DEVELOPMENT DEAD: Why the Washington Wizards ABANDONED Growth, Focus on NBA Draft and Tank Race

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On today's show, the Washington Wizards got some help in the tank standings,

which is awesome news because we're past the point of development this year.

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My name is Ben Schrover. I'm a credentialed media member covering the Washington Wizards alongside the DCs'

board content, Prigg and Savannah.

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And on today's show, we discuss why cute and vlogler deserves your eyes.

In the final floor, recap camera, boozers, dominant night,

and Duke's epic collapse at Capitol Arena.

And why it's become clear,

the development for the season looks pretty much done for the Washington Wizards.

They got destroyed tonight by the Portland Trailblazers.

AB, there was some great basketball played in DC tonight.

It was not by the Wizards.

The Wizards were all the way across the country.

They played some really bad basketball.

But, man, what an ending to the Duke game, though.

I just want to get your thoughts on that before we get into this talk.

I got it. I got to ask you, Ben, you were boots on the ground.

How was the atmosphere when this still happened?

Was there more UConn fans and Duke fans or was it even?

No, no, there was a lot more Duke fans.

It was incredible, though.

One of the wildest things I've seen in person for a sporting event.

Probably the wildest thing I've ever covered.

I saw the Commander's Hail Mary Live as a fan.

That was incredible.

But this, the magnitude of the game in that building, my goodness.

It was.

And that was a deep shot, Ben.

Oh, my goodness.

Unbelievable stuff.

We'll talk about that in the second segment of this podcast.

So, do not worry.

It's going to be doing a gloom, though, for this at least first segment here,

because once 1-3 to 88, the Blazers destroy the Wizards tonight on the road in Portland.

The Wizards got outscored 33 to 19 in the third quarter of this game.

It kind of seems like the mission is the mission.

We understand that with the Wizards.

And they're past the point of the season where they appear focused on development.

I think they're pretty focused on just losing as many of these games as possible.

Their tragic number right now to lock up that pick for this year is five currently.

So any combination of five more Wizards losses and jazz wins with guarantee that they get their pick.

But they also got help in the tank standings tonight, which is incredible to see.

Considering nothing really positive came on the floor tonight against Portland.

Yeah, it's going to be tough watching these.

Do we have a 10 games left, Ben?

8 games, thank God.

8 games, thank God.

Yeah, thank God.

I mean, we're just counting it away because it's just nothing to watch for.

And I don't see another win anytime soon.

Maybe maybe or one more round.

Yeah, sorry, I forgot.

That's the important one that you definitely have to keep your eye on.

But again, this West Coast game on a Sunday, Ben with the Wizards only put up 88 points.

And you give up 123.

I just need this Blazer team was going to kind of blow up this wizard squad.

And they're I think 500 right now.

The Blazers are sitting at 38 and 38.

So not in the Western conference.

And I guess one positive was whole Riley 14 points was the leading score.

If I'm looking at it correctly, but it's just tough to be take away a lot of positives from this game.

Because like you mentioned earlier, the overall mission is continue losing.

And obviously you want to lose and competitive fashion.

But at this point, you're just racking up those losses just to ensure you're spot in the lottery, Ben.

It doesn't seem like they really have prioritized or care at this point, whether it's competitive or not.

Because they look competitive in some spurts in this game, especially.

But now there was after the third quarter, they looked very uninterested.

This was one of the more uninspired performances I've seen from this team all year long.

There were some ones early in the year that were pretty bad.

But outside of that 12 game stretch where they won seven games and another stretch where they won four of six.

It seems like the mission has been what it's been the entirety of the year.

And at this point of the year, I just feel like we're not really seeing them prioritize any type of development.

At this point, and you know, people will have different feelings about that.

Some people will think that's not good in terms of building habits or whatever it may be.

But they appear very focused on losing as many games as possible.

They want to get to the worst record in the league.

So they have the lowest ceiling possible or the lowest floor of picking possible at five.

But I don't know, like the players don't seem as interested if I'm being honest.

And I don't want to like call out anyone and say like the effort isn't necessarily there.

Because I think the players at the end of the day do try.

But it's just different.

And there's not that competitive switch on right now with this team.

And I really wonder next year what it will take to put that competitive switch on.

Because you're in this point of the season where they're just committed to losing as many games as possible.

There's guys that are in out of the lineup.

Tray Johnson can't really catch a rhythm right now because he's in and out of the lineup every day.

So it's kind of the same way.

Belal has had a couple of really nice performances in this month of March.

But you know, still kind of the same thing.

It's just him out there working on stuff.

Essentially at this point of the year, above same exact thing.

And then like, well, Riley, I guess it's been the one thing you could say has been real positive since the all-star break in terms of development.

But you don't even see Keeshawn right now.

Tray, young's probably done for the year.

We're not even going to see Anthony Davis most likely.

Everybody's kind of just out there playing.

And I wonder next year what they need to do in camp and in the preseason to get them ready to have that competitive fire

when it comes down to playing next year because you will be expected to actually compete and try to win these games.

That's clearly not what they're doing right now.

So yeah, the development part of the year is over.

That's just how I view it right now with A Games left.

They're done developing.

I think that competitive's finally we're talking about going into next season.

This is going to stem off that crowded Wingroom Ben because next season if you hypothetically add a AJ

or Caleb Wilson or Cameron Booser and then you have a healthy camp with more come back and Justin Champenny

who's really good when this team plays meaningful basketball on top of the law.

Year three development offensively that we've seen game by game will Riley looks better.

Iron Sharpen's iron.

That's one thing that we're going to be excited about.

Julian Reese Ben, 39 minutes tonight, 8 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal.

I know it's hard because you're a turf former turf.

Do you think there's a possibility that he has a shot at being that backup big next season?

I think it'll be on a two way contract if I had to predict right now.

You could make a lot of sense to bring him back on the two way, relatively cheap.

You could get reps with the go-go when possible.

Might get to see some reps, but I want them to bring in a big this off season

and also kind of fortify that room a little bit because I mean, it depends what happens in the draft.

If you get camp Booser, then you obviously have a little bit more depth there.

If you get Caleb Wilson, then you're going to have more depth there.

But as it stands right now with their big room, just hypothetically what they have on the roster,

Tristan Bouchovich is like pretty much the backup big at this point.

Alex Sarr, Anthony Davis, whenever he's healthy, do you expect those two to be on the floor at the same time?

So I feel like you got to go out and find somebody that kind of fortify that room a little bit.

You can see the physical, barusing player that you need down low play in that role, rebound.

It played hard-nosed defense for you.

I think that's something the wizard should prioritize this off season and free agency.

But a lot of this is going to be dependent on what happens in the drafts.

And obviously the draft is before free agency.

So that decision will be made based on what happens in late June.

And is it a funny bend that some people actually thought AD was going to play a game this season?

It just didn't seem like it was going to happen at all.

And it's just the possibility of losing your draft pick was never going to happen, guys.

And now that we know that we're going to solidify it, it's all about mid-10th.

And you just want to make sure that you get your guy.

And once you get your guy next season, everything else will follow.

And I hope, I really hope that it's a top three pick bend because you can't settle first.

I know we keep talking about how talented this upcoming draft classes.

But it's just going to suck settling for five or six in my opinion.

I know it's frustrating for me.

What just fans to hear that?

But rightfully so, you need a top three pick.

Yeah, I mean, somebody's got to be here to change your franchise is what I'm looking for in this draft.

And we're going to talk about Boozer and how I feel about him because he was incredible tonight.

I thought so I got a lot more thoughts on him.

I just did a whole podcast talking about him, but maybe he heard some of the things I said

because he actually stepped up his game and played.

I thought his best game the entire tournament at this point.

But it just feels like the Wizards are limping their way through the final eight games of the season here.

And just the everyone I've talked to that watches his team on a daily basis.

Everyone's kind of like, yeah, we just we just got to get to the end of the season here.

Everybody's counting down the games at this point.

That's what it seems like.

At least the organization is doing as well.

And obviously they're going to say that they're out there trying to compete every single night.

But they've had to do what they've had to do to ensure that they keep this first round pick.

Because it's still tight in the lottery race between Sacramento, Brooklyn, Washington, Indiana.

It's tight for that last spot.

The worst record in the league is always separated by a game and a half from the fourth worst record, which is Sacramento right now.

Brooklyn won today over Sacramento.

So the Wizards were going to get helped no matter what.

And then Indiana won a basketball game tonight.

The Pacers won.

So the Wizards are tied in the win at column with them with 17 wins right now.

Which means that worst record is in sight.

The Wizards could fall no worse to fifth in the NBA draft if they finished for that worst record.

So it seems like the Wizards are committed to getting to that point because they don't want to fall beyond the fifth pick in this draft.

And that's honestly, that's probably what they should do.

A.B.

As much as it's painful to see because they're not developing at all right now.

That's kind of just what they need to do.

It's eight games left, folks.

I promise you can live with it.

Okay.

Yeah, I think I've seen enough from Alex R year two in Kishon has passed the test for year to Will Riley.

I think has come along as well.

And at this point, you're just going out there and throwing out leaky black and Julian recent seeing what they can do.

Amanda, they go got 31 minutes.

It's just tough to even if it's eight games left, it's tough to have that product on the court.

And it's tough for fans to watch.

So you're just trying to understand the bigger picture and knowing that May 10th is the start of basically next.

Pretty much.

All right.

When we come back, Cam Booser was dominant tonight for Duke.

And it was an epic collapse like all that down and why Booser impressed me so much tonight.

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27 points in a historic epic collapse for Duke Cameron Booser.

I thought was incredible for the Blue Devils tonight.

It happened to be his brother, Caden, that turned it over on the final play that led to a Braille and Moans game winner from nearly half court.

Unbelievable scenes at Capitol and Reno.

I can't believe I was there to witness it to see it.

And just to watch Cameron Booser, though, because I made the point a couple of days ago here on this podcast after the sweet 16.

I think Booser is going to be such a good player at the next level.

The people that doubt him because of his lack of athleticism, I don't care about that stuff.

I see what he does.

And tonight was more reassurance of just how good I think he can be in this league.

Whether or not I think he's like the franchise guy or not, that still remains to be seen.

I'm not as convinced about that.

But I would be thrilled to have Cameron Booser on this wizards team because of how intelligent he is and how quick of a processor he is.

There's a reason people think he's one of the smartest prospects in this draft.

You just see the way he dictates the offense when he gets the basketball.

He knows exactly when to initiate, when to begin his drive, when to set up in the low post.

Because he knows how the coverages are going to throw double teams his way.

He sees it every time in his vision.

I thought was ridiculous in this game.

He was zipping passes around the corner and I sit there and I start imagining.

I'm like, man, does imagine Booser and a wizard uniform here in Capitol, one arena gets the ball down low.

Double team comes his way and he zips it to the opposite corner.

Trey Johnson's over there. Will Riley's over there.

Kishan George, named that wizard.

He's in there knocking down a three from the corner.

That's the type of production you're getting from Cameron Booser.

The best passer of the top three prospects in this draft.

I thought he was unbelievable in this game and he came up with some pretty big shots.

Ultimately his team falls apart at the last moment and his run is done here at the elite eight.

So do you think Ben, not that his March man this run is over?

He's still projected to go third overall.

Yep. That's that's where I've had him all year.

I think that's where I would keep him at this point.

I like AJ and Darren Peterson just a little bit more.

I think those guys might have slightly higher ceilings in terms of their capabilities of being franchise players.

But man, it's hard to dis argue with the production that Boosers put up night in night out.

It's hard to argue with his acumen as a basketball player.

He is so, so smart.

He doesn't really have a ton of negative to his game whatsoever outside of being a little bit shorter than the average big.

And maybe not as great of a shooter yet.

I think that a lot of people would expect him to be because I think he's going to have to stretch the floor a little bit at the next level.

But the dude is strong as an ox.

People think that his boyball stuff isn't going to translate to the next level.

I think it will.

I just think he has the ability.

He has the basketball IQ to do so he is so strong and he's going to continue to get bigger.

He's going to continue to get stronger.

And for a guy to put up the numbers he did in his true freshman season as an 18 year old to play the leadership role that he did at Duke this past year.

I think it's something you cannot undermine with this guy.

Do you think and I'm just playing devil's advocate here Ben because I just I like messing with you and I love AJ.

It's a lazy comparison to compare.

Cameron Booser coming out of Duke right now to when Marvin Bagley was coming out of Duke 100% right.

I just I don't think it there's no reason to make that comparison right now.

Like Bagley has turned out to be a fairly solid player like obviously not number two overall pick worthy.

But this is different.

This is absolutely different scenario.

There's a reason people are so high on Booser.

It's it's not the same thing as Bagley.

I don't think at all.

I think I just on Twitter people see the left handed and I think is Bagley's taller than six nine right.

All right.

I think Bagley six ten six eleven.

I just think the fact that the IQ the IQ is there at such a young age and the whole idea that he's not athletic.

Look at the best place to be right now Ben.

Look at the uncle Chen Nicole Yokech.

You don't need to be head over the rim every single time you go down the lane.

So I love Cameron Booser's game.

And if he's playing alongside Isaac Trey young Alex star AD.

Man, it would be exciting.

But it just depends on his development.

And I think AJ for me is still number one and then Peter sent the two.

I know one of my friend Ben, one of my friends was a Pacer's fan who thinks that it would be a great fit if he ended up planning in Indiana.

It would be because if you slot Booser on any team that has championship caliber players already has to franchise player like Indiana does.

It could be scary hours out there because Haliburn is clear and obviously the guy in Indiana right now.

If you put him alongside Zubots there with the Pacers and then you have Booser slot in and play it before that team is going to be really good.

That team is going to be a contender to win the Eastern Conference and obviously getting Haliburn back is the big reason why.

But Booser will really benefit from playing with a true pure point guard, a franchise player like that.

And that's why I think you'd make a lot of sense in DC as well.

I think he'd play great alongside Trey young at the time, whatever the secession plan for Trey young might be.

I think he could fit in really well there.

I just love the capabilities that you have here with Cameron Booser.

If that's who you get at three, you should be over the moon for it because this dude just has what it takes to be a player that can win a lot at the next level.

I think there's a reason that he's won pretty much everywhere in his basketball career and he fall short tonight.

But it wasn't on him.

I was impressed with the way he moved his feet.

He was able to shuffle, play defense well in this game.

A lot of people think that he can't guard point guards right now.

He's not fast enough.

I think he still has the ability.

He's not like people act like he's on athletic period.

He's not on athletic.

He's just less athletic than some of these other prospects like Caleb Wilson.

And people think he's not going to rebound at the next level.

I think that's ridiculous as well.

Julian Reese is pretty much the same exact height as him.

And he's out there grabbing 13 to 15 boards of game right now for the wizards.

It's about IQ getting rebounds.

You need where the basketball is going off the rim.

Place yourself right.

Box out.

Be fundamental.

That's everything.

Booser is.

He's going to be a really good rebounder at the next level.

The wizards need that bad.

Outside of athleticism, Ben.

Like you mentioned, what do you think is another big difference between Wilson and Booser as a prospect?

Well, I think Booser can play on the outside much better than Wilson can at this point.

Wilson is not as good with the handle obviously.

Can Booser can handle the basketball?

He can initiate the offense from up top.

He can play off screens.

He can do all, which I think is really important.

That versatility.

I think is something that makes a lot of sense that Dawkins would like as well.

And Wilson doesn't have much of a jump shot right now.

If he develops a jumper and can play from the perimeter a little bit, that would be really scary stuff.

And maybe that's the type of upside that people see.

And Wilson, but I feel like you know what you're going to get in Booser right now,

which is going to be a really, really good NBA player.

Yeah.

And it's going to be exciting because we're going to do these breakdowns and compare prospects.

And I've seen so many guys that are just as high on Caleb Wilson as they are with Cameron Booser

and after today a 27 point performance.

It would have been sweet if they won Ben because I wanted to see him just play another game.

But it's just insane that these top prospects outside a key in Wogler are all eliminated, Ben, if I'm not mistaken.

That's a perfect transition because Keaton Wogler, he's the last remaining guy that's out there

that you can really still watch.

I think that should be on the Wizard's radar.

And he definitely deserves your attention.

Tell you why when we come back.

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Keaton Wogler the last remaining standing of these top prospects in this upcoming draft.

I don't think any of us really expected it to go down this way.

Illinois was a three seat in the tournament, but I didn't see them making a run to the final four, but Wogler against Iowa was incredible.

Yes 25 in the win over the Hawkeyes and this guy just seems like a will Dawkins type of pick.

And I know this is a doomsday type of scenario.

If you fall to five or six in this draft, but Wogler.

He's a real six foot six and can handle the basketball and can be a lead guard of the future for whichever NBA team picks him up.

And he's got a lot of great offensive skill to his game.

He is cold.

A.B.

I want to get your thoughts on what you've seen from him in this tournament and yesterday specifically because he was awesome.

Yeah, quickly just to go off Illinois.

I've been having a fun time watching.

So y'all have it to Ben.

I think he's going to be very fun in the future for Wogler.

It's funny because Illinois.

I mean outside of Wogler.

I didn't really know if they would have this ability to go on this run.

I know they were pretty good in the regular season, but men seeing him handle the ball at that size and score at well when that team.

That's really the bucket against Iowa.

He went out there and performed.

It just makes me wonder.

They'll bend if if there is a cuff was the height of Wogler.

How would you compare the two and the idea that if you do fall to five or six, the possibility of actually taking him over a guy like Kingston Fleming and

I'm breaking out right now in some other guards, but like a cuff.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Sorry.

The size obviously is a big deal because we already have a small guard here and trade young and then you don't want another small guard and then the idea of game.

Getting having your lead guard you're blown by every single possession defensively and one out we have that discussion all the time.

But offensively what I saw from King Wogler.

I loved it.

And if he does it again and leads us into national championship.

But when's it been?

There's a case for him being a top five pick.

Yeah.

And I think he'll fill out his frame at the next level and I think he'll be a pretty capable defender just because of his reach.

And I say similar things about Tray Johnson who didn't look like a great defender obviously in this rookie season.

But I think learning how to be a solid defender in this league and developing from that realm takes a lot of time.

I think becoming a really elite defender takes a lot longer than people think in this league.

It's pretty rare to see players who come in and make such an instant impact on that side of the ball.

Like maybe Vijay Edge come would be a perfect example of that because he was a defensive guru.

Add Baylor and Phil Delphi knew that was the kind of player they were going to get.

I think maybe he was a little bit further along offensively than maybe some anticipated in that pre draft process.

But with Wogler.

He fits the mold of what Dawkins likes.

He kind of likes these guys that are Lanky have the height to him six foot six is really, really important for a guy that can handle the basketball.

Obviously you have a guy in Riley now who's six foot nine and a half that's handling the basketball ball.

But Wogler at six foot six.

He's got an even better handle than Riley does at this point.

And he seems like more of like a project type of player to me at this point right now because he'd have to see him fill out his frame a little bit.

And I'm not sure how long it would take him to adjust to the NBA level.

But man like some of the plays he made yesterday with the basketball in his hands initiating the offense in creating his own shot was incredible.

There was one player he made his man literally need a map.

And he just went under the basket to go inbound the basketball before Wogler even shot it.

He just kind of accepted his fate completely lost him broke his ankles when they knocked down the three as well.

I like his capabilities as a playmaker as well because he can get me.

He can get past his defender a little bit.

That's something that you know he has to work on more.

I think that some of the other guards like a cuff in this process Fleming's or whoever else you want to look at.

Michael Brown. I feel like Michael Brown is kind of like really falling out of the conversation because we didn't get to see him in this tournament at all.

But we'll definitely talk more about Michael Brown when the time comes.

But just based on projections and what people like about his size.

Wogler seems like a guy that could be a really good fit.

If he falls to or if the Wizards fall to five or six in this draft.

All he has to have is some French descent Ben and that's it.

All the boxes will be checked off.

Yeah, I might as well just bring him here now.

Yeah, no, I think Wogler.

I mean, it's just amazing what he's doing right now.

Like you mentioned and he fills out his frame and it will take some time.

And this he will be joining a team that a lot of the young guys need to fill out their frame that comes with conditioning.

And then you know, in the weight room.

It would be an interesting fit in this room where you have all these guys trying to identify yourself.

Do you think Ben and I just goes back to the main question of landing a blue chip guy.

Wogler potentially could be an alpha player in the NBA or for the Wizards at least.

I think maybe at some point he's going to he's going to take more.

Because that's that's the biggest question Ben.

That's the bigger question because after this season there is no more tanking.

So this is this is your last shot at trying to land a guy that is going to attract NBA audience.

And as going to be able to go out there and say that I'm the best player on the court.

Not Bob's not the first or maybe that second year or third year and going to give.

Troubles to other Eastern conference teams because we're going up against these other teams in the East.

You have Kate Cunningham.

You have a Jason Tatum.

A Jalen Brown.

Jalen Brunson.

All all these guys.

We need our version of that.

I just don't think and you can agree with me.

It's not trade young or a deer.

I even Alex are.

Can you and Wogler be that guy?

Like those type of players that they don't grow on trees.

That's why being in the top three of the draft is so important.

Because the fact that there's three guys that might be franchise changing players.

And some people don't even see all those guys as the real franchise changing players.

Some people think there's only one or two.

These guys don't grow on trees.

So if you fall to five or six, you're probably not getting that type of guy.

But you still want to take the best player available and see what happens from there.

Like that's just the thing about the NBA superstars do not grow on trees.

They are so hard to find.

And that's why the Wizards are in the spot that they are right now.

Because outside of job wall for so many years, they never had that guy.

They tried to build around deal when he wasn't that guy at the time.

That didn't work out.

They had to reset.

Do this whole rebuild and they're still searching for it right now.

Yeah.

So I definitely.

Yeah.

I definitely didn't want to worry the question and make it seem like Wogler won't be really good.

No, I mean really good.

Yeah, I just everyone in Wizards nation is desperate for star band.

And I think we all know that the front office knows that they need someone that can be the poster child.

Yeah.

And it's just my opinion.

He's not here on this roster right now.

And I'm hoping that Alex R can be that one B like a number two option on the team.

I would love that.

And I love Cushion.

I love below.

I love every single Wiz kid.

It's just the alpha.

That main guy.

Anthony Edwards.

And I know you can mention doesn't grow on trees, but damn it.

We need one.

We do.

You're right about that.

Like you're passionate to getting another one guy is not unjustified whatsoever.

Like I know you especially one like you you know what's best for the team when you say that.

But you're a guy like you're completely into like what this basketball culture is like having a superstar player that like drives everything.

But there's a reason for that.

It's so important on a basketball floor.

It's what drives the team to be great to be going to go from a playoff team to a championship level team.

You need that type of player and you understand that.

So I admire your passion for it.

And just imagine Ben are in.

I know it's a selfish bar engagement.

I think more people will be watching if we focus on AJ de Bonza or Keith Walker.

I'm not kind of distant, but just saying.

I mean, yeah, AJ's got like what a million followers or something.

I think almost a million.

Wow.

That's that's great.

18 years old or whatever he is right now.

That's that's ridiculous.

He's also a big young boy fan too, Ben.

He is.

Check him out for a lot of boxes for you.

That's bonus points right there for AJ de Bonza.

That's the Utah connection right there.

And I'll do it for today's episode of Lockdown Awards.

We thank you for being locked out.

Wasn't your first listed every single day for your second.

Check out Lockdown NBA.

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Or check out the 24-7 live stream courtesy of Lockdown NBA.

For Abdulayubi, I'm Ben Strawberry.

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