OT: Nationals, Wizards, DC United, O's, Ravens....DC area sports IV

[stanleycaps18]

I liked Ariza this season, but I will like KD much more this time next season.

 

[Bananas]

CSN Wizards @CSNWizards
BREAKING: Trevor Ariza signs a 4-year, $32 million deal with the Houston Rockets. Lots more to come on this #WizardsTalk

Time for Otto to step up.

My brother just texted me that Otto lit up the summer league in game 1 with 25 points

 

[ryan519*]

i think otto is gonna be a beast for us next season, finally getting a chance to show what he's got

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdMAPF0rvvU

the first few minutes are all defensive highlights. i ****in love it. this team is pretty solid defensively which isnt common with teams that have such young cores

 

[ryan519*]

paul pierce to the wiz on a two year deal with a MLE

damn thats not a bad signing at all

 

[Silky mitts]

Gortat
Nene
Pierce
Beal
Wall

Strong 5

 

[ryan519*]

pierce can mentor wall, beal, and especially porter. he gives us some scoring and its only a two year deal so wiz can still take a shot at KD. pierce is known for performing in clutch situations which is exactly what we needed in those games against indiana when we went cold at the end. overall very solid move by the wizards

 

[strungout]

I like that they are keeping Booker as well.

 

[g00n]

Always liked Pierce. Consistent player, probably hamstrung by an experiment in Brooklyn. But even if he has a down year similar to last year he'd still be similar to Ariza on the stat sheet. Career-wise Pierce is coming off his worst year and Ariza his near best. And that's with Pierce taking far fewer shots per game than usual. He's shooting half as many shots as when he was a 25 point a night player. If Pierce shoots more in the Wizards system he will be a clear upgrade over Ariza.

Pierce turns it over a bit more but is better at the line.

I hope he has gas in the tank (36).

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

PP is relentless and I think his professionalism and mentorship will do wonders for BB, JW, and OP. On the court, who knows. Hopefully last season was the exception and not the rule but at 36 I'm not expecting much. I have to admit, I've been impressed with the veterans added by Ernie and staff the past season or two. High character guys who are willing to take the role assigned to them and are excited about the future of the team.

 

[usiel]

I like that they are keeping Booker as well.

Me too. Dig the fall back PP move. With Wall he'll get a lot of three point attempts. Main thing they could not replace naturally is Ariza's defense. Many a game this season he was able to stifle the other teams top scorer late in games.

 

[Marshall]

Please forgive my ignorance, as I haven't followed the NBA closely in a decade, but is there some sort of capgeek equivalent for basketball?

(I'm interested in seeing where the Bullets are, cap-wise, when Durant may become a UFA, how realistic signing him would be, etc.)

 

[usiel]

Please forgive my ignorance, as I haven't followed the NBA closely in a decade, but is there some sort of capgeek equivalent for basketball?

(I'm interested in seeing where the Bullets are, cap-wise, when Durant may become a UFA, how realistic signing him would be, etc.)

It definitely does:

Flexibility for the future

The other key element to this: Pierce's deal expires right before the summer of 2016, when Kevin Durant (and maybe LeBron James) is a free agent. The Summer of Durant is a real consideration with the Wizards, especially now that James provided the path for returning home. It's obviously a longshot to snare him from Oklahoma City, but a longshot is better than no shot. The Wizards, like many other teams, are preparing for it.

In doing so, the Wizards needed to balance two factors: winning and flexibility. That's hard to do, but with this signing, they came closer to accomplishing these two goals. The Wizards currently have Wall ($17 million), Gortat ($12 million), Webster should he play enough games ($5.8 million) and Porter ($5.9 million) under contract. Beal's also due an extension that's surely going to be for the four-year max, whatever it is. That still should leave enough room for a max deal for Durant depending on how much the cap rises, though there are tons of other factors (future draft picks, other deals that'll be signed and minimum cap holds) that'll factor in.

Keeping Ariza at his price would have eaten too far into that number. Signing Pierce instead keeps it open, all while the Wizards continue to succeed on the court.

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2014/7/13/5894855/paul-pierce-signing-wizards-impact

 

[Ridley Simon]

Good job Wiz

Ariza was a nice player, but expensive and too much term. Pierce adds a lot that Ariza didn't, and where Ariza was better (defense), is a spot Porter can shine -- as he was known for his defense at G-town. Pierce will be another terrific mentor along w Nene, and allows the Wizards more time to groom their own forward young guns (Booker, Porter) along with Wall and Beal.

I'm excited for the Wiz

 

[Marshall]

Thanks for pointing that out, usiel.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

My brother just texted me that Otto lit up the summer league in game 1 with 25 points

Otto's confidence had to be shot after his rookie year. I think Wittman did a very poor job bringing him along. Hopefully he continues to build his game over the summer league and can contribute this fall.

 

[ryan519*]

wizards and rockets agree to sign and trade for ariza with 8.5m trade exception

damn fine work wiz

 

[Brian23]

We have to use the Trade Exception this year, no? Curious why they'd bother doing it. They won't be looking to dump and if they're really trying to gear up to go after KD, if he hits the market, they won't want to bring anyone big on board in the median?

 

[Ridley Simon]

We have to use the Trade Exception this year, no? Curious why they'd bother doing it. They won't be looking to dump and if they're really trying to gear up to go after KD, if he hits the market, they won't want to bring anyone big on board in the median?

Gives them flexibility. Say they want to bring in Garnett for the playoff run (or something like that), now it's a lot easier with the 8m trade exemption. Like believe they could do 4m out, 12m in. Or something like that

 

[Hivemind]

I love wins over the Yankees.

Even if they're only 5 innings.

 

[HunterSThompson]

Please forgive my ignorance, as I haven't followed the NBA closely in a decade, but is there some sort of capgeek equivalent for basketball?

(I'm interested in seeing where the Bullets are, cap-wise, when Durant may become a UFA, how realistic signing him would be, etc.)

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/washington.htm

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

We have to use the Trade Exception this year, no? Curious why they'd bother doing it. They won't be looking to dump and if they're really trying to gear up to go after KD, if he hits the market, they won't want to bring anyone big on board in the median?

Yes, the trade exemption expires next summer. They can also split it up (say, use $2M in one trade and $6.5M in another). It appears they're trying to use a portion of it on DeJuan Blair in a sign-and-trade.

Ernie's actually done some good work this summer. I'm surprised and impressed.

The Webster money is what's looking problematic regarding Durant. It'd also be nice to have used a few of the 2nd rounders they've sold recently to provide some depth if they do have their entire cap spent on 4 players in two years.

 

[Capitlols]

Dejuan Blair would be a great bench/spot start addition.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Yes, the trade exemption expires next summer. They can also split it up (say, use $2M in one trade and $6.5M in another). It appears they're trying to use a portion of it on DeJuan Blair in a sign-and-trade.

Ernie's actually done some good work this summer. I'm surprised and impressed.

The Webster money is what's looking problematic regarding Durant. It'd also be nice to have used a few of the 2nd rounders they've sold recently to provide some depth if they do have their entire cap spent on 4 players in two years.

Can they add to it (if they ship out a 4m player, can they get a 12m player back?).

Webster's deal may be problematic. I dont think it precludes Durant, but its looking like an unnecessary cost. I guess we need to see what Porter brings. If he can become a starter, then Webster really does become redundant, as the Wiz can continue to try and bring in vet backups (not as good as Pierce, but of that ilk).

So a year later (not quite, but close).....how do you feel about the Gortat trade now? It went as well as Grunfeld and co could have hoped, IMO. They felt that they needed to make the playoffs and make a mark...which they did.

Without that, no Pierce. No Pierce wouldnt have automatically meant no Durant....but Pierce certainly helps lean a Durant towards the Wiz. If the team can make up further ground this season (return trip to the EC Semi's is a MUST), then the emergence of the kids and the team in a weak EC will really help towards marquee FA's. Durant or someone else.

Wizards are looking good. Far better than the Caps. Odd juxtaposition for Ted's franchises, all in the span of 2 seasons or so.

 

[Marshall]

http://hoopshype.com/salaries/washington.htm

Thanks, that's informative.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

They can add to it, AFAIK, but the Blair deal should eat into it.

If you factor in the current contracts, Beal's cap hold, and cap hits for future picks, Webster likely would prevent them from signing Durant. That might be a nice application of the trade exception, actually. Pick up an $11M-$13M (depending how much is left after the Blari deal) player that someone doesn't want to pay and expires prior to summer 2016.