Westbrook Dealt for Wall and a 1rst

[Darrell Green Fan]

Which puts them in the exact same place they would be if Wall were healthy. A lower level playoff team with, at best, a 2nd round ceiling. They'd have been better off keeping Wall, imo. If he is healthy, they have the same team they have now. If he's not, they can be a lottery team and maybe get a really good young player to join Beal.

That's why I called it a lose/lose. Wiz aren't going anywhere any time soon, trading for a 32 year old, well.........

But apparently they had to move him. Beal and Wall don't get along, Wall flashed gang signs that the owner got bent about. I won't miss Wall, he once called a restaurant that was closing and demanded they stay open so his group could come in and eat. That's just selfish and the sign that he's an asshole.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's why I called it a lose/lose. Wiz aren't going anywhere any time soon, trading for a 32 year old, well.........

But apparently they had to move him. Beal and Wall don't get along, Wall flashed gang signs that the owner got bent about. I won't miss Wall, he once called a restaurant that was closing and demanded they stay open so his group could come in and eat. That's just selfish and the sign that he's an asshole.

Yeah, I've heard some things about him that make it seem like maybe the Wizards feel they're just better off without him. One thing is for sure, the Wizards will be a lot more fun to watch with Russ.

 

[flyerhawk]

Well they did get the same contract with a better player in return.

When they were both healthy they were both really really good. Westbrook is the better player now because he's actually player.

But he's clearly a difficult fit with another ball dominant player. But ultimately they have MAYBE put themselves back to being a 6 seed level player.

 

[tlance]

Which puts them in the exact same place they would be if Wall were healthy. A lower level playoff team with, at best, a 2nd round ceiling. They'd have been better off keeping Wall, imo. If he is healthy, they have the same team they have now. If he's not, they can be a lottery team and maybe get a really good young player to join Beal.

Eh.

I have given up long ago.

Even when they win the lottery it is in an season without any elite prospects. And because they always try to eke into the playoffs instead of bottoming out, they are rarely in position to win the lottery.

The kid they drafted this year has some upside. Beal + Westbrook + Bertans + rookie what’s his name is about the best I can ever hope for as Wizards fan. 2nd round is our Finals.

 

[trojanfan12]

Eh.

I have given up long ago.

Even when they win the lottery it is in an season without any elite prospects. And because they always try to eke into the playoffs instead of bottoming out, they are rarely in position to win the lottery.

The kid they drafted this year has some upside. Beal + Westbrook + Bertans + rookie what’s his name is about the best I can ever hope for as Wizards fan. 2nd round is our Finals.

With Russ and Beal they'll be fun to watch at least.

 

[msgkings322]

It just seems like a deal just to make a deal but no one is going to be any happier in the end.

I get that the Wall deal was plutonium level radioactive and the Westbrook deal wasn't much better. But trading 2 clones of the same player achieves.... what exactly?

I honestly have no idea what the Rockets are even trying to do. At least the Wizards are trying to be competitive this year. I can't imagine that Harden learned of this trade and said "You got rid of a me first slashing point guard with a mercurial personality and replaced him with a..... me first slashing point guard with a mercurial personality? Any update on my trade to the Nets?"

You're factoring out the human/personality factor. Both players wanted out, now they are out. Keeping either would be toxic.

 

[Wishbone]

Russ is back with Scott Brooks who he loved. Also for the first time Russ is out of the West and also surrounded by shooters. Wash will make the playoffs.

 

[bksballer89]

Russ is back with Scott Brooks who he loved. Also for the first time Russ is out of the West and also surrounded by shooters. Wash will make the playoffs.

Over who? Indiana or Orlando

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

When they were both healthy they were both really really good. Westbrook is the better player now because he's actually player.

But he's clearly a difficult fit with another ball dominant player. But ultimately they have MAYBE put themselves back to being a 6 seed level player.

DC fans seem to believe at his peak Wall was as good as Westbrook. John Wall was never considered one of the top 5 players in the game, he surely never averaged a triple double for a season when Russ did it 3 times.

 

[tlance]

DC fans seem to believe at his peak Wall was as good as Westbrook. John Wall was never considered one of the top 5 players in the game, he surely never averaged a triple double for a season when Russ did it 3 times.

I don’t think he was quite as good as Westbrook, but it was close.

I also think Westbrook has always been vastly overrated. Or at least he was during his triple double barrage.

That said, John Wall’s peak was a pretty long time ago. Westbrook isn’t peak either, but a lot closer to it.

 

[gohusk]

I don’t think he was quite as good as Westbrook, but it was close.

I also think Westbrook has always been vastly overrated. Or at least he was during his triple double barrage.

That said, John Wall’s peak was a pretty long time ago. Westbrook isn’t peak either, but a lot closer to it.

I disagree. People were saying nobody would ever average a triple double in a season again and he did it 3 straight years. And look at the roster he was working with. You could put James on that team replacing Westbrook and what you have is a team out in the 2nd round of the playoffs instead of the first at best. The guy's the best pure athlete I've ever seen playing in the NBA.

 

[tlance]

I disagree. People were saying nobody would ever average a triple double in a season again and he did it 3 straight years. And look at the roster he was working with. You could put James on that team replacing Westbrook and what you have is a team out in the 2nd round of the playoffs instead of the first at best. The guy's the best pure athlete I've ever seen playing in the NBA.

Wrong.

His rosters weren’t that bad. The worst 1 had Sabonis and Oladipo on it. But Oladipo didn’t really get a chance to play his game because Russ always had the ball.

LeBron takes the worst OKC roster to the conference finals where Russ couldn’t get out of the first round.

While he is among the best pure athletes, his decision making skills have always held him back in terms of his overall value. He is just not a high basketball IQ player. He somewhat makes up for it with energy and passion, but you can’t fully make up for poor decisions.

And as I always said with Russ, the stats had to be taken with a grain of salt because of poor efficiency to get there.

 

[gohusk]

Wrong.

His rosters weren’t that bad. The worst 1 had Sabonis and Oladipo on it. But Oladipo didn’t really get a chance to play his game because Russ always had the ball.

LeBron takes the worst OKC roster to the conference finals where Russ couldn’t get out of the first round.

While he is among the best pure athletes, his decision making skills have always held him back in terms of his overall value. He is just not a high basketball IQ player. He somewhat makes up for it with energy and passion, but you can’t fully make up for poor decisions.

And as I always said with Russ, the stats had to be taken with a grain of salt because of poor efficiency to get there.

pulease. This wasn't the east where you could tap dance through the playoffs against some pretty weak teams.

 

[tlance]

pulease. This wasn't the east where you could tap dance through the playoffs against some pretty weak teams.

You are right.

But the narrative that Russ was dragging a crap roster is simply not true.

OKC had some of the most talented rosters in the NBA during Russ’ tenure. The first non-KD team was the weakest, but they still had some really nice pieces. They just didn’t necessarily fit with Russ.

 

[gohusk]

You are right.

But the narrative that Russ was dragging a crap roster is simply not true.

OKC had some of the most talented rosters in the NBA during Russ’ tenure. The first non-KD team was the weakest, but they still had some really nice pieces. They just didn’t necessarily fit with Russ.

That's all they had. Pieces. You need two stars on the roster to make a dent in the playoffs.

 

[DJ]

o

Over who? Indiana or Orlando

Orlando probably.

 

[DJ]

And as I always said with Russ, the stats had to be taken with a grain of salt because of poor efficiency to get ththere.

Much like Harden. And Houston had both of them....LOL.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's all they had. Pieces. You need two stars on the roster to make a dent in the playoffs.

Westbrook played on teams with Kevin Durant, Paul George and James Harden. He was even on team with Kevin Durant and James Harden. He's made 1 finals.

 

[gohusk]

Westbrook played on teams with Kevin Durant, Paul George and James Harden. He was even on team with Kevin Durant and James Harden. He's made 1 finals.

That's not when he was pulling off triple-doubles.

 

[tlance]

That's not when he was pulling off triple-doubles.

You are way too impressed with counting stats.

25-7-7 with strong efficiency is way more valuable to a team than 30-11-11 with bad efficiency.

The game plan in OKC was created to allow Russ to get triple doubles. It is still impressive, but Russ could have had significantly more impact on winning if he had focused his energy on defense and better shot selection/decision making.