OT: Nats, Wiz, O's, Ravens, Terps, Navy, Gtown, Mystics, Golf, Summer 2024 (Paris Olympics 2024 as well)

[VaCaps Fan]

Go wiz!

 

[Ridley Simon]

That’s complete and utter nonsense. Memphis is doing great. Utah was a competitive team before they tore it down. Milwaukee is a contender year after year. Portland was a perennial contender in the west for a decade. The Suns were the best team in the west a few years ago. That small market garbage is loser talk. Why aren’t the Knicks perennial contenders? Why haven’t the Clippers won a championship in decades? Why was San Antonio the gold standard in the league for twenty years?

The Wizards suck because they refuse to look at themselves objectively and they continue to make small-minded changes with the hope of coming in 7th. Ted has said they’ll never tear it down and rebuild. You know when Washington was at its best? When they had to tear it down and rebuild and got Wall and Beal and then Paul Pierce signed with them. The NBA is a superstar league like no other league and if you don’t have multiple stars you don’t compete.

Barring a non-lottery pick turning into a Jimmy Butler or Giannis they have no hope for being a contender and they only have themselves to blame.

Some good points here. Very much so.

The only lteam you mentioned perennialy contending for titles is Milwaukee, and Milwaukee has only been to the 3rd round once in the last 20 years.

The Wizards are going to be in a rut like the Bobcats or whatever they call themin Charlotte, the Pelicans, Timberwolves etc. Small market teams get the brunt of the NBA stick. They have no shot. Look at the Pacers man.

"Blow it up and start over"

How did that work for Orlando and Sacramento

Welp, these are also some good points. Very much so as well. Hmmmm.

Though the San Antonio example seems prevalent. Heck, the Warriors were def NOT large market, but they had deep pockets. Much more so now that they moved to SF from Oakland.

But when they started their run, they weren’t large market. They just weren’t. Years of bad players and drafts. Akin to the Gizzards.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

The only lteam you mentioned perennialy contending for titles is Milwaukee, and Milwaukee has only been to the 3rd round once in the last 20 years.

The Wizards are going to be in a rut like the Bobcats or whatever they call themin Charlotte, the Pelicans, Timberwolves etc. Small market teams get the brunt of the NBA stick. They have no shot. Look at the Pacers man.

"Blow it up and start over"

How did that work for Orlando and Sacramento

Uh, the teams I mentioned were perennial contenders year after year in recent years. Phoenix had the best record in the NBA. Memphis is a favorite this year. They also happened to be really good during years when there were super teams. Do you think Golden State is dominant because they’re large market or because they drafted a few first ballot HOFers and had the right coach? Which free agents were lining up to sign with them before Curry, Klay, and Draymond?

Those teams you mentioned are not bad because they’re small market — they’re bad because they have shitty ownership and management, and in some cases bad luck. And yes, it’s a bit harder for small market teams but it’s like that in every sport.

Blowing it up is not a guarantee for success. You have to suck more than the other teams trying to suck, you have to hope you get a Kevin Durant and not a Greg Oden, you have to hope that the ping pong balls bounce your way, and it has to happen that way for a few years.

How many times have the Caps been to the third round in the last 20 years? Once. Is that because Ted can’t attract players to DC or is it because winning is hard?

 

[kicksavedave]

San Antonio is a small market and when they had the right superstar to build around and a great coach they won a bunch of titles. Market size is not a pre determined outcome. Its front office talent, including finding the right coach.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Wizards are not a small market team, but they will be a middling one until they draft a real Superstar to attract others.

 

[Random schmoe]

Selected quotes:
* A group led by Washington Wizards, Capitals and Mystics owner Ted Leonsis is emerging as the clear front-runner
* Multiple sources, though, said a sale is not imminent.
* One key holdup in the discussions may be the uncertain status of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), the Orioles and Nationals’ shared regional sports network.
* An arbitration panel ruled in 2019 that the Nationals were owed $105 million by the Orioles, who appealed the ruling in New York appellate courts. The matter is currently before the New York State Court of Appeals.
* Leonsis’ group is being co-piloted by Carlisle Group co-founder and billionaire David Rubenstein. According to Forbes Magazine’s 2022 rankings, Rubenstein, 73, has a net worth of $3.1 billion. Forbes listed Leonsis’ net worth in 2022 at $1.6 billion.

Ted Leonsis group is front-runner to buy Nationals, sources say

A group led by Wizards, Capitals and Mystics owner Ted Leonsis is emerging as the front-runner to buy the Nationals, according to sources.

theathletic.com

 

[usiel]

Selected quotes:
* A group led by Washington Wizards, Capitals and Mystics owner Ted Leonsis is emerging as the clear front-runner
* Multiple sources, though, said a sale is not imminent.
* One key holdup in the discussions may be the uncertain status of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), the Orioles and Nationals’ shared regional sports network.
* An arbitration panel ruled in 2019 that the Nationals were owed $105 million by the Orioles, who appealed the ruling in New York appellate courts. The matter is currently before the New York State Court of Appeals.
* Leonsis’ group is being co-piloted by Carlisle Group co-founder and billionaire David Rubenstein. According to Forbes Magazine’s 2022 rankings, Rubenstein, 73, has a net worth of $3.1 billion. Forbes listed Leonsis’ net worth in 2022 at $1.6 billion.

Ted Leonsis group is front-runner to buy Nationals, sources say

A group led by Wizards, Capitals and Mystics owner Ted Leonsis is emerging as the front-runner to buy the Nationals, according to sources.

theathletic.com

Once word got out that Leonsis bought the CSN regional network I figured Leonsis was likely the front runner.

 

[John Price]

I'm at the wiz game they look pretty good

 

[John Price]

They won on a shot with 7 seconds left. Derozan shot rimmed out.

Would be nice to hold leads instead of letting the other team back in. That said 2-0

 

[VaCaps Fan]

I appreciate your fandom, John price.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

I noticed some interesting things from the box score….Deni with 10 DREBs…but only 6 pts, but the team was also +16 with him and +17 with Porzingus on the floor. The two worst the other way…Hachimura -17 (but also top bench scorer ((12)), Gafford -15.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Sure starting look like Harper is going to win one….barf.

 

[John Price]

Sure starting look like Harper is going to win one….barf.

Hope Astros sweep.

 

[Cush]

Can the World Series end 3.5 to 3.5 ?

 

[John Price]

Guys, the Wizards are a small market team like Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans, etc. They may luck into stars but they have no shot of competing. Spare me Utah, Minnesota, San Antonion (look at SA now without Duncan, Ginoboli, and Parker). What have they done since? I don't know, miss the playoffs repeatedly?

Teams like Wizards are stuck in purgatory. The league is literally rigged against small teams. Save Milwaukee who only won because of a generational star, the small market teams often are victims of long playoff droughts. Look at Orlando. Look at Sacramento. Come on.

Anyway, in more positie news the Wizards are acknowledging that Gilbert played for them before.

 

[kicksavedave]

Guys, the Wizards are a small market team like Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans, etc. They may luck into stars but they have no shot of competing. Spare me Utah, Minnesota, San Antonion (look at SA now without Duncan, Ginoboli, and Parker). What have they done since? I don't know, miss the playoffs repeatedly?

Teams like Wizards are stuck in purgatory. The league is literally rigged against small teams. Save Milwaukee who only won because of a generational star, the small market teams often are victims of long playoff droughts. Look at Orlando. Look at Sacramento. Come on.

Anyway, in more positie news the Wizards are acknowledging that Gilbert played for them before.

Will they be giving out handguns to every fan in attendance to commemorate Gil's time in DC?

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Guys, the Wizards are a small market team like Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans, etc. They may luck into stars but they have no shot of competing. Spare me Utah, Minnesota, San Antonion (look at SA now without Duncan, Ginoboli, and Parker). What have they done since? I don't know, miss the playoffs repeatedly?

Teams like Wizards are stuck in purgatory. The league is literally rigged against small teams. Save Milwaukee who only won because of a generational star, the small market teams often are victims of long playoff droughts. Look at Orlando. Look at Sacramento. Come on.

Anyway, in more positie news the Wizards are acknowledging that Gilbert played for them before.

Not buying it…..draft better, do everything better. They‘re a fairly poorly run organization.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Guys, the Wizards are a small market team like Atlanta, Charlotte, New Orleans, etc. They may luck into stars but they have no shot of competing. Spare me Utah, Minnesota, San Antonion (look at SA now without Duncan, Ginoboli, and Parker). What have they done since? I don't know, miss the playoffs repeatedly?

Teams like Wizards are stuck in purgatory. The league is literally rigged against small teams. Save Milwaukee who only won because of a generational star, the small market teams often are victims of long playoff droughts. Look at Orlando. Look at Sacramento. Come on.

Anyway, in more positie news the Wizards are acknowledging that Gilbert played for them before.

I don’t think so, JP. I live in the CA Bay Area. The Warriors (in Oakland at the time) were NOT a “large market” team. The created their team via the draft, win titles, built a new state of the art stadium in SF, and are NOW a “large market” team.

-Memphis is awesome. Not “large market”
-Phoenix got its shit together. Never been “large market” in any pro sport.
-Utah…..enough said
-Atlanta……not a “large market”
-Cleveland……not a “large market”

Come on?

The “large markets” are LA, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, New York, Boston, Miami, and Philadelphia.

How many recent titles. LAL in the bubble. Boston a while back. Miami even further back.

It’s about getting players to play together in a place they want to be. That can come in all kinds of flavours. The DelMarva area is as big as any of them, and the Wizards own it.

They just aren’t good at building teams.

 

[VaCaps Fan]

Good game last night

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Good game last night

Thought they were in trouble, but they are surprising so far….

 

[usiel]

Glad to see Arenas coming back I still admit that he is probably my all time favorite Bullets/Zards player overall.


Dig what I've seen with the team so far but we saw them start good last season before they fell off the rails.

 

[John Price]

Not buying it…..draft better, do everything better. They‘re a fairly poorly run organization.

"Draft better"

drafted Rui, Deni, Kispert and Beal and John Wall

Drafting isn't the problem, it's just that you need a generational superstar to win like Giannis and Beal can't be that

The DelMarva area is as big as any of them, and the Wizards own it.

I agree. But since players collude to play for championship contenders, the Wiz can't get major stars to come here. LeBron and Durant would never come here.

Meanwhile the Caps were able to get a SC champion goalie to come here for a hefty deal via FA. Differences between basketball and hockey Can you imagine a championship role player coming here of his own volition? Don't say Kuzma because he was dealt here.

The last big superstar Wizards FA signing was Michael Jordan. And they had to sweeten the pot by giving him half-ownership If you don't buy superstars you don't have a shot in the NBA. I'm a Wiz fan but I'm realistic. Best case scenario this team is a fringe playoff team.

 

[Ridley Simon]

"Draft better"

drafted Rui, Deni, Kispert and Beal and John Wall

Drafting isn't the problem, it's just that you need a generational superstar to win like Giannis and Beal can't be that


I agree. But since players collude to play for championship contenders, the Wiz can't get major stars to come here. LeBron and Durant would never come here.

Meanwhile the Caps were able to get a SC champion goalie to come here for a hefty deal via FA. Differences between basketball and hockey Can you imagine a championship role player coming here of his own volition? Don't say Kuzma because he was dealt here.

The last big superstar Wizards FA signing was Michael Jordan. And they had to sweeten the pot by giving him half-ownership If you don't buy superstars you don't have a shot in the NBA. I'm a Wiz fan but I'm realistic. Best case scenario this team is a fringe playoff team.

You’re not being completely factual with the FA piece. Arenas himself chose DC, as did Chris Weber and Juwan Howard (trade for C-Web)…..guys like Paul Pierce.

I mean they haven’t gotten any of the top guys in the last decade or so, but that’s true for 80% of the teams.

If they can draft a top 10 overall NBA player, then another FA will come. It’s that “top 10 overall” guy we can’t ever get. And don’t tell me “but John Wall!”…..he was never a top 10 overall player. Ever.

That’s the missing link.

 

[g00n]

- Yahoo Sports

sports.yahoo.com

Phil has a big mouth.

As far as I can tell the only thing making LIV a "force in the game" is the Saudi money backing lawsuits, player defections, and a bid pay a network to air some of their matches. There's nothing indicating they've done much else.

 

[AlexModvechkin8]

"Draft better"

drafted Rui, Deni, Kispert and Beal and John Wall

Drafting isn't the problem, it's just that you need a generational superstar to win like Giannis and Beal can't be that


I agree. But since players collude to play for championship contenders, the Wiz can't get major stars to come here. LeBron and Durant would never come here.

Meanwhile the Caps were able to get a SC champion goalie to come here for a hefty deal via FA. Differences between basketball and hockey Can you imagine a championship role player coming here of his own volition? Don't say Kuzma because he was dealt here.

The last big superstar Wizards FA signing was Michael Jordan. And they had to sweeten the pot by giving him half-ownership If you don't buy superstars you don't have a shot in the NBA. I'm a Wiz fan but I'm realistic. Best case scenario this team is a fringe playoff team.

Rui, Deni, Kispert… you can’t be serious using them as examples? Rotational players, at best. Only one of them is starting and that’s only because his defense is less bad than the other guys you listed. Rui won’t even be on the team next year. Cam Reddish and Tyler Hero went a few picks after Rui. Johnny Davis is a top ten pick and is about to get assigned to the G-League after going 2-21 in the preseason and not logging a single minute in four games so far.

And you made my point about settling for mediocrity. If you know Beal ain’t it why are you paying him like he is? They could have got a king’s ransom for him. Again, they also signed Paul Pierce who chose to come to DC. Know why he chose to come to DC? Because they had really good young players.

I will give Tommy credit, getting actual assets out of the Wall contract was a masterclass. And it looks like getting Will Barton and Monte Morris for Ish Smith and KCP seems like a stroke of genius too. But still, 9th or 10th is their ceiling and that’s not because the NBA is colliding against them.