Front Office Football Central - View Single Post - Can A Zebra Save The Wizards? (DDS:PB 19 First Access)

Izulde · 11-06-2018, 12:56 AM

Quick snapshot of the East. Most surprising thing besides the Raptors' continued malaise? The Pacers absolutely crushing the Central. Indiana's success has been built on the two-headed star play of Victor Oladipo and Tyreke Evans - to say nothing of a league-best +6.7 REB differential.

Out West, 4 of the 5 Pacific teams have won over 56% of their games in the first two months (Sacramento is of course the sad sack bottom dwellers). New Orleans, San Antonio, and Houston have all won two-thirds or more of their games in the Southwest. Which leaves the Northwest as the West's worst. - only 12-8 Oklahoma City is over .500.

It also turns out we have a team identity. A snippet from a profile on us:

"The Wizards have cultivated a team that will force you into bad shots. They're #2 in OPP FG% (42) and #3 in OPP 3P% (32.6). Washington's biggest problem? Their own 41.1% FG conversion rate ranks 27th and is preventing this mid-tier squad from truly dominating. John Wall (41%) and Robert Covington (37.3%) are particularly poor, and Walter Tavares (37.2%) has percentages no big man should ever produce."

Trade time!

Brooklyn Nets receive
Jason Smith
Chasson Randle
Philadelphia 76ers 2019 2nd round pick
Philadelphia 76ers 2020 2nd round pick

Washington Wizards receive
Ed Davis

Ayorinde's Wizards Take
Washington has suffered from horrible overall 2P FG%. Enter Ed, who is averaging a double-double with nearly a block and a steal for the Nets, and has a career 56.3% FG shooting rate. The 29 year old is a quality rebounder who plays hard-nosed defense to boot and has always been one of the most underrated players in the league. It's a case of expirings again, and while the 2nds certainly would have helped the Wizards' precarious financial situation, the improvement is worth the upgrade in their chronically weakest areas.

Ayorinde's Nets Take
Brooklyn was never going to get anywhere this season. Neither Smith nor Randle (expirings both) are going to contribute, so this was a trade purely to get 2nd round picks, which are more useful for a rebuilding team.

Winner: Washington
Ed Davis is going to mean far more to the Wizards this year than anything the Nets will likely get out of those 2nd round selections and that's enough to tip it in favor of the nation's capital in this minor swap.

Mr. Ed gets the start against Detroit and though limited to 18 minutes for foul trouble, we pulverize the Pistons behind John Wall's 24 points, 16 assists, 5 blocks, and 7 steals. Wall's hurt for a week, which really sucks. Also helping were Bradley Beal (24 points), Robert Covington (18 points, 10 rebounds), Walter Tavares (10 points, 8 boards, 2 blocks off the bench), and Kelly Oubre Jr (10 bench points). Coming back next game is Dwight Howard from his own dinged injury, but no John Wall means Utah stifles us, and we drop the next one on the road to Portland, too. Wall is just too critical to our success, as we swoon back down to .500. Then under it, as we lose in Phoenix a couple nights later.

John Wall's return means a team-carrying 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals, and 12 points off the bench in an away upset against the Clippers. Dwight Howard is out this one, too, as he keeps getting hurt. Good thing I grabbed Davis. Even more so next game, as Ed Davis punishes his old team for 10 points, 15 boards in support of John Wall's 24 points and 10 assists, JaMychal Green's 21 points, 10 boards, and bench scoring of 12 and 16 respective points by Wilson Chandler and Walter Tavares in a rout of the Nets. Back in the over .500 column.

Then Davis is hurt, so Big Walt has to start. For those of you keeping track at home, that's two of my pickups that have started now at center. No problem vs Memphis though, John Wall netting 30 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals, with JaMychal Green scoring 22 with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, and Jeff Green of all people adding 14 bench points in a surprisingly easy win.

The Clippers avenge the earlier loss, but Dwight Howard comes back to post 15 and 10 alongside John Wall's 35 points, 9 assists, and 4 steals in a tougher than expected home win over the Cavaliers. Then we blow a 13 point lead in the 4th quarter and drop one to the Pelicans, which irritates me. But the Nets are always fun because Dwight Howard rampages for 22 points and 17 rebounds and John Wall scores 26, with all our starting five at 10+ points in a Brooklyn beatdown.

Teamwork again wins - all five starters score 13+ in a Magic mauling, keyed by 22 points and 6 assists for Robert Covington, 23 points by Bradley Beal, and 13/12 and 16/11 double-doubles for Dwight Howard and John Wall. We give it a game effort, only losing by 9, but no one's beating the Celtics in Boston. Wilson Chandler is in the lineup the next two weeks because Robert Covington went down with injury.

Our defense stonewalls the Hawks in Atlanta, holding them to 29.2% shooting en route to a 94-81 win. Bradley Beal scores 23 and John Wall grabs 13 points and 14 assists. Then John Wall grounds the Rockets with 39 points, 8 assists, 3 blocks, and 3 steals, supplanted by Dwight Howard's 15 points and 17 boards, our second straight game holding an opponent below 90 points at 86.

I (expletive) hate when we lose to bad teams at home, and sure enough, a shocking 2 point loss to the Bulls to close out the calendar year.

Still, at 20-17, we had another winning month, and we're now 3.5 games in front in the Southeast. We're also one of just 5 teams in the East over .500. In the west we'd be percentage points behind the 19-16 Lakers for the #7 seed. So in either conference, we'd be a playoff team - pretty impressive, I'd say, considering I didn't think this team looked that good on paper when I started.

11-06-2018, 12:56 AM	#3
Izulde Head Coach Join Date: Sep 2004	Quick snapshot of the East. Most surprising thing besides the Raptors' continued malaise? The Pacers absolutely crushing the Central. Indiana's success has been built on the two-headed star play of Victor Oladipo and Tyreke Evans - to say nothing of a league-best +6.7 REB differential. Out West, 4 of the 5 Pacific teams have won over 56% of their games in the first two months (Sacramento is of course the sad sack bottom dwellers). New Orleans, San Antonio, and Houston have all won two-thirds or more of their games in the Southwest. Which leaves the Northwest as the West's worst. - only 12-8 Oklahoma City is over .500. It also turns out we have a team identity. A snippet from a profile on us: "The Wizards have cultivated a team that will force you into bad shots. They're #2 in OPP FG% (42) and #3 in OPP 3P% (32.6). Washington's biggest problem? Their own 41.1% FG conversion rate ranks 27th and is preventing this mid-tier squad from truly dominating. John Wall (41%) and Robert Covington (37.3%) are particularly poor, and Walter Tavares (37.2%) has percentages no big man should ever produce." Trade time! Brooklyn Nets receive Jason Smith Chasson Randle Philadelphia 76ers 2019 2nd round pick Philadelphia 76ers 2020 2nd round pick Washington Wizards receive Ed Davis Ayorinde's Wizards Take Washington has suffered from horrible overall 2P FG%. Enter Ed, who is averaging a double-double with nearly a block and a steal for the Nets, and has a career 56.3% FG shooting rate. The 29 year old is a quality rebounder who plays hard-nosed defense to boot and has always been one of the most underrated players in the league. It's a case of expirings again, and while the 2nds certainly would have helped the Wizards' precarious financial situation, the improvement is worth the upgrade in their chronically weakest areas. Ayorinde's Nets Take Brooklyn was never going to get anywhere this season. Neither Smith nor Randle (expirings both) are going to contribute, so this was a trade purely to get 2nd round picks, which are more useful for a rebuilding team. Winner: Washington Ed Davis is going to mean far more to the Wizards this year than anything the Nets will likely get out of those 2nd round selections and that's enough to tip it in favor of the nation's capital in this minor swap. Mr. Ed gets the start against Detroit and though limited to 18 minutes for foul trouble, we pulverize the Pistons behind John Wall's 24 points, 16 assists, 5 blocks, and 7 steals. Wall's hurt for a week, which really sucks. Also helping were Bradley Beal (24 points), Robert Covington (18 points, 10 rebounds), Walter Tavares (10 points, 8 boards, 2 blocks off the bench), and Kelly Oubre Jr (10 bench points). Coming back next game is Dwight Howard from his own dinged injury, but no John Wall means Utah stifles us, and we drop the next one on the road to Portland, too. Wall is just too critical to our success, as we swoon back down to .500. Then under it, as we lose in Phoenix a couple nights later. John Wall's return means a team-carrying 32 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals, and 12 points off the bench in an away upset against the Clippers. Dwight Howard is out this one, too, as he keeps getting hurt. Good thing I grabbed Davis. Even more so next game, as Ed Davis punishes his old team for 10 points, 15 boards in support of John Wall's 24 points and 10 assists, JaMychal Green's 21 points, 10 boards, and bench scoring of 12 and 16 respective points by Wilson Chandler and Walter Tavares in a rout of the Nets. Back in the over .500 column. Then Davis is hurt, so Big Walt has to start. For those of you keeping track at home, that's two of my pickups that have started now at center. No problem vs Memphis though, John Wall netting 30 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals, with JaMychal Green scoring 22 with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, and Jeff Green of all people adding 14 bench points in a surprisingly easy win. The Clippers avenge the earlier loss, but Dwight Howard comes back to post 15 and 10 alongside John Wall's 35 points, 9 assists, and 4 steals in a tougher than expected home win over the Cavaliers. Then we blow a 13 point lead in the 4th quarter and drop one to the Pelicans, which irritates me. But the Nets are always fun because Dwight Howard rampages for 22 points and 17 rebounds and John Wall scores 26, with all our starting five at 10+ points in a Brooklyn beatdown. Teamwork again wins - all five starters score 13+ in a Magic mauling, keyed by 22 points and 6 assists for Robert Covington, 23 points by Bradley Beal, and 13/12 and 16/11 double-doubles for Dwight Howard and John Wall. We give it a game effort, only losing by 9, but no one's beating the Celtics in Boston. Wilson Chandler is in the lineup the next two weeks because Robert Covington went down with injury. Our defense stonewalls the Hawks in Atlanta, holding them to 29.2% shooting en route to a 94-81 win. Bradley Beal scores 23 and John Wall grabs 13 points and 14 assists. Then John Wall grounds the Rockets with 39 points, 8 assists, 3 blocks, and 3 steals, supplanted by Dwight Howard's 15 points and 17 boards, our second straight game holding an opponent below 90 points at 86. I (expletive) hate when we lose to bad teams at home, and sure enough, a shocking 2 point loss to the Bulls to close out the calendar year. Still, at 20-17, we had another winning month, and we're now 3.5 games in front in the Southeast. We're also one of just 5 teams in the East over .500. In the west we'd be percentage points behind the 19-16 Lakers for the #7 seed. So in either conference, we'd be a playoff team - pretty impressive, I'd say, considering I didn't think this team looked that good on paper when I started. __________________ 2006 Golden Scribe Nominee 2006 Golden Scribe Winner Best Non-Sport Dynasty: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty) Rookie Writer of the Year Dynasty of the Year: May Our Reign Be Green and Golden (CK Dynasty)