Doc & Scott are in for Craig Hoffman this week, and it’s an interesting one for both the Capitals and Wizards – both of whom are playing out the string, the first time in two decades both have been in that position.
When it comes to the Wiz, though, they at least have had a chance to play their young stars down the stretch with so many starters banged up – and when NBA TV’s Chris Miles joined Doc & Scott Wednesday, the DC-area fan in him at least hopes the tankathon keeps up.
“Sometimes I’ll see Ted Leonsis and know my heart will always be with the Wizards – and I hope that they lose as many games as possible and it bounces their way to the No. 1 pick!" Miles laughed. "That would be such a great moment for basketball in the DMV and around the world if Victor Wembanyama makes his way to the Wizards!”
If their slim chance of moving up to the Top 3 doesn’t come to fruition, the Wizards’ pick will fall somewhere between 9 and 13 depending on how the top of the lottery actually shakes out. But in the load management era of the NBA, is what the Wizards are doing wrong in any way?
“Here’s the thing: I think the 65-game minimum to be eligible for awards is the beginning of ending this, but it is arguably the biggest issue in the NBA going forward with the people invested in the league and its future,” Miles said. “For people coming to a game, say it’s the Warriors coming to DC and it’s the one time we see Steph Curry and he’s out for load management – that’s not a good product.”
Miles also mentioned how Ja Morant missed out on a $40 million incentive because his eight-game suspension put him out for too many games (with some of the previous absences being “load management”), and wondered if player empowerment will eventually mean pushback on sitting out.
“You have to look at it that way, and understand the players are going to push back and only sit out when they’re really hurt,” he said.
Take a listen to Miles’ full segment with Doc & Scott, where he also talks about the MVP and playoff races, starting at around 19:30 in the clip!
Keep up with 980 The Team via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Commanders Offseason Evaluation Post NFL Draft