Weary Wiz Presser

[Xist2Inspire]

...zzzz...oh damn, it's that time again, huh?


Y'all on Opening Day vs. Me

*sigh* Let's get to it then. To be honest, last season went pretty well for Year 1 of a hasty rebuild. We didn't get many wins...or own our first...but whatever. The young guys got their minutes, it's all good. So, on to this offseason. Going in, we were very happy to have something we hadn't had in a while:


Cap space.

Going in, our plan was to use that space to go after guys like Antentokoumpo, MCW, and Noel, young players who we felt would fit what we were trying to do. We ended up with MCW and no one else, so...success? We also finalized a trade for Julius Randle, a talented all-arounder with potential in several areas. We'd talked with the Spurs for quite some time, and we were glad to finally get it done. Oh, and we traded for Odell too. Say hi to Odell, everyone!


Wrong sport, dammit

Once FA came, we managed to bring back guys like Glorieu and Anderson on cheap long-term deals, as well as bring in Robert Covington, a vet who we really thought was a good fit here. Wilson re-signed, which was a surprise, but we were quickly able to trade him for an asset (and Carmelo Anthony), which was an even bigger surprise.


Bye Wilson, thanks for the memories...and the pick

So...how 'bout that TC?



Clarkson? Dead. Randle? Hella dead. Hightower?
Condemned. Bright? Dark. It wasn't all bad, as Glorieu, Odell, and Anderson had solid camps, MCW and Covington reached their potential, and Alton didn't die. But the ones who did die ruined everything. Clarkson's spot on our team was shaky, but he could at least have retained some trade value. Randle was supposed to get a paid QKN boost and get some minutes as a guard. Hightower was supposed to receive another paid QKN boost and continue his journey towards becoming a PF. Bright was supposed to at least hold steady and get more minutes at SF thanks to his PRD. Yeah, Odell, Anderson, and Glorieu had good camps, but they were supposed to be bench projects, not key contributors. So thanks to this horror show...


...or at least hibernate until the end of the season to start scouting the draft file

No false bravado here, I hoped to use this season as a stepping stone towards building a sizable, unconventional roster. But now that TC's taken its toll, I now have a roster filled with ill-fitting pieces. This won't be a pleasant season for anyone in DC.

[garbageman]

You've acknowledged your tough TC that put you in a bad spot. What are your plans to make the most out of a season with no illusions and no lofty goals?

[false9]

What is the starting lineup? Any chance you'll try all 7-footers at some point during the season?

[Xist2Inspire]

You've acknowledged your tough TC that put you in a bad spot. What are your plans to make the most out of a season with no illusions and no lofty goals?

Well, the only players that will see major playing time are those with a potential future on my team. This may be a lame-duck season, but there's still no point in giving minutes to future UFAs. You're going to see some guys get minutes for no reason other than they're likely to be here next season at the very least.

Aside from that, I'm just going to spend the season lurking. Keeping an eye on how next season's UFAs and RFAs perform this season, scouring the draft file when it gets posted, determining which direction to go in with my team, that sort of thing.

[Xist2Inspire]

What is the starting lineup? Any chance you'll try all 7-footers at some point during the season?

I haven't quite decided who's starting yet, but so far I'm leaning towards:

C: Alton Towers
PF: Byron Odell
SF: Jourdain Glorieu
SG: Robert Covington
PG: Michael Carter-Williams

As for an all 7' or close to it lineup...I'd say there's about a 5% chance at best. One, I don't have any big man remotely capable of running the point. Two, I'm severely disappointed with Bright's TC, and I'm hesitant to even put him on the active roster, let alone give him major minutes. Three, that particular dream may be dead. The type of players for it to succeed just aren't readily available at this time (and even guys like Noel and Antentokoumpo declined this offseason). And my attempts to develop talent to fill the necessary roles has pretty much been killed this offseason. This may not be a viable option moving forward.

[NOLa.]

Do you feel that having a tall lineup is something you will continue to build on as you go through the rebuild? If so, what is it about having tall players that you feel gives you a competitive edge while teams are going smaller?

[Xist2Inspire]

Do you feel that having a tall lineup is something you will continue to build on as you go through the rebuild? If so, what is it about having tall players that you feel gives you a competitive edge while teams are going smaller?

I'd like to continue to build on it, but at this moment I'm unconvinced that it's a viable option. As for why I like the idea of a roster filled with taller players, having the size advantage gives you the edge at controlling the boards on both sides of the court, as well as an added bonus defensively. And I feel that with the rise of the new breed of players coming in, teams aren't so much choosing to go small as they're being forced to. Thus, having a sizable lineup at a time when the league is steadily getting smaller ensures a rebounding/defensive advantage for years to come.