 

Butler averaged a career-high 4.8 assists and made 41.7% of his 3s last season for Baylor, proving his worth both as a combo creator and as a scorer. He would fit with the Wizards in a similar role either as an off-ball threat with Beal & Westbrook to give them *another* high-level scoring threat or as a second-unit creator and scorer. He was a 98th percentile spot-up shooter last season with a team-leading 28.0% assist rate, ahead of teammate Davion Mitchell, so his versatility will help him make an impact.

8. Kai Jones, PF, 6’11 220, Texas

An elite athlete with tons of physical tools, Jones is one of the X-factors of the draft as a true boom-or-bust talent. His ceiling is limitless but his floor is virtually nonexistent. He needs time to develop physically and to learn and feel the game. The Wizards can afford to be patient and invest on upside with him because we have Rui at PF for now but I still think long term Rui fits better as a SF than a PF in the NBA, he gets abused on D when he goes against taller PFs but when he matches up against stretch 4s he’s fine on D.

9. Cameron Thomas, G, 6’4 190, LSU

Cameron Thomas as a freshman for LSU last season led the SEC in scoring, averaging 22.8 points per game. He was a scorer at the prep level, a scorer at the college level, and he'll be a scorer in the NBA. It's his NBA skill. Like I said before the Wizards need to be thinking about their depth and development behind Beal & Westbrook and clearly value that type of talent that could develop into a long term starter at either guard spot like Jaden Springer and Jared Butler above.

10. Jalen Johnson, F, 6’9 220, Duke

Johnson struggled at Duke. He didn't play up to his five-star billing. But he's a 6-foot-9 forward with good handles and passing ability. Like I said before, even though we have Rui & Avdija at forward we need as many pieces as possible to add to either forward position because our depth there is lacking and it would be huge if he hits.

[turtle28]

Serious question, if you’re in true Wizards. Are you trading Beal & buying out Westbrook & rebuilding or would you ride it out w/ Russ & Beal for a few more years with this young team around them?

One part of me thinks if Rui gets shots and plays how he did the last two games and 1/3 of the games this season all next season, Avdija can come back and play how Rui played this year, Gafford continues to play how he plays and Thomas Bryant comes back and gives us 12-13 ppg next year that this team will push to be a top 5 seed in the Eastern Conference.

All that being said, this team as currently constructed isn’t likely to win a playoff series even the way the Wall/Beal/Ariza, Pierce or Porter/Nene or Morris/Gortat teams did/could from 2013-2018.

So while I’d like to see them continue to have a team that wins around 45 games a year, I think it’s best to blow it up a rebuild. 
 

What say you?

[seminoles1]

I would trade Beal...depending on the package and his commitment level this year.

If he says he doesn't want to leave and is willing to sign an extension, then I'm not trading him unless it's for a great young player (not multiple decent players) or a top 3 pick in this year's draft + more. Otherwise I hold onto him and continue trying to build around him.

If he says he's not sure he wants to come back and will enter free agency next summer, then put him on the block and get the best deal possible.

If Beal stays, Westbrook stays. If Beal goes, come to an agreement on a buyout if possible. If Westbrook refuses (which I thought would be a guarantee until I saw Griffin agree to one) then just ride it out for another year, hope he plays well, and maybe you can sell him off for a 2nd or something.

[turtle28]

13 minutes ago, seminoles1 said:

I would trade Beal...depending on the package and his commitment level this year.

If he says he doesn't want to leave and is willing to sign an extension, then I'm not trading him unless it's for a great young player (not multiple decent players) or a top 3 pick in this year's draft + more. Otherwise I hold onto him and continue trying to build around him.

If he says he's not sure he wants to come back and will enter free agency next summer, then put him on the block and get the best deal possible.

If Beal stays, Westbrook stays. If Beal goes, come to an agreement on a buyout if possible. If Westbrook refuses (which I thought would be a guarantee until I saw Griffin agree to one) then just ride it out for another year, hope he plays well, and maybe you can sell him off for a 2nd or something.

Makes total sense to me. Definitely for Beal the Wizards to trade Beal, the deal is going to have to blow the Wizards away and it definitely depends on if he truly will re-sign in Washington again. If he’s wishy washy about staying in DC long term, I think they have to trade to a contender and get back a good young prospect or two, picks & a vet SG.

Basically, we’re on the same page here. Same with Westbrook too.

Edited June 6, 2021 by turtle28

[turtle28]

Here’s an interesting thought for a Beal trade. What about trading Beal to the Bucks for Middleton, multiple first round picks - 2 or 3 - Divincenzo & Connaughton?

The Bucks seem stuck to me because they have an amazing athletic bigman that does everything at an elite level but shoot 3s & their 2nd best player is a SF who’s a sharp shooter but isn’t an elite athlete.

I think the Bucks need to make a move if they want any hopes of getting past the Nets or Sixers & even Beal w/ Gianis & Holliday may not be enough but I think that’s an interesting idea for both sides.