The Wizards Are Running Out of Things to Say

[Xist2Inspire]

You know, one of the things about having a consistent roster is that...there... isn't really much to talk about. Last season was full, and as a follow-up to a season where we returned to the 50+ win marker, a super disappointing one. Injuries, a lackluster rotation, and just plain poor play made the playoffs an unknown right up until a strong late-season run. Unfortunately our first opponents were the eventual conference champions, the 76ers. We gave them somewhat of a fight, but the outcome was never really in doubt.

Heading into this season, the plan was to revamp our supporting cast. It started last season, with Arden Silva being traded for the pick that would become Ken Dirks, and Albert Hunter traded for Larry Canfield and Augustus Davenport. That continued as we had to say goodbye to The Line, Mason Dixon, as he was traded to the Lakers for Dario Beaton and cash, cash that was later added to our draft pick, Dustin Venegas, to trade for Hassan Hodges, our star acquisition this offseason. Lady Liberty re-signed, and Don Jacobsen, Frankie Bryce, and Gary Jackson were also added to the squad. This is leaps and bounds better than what we had last season, and we're excited to see not just what happens now, but in the future, especially after a Top 3 TC.

Speaking about this season, I don't quite know where we fit. There's been a mass exodus of talent to the Alpha Conference, which would leave the field wide open, except for the fact that the 76ers got pissed after losing in the Finals again and built a Death Star. If it's fully operational, then there's no chance anyone will beat them, so this season would be better spent building for the future. If it's not, then it'll be very interesting to see where we stand and how we should react to that.

Questions?

[drkavarga]

Has the magic run out of the Wizards or do you have some more tricks up your sleeve to make a championship run this season?

[garbageman]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: While the Wiz may not look like a top tier team on paper, can you speak to the edge that having two inside scoring presences like Cassel and Mitchell bring to the team?

[Xist2Inspire]

Has the magic run out of the Wizards or do you have some more tricks up your sleeve to make a championship run this season?

Usually I save the tricks for the playoffs. But no, I don't think the magic's run out. I think it's been fairly well established at this point that I know what it takes to build a playoff team. Championship runs take more than that though, it's a combination of gameplanning, team chemistry, talent, and most of all, luck. I just want to make sure I'm in the mix once the regular season ends, because you never know what can happen then.

[Xist2Inspire]

Sham Smith, Bulls.com: While the Wiz may not look like a top tier team on paper, can you speak to the edge that having two inside scoring presences like Cassel and Mitchell bring to the team?

It's basically guaranteed buckets. Opposing teams are pretty much forced to keep a strong presence down low in order to keep from being run over by those two. I think the thing that has held us back is that our wings haven't really been able to take advantage of the space created by having two dominant interior bigs. Part of that's my fault due to my obsession with creating a specific type of team. But yeah, the Cassel/Mitchell combo has been pretty good for us.

[Eazy P]

Do you see this team as constructed making a deep playoff run or do you think you need to make a few moves to make a deep run

[Xist2Inspire]

Do you see this team as constructed making a deep playoff run or do you think you need to make a few moves to make a deep run

I think we can get to the conference finals, but I think that speaks to how open the field is outside of the 76ers than it does to how good we are as a team. To seriously compete for a title I think we'd either need another truly dynamic wing alongside Silva or a coalition of players who can mimic the production of one.

[TheSyndicate]

You're a GM who for so long was buoy'ed by a transcendent talent in Quentin Kidd. Do you see that next guy on your roster today? If not, are you drafting him, trading for him, or signing him as a free agent?

[Xist2Inspire]

You're a GM who for so long was buoy'ed by a transcendent talent in Quentin Kidd. Do you see that next guy on your roster today? If not, are you drafting him, trading for him, or signing him as a free agent?

I low-key kinda hate those guys tbh, they put you in a no-win situation. Either you can't get it done with them and you're a loser (Rashard Lewis), or you do and it's because of them, not you (Quintin Kidd). Anyway, I don't really see any transcendent talents on this team right now. Very, very good ones yes, but not transcendent. Had my dumb ass not lost my cool and got my hands on Silva earlier he would've been one, but that's past tense.

If I do somehow end up with another one...well I probably won't draft him, because we don't do lotto picks here, and when we do, we do it badly. It'll probably be a trade or a FA signing. I'll lean more towards a FA signing. The older GMs tend to trade with each other (due to being more on the same wavelength in terms of team building style) and the newer GMs have put me on a "watch out for this muthaf***er" list (due to none of them being around when I sucked), so the chances of me pulling off a big deal are quite low.

[AngryBanana]

Chet Youbetcha Dimmadome News: Do the Wizards get to the playoffs this season and continue their run of seasons in the playoffs?

[greepleairport]

Mitchell has been a cornerstone for this iteration of the Wizards. Why put him on the block and not Lady Liberty or Cassel?


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[Xist2Inspire]

Chet Youbetcha Dimmadome News: Do the Wizards get to the playoffs this season and continue their run of seasons in the playoffs?

I know this sounds arrogant, but if all goes well, we're keeping the playoff streak alive period. This is not a team built for a #6-7 seed, especially not with the field being as it is.

[Xist2Inspire]

Mitchell has been a cornerstone for this iteration of the Wizards. Why put him on the block and not Lady Liberty or Cassel?


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At the risk of sounding unfair to Taz, let me just say that Cassel and Lady Liberty have been a part of our future plans from the start, while Mitchell has been an extremely pleasant surprise who came out of nowhere to become the player he is today. When you look at the kinds of players we have and the overall playing style of the team, it makes even more sense, as he doesn't quite fit. He's also the oldest and the most expensive contract. Putting him on the block is less about trying to get rid of him and more of taking an objective look at our team and determining who would be the most reasonable player to try to move if we decided to go in another direction.