Trust The Wizards’ Process | Sports Junkies

Trust The Wizards’ Process | Sports Junkies

I've learned that I never had a full complete Christmas tree growing up >> because >> because I've never had a train around it. >> You're missing out. >> You need a train, buddy. >> There's something home There's something homely about it. >> Train. >> Did you >> There's something homey >> homely about it. Homely like >> I don't know. There's just like the kid in you, you know, like a kid likes to see a train or something. I don't know. There just something. >> What was something nerdy you did as a kid, Will? What was What were you into? Were you a Legos guy? What? Yeah, probably Lego. So that would that counts. That counts. My daughter's into it now, so it's cool. >> That's normal, though. Bring it back. I feel like that's normal. Now, I think if you're going out and you're buying the Star Wars thing and then the next Star Wars thing and then the next star, then I think you you're reaching a different level. We didn't have the complete sets. But >> yeah, you just >> I like the tinsel. We use tinsel. We definitely let the the man put the star on the tree. So, I was enjoying that while dropping. [laughter] >> He knows the family traditions. >> What What are the What are the wizards doing for You guys always do stuff for holidays. Is there anything special? >> Yeah, our guys this year have actually really crushed it. Um, individually, but also team stuff, the the normal give backs to the schools and three different players and teams that visited the hospital at different times and brought kids to the games, those type of things. But, um, making sure our staff, we actually put together, um, a a wish list for families of people who were incarcerated and couldn't take care of their kids this, um, Christmas and made sure we fulfilled their Christmas list. And then a few of our players, John Thompson and I actually went to um the jail and visited some of the residents there and talked to them. So, it's been very active. Um Trey had an event just yesterday. Like it's it's non-stop. Our guys have been in the community. I'm really proud. >> You got to You got to say hello to JT3 for us. He that's our guy. JT doesn't like to do media. >> Amazing how many people love John Thompson. He is the best. But I will say hello to them, >> please. He didn't like to do media. He didn't like it. He loved coming on our show. >> What was his intro? Oh, he was like a Douggee Fresh guy, right? >> He was a Douggey Fresh guy. We would give us Skids updates. I mean, he just he let us come out to Midnight Madness. I mean, I can tell you >> he loved us. >> I I'm just telling you, he [laughter] loved us. >> I love Instead of you saying I loved him, you're throwing he loved us. >> No, we loved We loved him, too. >> No, but was interesting about it. >> Both ways. Both ways. >> No, but what's interesting about it is I know guys that went to school with him or whatever and are like, trust me, he doesn't like the media. He doesn't like doing that stuff. He loves coming on with you guys. and you could feel it. So say I miss him. I miss him. That's what I mean. >> I'm gonna go knock on the door. >> Don't knock on his door. We wake him up. All right. So you guys are coming off a win over the Pacers. And by the way, I think I've told you this before, but Unfunny Ben, he does the locked on Wizards. Uh [laughter] I'm I consider him the outside of anybody in your organization, the number one expert on the Wizards. Like this guy, he does an hour on you guys every day >> WHEN THERE'S NOTHING GOING on in the off season. HE'S LOCKED IN LIKE NO ONE. SO, he always preps me for these interviews. He always preps me. >> Okay. >> Um, and I'm aware obviously that you guys >> What's Ben got today, then? >> He's got a lot. All right. Um, >> where we at? >> All right. Well, first of all, this is just my own my own question. >> How do you hold the Pacers to 89? That's what we're looking for. That's what we're looking for, Will. I know that's rare, but I mean, >> under a Huntsky, great. >> Yeah, you're right. I think that was clearly our best defensive effort of the season. um when you have three quarters where they're 15, 19, and 23 points scored, like that's that's huge for us and markers. Um I'll say this, Coach Keefe had the guys in the right mindset. They didn't like what happened that last time we went to Indiana and I think they responded and and reshaped and had a more determined effort and I think you saw that. But it was a great team effort because obviously we're down a lot of bodies, but the players that got their chances really stepped up and I was just proud of how they competed, the energy, the effort, connectedness. Um, but I'd say the last three games since that Boston game that no one really liked the taste of that. >> Um, we've been a more resilient group. Um, >> we've tied or led in the fourth quarter, all three of those games. Again, if you you have a tie at that point or a lead, you have a chance to win, but more importantly, chances to learn and stack opportunities. So, I I think we're trending in the right direction. And the culmination came with the passing and the defense in Indiana. Well, there's a there's a lot to like and even though I was kind of even tweet teasing on Twitter the other day when I saw that like the last three years you guys have been like three and 20 at the 23 game. It's just like so annoying, but I know there's a process. We're getting there. I can see the light. I see all these young players including Will Riley, which you guys might have you got you might have pulled one a rabbit out of you right with with Will where you got him in the draft and what he's showing. Um >> guy's still growing. >> Yeah, I mean >> he said he's feeling growing pains. talk. He's one of those young guys that's contributing and he's really starting to blossom. What do you love about Will? >> Yeah, I love his his approach to be honest with you. Um Will's young but doesn't act that way. He's an everyday guy. Um there's a few guys that are in the gym all the time, morning, noon, and night and he's one of those guys. He just really loves basketball. But I think what he's showing is he's taken what he's been able to learn and the experience he's gotten with Cody and the go- go um to use his high level IQ and his high level competition and motor to just impact the game. And the last five games when he's gotten real minutes, he's obviously producing, shooting well, but also scoring. I think it's averaging double digits over the last five games. So again, Will's someone when we drafted, we knew it was going to take some time. um he's still not close to who he's going to be, but the fact that he competes and brings it every day and makes his teammates better with positive energy on top of the skill set that he has to play on the ball, off the ball, make shots, and really make reads is why we're so high on him. When you mix in the size and that he's still growing like you guys said, like we feel pretty good about that one down the line. >> Talking to Will Dawkins, Wizards GM, I want you to take us inside a front office decisionmaking process. Right. We've been speculating on Jaden Daniels being shut down, right? >> The NBA is kind of known for this and decision making and load management and all those sort of things. So, let's say hypothetically you guys um have to make a decision on a player. I mean, you do it all the time, right? Guys are injured. How does it go down in your front office? When does an owner get involved? You know, you guys have different players sidelined and you hear from doctors. What What's it like inside the front office? Yeah, I think it's a collaborative approach. Um, I don't know how Josh does runs things, but I have spoken with Adam Peters and I'm sure they're making the most informed decisions possible. And organizations typically put the players first. I know that's something we do. Um, so when it comes to serious injuries, and unfortunately we saw so many of them this weekend in the NFL with like real all-star caliber Pro Bowl players. Um, when you start seeing those things, you want to make sure you're protecting your players and doing right by them. And you typically meet with them, you meet with the doctors, you get your own opinion, then you go get a second opinion outside and then typically inform the agency, the player, and get a third opinion. And from there, you put everybody in a room and make the best decision for the player. And I truly believe that's what the commanders are doing as well. >> I think they're a little scared. They're just being a little bit scared to be honest with you. Will >> So real quick, >> you bring him back for one game and he gets hurt again. Like I I've been I've been there. I understand you got >> No, I For one game I got For one game I got you. But he's got a boo boo in his left non-throwing elbow for five games. I mean, come on. Nothing structurally wrong. >> What What is the status information on >> What [laughter] is the status on the guys you do have information on like Alex Sar? When will we see him back on the court? >> Yeah, so um still banged up a little bit. I think you will see Balo come back here pretty quickly. Um hopefully Alex at some point at the end of this week is trending if not early next week. Chris Middleton right around that same page. So, we're starting to get guys healthy. It was good to see Trey get back there even though he was on that 15 minute cap pretty much, but he'll start seeing a little bit more there. And then Cory with his broken thumb has started progressing doing more on the court. So, I think Chris Balo and Alex are probably um within the week to 10 days, hopefully sooner, and then not too much further after that with Corey. >> All right. Well, always fun talking to you. Get that train. Get that train for around your Christmas tree. >> Amazon. going to Amazon now. Thank you guys. >> There you go. Thank you. >> Merry Christmas. All right, buddy. You too. >> All right, coming up next, the guy who broke the Jaden Daniel story that he's being shut down for the rest of year. We'll talk to Rap Sheet Ian Rapaort from the NFL Network insider reporter next here on the Junks.

Will Dawkins joins The Sports Junkies to break down the latest Washington Wizards news.

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