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Washington Wizards NBA Trade Deadline 2016: Dividing The Fan Approach

By Osman Baig

Nov 27, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Fans perform the wave during the second half in a game between the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Fans perform the wave during the second half in a game between the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Wizards’ Fans Trade Deadline Approach

As the trade deadline in the NBA approaches quickly and all local eyes are on Ernie Grunfeld and the Washington Wizards, an interesting fan dichotomy seems to have formed.

With the Washington Wizards at 23-28 and three games out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference, the assumption would be that fans uniformly would push for roster improvements now, but that’s not entirely the case.

In lieu of that, four factions have emerged.

Faction One wants to make a signature move

After decades of being a non-factor, they want the Washington Wizards to be relevant. How would they do that? By making a splash move!

Vlade Divac and Doc Rivers can deny the availability of DeMarcus Cousins and Blake Griffin until their faces turn blue, but it won’t stop this faction from proposing an offer centered around Bradley Beal, Otto Porter, either Nene or Marcin Gortat, and a first round pick for either franchise big man.

This faction envisions the possibilities of pitching John Wall and either Cousins or Griffin with max cap room in the Eastern Conference as the best route to dethroning LeBron James in the Eastern Conference and who can blame them? 

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A potential nucleus of John Wall, Cousins or Blake Griffin with Kevin Durant can wreak havoc in the East and would be must-see basketball.

The type of trade would be the biggest trade this organization has made since acquiring Chris Webber from the Golden State Warriors in 1994 — a trade that changed local and national perception of this franchise.

The problem?

Neither player seems to be available and when/if they are made available, the Washington Wizards will be competing with half of the league to acquire their services.

This faction wants the team to gun for a championship and acquiring another star is key.

Faction Two may want what Faction One wants in the long-term, but want absolutely nothing to occur within the next 24 hours

It’s the faction that wants to clean house starting with Ernie Grunfeld and wants him handcuffed at the deadline to avoid a desperation move.

Faction Two fears what Ernie Grunfeld in full survival mode might do next. In fairness, there’s something to be said for this considering the short-term moves this organization has made under Ernie’s lead over the past few years.

If they didn’t trade the 5th overall pick in the 2009 draft for two expiring contracts (because they didn’t think immediate help would be available), they were trading/selling second round selections, drafting a player (Tomas Satoransky) who still hasn’t shown up to a Washington Wizards pre-season training camp, or signing veterans players on the wrong side of 30 because they’d accept a one-year deal and playing them at the expense of drafted players.

This faction fears that Kelly Oubre Jr. or the upcoming first round selection the Wizards have will be moved for a 31-game rental player.

They also have come to accept in their minds that no tweaks can be made that can fix the mess Ernie and Co. have created nor should he be allowed to fix another one of his messes so no move is the best option.

Faction Three wants any move — from a signature move to a roster tweak

When Tobias Harris gets traded for an underwhelming package of players, Faction Three screams.

When ANY trade occurs in the next 24-hours that moves a serviceable young player for a “bargain,” Faction Three will scream again.

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Faction Three will scream because that’s what they do.

They don’t understand how people are willing to wait for the Summer of Kevin Durant because as far as they’re concerned, that ship has sailed and it’s time to do whatever they can to improve this team now.

Faction Three is tired of watching this team sit on the sidelines as moves are made league-wide and the rest of the Eastern Conference continues to improve.

A roster tweak for a rotational player like a P.J. Tucker or Trevor Booker may not be what Faction Three ideally wants, but it’s at least something to satisfy their vampire-esque taste for any new blood.

Faction Four has given up

They do not believe anyone or anything can help.

They are similar to Faction Two in terms of wanting regime change, but take it a step further. Propose a Faction Two member any other the following players and here’s what you’re likely to hear:

  1. Blake Griffin: He’s a stats guy who hasn’t won a title, so how would he help the Washington Wizards other than selling tickets?
  2. DeMarcus Cousins: Boogie is a head-case and locker room trouble waiting to happen. If he can’t get the Sacramento Kings to the playoffs, how can he help here?
  3. Tobias Harris: Who? How is he better than what Washington has on their current roster?
  4. Dwight Howard: Dwight Howard is a typical Washington Wizards/Bullets move. Getting a big name on the downside of their career who isn’t very good anymore.
  5. Jeff Green: We know he’s going to be the Wizards’ “Plan C; Subsection F” this summer so why not just get it over it and embrace “SoWizards”

Faction Four probably doesn’t believe that the young nucleus in place can ever amount to anything other than what Joe Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks accomplished in the 2000s so they’re open to a re-do in hopes of finally finding that transcending player. 

It’s hard to say which faction is right or wrong, or if that can even be said.

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Like in most cases the truth likely lies in the middle.

The Washington Wizards do need to do something, but there’s legitimate concern in letting Ernie Grunfeld band-aid his self-inflicted wound and surviving yet another offseason.

What I will opine on is this: the product we’ve witnessed has been mediocre really since the start of the 2015 calendar year.

If all that the Wizards do is tweak the bench with the acquisition or a Tucker, Miles Plumlee, or Booker will it alter the landscape of their season?

No, but that doesn’t have to be the goal in every personnel move made.

The Wizards roster is void of talent or healthy, reliable bodies at some positions which has forced players like Drew Gooden, DeJuan Blair, and Kris Humphries into larger roles than they likely would have with any other team in the NBA in 2016.

If the front office can make a low cost move to improve frontcourt depth and bring some much needed athleticism to the team, why not? It should not have any impact on the final evaluation of the 2015-2016 Washington Wizards or how they were assembled, and shouldn’t be viewed in that context.

I guess that makes me a member of Faction Three.

Next: Wizards 2016 NBA Trade Deadline Primer

What faction are you a part of? Let me know in the comments section.

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