130 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

Grantland: One last conversation about the Wizards

http://grantland.com...ut-the-wizards/

[Oriole85]

@WojYahooNBA Yahoo Sources: Washington, coach Randy Wittman nearing agreement on a three-year contract extension. http://yhoo.it/1tjNk2J

[Markus]

Big Ted on Wittman

 

"And the players respected the coach and they played hard for him, so I think he deserves the opportunity to come back and lead us even deeper in the playoffs next year."

[DJ MC]

Well, it was a nice run while it lasted. Guess I have to put my DC Rising towels away for another decade.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Washington Post: Does re-signing Gortat, and Ariza make sense? (video)
http://www.washingto...wpsrc=PT0000180

[DJ MC]

http://wizardsmystic...tract-extension

 

Undisclosed terms.

[JamesGallden]

Guys I really don't keep up with the Wizards at all, are they expected to be players in the FA market this year?  For anyone of note like.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I wouldn't expect them to be serious players of anyone of note... I think the bigger questions are, do they try or are they even able to retain Gortat and/or Ariza.

[JeremyStrain]

I wouldn't expect them to be serious players of anyone of note... I think the bigger questions are, do they try or are they even able to retain Gortat and/or Ariza.

Gortat is resigning.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Gortat is resigning.

 

I think this is big news for the Wizards. There were rumors about Miami being interested. You need that balance... Gortat is comfortable with his role, is physical, and capable of big games...

 

CSN Washington: Wizards settle on 5 year $60M deal with Gortat
http://www.csnwashin...ion-deal-gortat

[BSLChrisStoner]

CSN Washington: Wizards could lock up Ariza sooner than expected

http://www.csnwashin...sooner-expected

[SportsGuy]

They gave Gortat a lot of money...presumably, they will give Ariza a decent amount. How much improvement does the roster have in it that you are locked into the same team for a while?

[BSLChrisStoner]

They gave Gortat a lot of money...presumably, they will give Ariza a decent amount. How much improvement does the roster have in it that you are locked into the same team for a while?

 

The $ per year for Gortat was fine. If there was any issue, it was the length imo.

The roster improvement will come from how much ceiling Wall, and Beale (and maybe Porter) have... and maybe growth from roster continuity.

Fair point that they are going in with the existing roster though...will either work, or it won't.

[JeremyStrain]

They gave Gortat a lot of money...presumably, they will give Ariza a decent amount. How much improvement does the roster have in it that you are locked into the same team for a while?

 
The $ per year for Gortat was fine. If there was any issue, it was the length imo.


The roster improvement will come from how much ceiling Wall, and Beale (and maybe Porter) have... and maybe growth from roster continuity.


Fair point that they are going in with the existing roster though...will either work, or it won't.

Agreed. And Ariza is far from a lock because they want to get a better look at Porter in games. If he is looking for the same money Gortat got, let him walk.

[SportsGuy]

The $ per year for Gortat was fine. If there was any issue, it was the length imo.
The roster improvement will come from how much ceiling Wall, and Beale (and maybe Porter) have... and maybe growth from roster continuity.
Fair point that they are going in with the existing roster though...will either work, or it won't.

Sure, there is some growth potential...but this isn't a title team...it's not a team that can win the East.

Keeping Gortat is fine...but they need another dynamic player and if you give league average guys big money, you can't sign those guys.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Sure, there is some growth potential...but this isn't a title team...it's not a team that can win the East.
Keeping Gortat is fine...but they need another dynamic player and if you give league average guys big money, you can't sign those guys.

Why not? Especially if LeBron heads west?

[SportsGuy]

Why not? Especially if LeBron heads west?

Not talented enough...they won't beat a healthy Bulls team, at least.

Now, I like Beal a lot and if he can become a beast, then maybe..but they are 1 player short...and I will correct myself in saying that they need a dynamic player...they need a guy that is, at least, very solid.

Guys like Stephenson, Heyward and Parsons...put one of them with Beal, Wall and Gortat and you have something.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Not talented enough...they won't beat a healthy Bulls team, at least.

Now, I like Beal a lot and if he can become a beast, then maybe..but they are 1 player short...and I will correct myself in saying that they need a dynamic player...they need a guy that is, at least, very solid.

Guys like Stephenson, Heyward and Parsons...put one of them with Beal, Wall and Gortat and you have something.

 

The same Bulls team that they dismantled two months ago?  How certain can you be that Rose will ever be anything close to what he was?  He's had a major injury to each knee so far -- something that can really effect explosiveness, which his game is heavily relied on.  Without him being a key player, the Bulls simply don't have the scoring to be a legit team, now if they add 'Melo that changes things.

 

If LeBron bolts and the Heat are left with Wade and Bosh I don't think they are all that much better than the Wizards, and none of the other teams in the East really scare me all that much.  We took Indiana to six games while losing all three games at home in that series -- people were ready to write the Pacers off after Game 1.

 

My point is, maybe the Wizards won't win an Eastern Conference title, but to out and out say they can't win one with Wall and Beal likely to improve and bringing back Ariza and Gortat is a tad much.

BTW, it's not like winning the East is a demand amongst Wiz fans.  Just being relevant is enough to satisfy them for a while after winning only their second playoff series since the early 1980s.

[Pedro Cerrano]

BTW, I could make a very convincing argument that Ariza, if they bring him back, is a better player than Hayward.  Yes, Hayward is younger and is presumably the better distributor.  But Ariza is a much better shooter and their defensive abilities aren't even close.  They had comparable PERs last year and people have criticized PER that it doesn't take defense into account as much as it should.

[SportsGuy]

The same Bulls team that they dismantled two months ago?  How certain can you be that Rose will ever be anything close to what he was?  He's had a major injury to each knee so far -- something that can really effect explosiveness, which his game is heavily relied on.  Without him being a key player, the Bulls simply don't have the scoring to be a legit team, now if they add 'Melo that changes things.
 
If LeBron bolts and the Heat are left with Wade and Bosh I don't think they are all that much better than the Wizards, and none of the other teams in the East really scare me all that much.  We took Indiana to six games while losing all three games at home in that series -- people were ready to write the Pacers off after Game 1.
 
My point is, maybe the Wizards won't win an Eastern Conference title, but to out and out say they can't win one with Wall and Beal likely to improve and bringing back Ariza and Gortat is a tad much.

BTW, it's not like winning the East is a demand amongst Wiz fans.  Just being relevant is enough to satisfy them for a while after winning only their second playoff series since the early 1980s.

I did say a healthy Bulls team.

Being a 4 or 5 seed becomes "not enough". You will want more, like we do with the Os and giving bad contracts to mediocre players isn't the way to get you over the top.