I’m not sure what to make of the rumors regarding a potential trade centered around Ersan Ilyasova going from Milwaukee to Washington in exchange for the third overall pick other than… Rumors are fun! Plus, with the Theodore Unit already in place, adding a Turkish player with the nickname “Ghostface” would fit the M.O. Also, this one smells Grunfeldian, which makes it worth addressing with blog pixels. Of course, Ilyasova and the Wizards’ first-round pick are just two components of a likely more complicated could-be deal. No way Ilyasova would ever be traded for the third pick straight up.

The rumor started on the good ol’ radio. Via Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal-Times on Milwaukee’s SportsRadio 1250:

“Well, if they move (Ilyasova), it’s going to be a major move, because Ersan’s value is definitely pretty high. And one of the rumors, and I repeat RUMOR, all capital letters here—is that Washington might have some interest in Ilyasova and another Bucks’ player for the #3.”

Woelfel, clearly being of an old school ilk, did not “tweet” this rumor out via his Twitter account (@GeryWoelfel). That said, Woelfel hasn’t tweeted in the month of June and his account bio currently states: “Live updates from the Las Vegas Summer League and the latest in Free Agency.”

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[The Washington Wizards are working out WHO? The dirt on the six players that the Wizards are bringing to the Verizon Center on Monday, June 3, for pre-2013 NBA Draft workouts.] 

>> Tyler Brown                          

G – Illinois State
6’4″, 185 lbs.

The 23-year-old hails from Owensboro, KY. He is listed at 6’4″, but his height without shoes is listed at 6’1″ and his wingspan at 6’5″ (per DraftExpress).

He signed with Morehead State out of high school, red-shirted in 2008-09, then transferred at Marshalltown Community College in Normal, Illinois. At Marshalltown, he was named an NJCAA All-American twice, honorable mention in 2010 and second-team in 2011.

On January 9, Brown was suspended indefinitely by Illinois State Redbirds coach Dan Muller for conduct detrimental to the team. He only missed one game before returning to the court. Last season, Brown led the Redbirds in scoring with 18.1 points per game (third in the Missouri Valley Conference), shooting 44 percent from the field, 39 percent from the 3-point line, and 80.6 percent from the free throw line.

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The 2012-13 NBA regular season ended a month and six days ago. Over the 170 days prior, starting on October 30, 2012, it was 82 games up, 82 games down for the Washington Wizards; 29 wins and 53 losses. The beauty is that we don’t have to live through it again—teams that win 35 percent of their games rarely want to—but we also don’t have to forget. Because you’d never learn, or improve, if you forgot everything and ripped the rearview mirror off the Ferrari.

Nineteen different individuals suited up for the Wizards this past season. Martell Webster led the way in action with 2,200 minutes, and Jason Collins contributed the fewest with 54 minutes. For all 82 games, the staff of Truth About It.net, amongst other game observations, rated each of the five Wizards starters plus two players off the bench on a three-star scale (inspired by the District of Columbia flag) in a series of posts called the D.C. Council. (Well, we evaluated players for all games, except one: Game 60, when Deron Williams completely demoralized the Wizards from ever competing by going 7-for-7 from the 3-point line in the first quarter.)

Sometimes three players off the bench were evaluated instead of two; a few times it was less than two. In general, the average rating of players coming off the bench was skewed a little higher for the simple fact that those playing better were more likely to get evaluated. Starters, on the other hand, got evaluated no matter what.

[***Also: remember that silly little time in December 2012 when the most positive talk that could be mustered was how the 1-13 Wizards led the NBA in bench scoring? Swell.]

The D.C. Council ratings are a statistical anti-stat. They are the combined impression of several interested members of the crowd, but in numerical form. Sometimes the ratings were contingent on winning and losing, and they were always subjective. They are simply one window of evaluation, combined with written analysis, both standard and advanced statistics, and shot charts. Below is a hyperlinked index of reviews for all 19 Wizards (plus a bonus review of Tomas Satoransky, Wizards Euro-stash), their average D.C. Council three-star rating, and the number of games over which they were evaluated.

The 2012-13 Washington Wizards season: it was all a dream, and not that great of a dream.

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[Wizards 2012-13 Player Reviews from the TAI crew are going down; let's reflect---index:
Jannero Pargo, Jason Collins, Shaun Livingston, Shelvin Mack, Cartier Martin, Earl Barron,
Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton, Trevor Booker, Garrett Temple, Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza,
Martell Webster, A.J. Price, Jordan Crawford, Kevin Seraphin, Bradley Beal, Nene, John Wall.]

Trevor Booker

6-7 : Height
240 lbs. : Weight
25 : Age
3 : Years NBA Experience
1 : NBA Team

Drafted by the Timberwolves 23rd overall in 2010,
traded to the Wizards on draft night. 

Time as a Wizard in 2012-13

48 : Games
14 : Starts
887 : Minutes

1.20 out of 3 stars

Average Truth About It.net DC Council Game Rating
{Booker evaluated over 25 games} 

13.9 PER

NBA historical PER contribution equivalent:
maybe Xavier McDaniel for the 1991-92 New York Knicks (13.9)
maybe Darius Songaila for the 2008-09 Washington Wizards (13.9),
maybe Mike Sweetney for the 2005-06 Chicago Bulls (13.9)

.126 Win Shares/48 Minutes

NBA historical WS/48 contribution equivalent:
maybe Shane Barrier for the 2002-03 Memphis Grizzlies (.126),
maybe Tim Thomas for the 2000-01 Milwaukee Bucks (.126),
maybe Jon Brockman for the 2009-10 Sacramento Kings (.125)

With Trevor Booker on the Court…

The Wizards offense scored 3.3 points less per 100 possessions (OffRtg)
The Wizards defense allowed 5.3 points more per 100 possessions (DefRtg)
Plus/Minus per 48 minutes: minus-8.2

Numbers : Per 36 Minutes

10.4 : Points
9.7 : Rebounds
0.6 : Blocks
1.3 : Steals
1.6 : Assists
1.3 : Turnovers
3.9 : Fouls

0.90 PPP

Booker had 278 offensive possessions with the Wizards that ended with a FGA, TO or FTs, and he scored 0.90 Points Per Possession (PPP) on those, ranked 230th in the NBA (via Synergy Sports Technology). Defensively, he allowed 0.77 PPP over 213 possessions, ranked 37th in the NBA.

Shooting

49.1% Field Goals (108-220)
0% 3-Pointers (0-5)
55.6% Free Throws (40-72)

#35

Trevor Booker in 2012-13 with the Wizards:
Cook Book Lacks Sizzle

by Rashad Mobley (@Rashad20)

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 82, Washington Wizards at Chicago Bulls; contributors: Kyle Weidie and Adam McGinnis from the District.]

Had to end somehow. But hey, the #Wizards season had to end somehow… vine.co/v/bUqd6WUlLKP — Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) April 18, 2013 Que?

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 81, Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets; contributors: Kyle Weidie from tape delay in the District, and Sean Fagan from tape delay in Brooklyn.]

Remember me? Did Emeka Okafor really let Andray Blatche do this? [This was probably when Okafor hurt his ankle.] Did Emeka Okafor really let Andray Blatche do this? #SoWizards vine.co/v/bFjl71O1ihD — Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) April 16, 2013

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 80, Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers; contributors: Adam McGinnis and Kyle Weidie from the Verizon Center, and Conor Dirks from the state of Georgia.]

A minute with Randy.

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It’s been debated to the point of irrelevancy. Most will tell you, Jay-Z over Nas, especially with the back-minded consideration that the former has Beyoncé on his arm. And Kelis probably hates Nas… So. Much. Right. Now!

It was always mostly about lyricism, amongst the variety of other factors that go into one’s musical experience. I still personally struggle with the debate. They are the two best rappers alive, and for my money, not alive, too (at risk of committing hip-hop blasphemy in not buying into the over-inflated value in the lives and skills of Tupac and Biggie after death).

If Jay-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt, is a 9.8, then Nas’ debut, Illmatic, is a 9.9—I’m hesitant to give anything, even LeBron’s basketball skills, a perfect 10. Ask me in the early-to-mid-2000s (Blueprint albums to the Black Album), and I’d be more inclined to say Jay-Z. Ask me later in my timeline (Street’s Disciple/Hip Hop is Dead to Life is Good), and I’d be more inclined to say Nas (including up to this very day).

I’ll concede that some of Nas’ lows are lower than Jay-Z’s lows, and that Jay-Z’s overall career is more decorated. And I might also find some irony that Nas’ “Ether” effectively killed the mano a mano battle between the two (although Hova’s “Blueprint 2” retaliation off the Blueprint 2 album was pretty badass).

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 73, Washington Wizards vs. Toronto Raptors; contributors: Rashad Mobley and Kyle Weidie from the Verizon Center, and Adam McGinnis from the heart of Mount Pleasant.]

Happy Easter! [Easter with Jan & Eva, via instagram/janvesely24

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[D.C. Council: setting the scene, rating the starters, assessing the subs, providing the analysis, and catching anything that you may have missed. Unlike the real DC Council, everything here is on the table. Game No. 72, Washington Wizards at Orlando Magic; contributors: Conor Dirks, John Converse Townsend and Kyle Weidie from the comfort of their abodes.]

LeWittmanFace [#WittmanFace to Kevin Seraphin, image via @Above_Legit] Love how Wittman said “HEY!” on this late #Magic FT Att. #Wizards vine.co/v/bjEwq6Q06nv — Kyle Weidie (@Truth_About_It) March 30, 2013

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