- 7 hours ago
The Sports Junkies debate how confident they are in the Washington Wizards rebuild.
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00:00So we wanted to bring up an NBA player survey.
00:04The results came out yesterday.
00:07NBA players voted on the number one team
00:09they do not want to get traded to.
00:14This is one where Washington fans should semi-rejoice
00:18because we're not number one.
00:19Let's clap that up.
00:20Not number one.
00:20Not number one.
00:21But close to it.
00:23But they're number two.
00:24They are number two, but it's by a wide margin.
00:28NBA players voted on the number one team
00:29they don't want to get traded to.
00:31That team with 35-plus percent of the vote, Memphis.
00:37Memphis comes in at 35%.
00:38What's so bad about Memphis?
00:40I've never been to Memphis.
00:41I think I've heard people talk about it.
00:43It's just a rough area, I think.
00:44And maybe there's not a ton to do in Memphis proper.
00:48I mean, if they were in Nashville, I'm sure they wouldn't be one.
00:52But I've never been there.
00:53I know LeBron talked about it, and he specifically mentioned
00:55they should just uproot and move to Nashville.
00:58If you're going to be in Tennessee, you've got to go to Nashville.
01:00I can't speak to it.
01:01I haven't been to Memphis, but you don't hear great things.
01:05So 36% of the players surveyed said Memphis was the worst.
01:09Now, in second place were the Washington Wizards at 11.7%.
01:13And what was third?
01:15Sacramento.
01:16Sacramento's right behind Washington, 10.8%.
01:18It was close.
01:19It was kind of a bunch.
01:20And then what was fourth?
01:21New Orleans.
01:22At what percent?
01:236.7%.
01:24And Brooklyn rounds out the bottom five, I guess, at 5%, along with Utah.
01:30I really liked it.
01:31I mean, I just wanted to defend D.C.
01:35We're talking about this with Aldridge.
01:37It's not D.C. proper.
01:40It's just the franchise has been so bad.
01:42It's the reputation.
01:43It's the reputation, which I think is unfair, especially now with this group.
01:48Because you even heard these pundits.
01:52Who were all the guys right afterwards when they were like, oh, I feel sorry for Stephen A. Smith.
01:57And all these guys saying, oh, I feel sorry for DeBonta or whoever they pick won.
02:01Stephen A. Smith was giving an old, tired take.
02:05They only won 17 games.
02:07They sucked.
02:08They only won 17 games.
02:09They did it on purpose.
02:10Right.
02:11How do you not even process that?
02:13I don't like it either.
02:14But it's not like they tried to win.
02:16It takes a while to get over a reputation.
02:19I know, but how do people not process it?
02:21I guess he's...
02:22That is very irritating.
02:22I guess he's just pointing out that they were trying to lose because they're that bad.
02:27They're trying to lose games because they need the number one pick.
02:30They need to get better in the draft.
02:31I didn't seem like he understood.
02:34Yeah, well, if he didn't understand that, he's stupid.
02:36But I think it's the perception.
02:38For the last three years, they've been doing it.
02:39Anthony Davis came into D.C. with that thought.
02:42And even though it seems like he wants out of Washington, he's been very complimentary of the management.
02:47He said things like, it's totally different than what I expected.
02:51He's taking the behind-the-scenes tour.
02:54Right, but that's a more sophisticated...
02:57Well, it's not just Stephen A. Smith.
02:58It's these players.
02:58No, I know.
02:59It's the players.
02:59It's the perception around the league.
03:01Right.
03:01The perception is you don't want to go to Washington.
03:02I watched a lot of these.
03:04I see a lot of clips.
03:05I watched a lot of NBA podcasts, believe it or not, because I find some of the hosts hilarious.
03:10And there is a perception around the league that Washington is just the pits.
03:13Yes.
03:14Washington is not a good destination.
03:17I feel like it's not fair.
03:19You're probably right.
03:20It's not fair for the current situation.
03:23Somebody's got to spread the word.
03:24But it does take time to get rid of those old biases that people have, and they carry it around
03:29with them.
03:29It's going to get better.
03:31It's going to get better.
03:31I think it's going to get better pretty quick.
03:33Based on who's running the team, who's making the decisions, who they're adding.
03:36I think guys like DeBonson, to be honest with you, ball-knowers, he knows.
03:40He's talked about some of the guys and the up-and-coming talent they have on the team.
03:45Yeah.
03:46Some of these other guys don't seem to know.
03:47Guys in the league, not paying attention.
03:49I mean, some of these other teams that are, I mean, the Knicks are nine.
03:53I guess people just don't want to live in New York.
03:56I mean, expensive.
03:57Lakers are 13.
03:59What was the most, did they rank all the teams?
04:03I only see 13.
04:04No, no, no.
04:05Every team got votes.
04:08Like, players voted on every team, like whoever they wanted.
04:11Right, but who was, what team was the leader in the clubhouse that they wanted to play for,
04:16or what city they wanted to move to?
04:18I think the least ones was, I think it was New York.
04:21Those are the only ones listed?
04:21I think New York was at the top, and Boston, I think.
04:25Oh, really?
04:25For most desirable.
04:26I can't remember, exactly.
04:27Most desirable by...
04:28Or best fans and most obnoxious fans were both Boston and Knicks.
04:32Yeah.
04:34I'm guessing Philly was probably up there.
04:36It goes far beyond Will Dawkins and Michael Winger, who we both like.
04:40I mean, there's a reason when Eric hears the Bengals or the Browns or the Cardinals,
04:45he rolls his eyes.
04:46Or you guys, or the Sacramento Kings.
04:49They brought in a hundred different guys to run the team, and they're always the Kings
04:52the last 25 years.
04:53Or the Hornets.
04:53Right, I'm just saying it's different now.
04:55I really think it's different now.
04:56Because we like Will, and we want it to be different.
04:58Not just because I like Will.
05:00We want it to be different.
05:01I've liked everybody.
05:02Everybody we've had with the Wizards, I've liked.
05:04But they weren't as competent.
05:05This group is more competent than the other group.
05:06They have to prove it.
05:07So far.
05:07Yeah, they do.
05:08To me, so far, they're pretty competent.
05:10Well, they could draft a Boston next month.
05:13I'll bet against it.
05:14I'll bet on them.
05:15Whoever they pick.
05:16Even if it's who I hate.
05:17They have to prove it.
05:18They have to prove it.
05:19And that's why the players, this year, are still voting them as the least likely.
05:22This is the most competent group we've had in 35 years.
05:25They need playoff wins.
05:25They need playoff sustainability off in the distance.
05:31That opinion you have is the opinion I have of Adam Peters' group.
05:34Because they're more 50-50.
05:35This group is pretty much, so far, unblemished.
05:39So far.
05:39Except you have to look at the record.
05:41And we understand why.
05:42But that was done on purpose.
05:42I look at the players they developed.
05:44Let's say if they...
05:45Now, if they win 17 games next year, I'll say you're right.
05:48I think we're overstating the development of the players because the players aren't delivering wins.
05:51Which I get is part of the plan.
05:53They don't want wins.
05:53But if they don't hit...
05:54They bench the guys.
05:55If they don't hit...
05:56They're playing G League guys.
05:57Ultimately, you do judge people on record.
05:59Right?
06:00Like Sam Presti, before he's now being called this uber genius, part of the criticism was,
06:06okay, he acquires all these picks, gets all this young talent, but they hadn't won a championship
06:10until last year.
06:11They finally won a championship in OKC after all those years.
06:14But, I mean, they started with Kevin Durant and James Harden and Russell Westbrook together.
06:25It's hard to win championships.
06:26Okay?
06:27And then they reformatted the team and they got good again.
06:32And they've taken some lumps and they acquired these...
06:35But until you win a championship, you don't truly justify it.
06:38And it...
06:39Oh, I can't predict they're going to win a championship.
06:41This is the deal.
06:42I can't predict that.
06:43We've talked about it.
06:44It's 50 years since they've had a 50-win season.
06:48Yeah.
06:48It's been way too long.
06:49Yeah.
06:49Right.
06:50But that's a little bit of an asterisk because...
06:52I know.
06:52He just couldn't have won it and he tanked it.
06:54Okay.
06:55But it's not like...
06:55I mean, that was stupid.
06:56But that shows you how low we are.
06:58But 50's not even 60.
07:00Right.
07:00We grasped it 50 wins.
07:01They haven't been to a conference finals since we were all nine years old.
07:06Right.
07:07Yeah.
07:07They've got the...
07:08We're 55 and 56 years old.
07:10They've got the bad rep.
07:11Until they win consistently, it's not really going to change.
07:15You know, a player comes here.
07:17Let's say they get a big free agent who chooses Washington over the Lakers or the Knicks or
07:25the Celtics.
07:26Then you might be like, whoa.
07:28But it hasn't happened.
07:30Well, yeah.
07:30I think rightly so.
07:32Bad management.
07:33But I think the management has changed.
07:35And so far, they're doing great.
07:38They didn't...
07:39And I'm anti-tanking.
07:40I hated the tanking.
07:41But to their credit, they executed it and they developed players at the same time.
07:45They have a...
07:46I think they have a bright, young roster.
07:48They need a couple more pieces.
07:50They have a bright, young roster.
07:51And they got a little bit lucky by winning the lottery.
07:53Sometimes you need that luck.
07:55They got so lucky or it was rigged.
07:56I tend to believe it was rigged.
07:58But if you want to say lucky, I'll go with lucky.
08:00Matt's right.
08:01They've got to prove it.
08:01Will Dawkins has to prove it.
08:03They've got to hit on this top guy.
08:05It's an exciting time to be a Wizards fan.
08:07But they traded for Trey Young, who the team got better in Atlanta when he left the team.
08:11They traded for Anthony Davis, who we all know can't stay on the court.
08:16You can't just say, if he doesn't end up playing for the team, oh, well, you know, they went for
08:19it.
08:20A lot of people have said those were bad trades by the Wizards.
08:23We're on the hopeful side that it turns out well.
08:25Will Dawkins, who we want to succeed and be the best GM in basketball, hasn't proven it yet.
08:31I think so far, he hasn't proven it because he hasn't won.
08:36But so far, I like all the moves so far.
08:39Like, show me one that's blown up, like a big move.
08:41Denny.
08:42I mean, that's a huge miss.
08:43Denny is a huge miss.
08:45Okay.
08:46Denny would be the best player on the team.
08:47I'm buying the idea that they couldn't have bottomed out with Denny.
08:51That would have just made it more difficult.
08:53They wanted to get to rock bottom.
08:55They still traded Denny Avdia for Bubb Carrington.
08:57They retooled the team.
08:58And a first-round pick in 2029, I think.
09:02And Denny makes like $11 million a year.
09:04Yeah.
09:05It's the best deal in the NBA.
09:07I'm just saying.
09:07Do you think they're lying?
09:08Do you think that they traded Denny and they did not think he was that good?
09:12You don't think they knew the kind of player?
09:14Yes, I think they missed it.
09:15I think he's dead.
09:16I disagree with you.
09:17They lost that trade.
09:17I think they know ball.
09:19I think they know how good he is.
09:21I think they know it.
09:23They definitely lost that trade.
09:24I think they knew it.
09:25They wanted to bottom out.
09:26And I hate it.
09:27I would have rather kept Denny, and I would have signed free agents and grind.
09:31But next year is a big year.
09:33They executed their plan very well.
09:35That's because they've got the number one pick.
09:37But next year is a big year for Saar.
09:40Yep.
09:40All right?
09:41He's got to take another step forward.
09:42He's got to play more.
09:43And now that might be part of the tank.
09:46They drafted Trey Johnson six.
09:47Yeah.
09:48He's got to be more impactful.
09:50He's got to play like the sixth pick.
09:51He's got to play more games, too.
09:52I think he had a pretty decent rookie year.
09:54He averaged 12 points a game.
09:55He maybe shot a little bit lower than what they wanted.
09:58He's got to get better.
09:59That's two picks in the top six in the last two years.
10:01I would have said, if he gets the minutes, he will put up points.
10:04He will score.
10:05I hope he does.
10:05I don't think he can defend.
10:07I think he's got to.
10:07Their record's not unblemished.
10:09The Denny trade now.
10:10Bilal was drafted by this regime?
10:13No.
10:14Yes.
10:15Yes.
10:15Will Dawkins?
10:16Yes.
10:17That was Will's guy.
10:18Bilal is, to me, right now, a miss.
10:22I think he's underwhelming.
10:23So I would grant you he's underwhelming.
10:25He is a miss.
10:25And I think the Denny trade, look, I get it.
10:29You want to bottom out.
10:31But you also have a potentially, look, he's not a superstar, but he made the all-star
10:38team this year.
10:38He'd be the best player on the team.
10:41He's pretty damn good.
10:43Denny Avila.
10:44But they couldn't have bottomed out with him.
10:46That was their argument.
10:47I buy it.
10:48Okay, but why give up somebody that could be your best player on the team?
10:51Because they just said, you know what?
10:53He's going to be good, but we'll start from scratch.
10:55Like, if I told you right now, AJ DeBonsa is going to develop into what Denny Avdi is
11:01right now, you'd probably take it.
11:04You'd probably take it.
11:05I need a higher ceiling.
11:06I know you want it.
11:07For the number one pick.
11:08But there's no guarantee.
11:09No, of course not.
11:11Denny's pretty nice.
11:12And Denny's good, but he screams centerpiece of a team that wins 38, 39 games.
11:19Which is exactly what the Wizards wanted to get out of the business of doing.
11:22Why couldn't the Wizards have restricted Denny's minutes, right?
11:27Because they did that with everybody.
11:29I mean, they could have.
11:30I know.
11:30They could have.
11:31I mean, they could have done that.
11:33They could have kept that asset and still tanked.
11:36Look, he got better in Portland.
11:37I mean, they could have.
11:38That's what they did with everybody else.
11:40It would just have been another guy to do it to.
11:41But yeah, sure.
11:43But he averaged this year 24 points, 6 assists, and 7 rebounds.
11:48I mean, I'm sorry.
11:50I always called him Luka Light.
11:51That's basically what he is.
11:52I'm sorry, but if you can get A.J. DeBonson to average 24, that's a huge hit.
11:56Right.
11:5724, actually.
11:5824, 7, and 7.
11:59I mean, you're 5.
12:01Yeah.
12:01I mean, you average 24 a game.
12:02That's a hit.
12:03That's a great number.
12:04By the way, Bilal's been underwhelming.
12:07I agree.
12:08He was also the 21st pick.
12:10No, he wasn't.
12:11No, he wasn't.
12:12He was like the 8th or 7th pick.
12:13Oh, 7.
12:14Okay, I see 21.
12:15Okay.
12:15Okay, sorry.
12:16He's 21 years old, I would guess.
12:17Okay, sorry.
12:19I love Bilal.
12:20He's a defensive stopper.
12:21He needs help offensively.
12:22He's not that much of a defensive stopper.
12:24He needs to develop.
12:25It's not so overstated.
12:26I mean, I don't have the metrics.
12:28Remember what Luka Doncic did to him and a half?
12:31You're doing one-offs to some of the best players.
12:34Not one-offs.
12:34It happens all the time.
12:35Look at the defense for this team.
12:37They were historically bad.
12:38I mean, it's hard to defend Wizards lack of defense.
12:40I've seen him in person, as you have.
12:42I've seen him pretty impressive defensively.
12:45I'm not impressed with his offensive game.
12:47It's just, hey, tell me when he makes an all-NBA defensive team or second team.
12:54Oh, if he ever makes one, trust me, I will let you know.
12:57Okay.
12:57I will never stop talking about it.
12:58I just think it's overstated how great of a defensive player he is.
13:01I've seen guys work him all the time.
13:04I think on this team, he's their best defensive player, besides Alex Saar.
13:12But, look, I'm a fan of Will Dawkins, and I understand what they're doing.
13:18But it's not some flawless record that you think he has.
13:21No, it's not flawless, but this is a huge year.
13:23Well, you're assuming Denny's a flaw.
13:26I disagree.
13:27I don't think they got it.
13:28What if they get another great player?
13:31It's not fulfilled yet.
13:32Don't they have, like, a 29 first-round pick that's also part of that?
13:36Pretty sure there is an upcoming first-round pick.
13:39There definitely is another pick attached.
13:41Yeah, so that's not been written, cast in stone yet.
13:44I'm buying what they're saying on that.
13:46If you want to say Balal, okay.
13:49Balal's not a star.
13:50There's no doubt.
13:51What I would say in defense of that is, if you actually look at that draft,
13:56there aren't that many great players drafted below Balal Kulabali.
14:00I haven't looked at that, but that would be the next thing I would look at.
14:03I mean, Derek Lively, I think, has potentials hurt a lot this year.
14:07I mean, who would you have picked there?
14:10Well, in retrospect, the guys who are better, I mean, I think Jaime Jacquez,
14:15I don't know how to pronounce his name, and Pods, who plays in Golden State.
14:19If they're any good, you'd know how to pronounce their name.
14:22I mean, they'd be a household name.
14:25Pods is a good player.
14:27They call him Pods.
14:28He's a good player.
14:29I know who you're talking about.
14:29Hold on.
14:30Keontae George would go in the top three of that draft.
14:32Keontae George, good.
14:33Okay, so where did he go?
14:3616.
14:36That was a great pick.
14:3715 teams missed him.
14:39Yep.
14:40All right, we'll take your calls next at 800-636-1067.
14:43Has Will Dawkins done enough to make the Wizards an attractive destination
14:47for NBA players here in D.C., 800-636-1067.
14:53We'll take your calls next.
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