Washington Wizards Blog

Comment from wiz-skins07
Time June 27, 2008 at 9:20 AM

Memphis Got OJ Mayo. They are stacked at Gaurd. They will probably be looking to trade Kyle Lowry. I think we should make a move and try to get the guy.

Comment from dmac
Time June 27, 2008 at 9:28 AM

There are some decent free agents out there. I wonder how soon it will be before we bring these guy’s in.

Comment from dopeboyfresh
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:02 AM

these next few months are going to very interesting……. i have to say i didn’t like the McGee pick, but it might work to our advantage, i thnk the wizards are going to be very involved in trades over the month of july………. with ernie leading this team I bet we will at least have Home Court ADV next year in the playoffs………….

GO WIZARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Comment from Gprep21
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:05 AM

This draft was dissapointing but I still think EG is going to make his big moves in free agency. McGee could end up being OK and I understand why Walker was traded for Cash, the kid just would not see the floor IF he made the roster. I like James Posey in free agency, i like Duhon, and I still would love to see some type of trade made to bring in Udonis Haslem from the Heat. Now that they have Beasley Haslem is expendable.

Comment from Bridge
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:24 AM

Hahaha; I love Dan for this one:

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/ – - – (”Fans Sure Seemed to Love The Wiz Draft”)

Comment from Reuben
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:26 AM

Hey guys sorry I couldn’t join in last night I just got back from NY. I do not like the Mcgee pick especially since there were other players like CDR,Darrel Arthur and Mario Chalmers(who all went fairly early 2nd round). I like the move of getting cash for Walker because it will free up a bit of cap space and we already have a full roster and if he was kicked of it would be for nothing. I would like to see the Wizards make some changes but not drastic ones.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:30 AM

At the end of the previous thread, I wrote my analysis of a very poor night of drafting by the Wizards. But, what’s done is done: lets hope for the best.

Comment from Reuben
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:30 AM

But what I dont want to see happen is for Bill Walker to become a pretty good player.

Comment from dopeboyfresh
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:31 AM

yeah reuben, that really would suck

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:36 AM

In the above-mentioned analysis, I do a ‘what-if’ scenario based on the idea that we *had* traded 18 to houston for 25 and luther head and then done what Houston’s gm did w/ the pick.

Leaving that aside — I would have done what I suggested doing in early June and several times thereafter, namely traded 18 to Portland for 31 and 34 (and maybe a 2d rd pick next year). W/ those picks I’d probably have taken Dorsey, Chalmers and Richard Hendrix — maybe even mixed Jordan in there for a speculative big-guy pick in place of Dorsey.

I *like* players from the top of round 2: no guaranteed contract and a talent level that doesn’t predict out much differently from the last 3d of round 1. $1.5m would have bought us those 3 prospects for next year.

Comment from Wizfan4life
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:38 AM

i just feel like that was one of the worst draft nights i have seen in years……no big name trades to wow u with, yeah sure jermaine oneil and richard jefferson trades but so what? and i feel like the wizards pick was a real bust considering the players we missed like Hibbert…..and the players we should have drafted like Hickson, Nicolas Batum, Alexis Ajinca, Donte Green, and others…….i also feel like our 2nd round was a bust…..i mean just getting “cash considerations”…..come on ernie u can do better than that!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:44 AM

If Javale turns into a stud, it’ll have been a good draft. What would you speculate are the odds on that? Long shots don’t usually pan out, that’s why they’re called long shots.

Here’s hoping he does pan out, however.

On the other hand, if CDR, Dorsey, Hendrix and Chalmers pan out, will you all remember the way we played this draft?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:53 AM

So what’s next?

1. Figure out what to do w/ our marquis free agents (my vote: let Gil go, re-sign Antawn, and get ready for a big FA summer *next year*)

2. Let Roger go, and sign a back-up point (Chris Duhon?)

3. Sign a solid veteran wing man to come off the bench (remember last year, when I wanted to sign James Posey? Someone like that)

4. Coach up the kiddies this summer and hope we get improved production from Nick, Dom and Pech, along w/ a *big* step forward by Dray and some interesting minutes from Javale.

We’d likely have a season at least as good as the past one.

Comment from wizkid034
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:54 AM

Chalmers- I wanted him badly!

CDR- No room for him…we have Caron, NY and Dom…I am not sure he is a better prospect than Dom

Dorsey- Would not have touched him with a 10 foot poll…question game for a headcase, no thanks! He will have to work to be a role player.

Hendrix- I do not know much about him, but he seems to be a good 2nd rounder.

Comment from wizkid034
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:01 PM

Tom-
1. You are crazy…EG will sign both Gil and AJ, using up most of our cap space. I personally would like to see if we can keep the Big Three healthy for an entire season, and what that would yield us.
2. I agree, let RMJ go…this hurts to say, but we do need a high energy, young PG off the bench. However, I like Felton or Lowry…NOT Duhon!
3. After Gil, AJ and a backup PG, we will have no space on the team or under the cap for this.
4. I agree…I want more minutes for NY and Dom, they produced more and more towards the end of the season. Pech was a bit streaky, but his battle with Etan should make him better. We will see McGee used very seldom this year, unless he kicks the arses of Pech and Etan (doubt that will happen).

IF the Big 3 can stay healthy all season and we get some growth from the youth, we could be looking at a 50 win season and a 3 seed in the playoffs.

Comment from doclinkin
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:07 PM

Thing about JaVale McGee, he’s really a once-in-a-lifetime type physical specimen. Kid was practically bred to be a basketball player.

Think about it this way, Brendan Haywood is an effective player in part because his standing reach is the tallest among active players in the NBA other than Yao Ming, possibly Marcus Camby. He was knocked as a player because he was a bit awkward, possibly soft, but succeeded in part just because he was relatively athletic for someone so long. Well JaVale McGee has an inch on Brendan Haywood’s reach. JmcG’s got the second longest standing reach in the DX database, over the past _10 years_ worth of picks. That’s about 5 full inches taller than the stretch of your average center in the league. Only a guy with a pituitary tumor has more length, though he was a big stiff.

And JaVale McGee is damn sure no stiff:

Again, in the raw talent category, with the data we have available no player his height or taller has ever run as fast in the 3/4 court sprint (3.25 secs). People were doubting Roy Hibbert’s fit with the team because he was slow. Well McGee runs faster than your average SF (3.26 secs) on par with a 2 guard (3.23 secs). Not only will the kid fill the lane on the break, he will lead it and finish the outlet pass (provided we make a stop, get the rebound and someone gets him the ball…). All combined with a 32.5″ max jump. That’s a full +2″ inches greater than your average center can hop.

Let me put that in context: only the young Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard had a higher jump + reach over the past 10 years. (We have data back to 1989, but no measurement of jump/reach past 10 years). Now the knock on Dwight Holy Howard coming into the league was the same as McGee: raw athlete lacking polish still making fundamental mistakes on defense. Seems to me Howard has done fine for himself even if he still makes mistakes. His athleticism and size help him recover. Even if he can’t hit a jumpshot.

Someone say ‘Hit a jumpshot’? Think about this, after apprenticing behind face-up Big All-American Nick Fazekas, JaVale McGee hit 33% of his NCAA threes this year. He learned how to play the pick and pop. Teams will have to respect him at long midrange and send a big out to meet him. That’s what we do in this offense. If he rebounds only okay for his height (actually a pretty good offensive rebounder) that’s fine, a Big will have to mark him outside and leave room underneath for Caron or Jamsion to collect boards or finish. And this kid hasn’t even met Dave Hopla yet. (See his FT%, which ain’t great).

Players succeed in the league with one NBA quality skill alone. With raw materials this kid has a few. There’s one thing he does better than anybody in the draft though: put that length and athletix to good use. The kid can send shots back like Andre Agassi. Have I seen him play? Nope, but on the highlights you see him block a rainbow jumper at the top of it’s arc. Freakin’ crazy circus acrobatics. He had the draft’s best ratio of blocks + steals per personal foul. So if his man-to-man fundamentals aren’t quite there yet, still you’ve got a lot to work with.

And that’s the thing. More than anything the kid just needs a bit of developing, but he’s headed in the right direction. He’s put on 10 pounds of muscle (241 pounds in the DX database) after just a couple months workout, and has only just started to flesh out that frame. He’s got the kind of body that will build strength without building bulk, he’ll maintain that crazy athletix while getting stronger. He just needs a Big Man coach or two to get him some fundamentals on defense, footwork. And a sandwich or something.

So, does he fix the Wizard’s problems all at once? Nope, but his probalems are mostly fixable, and he adds another dimension to what the Wiz do well: score fast, run uptempo out-athlete the opponent. And he damn sure ain’t a small ball version.

And that’s the thing. People keep looking at him like: ‘Wottthehell? He doesn’t replace Brendan…” Nope, maybe not. But think about it this way, he’s got a bit of a face up game and can catch and finish above the rim and in motion, can put the ball on the floor a little bit. Imagine if you can play him NEXT TO Haywood, as a back-up to Jamison. Seriously, unfair size and shot-altering frontcourt there. You can play a lot tighter on the perimeter if nobody wants to attack the lanes.

So whatever dissappointment you got, really you ain’t seen nothing like this kid when he’s doing what he does well. It’s same thing with any young player, bigs especially, you got to get them to do that thing they do best consistently, if not all the time, and build on the framework. But for real wiz fans, this kid’s got a framework like you ain’t yet seen.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:12 PM

Roy Hibbert= Joe Wolf= stiff
Robin Lopez= 5 rebounds in college a game= 12th man with waving towel

Those two have “zero” upside. What you see is what you get.

Javale McGee has massive potential. Hope it comes to fruition

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:16 PM

It’s nice to have a team where everyone is worried about who is going to be the 9th or 10th best player on the team.
No matter who the Wizards drafted. They were not going to get any more minutes than Nick Young got last year. And that’s only if it was a big man.
Eddie does not like playing the young guys.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:22 PM

The one thing that really made me mad last year is that Nick Young gets 27 points against Kobe, 18 the next night against Utah on 5 of 7 shooting and then Eddie “CUTS” Nick’s minutes in half to 14 the next night and then 8 the next two games.
COME ON EDDIE LET THE BOY LOOSE. DON’T BE WORRIED THAT HE IS GOING TO TAKE DESHAWN’S JOB. WE WANT HIM TO BE A STAR.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:33 PM

Yes, JM “jumps out of the gym” and has “tremendous upside” — how long a list you want of guys who have been so described?

That said — I’m now a JM *fan* not a detractor. My analysis is about *how you run a draft*. Another way to say that is it is about *business.* I note, once again, that Houston — having won 55 games last year — felt they needed a strategy and to make moves. We won 43 games and our GM said “thats how the draft played out for us.” Nothing to do w/ McGee, hope he is a phenom.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:52 PM

Miami had a great draft, obviously, getting the best player of all and also trading to acquire Mario Chalmers, who has a shot to be really good. They should be back in the playoffs and pushing us downwards.

The Pacers also had a great day; they dumped the no-longer-productive Jermaine O’Neal and picked up a solid point guard and a big expiring contract (Rasho), then they also got Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert, two of the most NBA-ready and statistically productive players in the draft. Expect to fight them for the playoffs this year.

Fortunately, Toronto will help us make the playoffs by getting worse!

And of course — the West got better!! It’s wrong for teams w/ 48 wins to draft in the lottery.

Comment from wizkid034
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:52 PM

Well put Tom, very well put!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 12:57 PM

The Sixers helped themselves w/ Speights. I wish he’d dropped to us, and I guess we’ll get to see whether he is as good as some of us thought he’d be.

The Nets too got better — Brook Lopez, Ryan Anderson, and CDR: that’s quite a draft day haul! W/ Yi and Bobby, they now have a heck of a young nucleus to work with. A quick rebuilding process, though of course we’ll have to see whether it works out.

Fortunately, I don’t think we have to worry about the Knicks (unless they figure out how to dump one of the behemoths).

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:06 PM

Charlotte helped themselves some w/ Augustin and took on an intriguing prospect in Ajinca. Then they grabbed Weaver, whom a lot of us liked. Good draft for them.

Obviously, the Bulls got better w/ Derrick Rose, and they picked up the rights to Omer Asik; he is supposed to be good — but is he coming over?

Comment from dmac
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:06 PM

Tentative opening day roster for Wiz- barring trades
No major injuries, great chemistry, improved defense and when we get the lead go for the jugular vein. deeper in the playoffs.

Depth chart:

Center- Brendan Haywood, Etan Thomas, Javale McGee
PF- Antawn Jamison, O.Pecherov Darius Songalia
SF- Caron Butler, Andray Blatche, Dominic McGuire
PG- Gilbert Arenas, Antonio Daniels, ( get Duhon, Felton, Udrih, Tinsley or Lowry?)
SG- Deshawn Stevenson, Nick Young and one last spot for a three point specialist who can play SG/SF ( can you think of anybody who is available who can be the rain man from 3point land.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:14 PM

I agree with Tom, yet I think the Raptors are not gonna get worse.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:16 PM

First guys off the bench:

Nick Young (if Eddie does not allow him to beat out Deshawn)
Songaila
Blatch- not a small forward
Daniels (great trade deadline bait)

Hopefully Thomas shows something and we trade him.
Dominic could push to be the sole small forward backup. 36 minutes for Caron and 12 for Dominic.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:18 PM

I still cannot get out of my mind how Derrick Rose just slaughtered DJ Augustine in the NCAA tournament. Augustine was not even competition for him.

Comment from wizkid034
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:20 PM

dmac…that is a nice looking depth chart, but you have 15 slots. We are only allowed to have 12 active, 3 will never help us.

PG- Arenas, Daniels, Lowry/Felton/???
SG- Stevenson, Young
SF- Butler, McGuire
PF- Jamison, Songaila, Blatche
C- Haywood, Pecherov

Inactive:
Thomas
McGee

If we do not pick up a backup PG, Etan will be in the depth chart at C.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:29 PM

Songaila would be the first SF/PF sub.
Blatch the first Center sub. PF sub when going big.
Young the first guard off the bench. In for Arenas, Deshawn to the point.
McGuire picking up left over minutes at the 2 and 3.

Now that I look at it. On the Out waving the white towel, cheering:

Daniels, getting old and with Arenas back and Young moving up, just no more room.
Pecherov- he better show something in preseason or he’ll be lost again.
Thomas- behind Haywood, Blatch and 5 minutes for the shot blocking rookie McGee. Just waiting for his contract to end.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:30 PM

Is Raymond Felton a free agent?

Comment from RDOT51
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:32 PM

I hear a lot of displeasure about this pick. I think this pick was good especially at where we got him at. This guys probably wont help us this year unless he plays his you know what off in summer league and training camp. He has a mean streak and he is only a pup. he can run the floor like a forward/guard and he finishes with authority and get this… he blocks shots. Big Ernie did it again… KUDOS

Comment from wizkid034
Time June 27, 2008 at 1:37 PM

Raymond Felton is not a free agent…but the Bobcats have a pluthera of PGs now with the drafting of D.J. Augustin.

Comment from rgz
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:01 PM

dmac, SG Reggie Williams from vmi was not drafted. if they can get him to the summer team, he is possible at backup sg on some NBA team.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:13 PM

I agree with that rgz, wut he avged 28 a game. I dont care what conference ur in that is sick

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:18 PM

is it possible to get kirk heinrich or duhan

Comment from Wizfan4life
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:28 PM

i really think ernie was crazy 2 let the luther head proposal slip by him……the wizards only have 1 true point guard besides arenas, and daniels was injured for some games 2!! the problem with the wizards is that gil should be playing at the 2 and we need to have a play maker at the one……let deshawn come off the bench (it would make our bench have more depth)…….find a way 2 trade players to get a play maker like billups, felton, deron williams, etc etc……..just dont do anything with the big 3, i think theyre fine, they just need 2 stay healthy……..and is it me, or do the wizards players seem 2 have alot of injuries every year??? i mean players like songaila and pecherov having “freak accidents” before this season, and last season when songaila joined the team……doesnt usually happen to good teams if u look at them, i mean preseason is a time where every1 isnt playing at 100% because it doesnt count, and every1 is in their best shape for the season ahead, so i think it has something to do with the way the wizards prepare their players for the season u know?? maybe the players are trained too hard or not enough or maybe not the right way, so when season rolls around we always end up having players out for long periods of time……wizzards gotta fix that

Comment from wizards_fusion
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:34 PM

So, why are most still thinking about getting high scoring players for the Wizards? This type of thinking doesn’t make sense to me at this juncture. Offensively talented players are far easier to locate than defensively talented players (at the draft; during free agency; via trades). And as evidenced by the cliche, defense wins championships in the last 15 years (celtics, spurs, pistons, and bulls). If you want a team that scores 130 ppg and gives up 129 ppg, I guess you can continue to dream on with the scoring prospects. However, if you want a team that’ll get pass the first round of the playoffs and rely on it’s defense when the ball isn’t going into the hoop, you need to alter your thinking.

If McGee wants to get minutes on this team, he needs to focus on his defensive end. McGuire got on the floor last season by showing Eddie Jordan he sacrificed scoring for rebounding, defense, and “energy off the bench”. I believe McGee can be a Marcus Camby-type player.

The Bill Walker trade was shocking to me, but I think his knee injuries at his young age brought up too many red flags for Grunfeld. If Walker’s health cannot hold up, he’ll be another Darius Miles.

Lastly, judging by the draft outcome, Grunfeld wasn’t particularly interested in the available rookie prospects. Maybe his only summer priorities are Arenas and Jamison.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:37 PM

I don’t feel that Gil should be our 1 he should be at 2.
AD
Gil
Caron
Twan
Haywood

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:39 PM

Get Heinrich along with Gil, Caron, Twan, Haywood

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:40 PM

we gonna be busy with some sort of trades in july…you never know…we could trade some players to a team for the draft rights to someone…like Minnesota nad Memphis did post draft.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:43 PM

Who do u think, we would go for wizbulletman? What could be some proposed trades in ur eyes?

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:51 PM

Gilbert is not playing the 2.
I repeat Gilbert is not playing the 2.

He cannot guard the 2.
Although, he is not a great assist man. He makes the opposing point guard work double.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:55 PM

he does do that I just want to see us succeed and stay healthy all yera, or as much as possible

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:55 PM

In my perfect world we would have traded Gilbert for Elton Brand and the Clippers pick and then drafted a pure point guard.
Ernie is not going that direction.
If we sign Roger Mason then our guard pool is fine. We just need to get someone to replace Daniels next year.
Arenas, Young, Stevenson, Daniels and Mason will do an excellent job at the 1 and the 2 combined (don’t forget McGuire can also play the two and so can Caron).

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 2:59 PM

nickman-im really thinking about it, i mean one team who has a 10 million dollar trade exception, Golden State got Hendrix

So we could trade maybe songaila, Pecherov, memphis pick, and maybe a 09 2nd

We get the draft rights to Hendrix:

So our lineup would be stack a Foward with youth…but we still have depth

Arenas/Daniels
Stevenson/Young
Butler/McGuire
Jamison/Blatche/Hendrix
Haywood/Thomas/McGee

I wouldnt mind that, but a trade giving up some of our players to get the rights to a player we maybe wanted…I want to see happen.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:05 PM

Not bad

Comment from RDOT51
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:15 PM

I never understood that concept “lets find a way to trade for brand, deron williams” but keep our big three. Nobody in the league wants our dead weight like etan and pech in order to get something good you have to trade something good. thats how trades work except in the gasol trade of course. What Ernie is doing is he wants to see how we are when everybody is healthy. lets not forget we beat the celtics 3 times last year before caron got hurt. he wants to see if another person breaks out next year and see where that takes us. kind of like how haywood grew up and caron became an indespensable player. We have all the tools to become that championship caliber team we just need people to continue to work. I’m hearing that Andray is working everyday in the gym. that is great news for us. lets see how it turns out in summer league.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:27 PM

You can trade your problems for someone else’s problems, or your solutions for someone else’s solutions. You can’t trade your problems for someone else’s solutions.

To make a trade — *any* trade — the salaries have to match up; i.e. no trading players for draft choices.

Daniels as trade bait is really funny — he was one of our most productive players! W/o him we were a way below average team.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:36 PM

“We have all the tools to become that championship caliber team” — no, we are a slightly above average team. We have excellent starters (well above average) and a mostly unproductive bench (way below average).

If Etan comes back at the level he was at before the heart trouble, our bench will improve some. W/ Antonio coming off the bench rather than starting, it will improve some also.

Comment from Reuben
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:38 PM

I just thought “Did anyone pick Mcgee for the draft contest?”

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:44 PM

Tom…if you are refering to my trade with GS im using the trade exception. They have a 10 million dollar one too…so they can absorb 10 million dollars in contracts and songaila and pecherov combined are well under 10 million. So in that case it is possible to trade our “problems” for their “solutions”

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:45 PM

I was also thinking of a trade with miami to get chalmers but it is hard.

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:51 PM

OOO i got one but we would still have 13 guys…maybe pecherov goes on inactive and in the d-league…

wiz trade: Daniels, Songaila, 09 2nd, memphis pick
heat trade: draft rights to chalmers, Mark Blount

Arenas/Chalmers
Stevenson/Young
Butler/McGuire
Jamison/Blatche/Pecherov
Haywood/Thomas/McGee/Blount(inactive)

Or blount can be inactive on the other hand…

I mean daniels is good trade bait and if we want chalmers who IMO could be a great backup to arenas, i think we should pull the trigger and also songaila, he is decent but i just dont see the use for him

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:52 PM

If we’d wanted Chalmers, it would have been possible to structure our draft to get him.

GS has an exception, ok; now, explain to me why they want to take on these salaries? Also, *their* exception does not change the fact that *we* need to take back salaries for those we trade. Their exception, if I understand correctly, allows them to sign a free agent over the cap.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:54 PM

Reuben I pick McGee, yet I didn’t get the first 5 right, cuz I did it so long ago

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:54 PM

Daniels is *one of our very best players.* Without Daniels we are a worse team. A rookie 2d round choice does *not* replace Antonio Daniels. Anyway, the deal is outside the nba rules.

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:55 PM

Did neone else pick McGee

Comment from nickman
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:56 PM

Tom who can we get?

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 3:58 PM

Tom its a TRADE exception…look it up on the trade machine thing on espn. pick GS and washington…pick pecherov and songaila, use both trade exceptions and click TRY TRADE. It will work, without us having to take back salaries.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 4:05 PM

neal knows the rules better than I do, and so does SportsWiz; but… let me try.

We are under the cap right now, so I think we can sign any FAs up to the cap. And, of course, we can trade salary for salary (they have to be w/in 15%).

Until drafted guys are signed, I think they are just “rights” we have, and they can be included in any trade. So, for example, we could trade a next year 2d rounder for the rights to Hendrix (not suggesting this will happen – just illustrating a point).

We can always sign *our own* free agents (RMjr, GA and AJ), even if that puts us over the cap. For this reason, usually other free agents are signed first — even if a deal w/ our own FA has been made, it gets formalized afterwards.

Then there are other ‘exceptions’ to the cap — mid-level, etc. I don’t really understand them, and I don’t know which ones we have or don’t have.

neal / sportswiz — do I have this right?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 4:07 PM

wizbulletman0 — you are waaay ahead of me on this stuff. Still, why do they want these players and their salaries?

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 4:11 PM

I’m just throwin out trade ideas for fun, it would just be an idea for us to dump our salaries to a team that can take them on without us taking on any…hey its highly unlikely, but i would LOVE to see it happen

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 4:14 PM

LOL — dude, think about some trades that someone would really make and that would help us!!

Comment from neal
Time June 27, 2008 at 4:22 PM

Partly right, Tom.

However, there is a long provision in the collective bargaining agreement that I haven’t taken the time to completely understand whose purpose is to keep a team from signing FA’s while under the cap, then using cap exceptions to sign their own FA’s.

Presuming that EG has an agreement in principle with Arenas, I guess McGee was as good a pick as anyone.

Thinking ahead, Thomas will probably be hurt part of the year. So if McGee shows he can compete at this level he may get substantial minutes. In which case we may be done with Blatche, Songaila and Pecherov seeing back-up duty at center.

For a long time Haywood would have periods when he wasn’t very active. I always thought he might just be tired. Sure enough, when he finally got stronger, bigger, and in better shape, those periods were shorter and not as severe. I think these big guys have a harder time getting in NBA shape. Maybe by the time McGee’s contract is up he will have accomplished the same thing. Then he’ll be a FA.

Comment from Wizfan4life
Time June 27, 2008 at 5:40 PM

hey if u assign a player to the development league, do u still have 2 pay the full salary of that player?? i think we need 2 send Dmac to the development league……he was given good minutes under difficult times and couldnt produce anything……put him in the d-league…….oh yeah anybody know of any good point guards we could sign july first under the mid level exception? i think we missed our chance of getting a good 2nd round point guard when the kings drafted Sean Singletary…..give him a couple years, hes gonna be good

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 5:50 PM

Tom,

Look up the stats when Gilbert is healthy and starting.
Antonio Daniels sits on the bench and rarely gets up.
He has only gotten minutes when Gilbert has been hurt.

With Gilbert healthy and signing/resigning a shooter like Mason, Daniels will be lucky to get 7 minutes a night.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 5:51 PM

When Gilbert is healthy, Deshawn plays the point when Gilbert takes a breather.

Comment from John50
Time June 27, 2008 at 5:52 PM

Good picks. Great Ideas. People who are winning and crying about thie picks and stuff I have one question…Are you in his shoes…..no

I think the Wiz will be fine and stop doubting Ernie, I think he’s not our GM for nothing.

Peace Out

J50

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 27, 2008 at 5:57 PM

Where ever Ernie has been the GM, his teams go to the playoffs year in and year out.
New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and with the Wiz.
After Ernie left New York, look at the mess they are in now.
Milwaukee hasn’t been to the playoffs lately since Ernie left.
The Wiz go to the playoffs every year now.

Ernie Grundfield is one of the best GM’s, if not the best in the NBA.
Ernie you rock!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 6:03 PM

I think I just read that one, neal — basically your exceptions are counted against the cap. i.e. your current salary figure *includes* your exceptions. Hence, you can’t sign FAs and then re-sign your own FAs to exceed the cap. I.e., what I said above doesn’t work. But, somehow, teams do it anyway — I don’t quite get how it happens but it has something to do with the July moratorium.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 6:15 PM

Ernie is definitely a good GM — in particular a terrific *basketball* guy. E.g. he is a terrific judge of talent, hence his going out and getting AJ, Gil and Caron. But I think he tends to undervalue the draft, because he sees that the *basketball* value of a rookie is kind of low.

Strategy in the draft may be as much about *business* as about basketball. And the business goal is about piling up assets, which you then use to make good choices based on being a good basketball guy.

It’s not an accident that teams like Houston have figured out how to deal to get more choices. I’m sure that if Ernie had Memphis’s 2d round pick next year, he’d know how to pick the right guy with it. It’s getting the picks where I’m raising a question.

Houston’s GM, Daryl Morey, is not a basketball guy at all; he has a degree in computer science and an mba. Here is his bio. Obviously, there are basketball guys judging talent for Houston (after all, they did win 55 games last year).

But — this is all water under the bridge; right now I’m a Javale McGee guy.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 6:39 PM

Ivan wrote an Insider article defending the Wizards draft. I wrote the following comment:

Sorry Ivan but your piece makes zero sense. For one thing, what the Twins did is *the opposite* of what Ernie did — they used imagination and boldness to remake their roster.

Main point – the question is not whether Javale McGee is going to be a good NBA player. I don’t know whether he is, and neither do you: neither does Ernie for that matter! We all hope so, of course. But, if you use the draft to create assets for your franchise, spread risk among several choices, and put yourself in position to deal w/ people who *must* make deals, you prosper.

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 27, 2008 at 6:51 PM

I’m done with the trade ideas for now…maybe not
so can someone put together a deal to get rid of songaila and/or pecherov.
I really think blatche is better as a 4 and songaila takes his minutes so a deal that would get rid of him and somehow we end up having 12 players, is almost impossible. The only thing i can think of is trading songaila to a team with a big trade exception, like GS or PHX.
Instead of getting someones rights this time, maybe a future 2nd rounder

Comment from neal
Time June 27, 2008 at 8:57 PM

Wizfan4life: If we send a player to the development league we still have to pay his salary.

Someone mentioned the mid-level salary exception. That’s going to be about $5.5M this year. We could certainly use that to sign a FA even if we’re over the salary cap. But it’s not an exception to the luxury tax limit. We can’t resign Arenas and Jamison AND spend another $5.5M on a FA AND stay within the luxury tax limit.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 27, 2008 at 10:11 PM

Last night was a late night but tonight I’m heading to bed early — just want to say one thing: I’m an Ernie Grunfield fan. He’s been a terrific GM for the Wizards. We all just want more!

Comment from Bridge
Time June 27, 2008 at 10:38 PM

“We all just want more!” – - – Tom

…Uh, not moi; I’m cool with his decision…I’m not with y’all on this, because, guess what?…I’m a TRUE Wiz fan regardless…That’s all I gotta say until the season starts, that is if I haven’t forgotten about this blog by then…

Comment from neal
Time June 27, 2008 at 10:46 PM

Looks to me like we’ll have almost the same team as last year. Fourteen players instead of 13:

Arenas, Daniels
Stevenson, Mason (or some other cheap veteran guard), Young
Butler, Blatche, McGuire
Jamison, Songaila, Pecherov
Haywood, Thomas, McGee

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:28 PM

Well… we certainly got deeper at the 4/5 spot. It was an issue that needed addressed. We now have 4 guys at 7′ , three of which are pretty quick a foot, and the other having a lot of experience. I hated to see Speights go at #16 and then it near killed me to hear Hibbert’s name called at #17, but, maybe this kid with the “long” frame and sprinters numbers will be a good thing for us. He might just be “the guy” for Eddies long loved “small ball” schemes. Bring Lofton in for summer league and we have our 15 and good balance.

Tom I read you analysis and agree with it whole heartedly. I think Ernie is so fixated on the belief that if he can keep “everyone” together and healthy “this” team can win a championship that he kind of loses sight of what other kind of help he can get/be. Instead of drafting Walker in the second round just to let him go why not just take a guy like Lofton that is a real steal (if totally heathy) and also fills a need?

I don’t think we hurt ourselves, but, I don’t think we helped ourselves as much as we could have.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 27, 2008 at 11:41 PM

Jmpalomo… you have to have 3 players on inactive reserve for every 15 man team. No the players on inactive reserve don’t always have the injuries they are supposed to have. It’s been a coaching “tool” for years. You just have to sit a player 5 games (because you feel you won’t need him for those games, or, you feel it will take those 5 games for his “real” injury to heal).

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 7:39 AM

If we’re talking about bringing guys in for summer league, there were a bunch of guys that didn’t go in the draft who do have some talent.

My #1 is Pat Calathes, who I think can make a team. Jamont Gordon is probably a head case, but no one doubts his talent. Bryce Taylor has some skills. Gary Forbes dominated Orlando like no one ever had; he’d work *hard* for a chance in the league. Josh Duncan might be a good invitee as well; Othello Hunter too.

Walter Sharpe wound up in Detroit — it’ll be interesting to see whether he is a player.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 7:43 AM

What do you guys ‘n gals think we should do about Roger?

1. Make an offer to keep him (how much do you think he’s worth?).

2. Wait for some other team to make an offer then match it if it’s reasonable.

3. Look for a different player to take his place.

If we either decide to or have to replace Roger, what kind of player would you look for? Even without him, and if we don’t have a big injury problem, we’ve got 4 guards who need minutes, and Caronimo can play some 2 as well.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 7:51 AM

re: summer league — I forgot to mention Chris Lofton, who would be a *great* kid to take a low-risk shot on in the Summer. He was a stud before he fought cancer, and he is supposed to be all the way back. Also Reggie Williams: all he did was lead the entire ncaa in scoring two years in a row. Aleks Maric of Nebraska, a big (and slow) center who put up terrific numbers.

Some bunch of teams will be fielding all these guys. Lofton is my favorite for us (maybe that’s sentiment, however).

But my *real* favorite is Nick Fazekas — I think he is unrestricted. He was McGee’s teammate and mentor in ‘06-07, and he is a *very* productive player by the numbers. He’ll play in the league this year, I’m sure of that, but not for us — no room for another big.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 7:57 AM

Obviously, Aaron Miles – who played well on last year’s summer team – would be a good guy too.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 8:04 AM

Now I know everybody is going to laugh at me. But, I’m starting to get excited about Javale McGee !!

What do you think… maybe we should bring in his mom as an assistant coach? I think that’d be a first in the league, no?

Comment from wiz-skins07
Time June 28, 2008 at 8:04 AM

Tom — I would be interested in bringing in Reggie Williams if we lost Roger Mason. Reggie, that man can SCORE.

Comment from wiz-skins07
Time June 28, 2008 at 8:08 AM

Tom — I not excited or dessapointed anymore. Instead im optmistic — I hope he turns out great and proves ME and everyone else on this blog wrong.

Comment from wiz-skins07
Time June 28, 2008 at 8:08 AM

**optimistic — sorry f0r the typo in the last thread

Comment from Rook
Time June 28, 2008 at 8:10 AM

The Wiz should bring in Aaron Miles for the Summer League team again. He’s a 6′1″ 175 lbs Point Guard.

After playing with the Wizards in the Summer League in 2007, Aaron Miles was not offered a contract. He signed a one-year deal with Cajasol Sevilla in Spain’s top professional league last year.

He has great ball handling skills. Excellent court vision and passing ability. He’s a pass first point guard that truly understands his role as a ball distributor. Good leadership skills, knows how to run a team. Tremendous defensive player who can shut his man down. Very fundamentally sound, with a nice 3.5 to 1 Assist to TO ratio.

The big weakness in his game was that his Outside jumper – it was simply horrific. Shot a pathetic 24% from the college 3 despite almost always being left open; He did show some improvement in the Summer League last year, shooting 56% …. but it was a small sampling (only 5 games) and he didn’t shoot any 3-point shots.

He has worked on his shooting overseas, shooting an impressive 51% on 2-point shots, and an improved 33% on 3-point shots.

He would be an extremely cheap ($450K or so) 3rd Point Guard.. End-of-the-bench insurance against injury to either Arenas or Daniels.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 28, 2008 at 9:39 AM

You need a shooter off the bench. Need to resign Roger Mason or trade for a player like Luther Head. You just gotta have it.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 28, 2008 at 9:43 AM

Just saw the highlight reel on Javale McGee.
Pretty athletic for a 7 footer.
Showed him twice flying from the free throw lane and dunking.
Really good moves around the basket.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qJilDqw8JOY

Comment from ChenierFan
Time June 28, 2008 at 10:06 AM

Congrats to Ernie on a terrific pick.

I just watched some video of this guy and boy does he have a super long wing-span, coupled with good hands (a very underrated type of athleticism) and speed. This guy plays WAY above the rim. Another blogger cited comparisons to Tyson Chandler and I think that is an appropriate comparison. Get ready for a lot of ally-op dunks from Javale.

Comment from Da_Big_Taba
Time June 28, 2008 at 11:53 AM

oversized t. prince

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 28, 2008 at 12:05 PM

I looks to me as though Ernie is posturing to be able to keep “everyone”, Roger included. Roger obviously wants to play for us. He wouldn’t have turned down the Spurs 3 year guaranteed contract to sign with us for one if it was all about the money to him. I think Roger will make it easy for Ernie to resign him. AND I think Ernie should do just that.

Comment from neal
Time June 28, 2008 at 12:50 PM

I agree GrifonRacing. I don’t think we’ll get anyone better for the same money. And Mason knows the system and he’s gotten better as his confidence has gone up. I think he can still improve. And he can play PG if need be.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 28, 2008 at 4:26 PM

I think Roger Mason is going to be a hot commodity when free agency opens on July 1.
There are not alot of really good pure shooters.
I’d say it is a 33% chance Roger re-signs.
He is a free agent and with most teams having the $5 million dollar excemption he will fit under most teams scenarios.
There are always teams that throw stupid money at free agency.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 4:44 PM

I’m sure Roger would prefer to stay in DC; I’m also sure he is going to take the best offer he gets, and then it’ll be a matter of whether we want to match it.

Why am I so sure? Roger turns 28 in September. This is going to be his *big* contract. He’d be a fool not to maximize it.

Of course “the best offer he gets” might come from us, you never know. In that case, no need to “match” anything.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 4:46 PM

jmpalomo — if you are suggesting that Roger will get a MLE offer, I think that’s way too high. He *might* get an offer somewhere in the area of DeShawn’ contract.

Comment from Rook
Time June 28, 2008 at 4:58 PM

I just heard that Aaron Miles is going to be on the Dallas Mavericks Summer League team…

I guess we’ll have to look elsewhere for a 3rd Point Guard.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 5:24 PM

Well… for the summer league team, yes. But guys do play on one team’s summer league roster then sign w/ a different team for the season.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 5:35 PM

How deep was this draft?

Miami had to give up two 2d-rounders and $1.5m to get ONE 2d rounder (Mario Chalmers).

Cleveland traded a 2d-rounder next year for the *52d pick* (Darnell Jackson).

the Clippers traded a 2d-rounder next year for t he *55th pick* (Mike Taylor).

We had the 47th pick — did we get a next-year 2d-rounder for it? No, we got “cash considerations.” Wouldn’t you rather have the Clippers (high) 2d round choice next year? Or, better, a player (Hendrix) who may well get rotation minutes somewhere next year?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 5:52 PM

DraftExpress draft grades. Houston and Portland get great grades; we get a C. Still, “this will come down more to McGee’s internal motivation to improve more than any arguments about his talent. If he does pan out, this could be an incredible steal for the Wizards. But that’s a big IF.”

Comment from gee wiz
Time June 28, 2008 at 7:02 PM

ernie made the pick, let’s wait n see. he looks atheletic. why did they get rid of the second round pick??? hopefully he makes some more moves this summer since he wasn’t convinced the draft was enough. i can’t wait to see mcgee in summer league. at this moment we have 3 centers and 4 power fowards…….. overstocked for real. i hate my job, i wish barkley can switch me!

Comment from neal
Time June 28, 2008 at 8:07 PM

I understand that EG and Pollin figured Walker wouldn’t play. But I agree with Tom – seems like we could have at least traded for a pick next year.

Well, McGee obviously has potential. But so too do 50 or so others every year. Let’s hope we got one of the minority who live up to their potential. I’m still stuck on the 53% FT shooting (how coordinated can he be?) and the physical weakness. HE’S A PROJECT.

Speaking of FT shooting, Mr. Thomas was doing no better than Haywood before he went down. And now we have McGee. For how long is Hopla under contract?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 28, 2008 at 9:45 PM

One of the things that makes the draft-day maneuvers of teams like Portland and Houston (wch were incredible!) possible is *having extra picks*. If you can trade pick 55 for a 2d rounder next year, you can sure do the same w/ 47.

I imagine Boston thinks that Walker can do *something* otherwise why put out cash for him?

I don’t mind the pick of McGee itself; there really wasn’t anyone else I would have preferred and was still available. Of course it’s a risk and he’s a project, but anyone picked at that point in the draft is a risk. At least he has size, a good basketball background, and seems very motivated. Lets hope he becomes really good friends w/ Caron and Antawn and doesn’t go out nights w/ Andray.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 28, 2008 at 11:37 PM

Neal. We have to resign, I think, all the assistant coaches. Hopla was signed for one year.

Maybe Boston didn’t think he would contribute much and only offered cash? Still, it seems like the waste of a good draft pick. I’m with Gee Wiz! They said afterward the Inn was full? Aren’t we sitting at 14 right now if everyone comes back? Maybe they wanted to leave a spot open to see a couple in summer league? Is Lofton on anyone’s summer roster yet? That guy might fill a need at point guard. He shoots the lights out too.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 28, 2008 at 11:50 PM

That’s what worries me Jmpalomo. Once July 1st gets here, or shortly after, we will find out what kind of interest there is out there for Roger. I don’t think, by any stretch of the imagination, anyone will give him MLE, but, you never know. The announcers last season mentioned how many fans behind them were asking each other “who is that #8?”. He certainly made the most of his opportunity. I’m still hoping his passion to remain a Wizard matches his passion last year.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 28, 2008 at 11:52 PM

Tom, Neal, et al. We have to resign McGuire too don’t we? I think he is also unrestricted.

Comment from BruceO
Time June 29, 2008 at 2:22 AM

doc and i are steering the Mcgee canoe and none of you guys are welcome. we’ve said the positives that work for him and talked about his raw tools and where he is now, vs where he needs to be. Instead I remember someone saying Yeah he “jumps out of the gym” and has “tremendous upside” — how long a list you want of guys who have been so described. Give me five people. Five people who have these attributes:
1. Are taller than 7 foot
2. Have a standing reach greater than 9 3.5′ and wingspan greater than 7 4′
3. can jump greater than 32 inches or run faster than 3.30

I’ll save you some trouble.
1.Shaq
2.Dwight
3.oden
4.Javale Mcgee

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-draft-measurements/measurements.php?year=All&sort2=ASC&draft=0&pos=4&sort=2

yet he can still move, yet he can still catch things and not have stone hands like kwame. Yet he can hit turnaround jumpers, he has a hook shot with either hand. For the 18th pick hell yeah I’ll pick the guy and see if theres a possibility of him being great.
Yeah Doc and I have rowed this canoe far away.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 6:45 AM

As I said *many comments ago — way above* — I’m excited about Javale McGee! We need to sign his mom as an assistant coach too.

It’s the *business* not the *basketball talent* side of managing a draft that bugs me with the Wizards.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 6:47 AM

Here’s another guy w/ JM’s approximate height and wingspan: Darko Milicic.

The kid may turn out to be terrific, but not because of a tape measure.

Comment from neal
Time June 29, 2008 at 7:40 AM

Yes, McGuire is an unrestricted FA. I’ve always assumed we will resign him – for the minimum for a player with 1 year of experience.

Everything depends on the price we pay for Arenas.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 1:09 PM

McGuire is *unrestricted?* Don’t 2d rounders get signed w/ a team option?

Comment from Rook
Time June 29, 2008 at 1:38 PM

I believe McGuire signed a guaranteed 2-year contract, with a team option for the 3rd year….

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2007/08/wiz_play_wait_and_see.html

“If you read today’s paper, you know I reported that the Wiz have agreed to contract terms with second round pick Dominic McGuire. From what I can gather, it’s a three-year deal. The first two years are guaranteed and the Wiz will hold an option for the third year.” – By Ivan Carter | August 2, 2007; 11:30 AM ET

Comment from Rook
Time June 29, 2008 at 1:41 PM

And Tom, you’re right…. McGuire’s contract is unusual, in that normally a 2nd round pick is offered a contract for two seasons (with the second season at the team’s option).

Obviously, Ernie saw something special in McGuire and decided to offer him a contract for 3 years.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 29, 2008 at 1:41 PM

Now that’s a mental image! Doc manning the bow paddle…. Bruce manning the stern paddle… and a skinny 7″ Javale McGee sitting a mid ship.

Hint: Give McGee a sail to hold and you won’t need the paddles?

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 29, 2008 at 1:43 PM

Thank You Rook

Comment from Reuben
Time June 29, 2008 at 1:45 PM

Hopefully this year McGuire and Nick”I have to many nicknames” Young will see a lot more time on the court this coming year. One thing that really anoyed me about going to Wizards games were the people sitting around me would all scream “Get McGuire off the court” or something like that. People don’t realize that he does the little things and he is not put in to score.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 1:54 PM

Actually, some of Nick’s minutes were as a result of Gil’s injury. If Roger is re-signed (or replaced), Nick’s minutes might not go up.

Comment from gee wiz
Time June 29, 2008 at 2:04 PM

i have no problem with mcgee from the video he looks very atheletic. he moves quick. but im gonna wait to see how he performs before i say he is a good pick. im just wondering what was ernie’s intentions. was he after mcgee the whole time, was he waiting on hibbert????? y didnt he try to move a few picks up, or was he really looking foward to free agency or trades. to me it looks like he is going to bring everyone back, ernie is not like most GM’s he never goes into panic mode and make big trades or “emergency trades” like ainge, cuban, buss and so on. he seems like he really believes in his players and he gives them time to prove themselves. he is def more of a player type GM rather than $$$ sign GM. the draft was not thrilling at all, but as a fan we’re just going to have to wait and see what happens next! well i guess im about to plan a vacation have fun people

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 29, 2008 at 2:08 PM

Injuries were not kind to us the last few seasons, but they did give our young guys valuable court time. If everyone comes back healthy this season the extra experience they got will make us a much better and deeper team.

Nick’s minutes will probably go up just because everyone in the Wizards organization seems to have very high hopes for him. Let’s hope he maintains that sweet jump shot while learning to play a little defense and developing a little better handle.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 29, 2008 at 2:12 PM

If McGee pushes Blatche… who pushes Pesh…. who pushes Haywood… who pushes McGee this could be a very interesting season.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 29, 2008 at 2:15 PM

Have fun on vacation Gee Wiz (ya rat lol). I can only “spell” vacation and lunch hour lol.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 29, 2008 at 2:18 PM

Hey Bruce. Remember to row the boat back before the season. We are gonna need that guy

Comment from gee wiz
Time June 29, 2008 at 2:45 PM

lol. (grifon) im on my way to key west. believe me im going to have time to blog. it is simply an island. if we can add a few pieces and STAY healthy this will be an interesting season, i just want to see the wizards WIN it all. i think us as bloggers should get season tickets, or get our on wizards radio station.

Comment from Rook
Time June 29, 2008 at 3:07 PM

gee wiz Says: im just wondering what was ernie’s intentions. –

I think his intentions were to pick Roy Hibbert…

If you listened closely to Ernie Grunfeld’s post-Draft press conference, someone asked him about Hibbert:

“You’ve known him for 4 years, If he had dropped one more slot, was that a possibility for you?”

Ernie’s response, and With NO HESITATION, he said “Absolutely”

Like, there was NO QUESTION that had Hibbert fallen to the Wizards, he would have taken him…. Then there was a long pause… like he was thinking about the ramifications of his last answer, and then said “it would just give us one more guy in the pool to pick from…”

http://www.nba.com/wizards/multimedia/grunfeld_postdraft_pc_080627.html

It’s about 1 minute 25 seconds into the video…

Comment from Rook
Time June 29, 2008 at 3:09 PM

I guess the last thing you want to do as a GM, is tell the guy you just drafted that he was NOT your number 1 choice…..

Comment from BruceO
Time June 29, 2008 at 4:02 PM

no what eddie meant is ofcourse we are gonna consider him. He gives us more people to consider. Either way if Hibbert was the first option thats cool. His speed doesnt suit our system. Hes very awkward in the way he moves. Now mcgee on the other hand regardless or not whether hibbert was first choice was the top guy on the wiz draft board. Doesnt mean he wasnt first choice. First choice for everyone really is Beasley and Rose. The rest of it is academic depending on who’s left. Now it has been said that Ernie considered moving up to get someone. Don’t know who it is. It could have been any of the bigs (lopez brothers, hibbert, the point guards or even Joe alexander

Comment from Rook
Time June 29, 2008 at 4:42 PM

A couple of guys I’m gonna follow from this draft….

Joe Alexander. Who, I think will be a star in the league. The Bucks had a very busy draft, picking up Alexander and getting a proven scorer in Richard Jefferson from the Nets. Alexander can be backup to both Charlie Villanueva and Jefferson… I think he’ll be in the running for RoY…

Roy Hibbert is another one I’m gonna follow. The Pacers had an incredible draft night, Trading for talented Point Guard T J Ford and backup Center Rasho Nesterovic and the rights to Roy Hibbert. Then they swapped picks with the Blazers and ended up with Brandon Rush along with PG Jarret Jack and bruising big man Josh McRoberts. Indiana has positioned their team to improve and should be listed as a 2009 playoff contender. Roy Hibbert should get plenty of playing time behind Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster. Indiana could throw some MASSIVE lineups at opponents with C Roy Hibbert (7′2″ 275), PF Troy Murphy (7′0″ 245), SF Danny Granger (6′8″) and SG Mike Dunleavy (6′9″)…. I don’t think that Hibbert will have a RoY type impact, but he’ll be able to help right away – and he’ll get more playing time than Rush.

Comment from Rook
Time June 29, 2008 at 5:33 PM

“Clippers’ guard Shaun Livingston is set to become an unrestricted free agent with the Clippers declining to tender him a qualifying offer, the New York Daily News is reporting.”

He was set to make $5.8 Million dollars this year.

So, is there a team out there that might take a flier on this guy and offer him the Veteran Minimum for a 4-year player ($854,957) ?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 5:43 PM

I don’t think he has come back from his injury; looks like he won’t be able to play this year. Too bad, because Livingston is (was?) a terrific talent

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 5:56 PM

Rook — you could argue that Indiana would have been as well off to keep Bayless rather than trade him for Rush/Jack/McRoberts. Still, they went a long way towards solving their franchise’s problems w/ the trade of O’Neal, the acquisition of Ford and the pick of Hibbert. Looks like they intend to be pretty active this summer too, so the Pacers will be a different, and probably a better team — they’ll put pressure on us.

I don’t understand the trade from Toronto’s point of view — except that they did have to find a way to unload TJ Ford.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 6:04 PM

One thing I tell you from this draft — Memphis got their pockets picked by Minnesota, and they won’t be good again for many years. This matters to us of course, as it makes it certain that we’ll never see a first round choice from the JCN trade.

Comment from dopeboyfresh
Time June 29, 2008 at 6:29 PM

i smell the words “wizards” and “trade” over this next month…. Ernie is a mastermind……. just watch….. the wizards are going to be the surprise team come next year………

Comment from neal
Time June 29, 2008 at 6:49 PM

SportsWiz, can you confirm that McGuire is under contract? Hoopshype shows him as a FA. Any details would be appreciated.

C’mon Phizzlies, get it together.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 7:39 PM

Sure hope so!

Next priority is our own free agents, of course.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 29, 2008 at 8:59 PM

Reggie williams — whom someone mentioned above — is going to play on Dallas’s summer league team.

Comment from dmac
Time June 29, 2008 at 9:48 PM

I want to make an argument. Why did the Wizards take Nick Young with a first round pick if he is not going to get the opportunity to play or compete for the starting shooting guard position. Mind you even if the Wiz resign Roger should not mean that Roger get’s more minutes than Nick. Yes this past season Nick was a rookie. But he should be given the opportunity to show his talent. It was bad enough they would not invite him to the slam dunk contest last year.
I know EJ wants to keep his human highlight skills in the princeton o. O.J. Mayo, Gordon, Bayless, Augustin, Beasley and Rose are going to play right away. Somebody tell me they don’t think that Nick Young has just as much ability and talent as some of these players that I have mentioned.
The Wizards summer league team should be carried by Andray Blatche. He has been here long enough to break out. No more excuses. If he is going to be be AJ’s heir to the PF position then he has got to step up big time like BH did this past season.
OP has got to stay healthy. He is a 3 point stroker. When I signed on as a blogger last year part of my excitement was because of the summer league play of Dominic McGuire. DMAC is a keeper. Many talk about his needing a jump shot but I am telling you one of his biggest assets is his defensive ability. DMAC is a young James Posey.
If DMAC works on his outside everyting else will take care of itself.
I am looking for DMAC, Nick, OP and Javale and Andray to make EJ say ummmmmmm
at the end of summer league. Man we got some good talent here in WIZ. The thing is do we really know what to do with it.

Comment from neal
Time June 29, 2008 at 10:08 PM

DMAC, I think Young had an opportunity to compete, both in practice and in games. He just lost out. Young certainly has excellent 1 on 1 offensive skills. But you gotta admit that at this point he has weaknesses too. I certainly can’t disagree with the coaches, and I don’t know why you think they’re wrong.

I’m encouraged by hearing that Blatche is working out daily at the Verizon Center. Maybe he’s getting the discipline and commitment needed to turn his potential into an all-around NBA player. And I’m still hoping he can play the 3 position. Actually, if he plays as well as we think/hope he can, it would be neat for him to back up both Jamison and Butler – have a three forward rotation.

Comment from neal
Time June 29, 2008 at 10:25 PM

I don’t think Pecherov’s failure to play much last year had anything to do with his physical condition. We didn’t hear anything about that until people started looking for reasons why he didn’t play. I think he simply wasn’t able to beat out any of our other big guys. He’s going to have the same problem this year. Thomas and McGee will be competing, and I expect both Songaila and Blatche to have better years than last.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 30, 2008 at 12:44 AM

Neal, my friend, Pesherov “Broke His Ankle”. Not an easy injury for a big man to come back from. They put him on the floor 2 months into the season, but, you could tell from his movement it was still bothering him. I don’t think he was pain free all season. I hope he is next! If Pesherov is healthy (and by that I mean totally over the ankle thing) I expect much better things from him this year.

I am not a numbers guy.. and also liked to watch Nick last year. Kinda like watching an offensive machiene in the making. I’d be in rehab for months if I tried to make just one of the moves he makes around the basket with the ball in his hand.

The drafting of McGee makes things very interesting and could be very benificial to us. Haywood had a career year. Blatche was Blatche, but, now with a little pressure from the same kind of player in McGee. Blatche may realize he had better turn it up a notch. McGee doesn’t sound from what I’ve read like the type to back down. Throw a healty Pesherov and Thomas into the mix…. I’d say our frontcourt may be a little formidable.

I think Ernie has every intension of bringing Gilbert, Antawn, and Roger back. If “everyone” is “healthy” we are deep at every position with the battle for supremacy at every position contested through out the year. A coaches dream. Also Eddie has a lot of combinations now for his beloved small ball.

I can’t wait to see who that “certain someone” is they want to see in summer league

Comment from dmac
Time June 30, 2008 at 6:42 AM

Who do you think the Wiz should invite to camp that was not drafted or maybe played overseas last year?
Anybody high on Jamont Gordon? I would bring Aaron Miles back. Did Aaron have a good year overseas last year?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 7:28 AM

Miles is on the Dallas summer league team — he may be available later in july however. I think that’s a different league and schedule?

Nick Young had every opportunity to excel last year and couldn’t do it. Our main offensive guard went down for the season, and Nick played nearly 1000 minutes. He showed some flashes, and we all know that he looks good w/ a basketball in his hands; he has plenty of natural talent. We’ll be looking for the next step from him this season.

As to Pecherov — really, who knows whether what we saw was his ankle or just the player he is. This is the year we find out.

Dominic bears watching; basically, he has to learn the system and be effective in it. Sure, it’d be great if his shooting improves (and he *must* learn to make free throws), but what’s wanted from him is mostly on the defensive end. He can make *a big difference* to the Wizards!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 7:40 AM

Javale is said to have improved enormously from his freshman to his sophomore year. If he can do that again, maybe he can have an impact in the 2d half of this year.

But, Gifonracing, I don’t think he puts pressure on Blatche — they play different positions. Blatche is tall, yes, but he should not be playing the 5, and McGee definitely projects there w/ his length and frame. Maybe he can play the 4, but maybe Blatche can play the 3. They are pretty different players.

About Haywood — if you look at his numbers from year to year, they are very consistent. Nothing went up last year except free throw shooting — which went *way* up. He’s a good NBA center. I’m just hoping we don’t get into a “competition” to start between him and Etan.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 8:02 AM

dmac — on Jamont Gordon: from what I can tell, people thought he had first round talent but came w/ baggage.

For one thing, he skipped Orlando — he seems to have thought he was too good to need to go there.

For another, he was reported to have “bad body language” in the mega workout for GS and 10 other teams (I think we had someone there as well). He was also texting instead of participating in a post-workout lunch in one or another workout.

His teammate, charles rhodes, who worked out for us, is someone’s summer league team. I’m sure Jamont will get another chance. Do we really want it to be with us?

I do wonder how he did working out w/vs. Hill for the Wizards. Maybe w/ the draft behind us, sportswiz can get us some info on that?

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 30, 2008 at 8:17 AM

Maybe Haywood’s “numbers” didn’t go way up last season, but, his “DESIRE” certainly did. And I think every member of the team fed off his desire. He came into last year ready to play, and, not take so many games “off”. That seemed to set a “tone”.

Tom, with four guys now at 7′ along with Thomas all fighting for a spot in the frontcourt I don’t see how everyone isn’t going to pressure everyone. I do agree with your positioning however. Things being rosey I’d like, at some point, to see Haywood at the 5… McGee at the 4… and Blatche at the 3. (take “that” Ilgauskus).

I watched his movement closely when he came back. I’m fairly certain Pesherov’s ankle was a cause for concern “all season”. The movement he had in summer league just wasn’t there.

I think Everyone is waiting to see what happenes with Nick this year. Will he be the same mistake prone rookie? Will the light bulb go on and he has a break out year? That’s the kind of thing that makes watching basketball fun.

Comment from neal
Time June 30, 2008 at 8:24 AM

SportsWiz, still hoping you can confirm that McGuire is under contract.

That’s really good to hear that McGee improved a lot from his freshman to sophmore years. We can expect him to improve more, then.

Yes, I think we saw Blatche at center last year only because he was the best back-up to Haywood we had. Now we have Thomas (until he gets hurt) and McGee. Blatche’s best position is PF. But he’s also the best back-up we have to Butler, where I think he’ll play a lot this year.

I trust the Thomas/Haywood conflict is over. Done. Finished. Haywood won.

According to the Post, Arenas will get between the $100M that EG is willing to pay him and the $124M that Arenas wants. That’s not good news. Let’s presume $100M for 6 years and an 8% raise every year. That means he starts out at $13,642,786. Add that to the amount already contracted, plus McGuire at the minimum ($711,517) and what Jamison says he wants ($10M) and we’re at $66,713,903 for 12 players. The luxury tax limit is projected to be $71M. Let’s say we sign Mason for $3M. That leaves us $1,286,097 for a 14th player. That would have to be a veteran at close to the minimum. More likely, Arenas will get a little more and we won’t be able to afford a 14th player. Rats!

I just hope Arenas plays better than he ever has. That means defense and better shot selection (fewer of them).

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 8:31 AM

GrifonRacing — totally agree. Ernie drafted Nick on talent and character (in the sense of not being a problem person). If you have to draft freshmen and sophomores, that’s what you *have to* draft on.

The league imposes a need for *discipline* that is a step up in maturation. Only the guys who can take that step make it. That’s where Andray and Nick are in very different ways.

In the last V-log Nick and Dom did, I remember Dominic saying something like “no more riding the pine next year; gonna work hard all summer and be ready.” Nick agreed immediately — but I did note that the statement *came from Dominic.*

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 8:48 AM

One thing we can be sure of — Pech has worked hard all spring and summer to rehab and to improve as a player. I don’t know whether he has been in the DC area or back in the Ukraine, but I bet he has been working. We’ll learn *a lot* about his upside from what he produces this summer.

neal — have you included McGee in the salary numbers above? He takes us to 14 (assuming we re-sign Mason or sign a replacement). I get about $67m w/ McGee but not Mason. There’s no way we’ll carry 15 players, so we are probably fine re: the luxury tax.

Current 9 under contract: $41.2m
McGuire: $.71m
Jamison: $10m
Arenas: $13.7m
McGee: $1.35m (?)

= @ $67m. I don’t think we’ll give Mason $3m, but we could afford to.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 8:51 AM

Btw — I expect Antawn to get more than $10m. Someone will make him a healthy offer.

Comment from neal
Time June 30, 2008 at 9:03 AM

Yes, I included McGee and his salary ($1,160,200), although I forgot to mention him. You’re right, Mason would be the 14th. We can’t afford a 15th.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 30, 2008 at 9:11 AM

Hey everyone I apologize for the absence this entire weekend I had some major news going on after my better half said “yes” to me on Saturday.

Anyway, great to be back on the blog. as far as McGuire is concerned he is on the team and I believe has next year and a team option for the third year. but he’s not goign anywhere, He along with Nick, Pech, VV, Andray and McGee will make up half the roster for the summer league.

Also, Mcgee will have a press conference at 2:00pm and we will have that video for you.

Again I will reiterate he is a very exciting player with lots of upside. He’s also an extremely hard worker, here’s a guy taht lost 10 lbs of body fat and gained it all in muscle in the last 3 months. His frame looks like he can add a bunch more without losing any of his great athleticism.

On the Antawn front, Tom you are right I would say the three biggest players in the Twan sweepstakes will be us, Philly and Charlotte. It will be very interesting what each team will put on the table.

If you have any more questions please let me know.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 9:19 AM

Even if we could afford a 15th, we wouldn’t carry one. What we should “carry” — but don’t have — is more picks.

It’s going to be interesting to see how Ernie’s strategy unfolds. We are all assuming — because it’s what he’s stated — that he’ll re-sign Arenas and Jamison (and maybe Roger). But, what if someone disrupts things w/ an outlandish offer for Atawn? And what if someone offers Gilbert a max deal? What if both those things happen?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 9:28 AM

I’m high on Javale — I’d have picked Speights if he was available, maybe Hibbert if ditto, but there was *no one* on the board at 18 to equal McGee. My next favorite was Batum, and he is even more risky than Javale.

(That said, I still think was a great draft for the wheeler-dealers because it was so deep and people saw ways to fill so many needs. Hence, I probably would have traded down for more picks, and then traded some of those for picks in upcoming drafts)

We could easily lose Antawn — I’m more worried about Charlotte than Phila., because AJ is a Carolina guy. But, it’d be especially galling to lose him to Philly, an up and coming team and a bitter rival.

One thing in our favor — I doubt Antawn would have the success anywhere else that he’s had here, and I bet he knows that. We’ll just have to see.

Comment from RDOT51
Time June 30, 2008 at 9:30 AM

Well with Gilbert and a Max out contract… We are the only team that can offer him the most money and the most years. With Antwan it can be a lil different if he wants to go to a championship contender this year its his choice to… I hope we can resign antwan but not for more than 9 million a year though.. We have a lot of players that are waiting for their chance to prove themselves. and what I hear about Blatche is that he is staying in the gym this summer. thats very good news…

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 9:48 AM

We won’t get AJ for $9m — not after the season he just had!

To be honest, between those 2 players — Gilbert and Antawn — I would be more concerned to keep Antawn.

Blatche is in the gym every day — first off, he had better be; this is his *job.* Secondly, I don’t know what he is *doing* there every day. Is he working with someone? On what? Is he concentrating on improving his conditioning? In what way?

Comment from RDOT51
Time June 30, 2008 at 9:57 AM

Your right AJ is a better fit than GIl.. I just dont think we are equipped to win anytime soon. Me personally I wouldnt sign Gil or AJ we got young players that are hungry and are ready to prove themselves. Caron is the future and when Gil is there it hampers Caron from being the man… He succumbs to Gil when he is in the Lineup. I like the young players we have… Lets see what they do

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 10:18 AM

You want to win 30 games next year? Start Nick and Andray.

Comment from RDOT51
Time June 30, 2008 at 10:36 AM

and you think bringing back AJ for the next 3 or 4 years will be better. We got to shake things up. B/C us staying stagnant is not doing the trick. We need to stockpile ourselves with young talent so we can go after some of these veteran players such as Carlos Boozer, Brand, Aldridge, ect.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 11:23 AM

Well, if we dump AJ and make sure to start AB and Nick, and trade AD and all that — no problem, we’ll have the #1 pick in the draft real soon. That ought to work.

More seriously, yeah I *do* think bringing Antawn back is better. As to contending for the championship, that requires at least one *dominant* player, which we don’t have. I like “Boozer, Brand, Aldridge” whom you mention — but they aren’t it either.

Comment from RDOT51
Time June 30, 2008 at 11:54 AM

If we keep Gil and AJ we will be back at this same spot next year…. picking 18th in the draft… Being mediocre at best. The only thing we can hope for is if 1 or a few of our youngsters break out and become a legitimate player, key contributor on this team. I think that is what Ernie is banking on. But if we are at this same place again next year we most likely are going to dismantle this unit and start over. I feel like this team is the Indiana Pacers of a few years ago… all the potential in the world but unfortunately they couldnt put it together.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 12:48 PM

You are right that the hardest thing to do is to break out of the “just above average” position we are in. Especially if you are a (relatively) small market team and can’t spend lavishly.

If it’s hard to imagine the Wizards contending for a title — barring as you say somebody unlikely becoming a total stud — maybe there’s really nothing to do about that? Maybe the best to hope for is an entertaining team that wins more than its share of games and beats some of the tough teams. That’s what we’ve got.

Now, if someone like Kevin Duncan had been at the top of the board in ‘01, when we got the horrible Kwame Brown, things’d be different. San Antonio is a small market team, but they got 1) the dominant player and 2) the big surprise at his draft position (Parker), and the from-out-of-nowhere foreign player (ginobili). How do you duplicate that?

Comment from dmac
Time June 30, 2008 at 1:31 PM

Hey fellow bloggers say Gil is not happy with the Wiz offer, do you think Joe Dumars will be interested in Gil? Seems like Joe wants to deal Chauncey and Rasheed.
Chauncey would be a great fit for us. Excellent defensive point who will make over 11 mil next season and Rasheed has one year left on his contract of $13 mil. Then we would not have to resign AJ. Rasheed could be a great fit for us for one year.
Then we can shop the free agent market in 09.
I am just not sure Gil would want to go to Detroit or whether Joe Dumars would want him.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 1:45 PM

We can’t trade Gil without signing him; since your premise is if he is “not happy” w/ the offer, i.e. doesn’t sign… I don’t get it.

Anyway, he is by no means a Detroit Piston style player.

Comment from RDOT51
Time June 30, 2008 at 3:51 PM

You can’t duplicate what the spurs did.. you can only hope that someone on our team becomes exactly what they drafted them for… to become a game changer… a stud. But they need time. first of all … and they need to learn from their mistakes. Ernie is not a stupid guy and I love the drafting of Javale he is a stud in the making so I’m just going to go on with what they are doing… b/c we only need one of these kids to fulfill their potential and we are going to be contenders for years to come. As you can probably tell I’m torn in my views of tearing the team down and give it to the youngsters or go for 1 more run and see if 1 or several of our youngsters grows up over the summer. Its a wait and see game

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 4:21 PM

It’ll be a very fun summer in Wizards-fan-land — followed by a very interesting season!

I wish we’d hear something about who’s going to be on our summer league team (I mean other than our roster guys). Fuel for fantasy!!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 4:53 PM

Chris Lofton is headed to the summer league for one of 2 teams — either Charlotte or… they don’t say — hope it’s us!!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 4:57 PM

(Another article I just read has the 2d team being Denver) —

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 30, 2008 at 5:18 PM

Tom sounds like Gary Forbes will be on the team.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 5:23 PM

Nbadraft.net article on top sliders and undrafted players.

By the way, the same site give us an A- for our draft of Javale McGee in their Draft Grades article.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 30, 2008 at 5:27 PM

Thanks, SportsWiz — keep the info coming. Forbes is a good choice; he has a chance to make it in the league. If we are staying under the luxury tax, as it seems likely we will do, then you can argue that an undrafted kid w/ talent is an excellent asset as a 15th guy. If he develops, you have someone to contribute or get traded, if not the cost is pretty minimal.

One guy I think deserves a shot is Demarcus Nelson – he could wind up a strong defender in the league despite his size. Great athleticism and wingspan, and he came out of an elite program where he was the best player on the team! He is likely very mature and focused.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 30, 2008 at 5:27 PM

Tom go to today’s article where I posted grades from nine sites and where the talk of Antawn resigning is going on.