Wizards fire GM Grunfeld....FINALLY

[tontoz]

:rockon: :rockon: :rockon: :rockon: :rockon: :rockon:

I can't believe it finally happened. Biggest day for Wizards fans since they won the lottery.


The Washington Wizards announced Tuesday they have fired team president Ernie Grunfeld after 16 years at the helm of the franchise’s basketball operations.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/04/02/wizards-fire-oft-criticized-team-president-ernie-grunfeld-after-seasons/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d28b445ce343

[imdaman99]

I remember him destroying the Knicks many years ago. 20 years later, Knicks are still a mess :(

But with Zion/KD set to arrive, better times a' coming :banana:

[ralph_i_el]

:applause: :bowdown: :dancin

Thank god

[tamaraw08]

:rockon: :rockon: :rockon: :rockon: :rockon: :rockon:

I can't believe it finally happened. Biggest day for Wizards fans since they won the lottery.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/04/02/wizards-fire-oft-criticized-team-president-ernie-grunfeld-after-seasons/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d28b445ce343

at least they haven't fired their coach yet.
The Arenas contract 111 mil for 6 years arguably the worst contract by SI, .5 Winshares/year.
https://www.si.com/nba/2016/08/08/nba-free-agency-worst-100-million-contracts-gilbert-arenas-chris-webber
And will be a mess still with what John Wall is getting. sadly.

[King Baron]

Time to hire Phil Jackson! Deserves another opportunity after how the Knicks treated him.

[sdot_thadon]

Congrats Wiz fans, it's insane he held the post that long.

[ralph_i_el]

Looks like he was fired for the team missing the playoffs? What an ass-backwards way of reasoning.

If Ted was smart he would hire Hinkie and tear it all down.

[Jasper]

he was considered a solid dude for many decades , but when the Bucks let him go , I saw why..... he doesn't have exec execution props

[Celtics 1825]

Looks like he was fired for the team missing the playoffs? What an ass-backwards way of reasoning.

If Ted was smart he would hire Hinkie and tear it all down.
No, he was fired because he refused to trade Wall or Beal and thought it would be a good idea to still go all in on trying to make the playoffs instead of tank after Wall went down.

[AirTupac]

garbage tier franchise deserves garbage.

[Kblaze8855]

No, he was fired because he refused to trade Wall or Beal and thought it would be a good idea to still go all in on trying to make the playoffs instead of tank after Wall went down.


Does a GM really refuse to trade anyone without the owner agreeing to let him make that call?

If they felt so strongly they would fire him over it....they could have made the move themselves with someone down a rung from him working out the details.

If I owned a team what I want to happen gets done.....at least if its a "Do it or youre fired" thing. You could just do it and fire him anyway.

[tontoz]

The 2011 draft, just one of Grunfeld's extensive list of failures, is below. There were quality NBA players up and down the first round. The Wizards had 2 first round picks.

With the 6th they picked Jan Vesely, out of the league in 3 years. Players taken soon after were Biyombo, Kemba, Brandon Knight, and Klay.

Further down the Morris brothers were taken. Kawhi went at 15.

At 18 they picked Chris Singleton, also out of the league in 3 years. Tobias Harris was taken with the next pick. Faried, Mirotic and Reggie Jackson went a few picks later. Jimmy Butler was taken at 30.



1 Cleveland Kyrie Irving (PG) Duke
2 Minnesota Derrick Williams (PF) Arizona
3 Utah Enes Kanter (C) Turkey
4 Cleveland Tristan Thompson (PF) Texas
5 Toronto Jonas Valanciunas (C) Lithuania
6 Washington Jan Vesely (SF)
7 Sacramento Bismack Biyombo (PF) Spain
8 Detroit Brandon Knight (PG) Kentucky
9 Charlotte Kemba Walker (PG) UConn
10 Milwaukee Jimmer Fredette (PG) BYU
11 Golden State Klay Thompson (SG) Wash St
12 Utah Alec Burks (SG) Colorado
13 Phoenix Markieff Morris (PF) Kansas
14 Houston Marcus Morris (PF) Kansas
15 Indiana Kawhi Leonard (SF) SDSU
16 Philadelphia Nikola Vucevic (C) USC
17 New York Iman Shumpert (PG) Ga Tech
18 Washington Chris Singleton (SF) Florida St
19 Charlotte Tobias Harris (PF) Tennessee
20 Minnesota Donatas Motiejunas (PF) Lithuania
21 Portland Nolan Smith (SG) Duke
22 Denver Kenneth Faried (PF) Morehead St
23 Houston Nikola Mirotic (SF) Serbia
24 OK City Reggie Jackson (PG) BC
25 Boston Marshon Brooks (SG) Providence
26 Dallas Jordan Hamilton (SF) Texas
27 New Jersey JaJuan Johnson (PF) Purdue
28 Chicago Norris Cole (PG) Clev St
29 San Antonio Cory Joseph (PG) Texas
30 Chicago Jimmy Butler (SF) Marquette

[tontoz]

Another thing that drove me nuts with Grunfeld is that he is so quick to spend money. No spine whatsoever.

In 2010 they resigned Andray Blatche to a 3 year $35 million extension..... when he still had 2 years left on his deal.

http://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=5612332

Two years later they used the amnesty provision on him, which took him off their cap but they still had to pay him. They were still paying him when he was playing in China.

More recently he signed Ian Mahinmi to a 4 year, $64 million contract. If you don't follow the Wizards you probably don't know he is even on the team. In 3 years he has started 6 games. He has missed about 100 games. Even when he played he averaged between 14-18 minutes per game.

I could go on and on about his contract failures but you get the idea.

[brooks_thompson]

The nightmare is only half over. This doesn't assure that someone good, or even just someone better, is coming in to set things right. Another shitty hire and it's just gonna be more of the same. Good luck Wizards fans.

[SpaceJam2]

The 2011 draft, just one of Grunfeld's extensive list of failures, is below. There were quality NBA players up and down the first round. The Wizards had 2 first round picks.

With the 6th they picked Jan Vesely, out of the league in 3 years. Players taken soon after were Biyombo, Kemba, Brandon Knight, and Klay.

Further down the Morris brothers were taken. Kawhi went at 15.

At 18 they picked Chris Singleton, also out of the league in 3 years. Tobias Harris was taken with the next pick. Faried, Mirotic and Reggie Jackson went a few picks later. Jimmy Butler was taken at 30.



1 Cleveland Kyrie Irving (PG) Duke
2 Minnesota Derrick Williams (PF) Arizona
3 Utah Enes Kanter (C) Turkey
4 Cleveland Tristan Thompson (PF) Texas
5 Toronto Jonas Valanciunas (C) Lithuania
6 Washington Jan Vesely (SF)
7 Sacramento Bismack Biyombo (PF) Spain
8 Detroit Brandon Knight (PG) Kentucky
9 Charlotte Kemba Walker (PG) UConn
10 Milwaukee Jimmer Fredette (PG) BYU
11 Golden State Klay Thompson (SG) Wash St
12 Utah Alec Burks (SG) Colorado
13 Phoenix Markieff Morris (PF) Kansas
14 Houston Marcus Morris (PF) Kansas
15 Indiana Kawhi Leonard (SF) SDSU
16 Philadelphia Nikola Vucevic (C) USC
17 New York Iman Shumpert (PG) Ga Tech
18 Washington Chris Singleton (SF) Florida St
19 Charlotte Tobias Harris (PF) Tennessee
20 Minnesota Donatas Motiejunas (PF) Lithuania
21 Portland Nolan Smith (SG) Duke
22 Denver Kenneth Faried (PF) Morehead St
23 Houston Nikola Mirotic (SF) Serbia
24 OK City Reggie Jackson (PG) BC
25 Boston Marshon Brooks (SG) Providence
26 Dallas Jordan Hamilton (SF) Texas
27 New Jersey JaJuan Johnson (PF) Purdue
28 Chicago Norris Cole (PG) Clev St
29 San Antonio Cory Joseph (PG) Texas
30 Chicago Jimmy Butler (SF) Marquette



Another thing that drove me nuts with Grunfeld is that he is so quick to spend money. No spine whatsoever.

In 2010 they resigned Andray Blatche to a 3 year $35 million extension..... when he still had 2 years left on his deal.

http://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=5612332

Two years later they used the amnesty provision on him, which took him off their cap but they still had to pay him. They were still paying him when he was playing in China.

More recently he signed Ian Mahinmi to a 4 year, $64 million contract. If you don't follow the Wizards you probably don't know he is even on the team. In 3 years he has started 6 games. He has missed about 100 games. Even when he played he averaged between 14-18 minutes per game.

I could go on and on about his contract failures but you get the idea.


Sheesh...That is pretty damn bad :lol

[MJistheGOAT]

The 2011 draft, just one of Grunfeld's extensive list of failures, is below. There were quality NBA players up and down the first round. The Wizards had 2 first round picks.

With the 6th they picked Jan Vesely, out of the league in 3 years. Players taken soon after were Biyombo, Kemba, Brandon Knight, and Klay.

Further down the Morris brothers were taken. Kawhi went at 15.

At 18 they picked Chris Singleton, also out of the league in 3 years. Tobias Harris was taken with the next pick. Faried, Mirotic and Reggie Jackson went a few picks later. Jimmy Butler was taken at 30.



1 Cleveland Kyrie Irving (PG) Duke
2 Minnesota Derrick Williams (PF) Arizona
3 Utah Enes Kanter (C) Turkey
4 Cleveland Tristan Thompson (PF) Texas
5 Toronto Jonas Valanciunas (C) Lithuania
6 Washington Jan Vesely (SF)
7 Sacramento Bismack Biyombo (PF) Spain
8 Detroit Brandon Knight (PG) Kentucky
9 Charlotte Kemba Walker (PG) UConn
10 Milwaukee Jimmer Fredette (PG) BYU
11 Golden State Klay Thompson (SG) Wash St
12 Utah Alec Burks (SG) Colorado
13 Phoenix Markieff Morris (PF) Kansas
14 Houston Marcus Morris (PF) Kansas
15 Indiana Kawhi Leonard (SF) SDSU
16 Philadelphia Nikola Vucevic (C) USC
17 New York Iman Shumpert (PG) Ga Tech
18 Washington Chris Singleton (SF) Florida St
19 Charlotte Tobias Harris (PF) Tennessee
20 Minnesota Donatas Motiejunas (PF) Lithuania
21 Portland Nolan Smith (SG) Duke
22 Denver Kenneth Faried (PF) Morehead St
23 Houston Nikola Mirotic (SF) Serbia
24 OK City Reggie Jackson (PG) BC
25 Boston Marshon Brooks (SG) Providence
26 Dallas Jordan Hamilton (SF) Texas
27 New Jersey JaJuan Johnson (PF) Purdue
28 Chicago Norris Cole (PG) Clev St
29 San Antonio Cory Joseph (PG) Texas
30 Chicago Jimmy Butler (SF) Marquette

Terrible :biggums:

[qrich]

The second worst GM of All-Time behind Elgin Failure.

About damn time he gets canned....wonder who'll be dumb enough to hire him.

[Hey Yo]

Bill Simmons

My favorite WTF Ernie Grunfeld moments

1. $111 Arenas extension coming off major knee surgery
2. No. 5 for Miller and Foye in the Curry draft
3. 64m for Ian Mahimni
4. Jan Vesely, no. 6 pick
5. Big Andray Blatche extension that almost immediately had to be amnestied

https://twitter.com/BillSimmons/status/1113192677892337664

[tontoz]

Bill Simmons

My favorite WTF Ernie Grunfeld moments

1. $111 Arenas extension coming off major knee surgery
2. No. 5 for Miller and Foye in the Curry draft
3. 64m for Ian Mahimni
4. Jan Vesely, no. 6 pick
5. Big Andray Blatche extension that almost immediately had to be amnestied

https://twitter.com/BillSimmons/status/1113192677892337664


Both Miller and Foye were on expiring deals. :facepalm

[tamaraw08]

The 2011 draft, just one of Grunfeld's extensive list of failures, is below. There were quality NBA players up and down the first round. The Wizards had 2 first round picks.

With the 6th they picked Jan Vesely, out of the league in 3 years. Players taken soon after were Biyombo, Kemba, Brandon Knight, and Klay.

Further down the Morris brothers were taken. Kawhi went at 15.

At 18 they picked Chris Singleton, also out of the league in 3 years. Tobias Harris was taken with the next pick. Faried, Mirotic and Reggie Jackson went a few picks later. Jimmy Butler was taken at 30.



1 Cleveland Kyrie Irving (PG) Duke
2 Minnesota Derrick Williams (PF) Arizona
3 Utah Enes Kanter (C) Turkey
4 Cleveland Tristan Thompson (PF) Texas
5 Toronto Jonas Valanciunas (C) Lithuania
6 Washington Jan Vesely (SF)
7 Sacramento Bismack Biyombo (PF) Spain
8 Detroit Brandon Knight (PG) Kentucky
9 Charlotte Kemba Walker (PG) UConn
10 Milwaukee Jimmer Fredette (PG) BYU
11 Golden State Klay Thompson (SG) Wash St
12 Utah Alec Burks (SG) Colorado
13 Phoenix Markieff Morris (PF) Kansas
14 Houston Marcus Morris (PF) Kansas
15 Indiana Kawhi Leonard (SF) SDSU
16 Philadelphia Nikola Vucevic (C) USC
17 New York Iman Shumpert (PG) Ga Tech
18 Washington Chris Singleton (SF) Florida St
19 Charlotte Tobias Harris (PF) Tennessee
20 Minnesota Donatas Motiejunas (PF) Lithuania
21 Portland Nolan Smith (SG) Duke
22 Denver Kenneth Faried (PF) Morehead St
23 Houston Nikola Mirotic (SF) Serbia
24 OK City Reggie Jackson (PG) BC
25 Boston Marshon Brooks (SG) Providence
26 Dallas Jordan Hamilton (SF) Texas
27 New Jersey JaJuan Johnson (PF) Purdue
28 Chicago Norris Cole (PG) Clev St
29 San Antonio Cory Joseph (PG) Texas
30 Chicago Jimmy Butler (SF) Marquette
Wait, Houston actually drafted Mirotic? I can imagine him flourishing next to James Harden.
Boston getting Brooks proves that Ainge actually makes mistakes.

[Real Men Wear Green]

For a long list of reasons it was time for him to go but the final blow, Wall's injury, wasn't his fault. He had the misfortune of being on the cutting edge of this new salary cap and supermax. Other GMs got to sit back and watch him screw up with Wall and Porter and now have a better idea of what players are worth.

Should have been fired long ago for handing Arenas 100 mil after the torn ACL and should have been fired before he was allowed to hand Otto Porter 100 mil. To be fair the Wall contract was a tough call that there was an argument for as well as against, even though now it will be an enormous hindrance to the franchise.
Wait, Houston actually drafted Mirotic? I can imagine him flourishing next to James Harden.
Boston getting Brooks proves that Ainge actually makes mistakes.There are plenty of good GMs that if we analyzed their track record half of their picks were the wrong choice.

[Jacques Webster]

garbage tier franchise deserves garbage.

...and that's why Magic is running things in LA. :lol

[iamgine]

The 2011 draft, just one of Grunfeld's extensive list of failures, is below. There were quality NBA players up and down the first round. The Wizards had 2 first round picks.

With the 6th they picked Jan Vesely, out of the league in 3 years. Players taken soon after were Biyombo, Kemba, Brandon Knight, and Klay.

Further down the Morris brothers were taken. Kawhi went at 15.

At 18 they picked Chris Singleton, also out of the league in 3 years. Tobias Harris was taken with the next pick. Faried, Mirotic and Reggie Jackson went a few picks later. Jimmy Butler was taken at 30.



1 Cleveland Kyrie Irving (PG) Duke
2 Minnesota Derrick Williams (PF) Arizona
3 Utah Enes Kanter (C) Turkey
4 Cleveland Tristan Thompson (PF) Texas
5 Toronto Jonas Valanciunas (C) Lithuania
6 Washington Jan Vesely (SF)
7 Sacramento Bismack Biyombo (PF) Spain
8 Detroit Brandon Knight (PG) Kentucky
9 Charlotte Kemba Walker (PG) UConn
10 Milwaukee Jimmer Fredette (PG) BYU
11 Golden State Klay Thompson (SG) Wash St
12 Utah Alec Burks (SG) Colorado
13 Phoenix Markieff Morris (PF) Kansas
14 Houston Marcus Morris (PF) Kansas
15 Indiana Kawhi Leonard (SF) SDSU
16 Philadelphia Nikola Vucevic (C) USC
17 New York Iman Shumpert (PG) Ga Tech
18 Washington Chris Singleton (SF) Florida St
19 Charlotte Tobias Harris (PF) Tennessee
20 Minnesota Donatas Motiejunas (PF) Lithuania
21 Portland Nolan Smith (SG) Duke
22 Denver Kenneth Faried (PF) Morehead St
23 Houston Nikola Mirotic (SF) Serbia
24 OK City Reggie Jackson (PG) BC
25 Boston Marshon Brooks (SG) Providence
26 Dallas Jordan Hamilton (SF) Texas
27 New Jersey JaJuan Johnson (PF) Purdue
28 Chicago Norris Cole (PG) Clev St
29 San Antonio Cory Joseph (PG) Texas
30 Chicago Jimmy Butler (SF) Marquette
Is that his fault though? Those players were projected at where he picked them. It's not like he reached for them or anything.

[tontoz]

Is that his fault though? Those players were projected at where he picked them. It's not like he reached for them or anything.


LOL

We had a poll on RealGM asking who is the one guy we didn't want to pick. Vesely won easily. A big man who is weak, can't shoot and can't rebound isn't a good prospect. He airballed foul shots

Singleton struggled to score even in college. With his size and athleticism he still struggled to score on the fast break. As a college junior he averaged 13 ppg shooting 43%.

[iamgine]

LOL

We had a poll on RealGM asking who is the one guy we didn't want to pick. Vesely won easily. A big man who is weak, can't shoot and can't rebound isn't a good prospect. He airballed foul shots

Singleton struggled to score even in college. With his size and athleticism he still struggled to score on the fast break. As a college junior he averaged 13 ppg shooting 43%.
Realgm polling aside, they were projected at those pick. Not sure how you can fault someone for picking where they're supposed to be picked.

[tontoz]

Realgm polling aside, they were projected at those pick. Not sure how you can fault someone for picking where they're supposed to be picked.

Vesely was projected there because everyone knew the Wizards wanted him. It wasn't a secret and that is why we were all freaking out before the draft.

The GM gets paid to get the picks right, not to pick what mock drafts project at that pick. We could all see it was a horrible pick ahead of time so why couldn't he see it?

[WallIn]

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/AdeptHugeAmericanshorthair-small.gif

[tontoz]

https://oi56.photobucket.com/albums/g195/tontoz/SmilingBob_zps5714c880.jpg (https://s56.photobucket.com/user/tontoz/media/SmilingBob_zps5714c880.jpg.html)

[iamgine]

Vesely was projected there because everyone knew the Wizards wanted him. It wasn't a secret and that is why we were all freaking out before the draft.

The GM gets paid to get the picks right, not to pick what mock drafts project at that pick. We could all see it was a horrible pick ahead of time so why couldn't he see it?
Uh no you couldn't all see it was a horrible pick. Every pick there are plenty of detractors who quickly forget when they're wrong and even quicker 'I told you so' when they're right. GMs aren't paid to get picks right. Not unless they have time travel capability. They are paid to make reasonable picks.