Washington Wizards 2016-2017 Season Thread - Thanks for a great season!

How many wins will the Wizards get this season?

  • Best year ever: over 60 wins

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Best finish in a generation: between 50 and 60 wins

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • A winning season, barely: 43-49 wins

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • A losing season: 42-30 wins

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • A total disaster, under 30 wins

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
Didn't watch but :05 of the game tonight and it felt good...

Here are David Thorpe's comments on the Wizards (via Zach Lowe podcast):

On Player Personnel

Despite their disappointing 2-7 record, David Thorpe shed optimism on the Wizards stating that he believes the starting five is good. Thorpe couched his opinion, however, by saying that John Wall and Brad Beal simply need to play better. Interestingly, he said that Wall – based on physical attributes and athleticism – should be the best defensive point guard in the NBA. Wall, however, according to Thorpe needs to complain less and should focus more on his consistency with his backcourt mate.

It’s no secret that Washington’s bench (outside of Tomas Satoransky) has plagued the team so far this season, but what about the starters? Zach Lowe reinforced this notation by calling out how disappointing players such as Marcus Thornton, Kelly Oubre, and Andrew Nicholson (who recently got a DNP – CD) have been. He also highlighted how Ian Mahinmi won’t solve the bench woes, and how Mahinmi is actually duplicative with Gortat starting ahead of him.

In a higher level, Lowe suggested that the sentiment with the Wizards organization is that something just isn’t right. The news coming out of Washington always reeks of poor decisions and ever poorer team chemistry. As everyone knows, bad news leaks from losing teams, but you have to wonder if something bigger is looming.


On Management

David Thorpe was pretty candid on his views on Ernie Grunfeld, saying that he’s almost certain that Grunfeld doesn’t keep his job after this season. As the orchestrator of a letdown of a free agency period, and an ever-rising payroll, it’s hard to reconcile that with the product on the court. Thorpe also made a good point in that Scott Brooks’ reputation speaks for itself and that he’d reasonably be retained over Grunfeld.

What was interesting is Thorpe’s praise of Wizards Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations, Tommy Sheppard. Thorpe believes that Sheppard would be better utilized as the team’s General Manager than Grunfeld, based on the his work ascending the NBA ranks, and the good energy he can bring to a franchise that’s trending downward. The problem? He’s stuck behind Ernie. And Thorpe believes Washington would let Sheppard walk, which would turn out to be a huge mistake.

I hope ownership is listening.

Wizards Wavelength: David Thorpe Talks Wall, Team Chemistry, and Front Office Management With Zach Lowe
 
Can't even take solace in the win last night...47 points allowed in the 4th quarter is inexcusable. Brooks went with the bench for too long.
 
Can't even take solace in the win last night...47 points allowed in the 4th quarter is inexcusable. Brooks went with the bench for too long.
I think we know what we are now.  Even the wins are somehow discouraging. 

Unless Ted thinks this, too, is "part of the plan," he needs to dump EG NOW.    Look at what Brooklyn did last season.  They brought in a new GM mid-season, which gave them plenty of time to really dig in, find the right coach, prep for the draft, and, because King was let go prior to the trade deadline, the team avoided any "hail mary" trades failing GMs would make to buy themselves more time.  

We all know that, if left to his own devices, Ernie WILL make another shortsighted trade in a vain attempt to make the playoffs and eke out another season.  

Ted can't fall for this yet again.  

If anything, we need to move even faster than Brooklyn did last year, so that we're not in limbo at the deadline in the off chance that a legitimate opportunity presents itself.  There is absolutely no point to Ernie keeping his job another day.  A message needs to be sent to the team and, most importantly, to the fans.  This should not be acceptable.   

Worst team in the division was not the "plan."  Worst bench in the league was not the "plan."  Playing without sustained focus or effort was not the "plan."   Yes, it's still early, but does anyone really expect things to get much better with this group?  It's not like Ian Mahinmi is Michael Jordan.  Anyone waiting for Beal to reach "another level" is likely to be disappointed for the third consecutive season.  
 
Fans can force Ted's hand by not showing up, I think. He might not care about the on-court issues, but he damn sure cares about him losing money.
 
It's not just the losses...it's the way they lose. Uninspired. Zero Effort. Zero Accountability. Zero Leadership. Zero Professionalism. How Are You Laughing and Having Fun being 2-9?


Too talented to be as bad as the Nick Young, Blatche McGee #ThatsSoWizards days or the Popeye Jones, Jahidi White, Tyrone Nesby days.



Ernie has to go...think I will sit out attending games until they fire Ernie or show that they are serious about building a contender, this is bad. Rather drive to Charlotte to see a real team get busy.
 
 
The Knicks held an hour long emergency team meeting after losing to the Wizards. 

That pretty much says it all.
indifferent.gif
 
Wizards/Phoenix is usually a good one though...I went to see them ball out in AZ in 2013/2014 and here in DC as well.

Kentucky represented well :smokin



Moves need to be made before Christmas. Wish Ted would lose the Team somehow....Ernie needs more than coal for Xmas.
 
Still torn on if i want us to tank or not.

Like if we some how end up at .500 ball and Ernie keeps his job because we sneak into the playoffs as an 8 seed il be angry. But it would be another tough year to watch us spiral and be terrible yet again

42 by Beal is nice to see though
 
Still torn on if i want us to tank or not.

Like if we some how end up at .500 ball and Ernie keeps his job because we sneak into the playoffs as an 8 seed il be angry. But it would be another tough year to watch us spiral and be terrible yet again

42 by Beal is nice to see though
Bring Markelle Fultz home
 
If John Wall has taught us anything, it's that you can have a #1 talent, but if the franchise is still being horribly mismanaged...it won't mean anything.

With that said....keep Fultz far away from home. I want to see him flourish.
 
Organizational systematic issues are deep rooted....Second Round Playoff exits will not cure those, need to clean house. Should have done this back during the Nick Young, JaVale, Blatche era......
 
Terrible body language on display against the Spurs.

Wall has every right to be frustrated, but this is where I think we'd all like to see him demonstrate leadership rather than attempt to sulk his way out of town.  
Organizational systematic issues are deep rooted....Second Round Playoff exits will not cure those, need to clean house. Should have done this back during the Nick Young, JaVale, Blatche era......
A new GM would be great, but the problem really starts at the top.  There's plenty of room for improvement, but I don't see this team actually contending until there's a change in ownership. 

All summer long we had to hear about how this was all "part of the plan," and it would be too early to fire Grunfeld.

Is dead last in the division "part of the plan?"  Is John Wall wanting out "part of the plan?"  

The GM change needs to happen now.  Otherwise, we're getting a panic trade - and it's not going to make any difference when Wall's All Star spot goes to Kemba Walker.  All Star appearances clearly matter to Wall (with him using his first All Star berth to justify his contract and then challenging Beal to follow suit to earn the max contract he signed this summer.)  Fans will vote for Kyrie because of tv ads and LeBron James.  Coaches won't vote in a player for a losing team - unless that player is putting up Anthony Davis numbers. Better superstars have demanded trades over less than what Wall's enduring in DC.  

He deserves what we all deserve: real hope, not another band-aid.
 
I thought the team was going to manage Wall's minutes on the 2nd night of a back-to-back? Dude looked awful yesterday and I think he was spent. Coming off of two knee surgeries, playing the spurs (who we had no chance of beating,) a better plan should have been in place.

5-10 right now...it's ugly.

Some food for thought:

Jeff McDonald Verified account
‏@JMcDonald_SAEN

Every Washington starter is in double figures through three quarters. The Wiz bench has eight points. This is a problem.

Mike Prada ‏@MikePradaSBN 10h10 hours ago

Mike Prada Retweeted Jeff McDonald

Wiz paying about $38 million this year to get that bench production.

Spurs paying about $28 million for their bench.

:smh:

Pathetic, really. If the FO wants to try to salvage what's left of this spirling out of control season, EG needs to be held accountable for this mess (and the others), and be fired today.

Last thing I, or and Wizards fan wants, is for EG to stay on board, and make a panic trade out of desperation to try to save his job.

PLEASE cut ties now.
 
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