Read these quotes.
See the players’ confidence building.
See players developing right before your eyes.
That is what a rebuild is all about.
A new big three has announced its arrival – Wall, Crawford and Blatche. Big minutes – big productivity – big results. And wins, too.
We are short-handed and so players are getting bigger minutes to show the world what they can do.
We have two first round draft picks next off season. We have cap space.
We are young.
We have upside.
We are becoming an exciting team to watch.
The sun is shining out today.
Admit it. It feels good to be Wizards fans watching the rebuild unfold, yes? I am so grateful to you all and I appreciate all of your positive emails.
Thank you.
Seriously can we stop with the Big 3 stuff? How about just have a good team. And to leave McGee out the he’s been playing is insulting. Not to mention Blatche did this at the end of last season also. Ever heard the saying, “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice…”
I watch every game at least once, alot of them 2-3 times. I’ve been a fan since the late 70′s. I have enjoyed the effort of late. I just hope you’re not lulled into thinking the ship is righted. This team is still a long way from good.
I do like the impending change of colors, and hopefully the drafting of Derrick Williams.
I have been a Bullets/Wizards fan for over 45 years through thick and mostly thin. Like the way the future looks. I have faith in Ernie and Flip. God bless you, Mr. Leonsis.
I can’t believe it, but yes, it actually feels fantastic to be a Wizards fan right now. You can see the product developing on the court. Our guys are starting to know each other better and the progression of John Wall has been something the whole league has noticed. Jordan Crawford ended up being quite a nice surprise in a season (or recent era, maybe) of awful, awful, awful surprises. I’m liking the way our guys look and if we can put the finishing touches on the rebuild (finding gritty defenders like Evans and Jeffers and developing McGee and Blatche into EFFECTIVE, not just talented players) we could be a pretty nasty playoff matchup for anyone in the east. GO WIZ. Ted, I have faith- take us there!
I think this a good for everybody to see as the season winds down. It’s good for all of us fans to see this after having a rough year and it’s good for the team as well to end on a positive note heading into the offseason.
There is still work to be done, but I think we may be finished with the hard part of the rebuild. The young core is looking like they are starting to turn a corner!
Please tell me you are not sold on Andray Blatche. Every single year he starts putting up numbers at the end of the year when the season is lost and the games no longer matter. His attitude is as lethargic as his play and I fear keeping him around will have a negative influence on young guys like Wall and Crawford. Love the first 2 parts of your Big 3 but please dump the 3rd!!!
There IS an air of excitement about the team these days. I think Ernie has a hit in Jordan Crawford and Maurice Evans transaction….good job. It also appears that JaVale is playing a more traditional big man’s game…what happened? There is reason for optimism; Wall and Crawford could be your backcourt of the immediate future, they are working well together.
Best,
JZ
Way too early to drink this Kool Aid, Ted.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see the Wizards succeed (though I’d much rather see the BULLETS succeed, or any other halfway decent name). It’s just that we have seen flashes from Blatche before, and Crawford has been exciting but not efficient.
Apart from Wall, our most efficient young players have been neither Blatche nor Crawford, but McGee and Booker (as measured by OffRtg/DefRtg and Win Shares, see basketball-reference.com). I’m not sure if McGee will ever be a smart player, but statistically he is already one of the most effective on the team. If you had to go with a “big three,” I’m not sure why he did not make it in.
I’m not knocking the overall idea of rebuilding with young players. But let’s not get too optimistic because of three wins against bad teams. It already takes a certain kind of sadist to be a Wizards fan. Let’s not make it worse on ourselves by raising expectations too high too soon.
DC’s last big 3 won ONE playoff series, otherwise they hovered around .500. The franchise never addressed the fact that 2 of the 3 gave up as many or more points than they scored. I know we’re aiming higher this time around. just hope we don’t make the same mistake of trying to win with players that only go 1 way, but lose concentration or effort defensively. those teams don’t advance no matter how the individual stat sheet looks after the game.
Yes. It is a good feeling being a Wizards fan right now ! I have watched every game this season ( as I did the last 2) and it is so rewarding to see this very young team with so much upside developing right before my eyes. The games are fun to watch and filled with excitement as I wait to see which players will shine. Crawford was such an unbelievable blessing to get and with 2 more first round picks coming and cap space, the future looks bright indeed.
Thank you Ted, for building this team the right way, just like you did with the Caps ( go Caps – go Wizards ).
Of the six games I’ve been to this season, yesterday’s was easily the most exciting next to the Heat game. Crawford has played well but I like Nick Young better…sure he doesn’t do much other than score but he makes the game fun to watch when he’s on. Hope you re-sign him!
Going to the Capitals game tonight too!
And a high second-round pick? Whomever that young man is probably does not appreciate having his future contributions overlooked in your State of the Wizards address.
Ted,
To use the voice of Seth Meyers from Saturday Night Live: “BLATCHE?!!!!! REALLY? REALLY TED?” This guy has been nothing but a lazy disaster since the moment he arrived on the scene. He inexplicably received a LONG-TERM contract extension, despite carrying way more about his stats than winning, despite public disputes with teammates and coaches, DESPITE THE FACT (and this one baffles me) that the new collective bargaining agreement is likely going to limit the length and size of player contracts. Why couldn’t we have waited? Would the rest of the league really have been knocking each other over to sign Blatche long-term? The move is absolutely indefensible.
Honestly, it is why Ernie Grunfeld should be fired at season’s end. It is already rated by pundits and blogs as one of the top 10 worst contracts in the league.
You’ve read Bill Simmons’ recent book, and know about “The Secret.” Blatche DEFINES the opposite of this idea. Every advanced metric shows he is an inefficient, soft, jump shooting 6’10 power forward. Any media account or story shows him behaving like a petulant child, such as trying to get a meaningless triple-double last year, getting in disputes with Flip in the middle of games or just the other night vs. Cleveland, gunning for 40 points and a career high. He is a constant embarrassment and horrible example for other players. He is NOT a winner. He will never be a winner. If Blatche is a part of the rebuilding process for the Wizards and some new “Big-Three,”, then dark days are ahead for this franchise.
I apologize for the extreme negative tone, but I’m passionate about this team and the franchise. Blatche is not the answer.
Sincerely,
Steve
14-year Wizards Season Ticker Holder
I don’t know how Javale and Nick will think about this.
I got faith in you Ted. You’re making the right moves. I was at the game last night and the atmosphere was the most positive it’s been all year. I’m looking forward to having our guys back in the playoffs and being able to attend Wizards games into May and beyond.
Ryan
I get the sentiment.. but how are guys like McGee and Young gonna feel when they hear their owner leave them out of a statement like that?
No to the big 3. Yes to the Fantastic 4 (Javale has been on a tear)!
Ted,
You are doing an amazing job with the Wizards. Please keep it up. Thank you for all you have done with the Capitals.
Sincerely,
Syed F. Ahmed
Come on Ted…all due respect but you can not expect any educated NBA fan to take this seriously.The Wiz accomplished what exactly? They beat Cleveland, Charlotte and Detroit? Consider me unimpressed.
Blatche is part of the problem, not part of the solution. Don’t believe me then keep him around and learn for yourself.
Crawford seems like a nice pickup. It only took spending $9mil on Kirk and a wasted first round pick on Seraphin to get him here.
You fail to point out Booker, who I think fans can be excited about.
If you want the fans to trust you again, trade Blatche, do not re-sign Nick Young, and tell McGee that he’s getting fined every time he does the juvenile and insulting salute to the crowd.
You have a dedicated and intelligent fanbase, so please show us the due respect by not publishing such frivilous propoganda.
Fantastic!! That is how I feel anyways about the team. Mr. Leonsis, have you considered changing the name of the “Wizards”? Not back to the “Bullets” but another name. Again the team has a great future, thank you Ted. And GO CAPS.
Grunfeld earned the right to stay!
April wins for bad teams are fools gold. If they do this in November/December that’s something to blog about.
HA! I thought this post was going to be about the Caps and how they are about to show whether they’ve learned how to win in the playoffs. Still, promising. plan. potential. Let’s make it success! Go Uncle Ted, Go!