Tracking Former Wizards 4.0

[9 and 20]

Really sad what happened to Wall. I remember watching highlight videos of the guy from high school after the Wiz won the lottery that year. And the way Gil tried to do what he could to make space for him as the future face of the franchise - that was super interesting to watch as it played out.

Wall had a stretch of games in around 2016 or 2017 where he looked like a top 5 guy in the league - unstoppable, and too big and too fast for any other guard in the league. All in all, he had a great career, but it could have been so much more if things broke a little bit differently for him.

[pcbothwel]

Speaking of former Wizards, it's notable that John Wall remains a free agent and probably will not be signed. His NBA career is likely over.

It's kinda sad how his career ended in a whimper.

I wonder if he'll go overseas like Kemba. He's still relatively young.

A lot of these vets who dont need the money would probably prefer to sit back and wait.
Wall can stay in Miami, workout, live his life, etc. He can then ramp up his workload going into New Year looking for a team that needs a backup lead guard.

[FAH1223]

Read on Twitter

[doclinkin]

The whole thing is worth a listen:

Watch on YouTube

[payitforward]

I'll say! Just an extremely entertaining session -- not to miss!

[AFM]

It's a shame Gilbert says so much goofy stuff that gets him in hot water, I'd rather see him on TV than Chris Webber or whoever

[nate33]

This is amazing. Brendan Haywood basically called out the coaching staff and management of the Arenas-era Wizards as being totally incompetent. The players themselves had to figure out how to solve Chicago's offense because the coaches couldn't do it. Haywood was the one who figured out the key to stopping them. And the next year, Eddie Jordan benched Haywood out of spite.

It's such a shame that that team didn't have any leadership - either from the coaching staff or the veterans. They just never got serious.

Also, Haywood is one of the first former players to accurately assess that players now are way better than they were in the past. I'm so tired of all the old players saying that players today are soft. It's total BS.

[doclinkin]

Also, Haywood is one of the first former players to accurately assess that players now are way better than they were in the past. I'm so tired of all the old players saying that players today are soft. It's total BS.

Gilbert has been saying that for a while. I’ll find a clip.

The thing I don’t hear players recognize is that the Hibachi wizards were the one of the precursors of the modern small ball offense. That simply telling Jamison to shoot the three as often as he wanted, coupled with Gilbert’s proficiency at both shooting from extreme long range and forcing fouls on the drive, was an unstoppable offensive strategy in the no-hand-check era. The team discovered that right at the birth of basketball analytics, which gave rise to all of the Darryl Morey Frankenstein experiments in the pace and space era.

The only earlier team that played with this emphasis was the Dantoni Amare Nash Matrix seven seconds or less Suns squad. But they played in the hand check era and could be stymied that way.

EFJ’s weakness as a player manager actually helped this along by failing to rein in Gilbert or chain him to any system. Thing is Wes Jr has been credited for helping develop that emphasis, so I’ve been waiting to see if he has any analytic innovation for this squad.

I can see the rough outlines of a system that takes full advantage of a Tyus/Poole backcourt. But it needs a low post/pick n roll/ lob threat monster who has a jumper out to at least the free throw line (if he has passing skills). Or a standstill corner three if he’s a solid screener.

[doclinkin]

Watch on YouTube

[Kanyewest]

Garrett Temple signed a contract with the Raptor - now in his 14th season. Playing again with look alike teammate Otto Porter

[LyricalRico]

Garrett Temple signed a contract with the Raptor - now in his 14th season. Playing again with look alike teammate Otto Porter

Temple still being in the league makes me smile.

[pcbothwel]

Garrett Temple signed a contract with the Raptor - now in his 14th season. Playing again with look alike teammate Otto Porter

Temple still being in the league makes me smile.

Crazy to think about. Temple will earn 45 of his 50M in career earnings AFTER age 30.

[closg00]

Garrett Temple signed a contract with the Raptor - now in his 14th season. Playing again with look alike teammate Otto Porter

Temple still being in the league makes me smile.

Crazy to think about. Temple will earn 45 of his 50M in career earnings AFTER age 30.

Amazing

[nate33]

I'm going down a Gilbert Arenas rabbit hole on youtube. Here's another good clip:

Watch on YouTube

I continue to be amazed at how knowledgeable Gilbert is about the NBA. He has an amazing recall of players - when they were drafted, how much they got paid, who they played for, and how they ranked relative to their peers; and his knowledge goes way back to the 70's. He was clearly a student of the game.

[nate33]

Here is Arenas breaking down film of the Boston/Miami ECF's game:

Watch on YouTube

[FAH1223]

Watch on YouTube

[doclinkin]

Armani Milan is in negotiations with the American point guard John Wall (1.93, 32 years old), according to the BasketNews website . The player has been a five-time NBA All Star and has played the last 13 seasons in the American professional league, although in the last few he has had many problems with injuries.

Like Kemba Walker , a point guard who has signed for AS Monaco, John Wall could be tempted to move to Europe to relaunch his career.

Wall has been sidelined since February due to injuries. This summer he has been training with various NBA franchises as part of the Las Vegas summer league . Last season he played 34 games with the Los Angeles Clippers before being traded to the Houston Rockets , who released him.

His best years in the NBA were with the Washington Wizards, from 2010 to 2019. In the last six years he has hardly played a leading role.

Armani Milan , a team led by coach Ettore Messina and who has many numbers to win Nikola Mirotic , could be a good destination for this player.

Here. Unconfirmed though.

[closg00]

More Gilbert.

The second act of Gilbert Arenas
The three-time NBA All-Star is a father of five — including elite 2026 prospect Alijah Arenas — entering a new phase, fighting for his kids like his father fought for him

https://andscape.com/features/the-second-act-of-gilbert-arenas/

[queridiculo]

The whole thing is worth a listen:

Watch on YouTube

It goes right with everything that we'd been harping on collectively when that group was together.

This group had a shot, but Pollin, handpicking his guy and covering for him over his GMs wishes really put a ceiling on this group.

EJs ego was too big to appreciate the opportunity he had, and the cultural malaise of not holding players accountable and not putting the resources into building a class organization did its rest.

Shame, I loved that group, also would have been nice to see Haywood covering this team locally today.

[FAH1223]

Gil is everywhere.

Trae Young has a podcast? Everyone got one now

Watch on YouTube