John Wall, Washington Wizards Still Yet To Arrive

Grunfeld’s Gaffe-Filled Summer Of 2014

The summer of 2014 will not be looked back upon fondly for Grunfeld . The Wizards had just made the playoffs for the first time in six seasons and were naturally looking to add to their current makeup. The problem was, the moves were far too short-sighted.

Grunfeld and his front office team clearly thought the Wizards were on the verge of taking that next step. He viewed the team as having just won 64 games, not a team that won 44 games and was bounced in the second round of the playoffs

Letting Trevor Booker Walk

Trevor Booker had just completed the last year of his rookie contract, having arrived with the 23rd pick of the 2010 draft. He was a promising forward and a key member of their rotation.

So despite the Wizards spending four years developing a young forward, they simply let him walk out the door instead of signing him to an extension. Booker is currently the starting power forward for the Brooklyn Nets and is having the best season of his career.

This move leads to the next blunder.

Trading Trevor Ariza for, essentially, Kris Humphries and one year of Paul Pierce

Acquiring Kris Humphries was essentially done to replace Booker in the frontcourt rotation. But in order to obtain Humphries, the Wizards had to use the trade exception gained as part of their trade with the Houston Rockets when dealing Trevor Ariza.

The signing of Paul Pierce was definitely a positive move. But with a player option on the second year of his two-year deal, it turned out to be an extra-short deal. Pierce walked after one year to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Ariza had essentially the same deal on the table from both the Wizards and the Rockets. But with no state income tax in Texas, his decision was made. The Wizards, of course, could have raised their offer, but decided on a different tactic.

And hence, Grunfeld ended up with a one-year rental of Pierce and the trade for Humphries. Humphries has subsequently been traded by the Wizards.

Trading second-round pick for cash to the Los Angeles Lakers

Many may argue that this is no big deal, trading the 46th pick in the draft for cash considerations. But this is just another example of Grunfeld’s short-sightedness. With the selection, the Lakers drafted guard Jordan Clarkson.

Clarkson is now an essential part of the up-and-coming Lakers and is one of the more promising two-way guards in the league. To illustrate his upside, Clarkson was signed this offseason to a four-year, $50 million deal.