First, let’s talk bubble action. Yes, the Wizards went 1-7, but they fought hard & ended their stay with a W. Although the Wizards never had a shot at making the playoffs, the bubble provided invaluable experience for this young roster. In the absence of Beal and Bertans, the two best scorers on the team, other players were forced to shoulder more responsibility. It was interesting to see how each of them handled it. A few players rose to the occasion, and a couple more went through some growing pains. Let’s take a look at a few.

Thomas Bryant

A few months ago, I wrote an article titled, “Why Moe Wagner is Better than Thomas Bryant”. Yes, at the time, Wagner was the better big. That is no longer true as Bryant found a new gear in Orlando. His defense was mildly improved, and his offensive game took a huge step. The ability to knock down jump shots from mid-range and from 3 – with consistency – is really important for Bryant’s overall effectiveness. If Orlando is any indication, he is progressing really nicely. In 8 games, Bryant averaged just over 18.5 points while shooting over 40% from beyond the arc. In addition to knocking down outside shots, he was much more under control in the paint and showed improved hands in pick and roll situations. Everything that happens in the bubble should be taken with a grain of salt because the depth perception benefits shooters, and the AAU tournament/summer camp vibe provides a comfortable environment, allowing players to play better than they might in front of an NBA crowd. Even with that in mind, I can’t help but be extremely pleased with Bryant’s improvements.

Jerome Robinson

I hope that the bubble games allowed Jerome Robinson to realize how good he can be. Since being traded to the Wizards, it has been up and down for him, but in the bubble, Robinson showed why he was a lottery pick. While coming off of the bench, Robinson scored in double figures in 7/8 contests and put up just under 15 points per game. When he shoots with confidence, he is an excellent 3-point shooter, but he has a tendency to second guess himself. Luckily, he wasn’t hesitant in Orlando. Robinson scored over 15 points in 5/8 games and demonstrated his ability to hit catch and shoot 3s, draw fouls when going to the basket (this surprised me), and even create space off of the bounce. His potential, as long as he remains confident in himself, is very promising. After watching these last 8 games, I have no doubts that Robinson can, and should, develop into a very solid role player in the NBA.

Rui Hachimura

Rui Hachimura was extremely inconsistent in Orlando, but that was to be expected. Without Beal and Bertans, a lot of the focus for defenses shifted to Rui. So, he saw a lot of defensive schemes for the first time as the headliner. Opponents were throwing double teams at him all throughout the restart, and he struggled with it mightily. Rui was held to under 10 points in 3/8 games, and without the two leading scorers on the team, it would’ve been nice to see Rui pick up the slack offensively. However, Rui is a role player, and it is hard to expect him to know how to be “the guy” this early on in his career. Interestingly, he was still able to score 20 or more on 3 occasions, but it was a grind to get there. The 2 biggest improvements he needs to make are 1) 3-point shooting (he attempted 1 or fewer 3s in 5/8 games), and 2) his ball-handling (he lacks the ability to breakdown defenders off of the dribble… at all). Overall, Rui had an impressive first season, and I am confident that he will continue to get better with more experience.

 What’s next?

The draft!! Last night, the Wizards obtained the 9th pick in the upcoming NBA draft.  Unfortunately, the upcoming draft is not a rather loaded one, but it never hurts to have a Top-10 pick. At the 9 spot, there won’t be a big left worth taking, so I think the Wizards should be looking at Devin Vassell.

Devin Vassell stands 6’7″ with a 6’10” wingspan and is very athletic. He has the ability to play the 2 as well as the 3 and can defend multiple positions with his length. In his sophomore season at Florida State, Vassell averaged 12.7 points and 5.7 rebounds while knocking down 41.5% of his 3-point attempts. His raw athleticism and ability to hit outside shots makes him a very intriguing prospect worth a long look.

The Wizards could also look at a guy like Cole Anthony, the star PG from UNC, if he is still available at 9. I believe Anthony will be on the board when the Wizards are up, but I find it hard to believe the front office would draft a PG based on the optimism they’ve been showing about Wall’s recovery. I personally think the Wizards are more likely to trade out of the pick than they are to draft a PG. Last night, multiple blue check marks on Twitter reported that Tommy Sheppard is interested in packaging the 9th and 37th picks in an attempt to trade up. Most likely, this move would have the purpose of going after someone like James Wiseman. The draft is still a few months away, so there is a lot of time left for speculation. We’ll just have to wait and see!

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, Bleacher Report released an article titled “The Perfect Trades to Land NBA Stars Their Ideal Sidekicks”, and in that article, they proposed the trade in the image above. Look at the trade, read the trade, analyze the trade, develop an opinion on the trade…  okay, now come back and keep reading. I would not blame you if reading that trade proposal gave you some sense of excitement. As a Wizards fan, I feel the desperation of my fellow DMV residents for a return to winning basketball. Also, Rudy Gobert is one of the best centers in the league. However, I think completing a deal of this nature any time soon would be a colossal mistake.

A new “Big 3” in the East?

Yes, the Wizards need more talent to legitimately compete in the East. That’s not a secret. However, this trade wouldn’t necessarily elevate the Wizards to the heights that they desire. I want to remind everyone of one thing: John Wall tore his Achilles. That injury does not have a good track record for recovery. Those who have had such an injury tend to deal with frequent injury problems and a loss of speed for the rest of their careers. One of Wall’s greatest assets is that he has blazing speed, but how fast will he be when he comes back? One of Wall’s greatest characteristics is that he is incredibly competitive, so will he be willing to adapt to a “safer” style of play if need be? If Wall tries to change his style of play, will he still be any good?  You get the point… The answer to all of these questions very well could end up being positive, but there is too much unknown in my mind to commit to “winning now”. If the team pulls the trigger on this type of deal and Wall is not the same or is not durable post-injury, then the Wizards will have $95m bunched up amongst 3 players with only 2 of them producing anything.

Gobert’s Contract is Only Through Next Season

The best argument against everything I just said above is… “Well, if it doesn’t work, Gobert will walk after one season. Thus, he will cause no financial burden on the team in the long-term”. Sure, that is 100% correct. However, is the risk of a one-year rental worth giving up a future first-round pick along with a very promising young player, Rui Hachimura? I believe that the answer is a resounding no.

$$$

If the Wizards ended up re-signing Gobert after one season, it would almost certainly be a similar deal to the one he is already on. Unfortunately, tying up $20m+ a year at the center position has not seemed to be the winning recipe in the NBA. Look at the past handful of NBA Champions. They did not have a ton of money tied up in bigs, especially ones that could not shoot. Even Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki, although both big, played the 4, not the 5, and could both step out and hit jump shots. Throwing a large portion of money into the 5 position has not proven to be the path to success.

Patience is a Virtue

I am a philosophy major, so I’ll throw some philosophical thinking in here. We are the only animal on earth that can sacrifice “now” for “a better tomorrow”. Human beings have the ability to fight impulse, use reason, and make choices with the future in mind. That is exactly what the Wizards should continue to do. Sure, bringing in Rudy Gobert would be fun. However, it likely wouldn’t bring anything more than short-term excitement, and at best a couple of second-round playoff eliminations. Then what?? Probably back to square one. Rui Hachimura has had a great rookie season, showcasing skill, IQ, and growth. Rui is only 22, so he should be entering his prime around the time that Wall is coming out of his contract (more cap space). Also, I like the idea of keeping future first-round picks at the moment because of the uncertainty around Wall and the need for more talent in the future. So, I would not be okay with Rui Hachimura or a future pick being a part of any deal at the moment. Unfortunately, “today” only has so much potential for this Wizards team, but “tomorrow”, the future, is bright. I don’t want to sacrifice what is being built in the nation’s capital for an impulsive, excitement-chasing decision that would likely lead to nothing of substance.

That is my argument for why this trade would be a huge mistake. If you agree or disagree, throw your thoughts my way on Twitter (@boosbulletsblog).

 

 

With COVID-19 throwing a roadblock in the middle of the NBA season, there isn’t much to do other than to reminisce on the exciting times in the association. In 2000, I was born into a family where I would certainly be a Washington Wizards fan, and that has led to some amazing memories. With that being said, here are my 5 best Wizards’ players of the “Boo Era.”

1) Bradley Beal

Beal has absolutely blossomed in D.C. since arriving here as a 19-year-old back in 2012. When he was drafted with the 3rd pick, all anyone could talk about was his abilities as a shooter and his potential as an all-around scorer. He has been all that and more.  As a 25-year-old, he broke the Wizards franchise record for career three-pointers, and he ranks second in the NBA this year in points per game (30.1ppg). Since Beal has been in the nation’s capital, the Wizards have made the postseason 4 times and were just 2-quarters away from making it to the Eastern Conference Finals back in 2017. The 2x All-Star – should be 3x- is the best Wizard that I’ve seen in my lifetime, and he is still only 26! Lots more to come from him.

2) John Wall

Wow, what a shot Wall hit to win Game 6 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Boston Celtics. I was in the building that night with my family, and it was an absolute electric factory. No other way to put it. Hugs, kisses, high-fives, chest bumps, and every other type of celebration you can think of were being thrown around.

Unfortunately, the Wizards ran out of steam in the 4th quarter of Game 7 a couple of nights later, and as of now that is the deepest into the playoffs that the Wizards have traveled since the tandem of Beal and Wall have arrived. However, there is no question that Wall has delivered for the District since being drafted #1 overall in 2010. Wall was a legitimate candidate in the MVP race on a couple of occasions and has arguably been the most important part of pulling the Wizards out of years of mediocrity. I know his contract is huge, and I know he has had injury problems as of late. However, judging a contract years after it has been signed is much easier than deciding what contracts to give out in the moment. Wall undoubtedly earned his contract, so it is no one’s fault that he has spent the first stages of his supermax dealing with injuries. Through 9 seasons, his career averages sit at 19ppg & 9.2apg, which has lead him to being a 5x all-star. Hopefully, we will see a healthy John Wall when he comes back because his blazing speed and playmaking ability have been so much fun to watch over the years.

3) Gilbert Arenas a.k.a. Hibachi a.k.a Agent Zero

Gilbert Arenas was the face of the franchise when I was a little kid (I had his fathead in my room). He could light it up from downtown, finish in traffic, and 100% had the “clutch gene”. He was a 3x NBA All-Star, a 1x All-NBA Second Team Selection, and a 2x All-NBA Third Team selection. Over the course of his career, he averaged 20.7ppg & 5.3apg.  When I was little, the Wizards seemed to always match up against Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. I – just like I still do now – went to every home game of those series. Gilbert was the type of player that could heat up in a hurry and carry the Wizards to wins on any given night, but a young Lebron James was too tough to defeat in a 7-game series both times they met in the playoffs. Whenever Lebron would touch the ball in D.C. during those series, the entire crowd would chant “overrated”, and boy were we wrong. The only time the Wizards made it past the first round in the Arenas era was in 2005 when they beat the Chicago Bulls in 6 games, but Arenas was an absolute baller and brought a lot of excitement to the nation’s capital.

4) Antwan Jamison

In my opinion, Antwan Jamison is one of the most underappreciated NBA players of the 2000s. He was in the league for a long, long time playing from 1998-2014. The 2x NBA All-Star notched career averages of 18.5ppg and 7.5rpg over his impressive career. Both of his All-Star appearances came in D.C, and he really was the team’s unsung hero. My all-time favorite performance from Jamison came back in 2008 against the Los Angeles Clippers. At the time, the head coach, Eddie Jordan, had a son on my brother’s basketball team. Coach Jordan was kind enough to allow players from that team and their families to sit in his box on the night of March 15, 2008. On that particular evening, Antwan Jamison hit numerous clutch threes on his way to scoring 36 points in an overtime win against the Los Angeles Clippers. It is possibly the most exciting regular-season game I have ever seen. Jamison was a vital part of the Wizards’ core while he was here, and I will never forget how sad I was when my dad came into my room and told me that he had been traded.

5) Caron Butler

If you have been a Wizards fan for as long as I have, then you definitely remember Caron Butler and his habit of chewing straws during games.  Just like Jamison, Caron had a very successful, underappreciated career in the NBA.  He was in the league from 2002 all the way until 2016. He was a 2x NBA All-Star in 2007 & 2008 (both with the Wizards), an NBA champion with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, & he had one of the most improbable journeys on his way to the NBA. If you want to read about his amazing story from troubled youth to NBA champion, check out this article written in 2017 by fade away world: https://fadeawayworld.com/2017/05/06/from-child-drug-dealer-to-nba-champion-the-story-of-caron-butler/

Butler really did it all when he was with Washington. He averaged over 20 points per game in two separate seasons, was one of the better on-ball defenders, and was a very good athlete. Four days before Antwan Jamison was shipped off to Cleveland, my dad came into my room and told me that Caron Butler had been sent to Dallas. As I’m sure you can guess, this was a tough week for young Ben.

Honorable Mention: Paul Pierce a.k.a. The Truth

Everyone knows how good Paul Pierce was with the Celtics, but it is worth mentioning how good he was in D.C. as well. During his only season in Washington, he put up 11.9ppg and 4rpg. Most importantly, the Wizards swept the Toronto Raptors in the first round with the help of some clutch shooting from Pierce. In the next round vs. the Hawks, Pierce nailed an absolutely wild game-winner in the middle stages of the series. My dad and I were in attendance when he “called game” with that banked-in fadeaway as time expired to give the Wizards a 2-1 series lead over Atlanta. That shot was so insane that it took us a second or two to grasp what had just happened and to start celebrating. He was only in D.C. for one short year but what a ride it was.

So there you have it…My top 5 Wizards players…SO FAR!

 

I want to preface this article by saying that I like Coach Brooks. He is a good coach and has done a very nice job developing the Wizards’ young talent. Also, I don’t love questioning substitution decisions in general because coaches get paid millions of dollars to make these decisions. With that said, Brooks’ rotations in the 4th quarter last night were objectively terrible.

Early on in the 4th

The Wizards lead the Miami Heat 83-75 with just under 9:30 left in the game. Mortiz Wagner made a layup early in the 4th quarter on a great drive against Kelly Olynyk but was taken out by Rui Hachimura 28 seconds later. Shabazz Napier nailed an and-one 3 with 9:27 left and was taken out with 8:00 left. After these subs, the 5 on the court consisted of Bradley Beal, Troy Brown Jr., Garrison Matthews, Davis Bertans, and Rui Hachimura. Some would say that maybe Brown, Matthews, and Hachimura were “due” for a good stretch since they had played poorly in the first 3 quarters. However, Troy Brown Jr., Garrison Matthews, and Rui Hachimura combined for only 5 points last night & showed no signs of being “due”. Hachimura was not aggressive at all (he wasn’t looking for his shot), Brown looked lost on offense (he went 1/8 & got blocked multiple times), and Matthews looked extremely uncomfortable in his first NBA game in about a month.

By the time Coach Brooks put Napier – a capable scorer who had 27 points last night – back in for Matthews, the lead had already dwindled from 8 down to 1. To cut into the lead in that short span, Bam Adebayo dominated Rui Hachimura, scored 4 points, and had an assist to an open Duncan Robinson who nailed a 3.

Late in the 4th

With 4:16 left and the Wizards leading by 2, Scott Brooks took out Davis Bertans – one of the best shooters in the league- and replaced him with Thomas Bryant who had 5 fouls and 2 points at the time. Bryant is a good offensive player, and the Wizards had gone cold on offense in the previous couple of minutes. However, Brooks could’ve easily taken out Troy Brown jr. in that situation instead of Bertans. Bertans is a lethal 3-point shooter and Brown is an extraordinarily average player on offense. More importantly, Bryant shouldn’t have been subbed in at that point anyway because he is one of the worst- if not the worst – defensive centers in the NBA, and Bam Adebayo was looking unstoppable down low. Bryant gave up an easy layup to Adebayo and picked up his 6th foul in a 46-second run…

At the game, my parents and I could see Mo Wagner looking down the bench – ready to go in – after Bryant picked up his 6th foul. Unfortunately, Coach Brooks decided to go with Bertans instead of Wagner. To be clear, I am very glad Bertans was put back onto the court, BUT he should’ve been put in for Troy Brown Jr. and Bryant should’ve been replaced by Wagner. Wagner is a capable scorer and by far the Wizards’ best interior defender which would’ve been useful against Bam Adebayo’s dominance. So, instead of having a 5 of Napier, Beal, Bertans, Hachimura, and Wagner like I was hoping for…, Brooks went with Napier, Beal, Brown, Bertans, and Hachimura. As I’m sure you saw, Adebayo continued to absolutely handle Rui Hachimura in the paint. Adebayo scored 5 points in the span of a minute to give the Heat a 3 point lead with 2:49 left. Then, he delivered the backbreaker – Adebayo backed Rui into the post, forced a double team, and found a wide-open Kendrick Nunn for 3 to put the Heat up by 6 with 2:12 left. If Wagner – not Rui – was guarding Adebayo, there would have been no need to double, and Nunn would not have been wide open for that 3. The game ended with the Heat winning 100-89 after trailing the Wizards 73-85 with 9:30 left.

Conclusion

Brooks is a good coach, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t point out when he is having a bad day in the office. My last article laid out why Mo Wagner is better than Thomas Bryant very clearly, and I would like to see Wagner be part of this “year of development” a little bit more than he has been. If the thought was to play guys like Matthews, Brown, and Bryant in the 4th for development purposes, then the same argument could be made for why Wagner should’ve been in the game more than he was. The problems with last night were not simply about Mo Wagner’s minutes, but with the rotations as a whole involving Bryant, Brown, Bertans, Matthews, and Wagner in the 4th quarter. This team has a bright future, and Brooks is a good coach. I’m not saying that the loss was solely as a result of the substitutions because it wasn’t. However, I hope I don’t see another blatant mishandling of the rotations again.

 

(All linked stats are as of February 20th, 2020)

Yesterday, I posted a poll on Twitter (@BoosBulletsBlog) asking if people think Mo Wagner or Thomas Bryant is the better option for the Wizards. Of the 28 votes cast, 18 were for Mo Wagner, and 10 were for Thomas Bryant. To those of you who are not fully on board “the Mo Wagner >Thomas Bryant train”, I am going to try to convince you to hop on.

Defense

Thomas Bryant: Through advanced statistical analysis, Bleacher Report proclaimed Thomas Bryant to be the worst center in the league on the defensive end of the floor. It is obvious just by watching him that he lacks any competence in guarding the pick and roll, as he often gets caught between playing the ball handler and the roller which results in him defending neither. Even though he is very athletic, Bryant ranks a lowly 74th in blocks per 36 minutes, and if that doesn’t already hint at his infectiveness, this next stat spells it out: He allows the eighth-highest conversion rate inside of 3 feet in the NBA. So, if players get the ball around the hoop against him- which occurs regularly because his lack of mass makes him easy to move down low – then it is almost an automatic bucket. Lastly, Bryant is regularly late on his rotations to contest shots as a help side defender, and that results in many easy layups/dunks for the other team when he is on the court.

Mo Wagner: I’m actually a big fan of Mo Wagner’s defense outside of his fouling issues. He obviously needs to work on fouling less, but overall he is a very pesky defender with good hands that can bother opposing players. On top of being able to guard in the paint, Mo is more than quick enough to stay in front of small guards out on the perimeter when a screen forces him to switch on to them. Also, he often does a great job forcing guards coming off of ball screens towards the sideline which gives the original defender time to fight through the screen and recover. The numbers show all of this as well. Opposing players get to the rim less and shoot 7.2% worse when Mo Wagner is in the game compared to when he is on the bench. Also, Wagner’s individual matchups are shooting 5.9% under their season average inside six feet of the hoop when he is guarding them. To top it all off, Mo Wagner is second in the league in my favorite hustle stat – charges drawn per game – at 0.66. He is not All-NBA on defense by any means, but he has a positive impact on this end of the floor which cannot be said for Thomas Bryant.

Offense

Thomas Bryant:

There is a lot to like about Thomas Bryant on offense. He is athletic, he can get hot from downtown, and he is solid at finishing around the rim. Bryant shoots 59% from the floor, 34% from downtown, and 72% from the free-throw line which all results in 12ppg in 24mpg. So, he averages 18ppg per 36 minutes, and that is solid productivity from a big man. My biggest issue with him on offense is that he hoists up 3s at really really bad times on occasion. If he is feeling it and the Wizards are on a run, go ahead and let it fly big man. However, when the OTHER team is on a run, Bryant will often shoot a 3 early in the shot clock just because it’s open. Too many times I see him do this, miss the shot, and it turns into easy points on the other end off of a long rebound. 3 pointers are open for him every play at every point in the shot clock, so he needs to do a better job of having the awareness to know when it is a good time to let it fly and when it is not.

Mo Wagner:

Wagner has just as much, if not more, upside on the offensive end. He too can stretch the floor with a 3-point shot that goes in 36.5% of the time and 37.7 percent of the time off of catch and shoot situations. Then, when Wagner steps inside the 3 point line, he is good for a bucket on 70% of his attempts which clocks in at 5th best in the NBA among players who have attempted at least 100 2-point shots.  He also has done a great job attacking closeouts, hitting 14-of-20 shots that have come off of dribble drives. Lastly, his strong hands and ability to finish with the right or left has lead to him being in the 94th percentile in points per possession off of cuts (1.56 points per possession).

In 20 minutes per game, Mo Wagner averages 10.7 points and 5.7 rebounds. Per 36, that is 19.26ppg and 10.26rpg. His success on offense lies in his good footwork, 80% mark from the free-throw line, patient style of play, ability to finish with either hand, and his solid jump shot. In Thomas Bryant’s absence last night, Wagner was the primary big off the bench vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. He played 28 minutes, scored 8 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out 5 assists, drew multiple offensive fouls against the Bucks, forced Giannis into his 6th foul, displayed good footwork, but fouled out & had some boneheaded plays as well. Take a look at his highlights from last night to see for yourself:

If you were a person who would’ve voted for Thomas Bryant over Mo Wagner before reading this article, I hope you have been convinced to change your position. If you were a person who would’ve voted for Mo Wagner anyways, now you have the stats to back up your choice. Wagner is much better on the defensive end than Bryant, and he holds just as much upside on offense despite being less athletic. They are both very young, and they each have lots to improve upon. Who knows who I’ll be arguing is better in two years, but as of now, I am firmly on the Mo Wagner side of this debate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did not think an article like this would be necessary at any point this season, but it’s time to start talking about the real possibility of the Washington Wizards making the 2020 NBA Playoffs. Heading into the all-star break, the Wizards are 9th in the Eastern Conference standings and 3 games behind the 8th seeded Orlando Magic.

Why the Wizards WILL Make the Playoffs

1. BRADLEY BEAL

This year, Bradley Beal became one of the biggest All-Star snubs in NBA history and is now on a mission. Over the last 5 games, he has put up 31.6 points and 5.4 assists per game! It is true that as Beal goes so does the team, but he is showing no signs of taking his foot off of the gas. Beal, who is averaging the 5th most points per game in the league (29.1), has the talent to lead this young Wizards group to the playoffs.

     2.  HEALTH

The Wizards uninspiring record of 20-33 is nothing to be proud of at first glance. However, if we take a deeper look into the injuries this team has had to fight through, there is a lot to be impressed with. During the first quarter of the season, there was a  time that the Wizards played without SIX rotation players – Bradley Beal, Mo Wagner, Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant, IT4,  & Davis Bertans – for a big stretch of games. Due to missing 6 guys, the Wizards basically had to roll out their G-League roster for over a week. Their band of G-Leaguers beat the Heat, Celtics, and Nuggets. Obviously, they lost some games that they shouldn’t have, but they kept the team afloat… enough. Everyone besides Thomas Bryant is now back, and the team looks really good. Bertans is continuing his hot shooting, Beal is playing the best basketball of his career, Hachimura is showing that he is the real deal, and Wagner continues to play good defense and finish around the rim. If all of these guys stay healthy, I have no reason to believe they won’t continue to produce.

       3. THE TRADE DEADLINE

In my last article, I recapped the moves that the Wizards made over the trade deadline, and the moves have proven to be positive thus far. The Wizards have gone 3-1 since the deadline, and with IT4 gone, the team is sharing the ball more, playing better defense, and turning it over less. Losing McRae was tough, but it’s been a bonus to bring in a guy like Shabazz Napier to be the backup PG. In his first 4 games in D.C., Napier has put up 10 points a game, played good defense, and shot the ball well. On top of Napier’s added presence, Jerome Robinson, who is a former lottery pick, has done some nice things since joining the Wizards. Robinson has given the team a little over 18 minutes a game, and even though his numbers don’t jump off of the page, he’s been very steady out there.

The Wizards could definitely make the playoffs as a result of Beal, getting healthy, and the solid moves made at the trade deadline, but….

Why the Wizards WON’T Make the Playoffs

1. HEALTH

Although the Wizards have regained their health, nothing tells me that it is definitely here to stay. There are a decent amount of players that have been banged up a lot this year, so only time can tell if the health is here to stay or if the injury bug will return.

2. THE ORLANDO MAGIC

The Orlando Magic are a good basketball team, and they’ve hit a bit of a slump that I’m sure they won’t be in a whole lot longer. After Jonathan Isaac got hurt, the Magic defense disappeared, and they’ve been searching for it ever since. However, this team has a lot of talent with Vucavic (an all-star caliber center), Markelle Fultz (former #1 overall pick), Aaron Gordon, and good role players like Terrence Ross & Evan Fournier. It could be hard for this inexperienced Wizards roster to make up 3 games on the Magic.

What Will Happen & What Should Fans Root For

Assuming they stay healthy, I think that the Wizards will find a way to sneak into the playoffs. They have been protecting homecourt, playing hard, and winning games. On top of that, the recent Magic slump has left the door open for a motivated Wizards team to grab that 8th spot at some point.

Also, Wizards fans should welcome this! Think about how great it would be to get the young guys some playoff experience. On top of that, if this team can make the playoffs, then there is no reason they can’t get a decent seed with a healthy John Wall next year. Also, who cares that the playoffs would mean no lottery pick? This draft class does not have many sure bets compared to other years. Additionally, the Wizards already have young first-round talent – Rui Hachimura, Troy Brown Jr., Mo Wagner, and Jerome Robinson – so playoff experience may outvalue an 8th overall pick in this upcoming draft. Obviously, no one should be too upset if they miss the playoffs, especially if it results in beating the odds and landing a top-3 pick. However, there’s no reason to cheer against making the playoffs instead of cheering for it.

I want the Wizards to sneak in as the 8th seed, and I hope you do too!

The NBA was buzzin’ today as the 3:00 PM trade deadline approached. Contenders strengthened their teams, bottom tier rosters sold for the future, and some just stayed put. I was very curious to see what the Wizards would have up their sleeve today besides possibly trading Bertans, and Tommy Sheppard did not disappoint. Bertans was not traded, and Tommy Sheppard put together 2 beneficial trades.

Why Keeping Bertans is a Good Thing

Bertans is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league, and with Mahinmi’s contract coming off of the books at the end of the season, the Wizards should be able to resign him to a long term deal. It isn’t necessary to package a guy like Bertans for picks right now because he’s young enough to be a key role player for seasons to come. Also, the Wizards have an abundance of young players already, so they can focus on developing the guys already on the roster instead of worrying about stockpiling extra picks.

Trade #1: Wizards get: Jerome Robinson        Clippers get: Isaiah Thomas

The New York Knicks were a part of this deal as well, but we aren’t going to spend time worrying about that here since it did not affect the Wizards.

Getting rid of Thomas is HUGE. If you have ever read this blog before, you know I am not a fan of his at all. Throughout the whole season, Thomas has been playing no defense, turning the ball over, and jacking up jump horrendous shots. He still has a lot of offensive talent, but his being on the court does not facilitate the growth of guys like Rui Hachimura, Mo Wagner, Thomas Bryant, Troy Brown jr., etc.

On top of getting rid of Thomas, the Wizards picked up a very good, young player in Jerome Robinson. Robinson is only in his second year in the NBA after being selected 13th overall in 2018 by the Clippers, and he could develop into a really good player. Over the summer, I had the chance of seeing Robinson play in person at the Las Vegas NBA Summer League, and I was reminded why I loved his game so much when he was at Boston College. Robinson can score in a variety of ways and is very smooth with the basketball, but my biggest concern is durability. He has been banged up a decent amount early on in his career which has stunted his development a little bit. Overall though, I am very pleased with this trade and am excited to have Robinson here.

Trade #2: Wizards get: Shabazz Napier      Nuggets get: Jordan McRae

I am a huge fan of Jordan McRae, and I think this is an underrated get for the Nuggets. However, this trade made sense for the Wizards as well. Trading IT meant that the Wizards were down a PG, and getting Jerome Robinson meant that there is a former lottery pick SG to develop. So, the Wizards – in need of a PG and in need of moving a SG- made a deal to flip Jordan McRae for Shabazz Napier. Napier is a former first-round pick and 2x NCAA champion at UCONN. In his first 6 years in the league, Napier has been a bit of a journeyman but has shown the ability to stick around the NBA as a serviceable back-up PG. He isn’t a gifted scorer, but he is shifty enough to get paint touches to create opportunities for his teammates which has resulted in him averaging over 5 assists per game in Minnesota. This trade is not as exciting as trade #1 but was another solid move by Tommy Sheppard.

Overall, it was a quiet but successful day in the office for the Wizards. This organization is being run way more competently now that Sheppard is at the helm, and it’s going to pay off!!

 

Finally, the Wizards are starting to get healthy again; Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans, and Thomas Bryant have all returned to the lineup. However, before anyone returned from injury, the Wizards, without 6 rotation players, had upset the Celtics, Heat, and Nuggets. G-leaguers are getting their chances, playing hard, and winning ball games. Gary Payton II has impressed the front office so much with his defense and athleticism that the Wizards have decided to waive Justin Robinson. Off of the bench, Jordan McRae has been an absolute stud scoring at will, and Garrison Matthews – now injured- has proven to be a streaky, but lethal, outside shooter.

Judging by the development of the young guys and the effort being put forth every night, you’d assume that all is right with the Wizards. However, Bradley Beal, who signed a 2-year extension this summer, is apparently more frustrated with the team than ever before.

I’m sorry… What?? I could not be more confused by this. First off, Bradley Beal returned 3 games ago on a minute restriction, and Bertans just returned after missing 9 games. On top of that, the atrocious Isaiah Thomas is the starting PG, and Thomas Bryant, who cannot play a lick of defense, is the starting center. What does Beal expect?? Oddly enough, the team was playing better before everyone started returning from injury. Tommy Sheppard has put enough pieces together to make the Wizards competitive-ish, and he will have plenty of options at the trade deadline because of it. I hope Beal can get over his irrational frustration and let Sheppard continue to work.

The Good News

I’m just going to leave this tweet here to get everyone excited for no tangible reason ^

One player that has stood out to me recently is Troy Brown. Ever since Scott Brooks started bringing Brown off of the bench, he has regained his confidence. Over the past 10 games, he has been putting up 13.6 points and 7.7 rebounds on 48% shooting from the field and 40% from beyond the arc. Troy Brown, welcome back.

The Wizards are full of role players, and a lot of them are playing very well which means trades could be coming. Along with Troy Brown playing well, Thomas Bryant has continued to play with high energy. I like Bryant because he works hard, but he still is a horrific defender. I could see players like Brown, Bryant, and even possibly Davis Bertans being involved with trades in the near future. At the trade deadline, Bertans will likely have the highest value because of his lethal outside shooting, so the Wizards will have a tough decision to make in regards to his future.

If you ask me, I’m very happy with where this team is headed. Mahinmi’s contract is expiring, McRae is a bucket, Gary Payton II locks up on defense, Troy Brown is good when confident, Ish Smith can flat out ball (and is under contract again next year), Beal is still a stud, Bertans can light it up, Wall is rehabbing nicely, and SO MANY OF THESE GUYS ARE GOOD TRADE ASSETS.

I understand that Beal is frustrated because he wants to win, but he needs to be more patient because this organization is headed in the right direction. Wow, it’s been a while since us Wizards’ fans have been able to say that.

 

The Wizards have won just 2 of their last 10, and the injuries keep piling up. Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura, Mo Wagner, and Thomas Bryant are ALL OUT. On top of that, Bradley Beal left in the middle of the last game with lower leg soreness and is now questionable for tonight’s game against New York. The Wizards have been calling up players from the G-League like Admiral Schofield, Garrison Matthews, and Justin Robinson while signing others in an attempt to find enough bodies to throw out on the court.

New Additions

Gary Payton II: Payton has been back and forth between the NBA and the G-League since coming out of Oregon State 3 years ago. It is not too surprising that the Wizards signed him because he had a stint with the team last year and was pretty impressive. Payton was extremely good in college and has a very high basketball IQ. However, he won’t blow anyone away with his athleticism and still needs to become a little more comfortable dribbling the ball through traffic in the NBA.  He has only played in 2 games so far but has scored 10 points and recorded 5 assists in both games.

Johnathan Williams: Williams is a 6’9″ PF who played for Mark Few at Gonzaga from 2016-2018. Most of his time since Gonzaga has been spent playing in Europe with Israel being his most recent stop. During the Pistons’ beatdown of the Wizards a few nights ago, Williams played 33 minutes off of the bench and finished with 9 points and 8 rebounds.

Updates on Injuries

Bradley Beal: Beal sustained a lower leg injury against the Pistons, but it is not thought to be serious. His status for tonight’s game is “questionable”.

Rui Hachimura: Against the Pistons on the 16th, Rui injured his groin and has been out since. He is expected to be reevaluated this weekend and is hoping to be back for Monday’s game against the Heat.

Davis Bertains: Bertans, who has been having a great season, has a quadricep injury and his considered to be day-to-day. Hopefully, he will be back soon because his elite shooting helps open up the floor for the young guys who are trying round out their games still. If Bertans continues to shoot how he has, he could be a huge trade asset later in the season or a role player in D.C. for the foreseeable future.

Thomas Bryant: A stress reaction in the foot is what has kept Thomas Bryant sidelined this month, but the word on him is that he is progressing nicely and practiced yesterday. He will remain out until everyone is comfortable that this stress reaction is behind him.

Mo Wagner: A couple of weeks ago, Wagner injured his ankle. Last Saturday, the word was that he would be out for at least another week, and today marks 7 days from that report. Thus, that means the high energy, enthusiastic big will be back in the near future.

What to Watch For

The two players that I’m most interested in watching during this injury plague are Troy Brown Jr. and Justin Robinson. Troy Brown played pretty horrendously after being inserted into the starting lineup a while back. However, since Scott Brooks has returned him to a bench role, he has gotten back on track. Over the last 10 games, he has been averaging 13.5 points, shooting 50% from the floor and 35% from three, and limiting his turnovers to just a little over 1 per game.

Justin Robinson has spent the vast majority of his rookie season in the G-League after being undrafted out of Virginia Tech. I personally think Robinson will turn out to be a legitimate NBA PG (off of the bench), and these are the moments that he needs to take advantage of to do that. He has a solid shot, but it definitely needs to be more consistent. However, he made huge strides with his jump shot during his time at VT, so I don’t have any reason to believe that it won’t keep trending upward. Robinson is very fast, has good court vision, and has exceptional finishing abilities around the rim, so I hope this opportunity will allow him to gain valuable experience and continue to grow.

Injuries suck, but they are part of sports. The mentality of this team must be “next man up”, and I don’t see that being a problem. I expect nothing less than maximum effort every night since a lot of the players on the active, healthy roster are young, usually in the G-League, and/or fighting for a spot in the NBA. The next few weeks should be interesting, to say the least.

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

Through 22 games, the Washington Wizards sit at an uninspiring 7-15. The record is terrible on paper, but there are so many reasons to feel good about this team. In a lot of games this year, the Wizards have found themselves down big, short-handed, and/or exhausted. In the years past, this team would cave in, but these players continue to fight for 48 minutes every single night. Since getting whopped by the two most talented teams in the NBA – Clippers & Lakers – the Wizards have been playing good basketball.

The West Coast Trip

In their second game out West, the Wizards picked up an impressive win in phoenix 140-132, but the positives of the trip ended there. Following their win against a surprisingly solid Suns team, the Wizards got demolished by the Clippers and the Lakers. The clippers have too much offensive firepower and too many lockdown defenders for a Wizards team with only one offensive star, while the Lakers are simply too big and strong for this young Wizards team to match up with. Although the West Coast run was a little rough, the Wizards have shown a lot since that stretch ended.

Injuries Hit, but the Wizards Are Playing… Better?

Since coming back to the East Coast, the Wizards have played every game short-handed. Jordan Mcrae recently got surgery on his right ring finger, CJ Miles received surgery on his wrist, IT obtained a calf injury, and Thomas Bryant is nursing a stress reaction in his foot. So, two starters and two regular rotation players have been out the last 5 games.

On the surface, you’d assume that the Wizards would be worse off shorthanded. However, as I’ve said before, IT and Thomas Bryant are both pitiful defenders, so their absence helps in some areas. Wagner is now getting more minutes at Center and taking advantage by harassing opposing bigs, knocking down shots, and crashing the glass. He still needs to stop fouling so much and work on staying under control on offense, but those things should improve with experience.

Ish Smith has clearly been the best PG on the roster this year and is continuing to play like it in his new starting role. In the last 5 games, he has averaged a little over 15 points a game while proving to be a better defender and decision-maker than IT.

With all of these injuries, the Wizards have beaten the 76ers, taken the heat down to the wire on the road, and played the LA Clippers really tough at home for 45/48 minutes. This roster is not a winning roster, but they are not rolling over and just getting throttled every night. Although I hope Bryant, Miles, Thomas, and McRae can get healthy again soon, the Wizards have been playing better basketball without them.

Beal and Bertans Lead the Offense

Beal continues to do Beal things, and all I want to say is that you truly owe it to yourself to turn on a Wizards game every couple of days just to witness his talent. Since he is in D.C., the rest of the country probably doesn’t watch him play very often, but as Wizards fans, we shouldn’t take him for granted.

Along with Beal, Davis Bertans has been putting up crazy numbers. He has shot 45% from 3 this season and has been averaging 24.4 ppg in the last 5. Bertans is proving that his incredible shooting last year was nowhere near a fluke, and he is an extremely nice role player. Obviously, it would be great to have him for years to come, but we’ll worry about those things when the season is closer to over.

Brown Is Struggling, but Rui Is Thriving

Thus far, Troy Brown jr. has probably been the most disappointing storyline of the season. He is a smart player with a lot of talent but definitely has not been at his best lately. Since coming back from injury, he has only been averaging 7.6 ppg while shooting a pedestrian 25.7% from beyond the arc. Uncharacteristically, he has not been rebounding the ball well and has looked uncomfortable at times leading to an increase in his turnovers. As a result of his lackluster play, Scott Brooks has been bringing him off of the bench, and he gave Isaac Bonga the start the last couple of games instead. Hopefully, this will give Brown a little spark.

Unlike Troy Brown, Rui has looked very comfortable lately. All of the injuries to the rest of the roster have lead to him having an increased role on offense, and he is not shying away. In his last 5 games, he has been putting up a little over 18 and 7 a night, including a double-double in Charlotte. He could use a little work with on-ball defense (blown by too often) and his jump shot (it is way too flat), but he has a high motor and a lot of talent. With time, everything should come together very nicely for Rui.

This has been a fun year so far even though the Wizards have not won very many games, so I’m hoping you all turn the TV to Comcast sports net every once in a while to watch this team compete!

If you haven’t already, check out my twitter @BoosBulletsBlog for updates about the team and about the website!