Jahadi White and Matt Modderno explain the benefits of re-signing Kyle Kuzma and the impact that can have on this year's team. Jahadi also gives a first-hand accounting of what it's like for a young player to compete in Summer League. They break down the Summer League roster, what to expect from certain players like Bilal Coulibaly and Tristan Vukcevic, and discuss a few players they're most excited to see in action. Jahadi also talks about seeing Patrick Baldwin Jr. compete in AAU and how we ha...
Jul 05, 2023•57 min•Ep. 210
Kyle Kuzma re-signs with the Wizards for 4yrs/$102M. Osman Baig joins Matt Modderno and they have different perspectives on the Kuzma deal so they debate the merits of the signing in real-time. They break down what it means for the team's expectations for next season and if Kuzma is truly a part of their long-term plans. They also talk about the Monte Morris trade, who is likely to get moved next, and the futures of players like Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Anthony Gill. Presented by betonline.ag!...
Jul 01, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 209
Jahadi White and Matt Modderno break down the Wizards' latest trades and draft picks and discuss what that means for their future. Jahadi gives a ringing endorsement to both Jordan Poole and Bilal Coulibaly and thinks they are the right pieces to start a rebuild with. Can Bilal Coulibaly play point guard the way the front office seems to believe he can? Jahadi explains why he can and why that makes them such an intriguing backcourt of the future. He also discusses an interesting rumor from celeb...
Jun 29, 2023•52 min•Ep. 208
Welcome to the live draft show! Domo (@Domo8166) of the Wizards of Gallery Place podcast and Kevin Broom (@So_Wizards) of the #SoWizards podcast and Bullets Forever joined Matt Modderno for a live draft show! We covered all of the Wizards picks, the trades, the drama, the theater, and had a lot of fun along the way! Plus, we were able to raise money for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Thank you to all who donated, the people who watched live, SI Draft Digest analyst Matt ...
Jun 23, 2023•4 hr 56 min•Ep. 207
Osman Baig joined Matt Modderno for a live podcast to discuss the Kristaps Porzingis to Boston trade. And then they discussed that trade falling through. And then they discussed that trade being back on again but this time with Memphis involved. It was a real roller coaster to go through during a live podcast! They also discussed what the Wizards could do with another early second-round pick. They also covered the most likely candidates to be drafted with the 8th pick as of the latest reporting ...
Jun 22, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 206
Kevin Broom of Bullets Forever and the #SoWizards podcast (@So_Wizards) joins Matt Modderno for a week-of draft preview and to compare notes between each of their big boards. They spend extra time discussing the players who make the most sense in the Wizards' general range and identify other players who should be on the Wizards' radar later in the draft. Plus, the guys that were the hardest for them to evaluate. They cover pretty much everyone likely to go in the first round so if you want to ge...
Jun 21, 2023•1 hr 32 min•Ep. 204
Bradley Beal is now a Phoenix Sun! So is Jordan Goodwin! And Chris Paul is a Wizard…for now! What an absolutely crazy day in Wizards’ fandom, including seemingly endless second round picks, pick swaps, Landry Shamet, Woj Bombs, and on and on. Ryan Oliver (@RyanBOliver) of The Wizards Groupchat, Brendan Smith (@threezustrist) of the Wizards of Gallery Place, and Osman Baig (@OBtoojiveforyou) of Bullets Forever all join Matt Modderno to help make sense of the deal. We cover why this trade return m...
Jun 19, 2023•58 min•Ep. 205
Former Wizard Jahadi White weighs in on the Wizards' new front office structure and the likelihood of a Bradley Beal trade soon, including the implications of Beal's no trade clause on the deal. Jahadi's able to provide a firsthand account of what it's like for a player when you know you're about to be traded and what that's like when dealing with other players, coaches, and the front office. We discuss what we think is the most realistic scenario and what the Wizards could expect to get back in...
Jun 15, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 203
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported today that the Wizards have begun to explore trades for Bradley Beal and that Michael Winger and Beal's agent will be in close contact about potential trades. Other reports have come out that the Wizards are interested in getting up into the top 3 of this year's NBA Draft. Bryce Simon of Motor City Hoops, the Pistons Pulse podcast, and Draft Digest joins the show to discuss who the Wizards should take at 8, what a Beal trade could look like, and how trading Be...
Jun 14, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Ep. 201
We will be hosting a livestream during the NBA Draft on June 22nd to raise money for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children! Domo (@Domo8186) of the Wizards of Gallery Place podcast and Kevin Broom of the #SoWizards podcast (@So_Wizards) and Bullets Forever will be joining Matt Modderno to provide real-time, Wizards-specific draft coverage and analysis. Coverage will start around 8p.m. EST and will be available on the @BleavinWizards Twitter account and Bleav in Wizards YouTube c...
Jun 12, 2023•7 min•Ep. 201
We've dissected the hirings of Michael Winger and Will Dawkins so it was time to cover Travis Schlenk's addition in more detail. Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) of Hawks.com joins the podcast to discuss Schlenk's time as Head of Basketball Ops for the Atlanta Hawks. We go over his draft and trade history in Atlanta and his involvement in key draft decisions with Golden State. There's at least one major drafting tendency that he and Bob Myers seem to share. Chouinard gives great perspective on Sch...
Jun 08, 2023•50 min•Ep. 200
The Wizards have hired Will Dawkins, the VP of Basketball Operations for the OKC Thunder, to join their front office, as general manager. Rylan Stiles (@rylan_stiles), host of the Locked On Thunder podcast and editor of Thunderous Intentions, joins Matt Modderno to discuss what Wizards fans can expect from Dawkins. We discuss what that means for the team-building strategy and who are the likely draft picks that could appeal to Dawkins. Is Bilal Coulibaly a likely candidate for the 8th pick now? ...
Jun 05, 2023•34 min•Ep. 199
Osman Baig (@obtoojiveforyou) joins to discuss an article he wrote for Bullets Forever where he talked to Clippers insider Robert Flom about Michael Winger's track record in LA. Oz shares some of the insights he learned from that convo and we break down Winger's roster building and draft picks. Based on the precedent he set in LA, is a rebuild coming? We weigh in on that and what it means for each member of the big 3. Plus, Oz and Matt discuss Matt's Draft Big Board 1.0. We run down the top 30 p...
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 198
Troy Haliburton (@TroyHalibur) joins the podcast to talk about the latest developments and reporting associated with the hiring of Michael Winger as president of Monumental Basketball. Supposedly, Ted Leonsis is giving Winger full authority to do whatever he wants to the roster, including rebuilding, but should we actually believe that? We also discuss who Winger is likely to hire to be the actual general manager of the Wizards. Plus, we review Winger's comments about Bradley Beal being "unequiv...
May 27, 2023•42 min•Ep. 197
The Wizards have (finally) hired someone to run their organization! Michael Winger leaves his role as Clippers GM to have "full leadership" over all of Monumental Basketball. Dan Favale (@danfavale) of the Hardwood Knocks (@HardwoodKnocks) podcast and Bleacher Report joins Matt Modderno to discuss the move. What does it mean for the future of the organization? Will this represent a departure from the middle-build approach? Will Ted Leonsis give him full autonomy? Does this mean Porzingis and Kuz...
May 25, 2023•53 min•Ep. 196
Bleav in Wizards Draft: On this episode, we cover the Arkansas prospects: Anthony Black, Nick Smith Jr. Ricky Council IV, and Jordan Walsh. Jacob Davis (@JacobScottDavis), the owner & publisher of Hawg Country (@HawgCountry_FR) and the host of The Hawg Talk (@TheHawgTalk), came on to provide in-depth analysis as someone who covered the team all season and watched all of their games. We spent the most time on Black as he's the player most likely to be taken by the Wizards at #8 but Smith Jr. ...
May 22, 2023•37 min•Ep. 195
Bleav in Wizards Draft: On today's episode, we cover Villanova freshman wing Cam Whitmore. Tommy Godin (@tommygodinjr) of VU Hoops (@vuhoops) and Road to the Garden (@Road2theGarden) covered Whitmore all year so he is able to provide a first-hand account of what Whitmore could bring to the Wizards if he's available with the 8th pick. We cover his strengths, weaknesses, likely role, long-term ceiling, and even answer fans questions about Whitmore's game! Presented by betonline.ag!
May 18, 2023•26 min•Ep. 194
Jahadi White and Matt Modderno discuss what's going on with the Wizards' GM search and what we should take away from the lack of meaningful updates so far. Will things begin to heat up now that the Warriors' season is over and Bob Myers is available? We also go over Myers' tenure in Golden State and whether he's actually the right fit in Washington. Would he try to bring someone like Draymond Green with him? We also cover the recent coaching staff changes the Wizards have made and what that mean...
May 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 193
Bleav in DMV Hoops: On the inaugural episode of Bleav in DMV Hoops, Matt Modderno welcomes Jeff Ermann (@Jeff_Ermann) of InsideMDSports.com to check in on all things Maryland Basketball! If you haven't been keeping up over the offseason so far, allow us to get you up to speed. We talk about Jahmir Young and Donta Scott deciding to return, the additions of Chance Stephens and Jordan Geronimo, the departures of Hakim Hart and Ian Martinez, and Maryland's pursuit of Hunter Dickinson. Jeff also prov...
May 12, 2023•36 min•Ep. 1
On this episode of "Bleav in Wizards Draft", Matt Modderno is joined by Ersin Demir (@EDemirNBA) of nbadraftjunkies.com to break down the "power forward" position in this year's NBA Draft. They start the episode off with an in-depth assessment of which player might make the most sense to play next to Kristaps Porzingis. They cover: Jarace Walker, Taylor Hendricks, GG Jackson, Leonard Miller, Noah Clowney, Jalen Wilson, Dillon Mitchell, Nikola Durisic, Jordan Walsh, Coleman Hawkins, Arthur Kaluma...
May 08, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 192
Jahadi White and Matt Modderno break down the Wizards' GM search and how the timing of it might complicate things. Jahadi provides his perspective on whether the Wizards need to rush to make a move and if waiting will hamper their pre-draft process at all. For instance, is a GM from a winning team as well-versed on lottery-caliber prospects? Jahadi also fills listeners in on what the dynamics are like between players and GMs. He talks about what his interactions were like with Wes Unseld Sr., Er...
May 01, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 191
In this "Bleav in Wizards Draft" spinoff episode, Matt Modderno is joined by Garrett Johnson (@halfawaketakes), a scout for Between the Lines Sports and a Wizards fan. They cover all of the "bigs" or center prospects likely to be on the radar of NBA teams leading up to this year's draft. Victor Wembanyama is likely the only lottery pick of the bunch but there are plenty of other names who could provide depth later in the draft, especially the second round. Garrett and Matt weigh in on the NBA po...
Apr 28, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 190
In this "Bleav in Wizards Draft" spinoff episode, Matt Modderno is joined by Cooper Klein (@Alley_Oop_Coop) of the Upside Swings podcast (@upsideswings) to discuss the wings who are likely to go in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft. They cover the major names and which ones make the most sense for the Wizards and their new GM to evaluate. They also discuss several sleepers who could provide good value later in the first round or in the early second. If you're interested in a comprehensive li...
Apr 24, 2023•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 189
Osman Baig (@Obtoojiveforyou) of Bullets Forever joins Matt Modderno to discuss the huge news that the Wizards have "dismissed" GM and Team President Tommy Sheppard after what seems like 174 years with the organization. Sheppard finished with a 129-179 record and one playoff appearance on his resume. Oz and Matt cover why the Wizards made this decision now, what it means for the futures of the "big 3", who are some likely candidates to replace him, and what Sheppard's overall legacy will be. The...
Apr 20, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 188
Jahadi White and Matt Modderno give their final thoughts on the 2022-2023 Wizards season. They talk about what worked, what didn't, and what the Wizards need to focus on in order to be better next year. Both hosts believe increasing pace of play is a big area of focus this offense so they address what type of personnel moves that would require. There's a longer conversation on coaching and getting players to buy-in, as well as what it's like for someone like Wes Unseld Jr. to go from being an as...
Apr 17, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 187
Osman Baig (@obtoojiveforyou) of Bullets Forever joins Matt Modderno for a reaction podcast after the Wizards' end of season media availability. Tommy Sheppard, Wes Unseld Jr., Bradley Beal, and others all weighed in on what went wrong this season. Their responses ranged from things like injuries to a lack of accountability. Some of those comments might be a bit triggering for fans so Oz and Matt gave their gut reactions after hearing them. They also break down whether there was anything valuabl...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 186
In all likelihood, the Wizards have locked themselves in for a top-10 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Jahadi White and Matt Modderno break down their lottery odds and just how good of a pick they could realistically get. They also cover Tommy Sheppard's desire to add Marcin Gortat to the coaching staff in a greater role in the future, what it's like playing on a team that's going to be in the lottery, and have an honest convo about the role of gambling in the NBA. Jahadi shows some love to Deni Avdi...
Apr 05, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 185
Matt Modderno is joined by Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) of the WizardsWave blog to touch on all of the relevant Wizards-related news items. They start by discussing the teams' peaks and valleys in terms of record over the last 20 years and how they're aiming too low with their current approach to build a successful team. Bill Simmons recently blasted the Wizards as being the dumbest franchise in the league so Greg and Matt weigh in on that. They each give their perspectives on Chris Miller's comm...
Mar 28, 2023•58 min•Ep. 184
Jahadi White and Matt Modderno talk about the Wizards' recent choice to soft tank for the remainder of the NBA season. The guys lay out their plans for how to improve the team for next season, especially how to supercharge their offense. The Wizards three-point offense and defense has been lacking, especially lately, so that's a large focus of the conversation. They discuss the most important position to upgrade in the offseason and the draft prospect who best helps address that need. Jahadi hel...
Mar 24, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 183
The Wizards gave a disappointing performance in a loss to the Orlando Magic and are now 3.5 games out of the last play-in spot. Will Clayton (@WillCIayton) joins Matt Modderno for a live postgame reaction podcast in what is hopefully a very relatable conversation for all Wizards fans. They discuss whether the Wizards are actually trying to soft tank, and if so, why wouldn't they play people like Johnny Davis more minutes. Will and Matt offer their perspective on how it feels to be a fan of this ...
Mar 22, 2023•52 min•Ep. 182
