With all of the talk about how the Wizards may try to go small next season so they can emulate their success in the postseason, it may not be the best idea. It’s time to throw away the idea that the Wizards will be better if they choose to stretch out the floor.
All of this nonsense is contingent on Paul Pierce remaining in DC next season. Without The Truth, all of this talk makes no sense.
Going small may have worked in certain parts of the offseason, but with Pierce potentially not returning to Washington next season, it may not even make sense. Otto Porter is a good shooter, but is not necessarily the knockdown guy needed to make teams stretch the floor too much.
Another contingency is that there is a stretch forward willing to come to Washington in free agency, or a team willing to trade the Wizards this kind of player. The contract would have to be a rental anyways so the Wizards can aim to bring Kevin Durant back home in 2016. There aren’t a lot of players who would sacrifice contract security for a one-and-done deal where they would again have to play for a contract.
Apparently, people haven’t been considering that when going small, a team will give up more offensive rebounds, paint points, and size. Starting both Marcin Gortat and Nene gives Washington a huge advantage over a lot of teams, and makes it hard for opposing teams to stop both members of the frontcourt on the same night.
Offensively, a stretch forward would work, but on the defensive side of the ball, they become a liability. There’s no way for a weaker and shorter player to guard other power forwards in the NBA. It’s just not possible.
Keep in mind, both teams the Wizards played in the postseason have small lineups of their own. By going small, the Wizards lineup actually outmatched the small lineups of Atlanta and Toronto at times. Without seeing the stretched out lineup go against a larger team, it’s hard to tell how effective it would be.
The talk does not make a lot of sense, and there are a lot of rumors out there that have not considered all of the issues and contingencies that go with this team trying to go small. With an ideal roster it could work, but with this team, they may be better equipped to stay as is.
