Washington Wizards

[It was all a dream... the health of Wall, Beal and Nene.]The 2012-13 NBA regular season ended a month and six days ago.Over the 170 days prior, starting on October 30, 2012, it was 82 games up, 82 games down for the Washington Wizards; 29 wins and 53 losses. The beauty is that we don’t have to live through it again–teams that win 35 percent of their games rarely want to–but we also don’t have to forget. Because you’d never learn, or improve, if you forgot everything and ripped the rearview mirror off the Ferrari. Nineteen different individuals suited up for the Wizards this past season. Martell Webster led the way in action with 2,200 minutes, and Jason Collins contributed the fewest with 54 minutes. For all 82 games, the staff of Truth About It.net, amongst other game observations, rated each of the five Wizards starters plus two players off the bench on a three-star scale (inspired by the District of Columbia flag) in a series of posts called the D.C. Council. (Well, we evaluated players for all games, except one: Game 60, when Deron Williams completely demoralized the Wizards from ever competing by going 7-for-7 from the 3-point line in the first quarter.) Sometimes three players off the bench were evaluated instead of two; a few times it was less than two. In general, the average rating of players coming off the bench was skewed a little higher for the simple fact that those playing better were more likely to get evaluated. Starters, on the other hand, got evaluated no matter what. [***Also: remember that silly little time in December 2012 when the most positive talk that could be mustered was how the 1-13 Wizards led the NBA in bench scoring? Swell.] The D.C. Council ratings are a statistical anti-stat. They are the combined impression of several interested members of the crowd, but in numerical form. Sometimes the ratings were contingent on winning and losing, and they were always subjective. They are simply one window of evaluation, combined with written analysis, both standard and advanced statistics, and shot charts. Below is a hyperlinked index of reviews for all 19 Wizards (plus a bonus review of Tomas Satoransky, Wizards Euro-stash), their average D.C. Council three-star rating, and the number of games over which they were evaluated. The 2012-13 Washington Wizards season: it was all a dream, and not that great of a dream. Trevor Ariza: Highs, Lows and Oh Nos! by John Converse Townsend (@JohnCTownsend) 1.41 – 35 games Earl Barron: Have Ring, Will Play Basketball by Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) 1.75 – 4 games Bradley Beal: Growing Pains? Beal With Them by John Converse Townsend (@JohnCTownsend) 1.63 – 52 games Trevor Booker: Cook Book Lacks Sizzle by Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20) 1.20 – 25 games Jason Collins: In Like A Lamb, Out Like A Lion by Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20) 0.63 – 4 games Jordan Crawford: Steez-less in DC  by Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20) 1.50 – 33 games Nene Hilario: Trapped in a Glass Menagerie by Sean Fagan (@McCarrick) 1.63 – 55 games Shaun Livingston: In Like A Lion, Out Like A Lamb by Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) 1.00 – 7 games Shelvin Mack: Lost in a Waive of Despair by Adam Rubin (@LedellsPlace) 1.25 – 4 games Cartier Martin: Last Gasp for the Good Guy by Adam McGinnis (@AdamMcGinnis) 1.71 – 12 games Emeka Okafor: A Three-Sided Coin by Adam Rubin (@LedellsPlace) 1.43 – 76 games Jannero Pargo: A Trivial Pursuit for an Orange Wedge by Sean Fagan (@McCarrick) N/A A.J. Price: A Perfectly Imperfect Solution by Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) 1.47 – 19 games Kevin Seraphin: #KevinSeraphinLife Heads Off Track by Adam McGinnis (@AdamMcGinnis) 1.56 – 26 games Chris Singleton: Someone Give This Man Appropriately Heated Porridge by Conor Dirks (@ConorDDirks) 1.06 – 27 games Garrett Temple: Unsung Warrior, Blogger Mea Culpa by Adam McGinnis (@AdamMcGinnis) 1.20 – 40 games Jan Vesely: Confidence a

Now's around the time of the year when the league's top young American players get invitations to participate in Team USA Basketball's select team minicamp in Las Vegas in July. This is essentially the program's way of cultivating a reserve pool of potential team participants while trying to pick out ones that could be ticketed for the team in the future. Twenty-four players will be a part of that group, and John Wall and Bradley Beal will be two of them. Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports Wall will be one of seven point guards selected, a list that includes Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Ty Lawson, Mike Conley, Kemba Walker and George Hill. Meanwhile, Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports that Beal has also received an invitation. The quality of players selected can range from legitimate national-team options to practice filler. It remains to be seen where Wall and Beal fall on that spectrum, but it's a good sign that they've been invited. A roundup of some of the other players reportedly in the mix can be found here on SBNation.com.

March 3, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards point guard John Wall (2) talks with Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal (3) against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 90-87. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, both John Wall and Bradley Beal are expected to participate in Team USA Mini-Camp. John Wall was a part of the “select team” in 2012, which essentially practiced against the USA Men’s National team, including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and virtually every notable veteran NBA All-Star. John Wall will go head to head against some serious competition, those of which include Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Ty Lawson and more elite-level NBA point guards. Wall will undoubtedly try to leave an impression on the Team USA directors at the camp, since he has expressed interest in participating  in future world events. According to Jerry Colangelo, the USA Basketball chairmen, these camps and events are used to look at potential talent for the future: When you look at the Walls and the Kyrie [Irvings], you’re looking at the potential guards for the future… “That’s why they’re here. Many, many players have used the Select Team as a springboard for making our team. Bradley Beal, who won the Most Valuable Player award in the FIBA U-17 World Championships, has also reportedly gotten an invitation. Beal’s familiarity with USA Basketball will definitely help him through the process. Being able to play with elite-level talent will not only help Beal develop as a basketball player, but it will grow his comradery with John Wall, who the Washington Wizards are trying to build a core around. Overall, I think this is pretty good news. Barring injury, these types of invitations will inevitably help the players develop. Hopefully, both Wizards guards will be able to represent the nation in the near future.

Otto Porter and Anthony Bennett appear to be the early favorites for the Washington Wizards' No. 3 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, but what if one or the other isn't there to be selected? It might happen with Porter. The Cavaliers are thinking about using the No. 1 pick on him rather than Kentucky's Nerlens Noel, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post. But there is a possibility that Porter, arguably the most NBA-ready player among the top prospects, might not be around when the Wizards pick third. A source with knowledge of the Cavaliers' thinking said Porter is under consideration to go No. 1. A few things about this rumor: The Cavaliers have no incentive to make it seem like they've decided what they want to do with the No. 1 pick. The Cavaliers are notoriously difficult to read. Nobody projected them to take Tristan Thompson or Dion Waiters, but they did. It later came out that Waiters was higher on their draft board than Bradley Beal. The Cavaliers do have a major need for a small forward. The position is currently occupied by former Wizards castoff Alonzo Gee and the streaky C.J. Miles. There's some logic to the idea that the Cavaliers would prefer to have someone who will actually be on the court next year over a player with a torn ACL. They appear serious about wanting to stop the tanking/asset accumulation and actually try to move forward this summer. All this is to say that this won't be the last time Porter will be rumored to go No. 1.

Now that the NBA Draft order is set, it's time for us to begin our annual tradition of coming up with a community draft board. We're going to go as far down the list as we possibly can. Here's the way it works. Each day, we'll have a poll to determine which player belongs in that spot on the draft board. The winner of that poll after approximately one day will occupy the spot. We'll then move on to the next one. You're voting as if this is the Washington Wizards' board, not necessarily a general list of top prospects. Weigh team needs as much as you feel is appropriate. While most teams prefer a tiered system that places prospects within certain groupings, then picks the one the team most needs from that group, assume that this is a straight list. In other words: if everyone that you can vote on is available at the pick we're at, which player would you choose? We are continuing this beyond the No. 3 pick for two reasons. First, the Wizards have two second-round picks, and players that are ranked near the top of team's boards often slip. Second, you never know if the Wizards will trade down or back into the first round. With all that in mind, let's begin. Poll Who deserves the top spot on the Bullets Forever Wizards draft board? Nerlens Noel Ben McLemore Otto Porter Anthony Bennett Victor Oladipo Alex Len Someone else (please specify in comments) 96 votes | Results

The thing that scares me the most about this draft is how it could resemble the 2006 draft. Looking at the picks from 2006, nearly the entire draft a wasteland. Andrea Bargnani at #1 is a credible NBA player, although his contract makes him an albatross in Toronto. LaMarcus Aldridge is obviously an excellent player, but Rudy Gay is the only other player picked in the top 10 who is relevant in the league now. Of the top 20 players, 14 are either out of the NBA or barely hanging on. I'm concerned that this draft is going to be a repeat of 2006. Each of the projected lottery picks has some serious flaws. Noel and McLemore look like the clear #1 and #2, but neither is a sure-fire star. By the time we get to the Wiz at #3, we find Otto Porter, a solid player with limited athletic ability; Anthony Bennett, a defensive sieve; Victor Oladipo, a promising role player who can't create his own shot; and Alex Len, a project who can't even work out now because he's hurt. It gets more questionable as we move down from there. One player I find Intriguing is Gorgui Dieng. He's got great size and has established himself as a player who can make serious contributions to a top-notch team. He's 6-11, a great shot-blocker and rebounder who can hit midrange jump shots. He's clearly put in a lot of work on his game and his body, and he has a great motor on the court. This is the kind of guy I want on my team. I put less stock in concerns that he's 23 and therefor less likely to improve as much as a younger player. He's shown a great interest in improving himself and his game, and that suggests to me that he's likely to continue to improve. He may not have as high a ceiling as some guys in the draft, but it's not WAYYY lower, and he appears much more likely to reach it than many guys in this draft. (Bennett's disinterest on defense particularly scares me.) If Noel falls to #3, I think we should grab him. But given the weakness of this draft, barring something like that, perhaps trading down would be better. If we trade down to the 14-20 range, Dieng most likely would be available. The question in this scenario would be what to demand in return. Next year's draft appears to be strong, so getting an unprotected #1 pick from a team that appears likely to struggle in 2013-14 (maybe Milwaukee or Cleveland) would make sense. Or maybe getting a big man prospect like Enes Kanter from Utah would work. I'm not in love with this option, and I'm glad I don't have to make this decision in real life. But it's totally going to suck to realize in 3-4 years that we struck out again because we happened to get lucky to move up in a weak draft. The thing that scares me the most about this draft is how it could resemble the 2006 draft. Looking at the picks from 2006, nearly the entire draft a wasteland. Andrea Bargnani at #1 is a credible NBA player, although his contract makes him an albatross in Toronto. LaMarcus Aldridge is obviously an excellent player, but Rudy Gay is the only other player picked in the top 10 who is relevant in the league now. Of the top 20 players, 14 are either out of the NBA or barely hanging on. I'm concerned that this draft is going to be a repeat of 2006. Each of the projected lottery picks has some serious flaws. Noel and McLemore look like the clear #1 and #2, but neither is a sure-fire star. By the time we get to the Wiz at #3, we find Otto Porter, a solid player with limited athletic ability; Anthony Bennett, a defensive sieve; Victor Oladipo, a promising role player who can't create his own shot; and Alex Len, a project who can't even work out now because he's hurt. It gets more questionable as we move down from there. One player I find Intriguing is Gorgui Dieng. He's got great size and has established himself as a player who can make serious contributions to a top-notch team. He's 6-11, a great shot-blocker and rebounder who can hit midrange jump shots. He's clearly put in a lot of work on his game and his body, and he has a gr

By now, we've all been discussing, arguing, and passionately making a case for who we'd like to see the Wizards draft at number 3 overall next month. Whether the guy happens to Porter, Bennett, Len, or somehow turned into a veteren player, The Wizards still possess two 2nd rounders in the 2013 draft. Grunfeld is already on record saying that "we don't need 3 rookies.", so it would appear that one or more of the players selected next month will not be with the team next season. This has been called a weak draft by many, but oftentimes the weak drafts have a lot of depth. Under the assumption that those two picks are packaged for a late first rounder and based on this draft and the needs of our team, what guys do you think can be a steal? The guy I want to see get a shot, no matter where he is drafted is Archie Goodwin. He fills a need as a bench scorer, and by providing depth behind John Wall and Bradley Beal. He is 6' 5'' in shoes, with a 6' 10'' wingspan. He is a compact scoring guard that attacks the rim like his life depends on it, is very athletic, and has the tools to be a good defender. His weaknesses are a jumpshot and decision making. Since he is a very coachable player with excellent desire, by all accounts, he has a very high ceiling and could be an attractive trade asset in the future. I'd also look at Nate Wolters, Ray McCallum, Peyton Siva, and MIke Muscala if we keep one of the 2nd's. And of course Dario Saric is my guy, so I'd have no complaints with him either, but I am very interested to hear what you guys think. Who else could be a steal or late round gem for The Wizards? By now, we've all been discussing, arguing, and passionately making a case for who we'd like to see the Wizards draft at number 3 overall next month. Whether the guy happens to Porter, Bennett, Len, or somehow turned into a veteren player, The Wizards still possess two 2nd rounders in the 2013 draft. Grunfeld is already on record saying that "we don't need 3 rookies.", so it would appear that one or more of the players selected next month will not be with the team next season. This has been called a weak draft by many, but oftentimes the weak drafts have a lot of depth. Under the assumption that those two picks are packaged for a late first rounder and based on this draft and the needs of our team, what guys do you think can be a steal? The guy I want to see get a shot, no matter where he is drafted is Archie Goodwin. He fills a need as a bench scorer, and by providing depth behind John Wall and Bradley Beal. He is 6' 5'' in shoes, with a 6' 10'' wingspan. He is a compact scoring guard that attacks the rim like his life depends on it, is very athletic, and has the tools to be a good defender. His weaknesses are a jumpshot and decision making. Since he is a very coachable player with excellent desire, by all accounts, he has a very high ceiling and could be an attractive trade asset in the future. I'd also look at Nate Wolters, Ray McCallum, Peyton Siva, and MIke Muscala if we keep one of the 2nd's. And of course Dario Saric is my guy, so I'd have no complaints with him either, but I am very interested to hear what you guys think. Who else could be a steal or late round gem for The Wizards?

Wizards Coach Randy Wittman called Bradley Beal from the golf course about an hour before Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery and had one simple message: “Don’t screw it up.” Beal delivered, as the Wizards hurdled five teams to enter a more … Continue reading →

Fresh off the presses, here's Draft Express' scouting report of the early favorite for the Wizards at No. 3.

[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