Washington Wizards

[Wizards 2012-13 Player Reviews from the TAI crew are going down; let's reflect---index so far: Jannero Pargo, Jason Collins, Shaun Livingston, Shelvin Mack, Cartier Martin, Earl Barron, Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton, Trevor Booker, Garrett Temple, Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza, Martell Webster, A.J. Price, Jordan Crawford, Kevin Seraphin, Bradley Beal, Nene, John Wall.] Bonus: Lukas Kuba reviews the Spanish League season of Tomas Satoransky, ’12 Wizards 2nd rounder. --> Tomas Satoransky 6-7 : Height 205 lbs. : Weight 21 : Age 6 : Years Pro Experience 2 : Teams (USK Prague, Cajasol Sevilla) Drafted by the Wizards 32nd overall in 2012. Stats as a Cajasol player in 2012-13 ACB League 33 : Games 33 : Starts 962 : Minutes 12.5 : PPG 51% : 2P FGs% 34% :  3P FGs% 79% : FT% 4.2 : APG 3.2 : RPG 1.2 : SPG Eurocup 12 : Games 9 : Starts 336 : Minutes 10.2 : PPG 48% : 2P FG% 30% : 3P FG% 77% : FT% 4.8 : APG 3.8 : RPG 0.8 : SPG Tomas Satoransky in 2012-13 with Cajasol: Dunking on Teams, NBA Dreams by Lukas Kuba (@Luke_Mellow) Maybe Tomas Satoransky will pan out for Washington, maybe he won’t. Maybes notwithstanding, what Wizards fan wouldn’t want a Czech guy who likes Lil’ Wayne? I kid, I kid. Got some good news, though. The Wizards second round draftee has been a legit leader and MVP for his Spanish League team, Cajasol, all season. Although his team finished 15th in the ACB League with a 12-22 record, Satoransky impressed with his play. Former NBAer Rudy Fernandez won the ACB’s Most Spectacular Player award, but he faced the stiffest competition from Satoransky almost all season long. In the end, the baby-faced Saty ended up in the third place (being overtaken by Marcus Slaughter), but was still wowed fans with an array of his trademark dunks, alley-oops, breakaway slams, and slick dimes. Let’s watch… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq9UHmyA1Lc Satoransky led Cajasol in points, assists, and the Spanish version of PER. His 4.2 assists per game also ranked second amongst all ACB players, and he finished just outside of the ACB’s top 15 in scoring. Other ACB ranks: eighth in minutes per game, 15th in 2-point field goals, 11th in steals per game, and fourth in fouls drawn. Furthermore, Satoransky dragged Cajasol to a solid showing at Eurocup, reaching the “Last 16″ stage. I’ve only seen a couple of Satoransky’s games this season, but it seems that he is shooting the ball with more confidence, but the jumper still needs a lot of work. If John Wall (and others) can improve their jumpers, it shouldn’t be a problem with Satoransky, who is known to have a real passion for the game and is enthusiastic about getting better. Also, he’s more durable and agile compared to last season, as he’s gotten older and grown into his body. Hypothetically, what’s his best case scenario for Satoransky? A dunking Greivis Vasquez? That could be very intriguing for an NBA team looking for a scorer/playmaker off the bench. (Hey, the Washington Wizards! … potentially) The future for the kid whom Czech Basketmag called “bohemian” is uncertain. Basketmag also call Saty “an exhibitionist” through and through, saying that he likes attracting attention and that he’s a hoops junkie with a ton of energy on and off the floor. This past season, Satoransky really enjoyed freedom in the system put in place by new head coach Aito Garcia Reneses. He also loves Seville: “I‘m very happy [here], of course. This is my fourth year here and I have always said that I have fallen in love with Seville. I love this city, people are very friendly and we have a great team.” Roughly a month ago, “La Perla Checa,” as Satoransky has been dubbed (which translates to the Czech Pearl), said that he does not know where he’ll play next season. But one thing is clear: his ultimate dream is to play in the NBA. If not soon (or ever), he wants to continue playing for

Mar 9, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Georgetown Hoyas forward Otto Porter (22) looks on during the first half of the game against the Syracuse Orange at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports How about the lottery, huh? Did anybody go streaking, Frank the Tank style? What a great night to be a Washington Wizards fan. To routinely expect the worst – and not so laughingly believe that the team is cursed – and come out better than expected in the NBA Draft Lottery two years in a row (last year the Wizards entered the lottery in the four spot, and probably all expected them to land at six) is wonderful. The business at hand now is improving things to the point that the Wizards aren’t participants in the excruciatingly drawn out production that is the NBA Draft Lottery for a while. What do the Wizards do with the third pick? I’ve gone on record as not wanting to trade the pick at eight, so I’m certainly not an advocate of trading it now. Again, the caveat is some kind of package for Kevin Love or something – unlikely, and no to Danny Granger (shame on you, Mike Wise. Are you here simply to troll us? There could be a post coming dedicated SPECIFICALLY to that column), Can we, at least for today, just focus on the players in the Draft? Great. Let’s do that. Cleveland and Orlando are obviously roadblocks to the draft board, but I’m all aboard the Otto Porter Jr. bandwagon at third overall. Obviously, I’m not alone in thinking Porter is a great choice for the Wizards. For me, Otto Porter provides a great balance between “best player available” and “fits a need”. Plug him in as a small forward, and even though there is Trevor Ariza for at least one more season, and presumably Martell Webster, Porter should be able to represent immediate help in the present and future. He fits the culture that the team has clearly fought to foster in the last two years: smart, focused on the game, committed to defense, and most importantly, buying into the program. You group him with John Wall and Bradley Beal, and you have a very bright, young nucleus. I also hear the sentiment that he’s local, so the team shouldn’t feel pressured to pick him. Again, I don’t get it. Is there a feeling that local fans are biased because he’s in the nation’s capital? What if the local standout is the best player available? Porter was the Georgetown Hoyas last season. At times, he was seriously on “Pass it to Will” status. (I couldn’t find the clip of the coach saying this in the huddle, but you watched Fresh Prince. You know what I’m talking about). I know Georgetown wasn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut, but Otto Porter accounted for 24 percent of the team’s points, 22 percent of the rebounds, 18 percent of the assists, 24 percent of the team’s steals, and 23 percent of their blocked shots. I’m sure other teams’ best players in college have similar type of stat, but…wow. I often read or hear that Otto Porter is good at a lot of stuff, but not great at anything. To me, that’s not a particularly strong criticism. He’s less than two weeks shy of age 20, who’s to say that he won’t become great at something or some things? And how many 20-year old players come into the draft with this much talk of maturity and high basketball IQ? I know that there’s the thought that UNLV’s Anthony Bennett could have the higher ceiling, but he also has a lower floor. Again, Porter may not become a star, he’s the “safe” pick, but who’s to say he can’t develop into a star? Particularly in the right system and with the right pieces around him. I think Chad Ford’s comment in his ESPN chat today best describes my opinion of the two: Those are the two players they are high on. Both are fits. If they need more offense and potential star power Bennett is the guy. Porter gives them the high basketball IQ, the passing, the defense, all the little things. Personally, I think I like Porter a lit

Dear BF Editors, Is there any chance we can get a community draft board set up? I would propose it works like this: Each member submits his top ten picks for this year's draft. The #1 pick on each member's list receives 10 points, the #2 receives 9 points, etc. The total points are aggregated together and a consensus draft board is revealed, with the most total points generating the #1 player. At any time, a member can update their picks, which would be reflected in the board. Big changes from the past three days would be highlighted. Alternatively, we could do an instant-runoff procedure to determine the community rank, but this would be more complicated to implement. I know that you all have access to some polling tools, so I thought something like this might be possible. Dear BF Editors, Is there any chance we can get a community draft board set up? I would propose it works like this: Each member submits his top ten picks for this year's draft. The #1 pick on each member's list receives 10 points, the #2 receives 9 points, etc. The total points are aggregated together and a consensus draft board is revealed, with the most total points generating the #1 player. At any time, a member can update their picks, which would be reflected in the board. Big changes from the past three days would be highlighted. Alternatively, we could do an instant-runoff procedure to determine the community rank, but this would be more complicated to implement. I know that you all have access to some polling tools, so I thought something like this might be possible.

The Wizards, on Tuesday, landed the third overall pick in the 2012-13 NBA Draft … and they will do with it what they please, your miseducated speculation and dime-store mock drafts be damned. So Truth About It.net turned to online scouting regurgitations, mostly intuition, and a wing and a prayer to come up with a list of the most potentially #SoWizards players who could soon be given a fanny-pack embroidered with a scarlet Wizards logo, a spot on the roster, and a pain in our hearts. A #SoWizards future for this guy, Ondrej Balvin? — via some website] #1) Rudy Gobert At some point in time, Ernie Grunfeld yelled, to no one in particular, “Well, why don’t you just calculate a player’s ability to calculate!!?” He was being facetious, but some scientist got right on it. Well, at least the guy was wearing a lab coat. He was also wearing a G-Wiz mascot uniform under that. Grunfeld then, himself, went on to measure Frenchman Rudy Gobert’s 7-foot-9 wingspan in Grunfeld head-lengths (hey, that’s just his system… the answer is 5.138, by the way—Ernie has a really long head). Grunfeld also calculated Gobert’s 238-pound weight in Grunfeld heads, and it just so happened to be the very same number. So it was determined that Gobert would be the third overall pick, especially since he can exchange “je m’appelles” and “toute de suites” with Kevin Seraphin and Snakey all season long, much to the chagrin of Randy Wittman. Take that, analytics! #2) Alex Len Here I am, 32-plus years in age and reverse five-plus years in Wizards blogger life, and I just recently realized that local Maryland Terrapin Alex Len is from Ukraine. And if he wasn’t the son of a coal miner, he still knew plenty of brovas in his hometown of Antratsyt with the black lung (the city is literally named after a type of coal). The kicker: Len’s real first name is “Oleksiy.” #SoPecherov. Applying Seinfeldian principles to basketball, we know that Ukraine is weak. Thus, Len would make the perfect weight-training partner for Jan Vesely—the pertinent exercise being deep squat thrusts where the portion of the body closest to the ground (the “hind parts”) must pick up, lift, and suspend a previously grounded coconut (or honeydew melon) with each thrust. Alex Len it is. #3) Lucas Nogiera There is a guy called “Bebe” in the 2013 draft, no relation to the clothing line. Nor is he related to the Portuguese homeless man turned Manchester United forward (now on loan). This guy, Lucas “Bebe” Nogiera, is from Brazil. As history shows, the Wizards already have a guy from Brazil (two of ‘em, actually), which truly makes Ted Leonsis want to use Caipirinhas for mouthwash. The Wizards’ Brazilian calls himself “Nene,” in lieu of his Brazilian gubment name, Maybyner Rodney Hilário (weird, sometimes he seems like more of a ‘Rodney’). “Nene” evidently means “Baby” in Portuguese, according to the “What Single Name Will Your Brazilian Future Sports Star Baby Eventually Change His or Her Birth Name To?” baby book, ironically not available on Amazon.com (the Amazon selection is becoming increasingly limited in Brazil). NBA.com’s David Aldridge calls Bebe the second coming of Nene. In any case, Randy Wittman wonders what he’s going to do with all these goddamned kids. Can’t baby them. #4)  Shabazz Muhammed A known age-falsifier, Shabazz is likely the second coming of the Nick Young-Calbert Cheaney-Jarvis Hayes love-child (circa 1993). Like Cheaney, Muhammed is one of those weird left-handed folks. Like Nick Young, he is not right-minded. And like Jarvis Hayes, he’s going to fucking suck. Nonetheless, the Wizards shall take Muhammed third overall because his dad is the dad version of JaVale McGee’s mom. And with all these goddamn kids Randy Wittman keeps bitc

I've heard more than once there isn't much difference between the No. 3and the No. 8 pick in this year's draft. While there are no clear franchise caliber-candidates, all it takes is one team falling in love with the right player and a trade is born. The Wizards will entertain trade offers, it only remains to be seen how serious those offers are. Let's take a look at how some of those offers might appear. I give you the 2012/13 Atlantic Division winner, the New York Knicks: It's tough to see a trade here, post-lottery. New York has a TON of salary on the books through the next two seasons, even if they let J.R. Smith walk. So while it's easy to point to Iman Shumpert as a easily targetable asset, keep in mind New York likely values him more than you think. That said, if they could actually trade him for the No. 3 pick in any draft, it's a no brainer. Don't see that happening on the Wizards' end. The Knicks pick 24th in the first round. That wouldn't set Wizards Nation on fire, but one name of note in the neighborhood is Allen Crabbe, already on the Wizards radar. So, Jason Kidd might be an interesting backup PG for John Wall, eh? Ease the pain of re-signing J.R. Smith for New York? The Wizards would have to send some salary back, and chances seem best Trevor Booker is the name both parties would settle on. Figure also on one of those second-round picks headed to New York. THE ABSOLUTE BEST TRADE THEY COULD OFFER: Iman Shumpert, the 24th pick and Jason Kidd for the 3rd pick, the 54th pick and Trevor Booker. Not a fan of this scenario. Finishing number two in the Atlantic Division, the Brooklyn Nets: Let's just say it wouldn't take Garry Kasparov to beat the Brooklyn's strategic masterminds at a game of chess. The twin moves of acquiring Joe Johnson's albatross of a contract and dumping the lottery pick that became Damian Lillard for Gerald Wallace means their cap situation is even worse than their cross-town cousin's. How do you feel about Marshon Brooks? C.J. Watson? Me, neither. ANDRAY BLATCHE? The Nets draft 22nd, a few ticks above the Knicks. The Nets don't have particularly desirable veterans, young players, or draft assets, so unless you want to make a convincing argument to dump Nene's remaining money for Kris Humphries (good luck), I'm not going to bother penning a trade for the Nets. Finishing third and staring into the possibility of a rebuild are Danny Ainge and the Boston Celtics: Good lord, can you imagine Ainge trading into the top of another draft to kick off a rebuild? Ah, the hyperbole. Avery Bradley is a serious trade chip. Having this guy behind John Wall and Bradley Beal is probably not a situation he'd choose, but that backcourt rotation would look mighty solid. Still, Bradley doesn't bring enough value by himself. The Wizards likely passed over Fab Melo when they traded Jordan Crawford away for the expiring deals of Jason Collins and the rights to Leandro Barbosa. Does Ernie Grunfeld covet Jared Sullinger? Tough to see how he'd want to bring in a young power forward with back problems and defensive issues. Jason Terry and Courtney Alexander make too much money for too long for too little impact. Pass. Jeff Green! Just kidding, Mike. Boston picks 16th this season. With Kelly Olynyk measuring out so poorly at the Combine, it's tough to see how potential Wizards target Steven Adams falls this far. But maybe Ernie takes the risk. Definitely nearing reasonable offer territory, but Danny Ainge didn't get this far by offering the equivalent of Avery Bradley and the 16th pick for the No. 3 pick. Historically, Ainge gets a ton of value of mid- to late-first rounders, so who knows? BONUS ROUND: Kevin Garnett. Kevin Garnett, the 24th pick and the Celtics 2015 pick Top 8-protected pick for Emeka Okafor and the No. 3 pick. Not a fan, obviously. This draft is about the next ten years, not all-but-guaranteed playoff appearances the next two. Atlantic Division's fourth place finishe

Okay I'm certainly not in the camp in support of drafting Otto Porter, but I realize that he is likely the pick going forward. With that said, drafting him would create a potentially interesting situation at the SF position. Some have argued that at that point, let Webster walk and spend that MLE on a combo guard, or trade Ariza away, but I actually started thinking about another scenario, what if we kept all 3? This might not be ideal, but what about the idea of using Trevor Ariza and/or Martell Webster as a backup 2? I'm not necessarily able to pull up the advanced stats for when these two played the 2 or when they were on the court at the same time, but it seems to me, that they have the skill set to compliment each other and bolster our bench going forward with a combination of solid defense and 3 point shooting. With Ariza, you can still match him up against the best offensive player on the opposing team's bench. You could also have a small lineup where you could actually put Porter, Ariza and Webster in the same lineup to space the floor. No matter what, you could have some interesting combinations, which may have better results than simply getting rid of and trying to replace Ariza and Webster. With that said, if anyone has any advanced stats on how Ariza or Webster played the 2 offensively and defensively, I think that would help this discussion. Other than that, what are your thoughts on the possibility of having all 3 and using Ariza/Webster as the 2 off the bench with the other playing the 3? Okay I'm certainly not in the camp in support of drafting Otto Porter, but I realize that he is likely the pick going forward. With that said, drafting him would create a potentially interesting situation at the SF position. Some have argued that at that point, let Webster walk and spend that MLE on a combo guard, or trade Ariza away, but I actually started thinking about another scenario, what if we kept all 3? This might not be ideal, but what about the idea of using Trevor Ariza and/or Martell Webster as a backup 2? I'm not necessarily able to pull up the advanced stats for when these two played the 2 or when they were on the court at the same time, but it seems to me, that they have the skill set to compliment each other and bolster our bench going forward with a combination of solid defense and 3 point shooting. With Ariza, you can still match him up against the best offensive player on the opposing team's bench. You could also have a small lineup where you could actually put Porter, Ariza and Webster in the same lineup to space the floor. No matter what, you could have some interesting combinations, which may have better results than simply getting rid of and trying to replace Ariza and Webster. With that said, if anyone has any advanced stats on how Ariza or Webster played the 2 offensively and defensively, I think that would help this discussion. Other than that, what are your thoughts on the possibility of having all 3 and using Ariza/Webster as the 2 off the bench with the other playing the 3?

In principal most of us, including me, are against trading the pick. Heck, I personally didn't feel much for trading it for 'veteran depth' at #8. I think we all still have a sour taste in our mouth's because of our trade for Miller and Foye in 2009. Moreover, we didn't land #8, we have landed #3. Porter is by far the community consensus as to whom to pick at #3. He can spread the floor, handle/create and looks to become a good defender in the NBA. He has no big holes in his game whatsoever and at 19 yrs many recon he already is the most NBA ready player in this draft He would be a perfect fit and the majority of us are really exited about a Wall, Beal, Porter core for years to come. However, what if Porter is not there anymore? What if Cleveland takes him #1? It's not likely, but they are really high on Porter in terms of fit with Irving, Waiters and Thompson. What if Orlando takes him rr what if they deal the #2 to Cleveland and they take Otto at #2? Are the players then left on the board, really worth drafting at #3 at all for us? Providing Noel and Porter are gone, lets look at the other possible candidates: McLemore is redundant with Beal and I don't feel like he is a better prospect than Brad at this point in time. The same goes for Burke and, to an even larger extend, McCollum with regards to Wall. Then there is Len of course, who seems very polished but severely undersized and I think he can't become a 3 in the NBA. I just wonder if he'll pan out against bigger, stronger and equally or more polished NBA bigman.That brings us to players who surely aren't worth taking in the top 3 like Zeller, Shabazz or heck, it's Ernie after all, Saric. All players we have more or less discussed about at #8 and are more for long term depth than actual core contributors imho. Of course we won't really know if Porter is off the board until we are up to pick, but given the above consideration a trade scenario should be included in Ernie's strategy preparation imho. I don't advocate making a trade befóre the draft under any circumstance, which unfortunately is typical for Ernie and how he missed out on Rubio and Curry in 2009 and almost lost Beal in 2012. He also showed his cards early with Vesely for whom of course there was no competition anyway. So, are there any trades worth thinking about? Yes there are, but not many: Nene + #3 for Love + #9 Of course this trade depends on how Kevin feels about the Wolves these days but if he does want to leave, a top three pick and a near all star center might be the best Flip can do to save some grace. The trade works financially. Losing Nene is not a concern to me because he was always going to be a bridge player to help mature our youngsters, not a long term core piece and Love is. Furthermore, we would have picked around #9 in the first place anyway. Like I said above, there are some prospects that would still be available for depth or we could trade it for (good) veteran depth if we package it with young players, second rounders and/or future picks.The main reason of course is Kevin Love. He is an All Star, still relatively young and a core of Wall, Beal, Love would contend for the playoffs immediately as well as for years to come. Especially if we manage to re-sign Okafor, Ariza and Webster at reasonable prices. Depending on the development of Wall and Beal as well as the quality of the rest of the supporting cast going forward (cap management!) we might even be a title contender one day.That said, Kevin Love is a top 3 PF, maybe even the best PF in the league and he spreads the floor for Wall. Other than Love I don't really see another possible available player in his tier that fits so well with Wall. Cousins is mentioned a lot and I really like him but he isn't in Kevin's tier yet and due to his considerable downsides might never get there or will but forever be an inconsistant enigma due to his immaturity/anger problems. Derrick Williams is an interesting opt

May 16, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Shabazz Muhammad is interviewed during the NBA Draft combine at Harrison Street Athletics Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports (Even though the Washington Wizards received the third overall pick in last nights NBA Draft Lottery, I think it’s safe to say that they’ll explore all  of their options. With that said, UCLA’s enigma, Shabazz Muhammad, is one of the most intriguing prospects in this years NBA Draft. I contacted Jeff Poirier of Go Joe Bruin, who has covered the UCLA Bruins for quite some time, in order to get his take on the possible situation.) I have to start with this: Shabazz Muhammad was viewed as a basketball prodigy out of Bishop Gorman High School, but his reputation took a serious hit once he reached the collegiate level. He’s been accused of lying about his age, allowing his father to control his basketball career, but most importantly, he had a tendency to act like a diva once he stepped on the basketball floor. How will his attitude affect his stock in this year’s draft, if at all? Should a team like Washington, who has dealt with plenty of knuckleheads in the past, take a chance on Muhammad? The rumors swirling about Muhammad’s attitude will definitely affect his draft appeal, but he’s still a highly sought after option. He had a few moments that drew ire at UCLA, most notably steering clear of a Bruins pig-pile after a teammate (and not him) sank a game-winning buzzer beater. Ultimately though, Shabazz is a stone cold gamer who will be an asset to whatever team takes him. Washington would be getting a lights-out shooter with an unrelenting competitive edge. The millions he’ll be making will likely iron out any personality issues he may have, so I think he is worth the chance. What are some common misconceptions people have about Shabazz Muhammad? He’s been criticized about having a scorers mentality, but not contributing much on the defensive side of the floor. Even though Muhammad averaged under 1 assist per game, some think his lackluster year at UCLA was a reflection upon the program and basketball system, rather than Muhammad’s style of play. Is he as selfish as people tend to think? Is he the type of player who will eventually develop his defense once he enters the next stage of his career? Having attended every UCLA home game last season, I can attest to the fact that Shabazz is not a defensive player. He was often beat by a less athletic opponent with more hustle, which doesn’t bode well for him guarding the best-of-the-best in the NBA. With that said, there’s no telling what could happen once he gets to the league. The pressure of living up to his contract could drive him to develop his defense, and he is athletic enough to be a good shot blocker. Offensively, there’s no question that his intention is to score whenever he gets the ball. Whether it’s a catch-and-shoot or drive to the rim, Muhammad isn’t going to pass very often. Some call that selfishness, but I just think it’s how his game works. He has a consistent outside stroke, and he is most valuable putting the ball in the bucket. Is Shabazz Muhammad worth the investment? Should a lottery bound team, like the Wizards, take a chance on Muhammad, even though they are entering the latter half of their rebuilding process? My answer here is “it depends.” If the Wizards are in need of an ice-cold perimeter shooter, than Shabazz is certainly worth the investment. He can pour it on from long range, and should only get better as he refines his attack. However, if they’re looking for a well-rounded player who will contribute at both ends of the floor, Shabazz is not the solution. Where do you see Muhammad being taken in this year’s draft? Will he eventually renter the top 5 pick discussion, or will his affected image ultimately lower his stock? Some mock drafts still have Muhammad in the Top 10, and I think that’s where he will end up. It’s possible he c

You'll recall CSN Washington's report earlier this week that Bradley Beal had yet to be cleared to return to baskeball-related activities despite being seven weeks removed from being shut down with a stress injury in his left fibula. J Michael asked Beal himself about his status at the draft lottery yesterday, and this was Beal's answer. "I still haven't been cleared," Beal told CSN after he represented the Wizards at the draft lottery and secured the No. 3 overall pick for the June 27 draft. "It's been six weeks since I've done any basketball-related activities. In the next couple weeks or so I'm going to get another X-Ray and see if the fracture actually started closing and see if can get back out there. Until then I'm still rehabbing, lifting weights and refraining from any basketball activity." The word "fracture" freaked me out upon reading the article. However, a Wizards spokesman told Bullets Forever that, much like John Wall did last December, Beal misspoke and did not mean to indicate that the bone was actually broken. Michael Lee asked Beal a similar question and put in "[stress reaction]" in the quote used in today's story. Semantics aside, the injury itself will likely take over two months to heal, so it's serious enough. Wall's "stress injury" in his knee ended up sidelining him for over three months. Standard aches and bruises don't take this long to heel, so whatever one wants to call it, the effect is the same. While it is the offseason, I'd feel much more comfortable if Beal was healed enough to be cleared soon.

I know I am going to get skewered for this and I understand why to some degree, but in a weak draft like this the three pick is really more like a 5-7 in an average year. Ernie is not a great drafter, and we could really get some talent for this pick so i say we should trade it. utah is a team looking to move up and they definitely have some great pieces. If the Jazz offered a package like Favors, Burks/ Hayward/14 pick I would do it. If the Kings offered Cousins and Patterson for the 3 pick and Singleton/Vesely/Booker I would absolutely do it. I am not Mike Wise. I understand that the Wizards have much more than this year, and that yeah we want to make the playoffs now, but 2015-2020 is the most important block. I don't want to trade the pick for veterans. I am a huge fan, however, of trading draft pick for established YOUNG players with high ceilings. I find them to be more of a sure thing than draft picks. Just imagine if last year, we took Orlando up on their offer of Harden for Beal. Beal is good, but Harden- he is a legit superstar. Nobody in their right mind takes Beal over Harden and thats not a knock on Beal. I would also trade the pick to a bad team like Charlotte or Orlando for a 2014 first rounder. That is a much better, deeper draft and who knows maybe we get Wiggins. If Orlando offered a 2014 1st rounder and Tobias Harris for our 2014 and 2013 1st rounders I would do it. If Charlotte offered the same deal with MKG instead of Harris I would have to say yes. Ultimately we are not going to trade the pick and I agree with that. I think that the only way we trade the pick is if someone overpays for it and all the above scenarios are indeed overpaying for a three pick in a weak draft class. But, if someone decides to overwhelm us and give up young players for the pick? Then do it. The point of the fan post was not to say trade the pick but to say do not out rule trading the pick, keep all options open. I am sure Porter, Oladipo, Muhammed or even Noel would be great for us. A top 3 pick usually works out and I expect it to with us. I am edited about the future of our Wall/ Beal/ 3 pick core trio, but I' be more excited about Wall/ Beal/ Cousins trio with Patterson I know I am going to get skewered for this and I understand why to some degree, but in a weak draft like this the three pick is really more like a 5-7 in an average year. Ernie is not a great drafter, and we could really get some talent for this pick so i say we should trade it. utah is a team looking to move up and they definitely have some great pieces. If the Jazz offered a package like Favors, Burks/ Hayward/14 pick I would do it. If the Kings offered Cousins and Patterson for the 3 pick and Singleton/Vesely/Booker I would absolutely do it. I am not Mike Wise. I understand that the Wizards have much more than this year, and that yeah we want to make the playoffs now, but 2015-2020 is the most important block. I don't want to trade the pick for veterans. I am a huge fan, however, of trading draft pick for established YOUNG players with high ceilings. I find them to be more of a sure thing than draft picks. Just imagine if last year, we took Orlando up on their offer of Harden for Beal. Beal is good, but Harden- he is a legit superstar. Nobody in their right mind takes Beal over Harden and thats not a knock on Beal. I would also trade the pick to a bad team like Charlotte or Orlando for a 2014 first rounder. That is a much better, deeper draft and who knows maybe we get Wiggins. If Orlando offered a 2014 1st rounder and Tobias Harris for our 2014 and 2013 1st rounders I would do it. If Charlotte offered the same deal with MKG instead of Harris I would have to say yes. Ultimately we are not going to trade the pick and I agree with that. I think that the only way we trade the pick is if someone overpays for it and all the above scenarios are indeed overpaying for a three pick in a weak draft class. But, if someone decides to overwhelm us and giv