Washington Wizards Blog

Comment from Reuben
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:07 AM

why does it say Practice 1 and only

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:10 AM

Morning Dave; loved the pics and video thanks so much. Can you tell us more about the league rules about non contact or limited contact? Is that only in the evening practice?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:10 AM

it is the only pratcie today… they had two pratices yesterday and will have two on Monday

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:10 AM

and reuben welcome back

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:10 AM

KC Jones is known for ball-hawking or stealing the ball. What tips is he giving the players to defensively keep the 3 point shooters from getting open shots? And steal the ball? Is KC and Flip there this morning?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:11 AM

10:47 AM…remember feel free to ask questions and if I can’t answer I will ask the folks that can. blogger doclinkin yesterday noted the imporvement on defense last year but pointed out that we were bad on perimeter defense…I talked to Antawn Jamison about this and he said the key was not to getting beaten off the dribble so quickly.. when that happens he said we are relying too much on our second line of defense….and then in the scramble guys gets left open on the perimeter..in fact as they work on this defensive spacing Randy Ayers just said ..better spacing will help in the ability to receover and get out to the shooters….

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:12 AM

slwiz good moring as well… KC and Flip are here all week…I will talk to KC about some of his tips….Flip had one drill yesterday that focused on defensive communication

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:13 AM

Nice 10:47 comment – doclinkin will enjoy those comments! ah so better spacing will help to cover the jump shooters – got it!

Comment from Reuben
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:13 AM

Thanks Dave are KC and Flip going to be part of the coaching staff

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:13 AM

as for the league rules..on non contact…it is actual a union rule….on the day when there are two practices like yesterday…evening practice is shorter closer to an hour and there is not supposed to be physical contact.. and really that is smart because the point of camp is not to beat up on each other

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:14 AM

KC and Flip are just guest coaches…like we had Pete Carill last yesterday and we have had Lenny Wilkens before etc.

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:14 AM

I read up some on KC and Flip. No wonder Coach wants their “voices” to be listened to and heard. Wow, they have some great basketball history between them!!

Comment from Reuben
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:15 AM

Ok. Is Antawn playing today after the hip problem?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:15 AM

Again it is worth noting these guys are doing things on their own…Gilbert Arenas and several players are coming over earlly for shooting..yesterday Gilbert noted that by 9 am ahead of the 1045 practice 14 guys were already here at the Siegel Center

Comment from SportzWiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:16 AM

Dave which of the young guys has jumped out to you in the first few practices?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:16 AM

Antawn is going through the defensive spacing that is going on right now..it is mor elike a walk through as Randy and Eddie instruct..but Antawn will not going through the physical parts of the practice

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:17 AM

yeah we don’t want them beating up on each other; just not making Free Throws so causing the team to have to run!! LOL Let Reuben know what I mean Dave!! LOL

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:18 AM

Did Flip have that one drill the players liked where they came in from the sidelines and it was hard for you to describe?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:18 AM

sportszwiz that is a good question….Dee Brown is still young and new and cretainly he stood out for me yesterday….there is an HONOR ROLE again this year and it will be intersting to find out who was on it for yesterday..let you know after practice..I also thought Domenic McGuire looked sharp…and fit

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:20 AM

slwiz you are right that is the drill….it started with about 3 of 4 guys… and then by the end everyone is involved… the coaches are set up in offensive positions.. and there is a whole lot of yelling and screaming by the coaches to try and throw off the defensive communication

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:22 AM

11:00 AM As always as they went through the defensive spacing… communication was stressed..now going through stretching strength coach Drew Cleary…first part was just like a walk through…now they stretch before they get going

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:22 AM

Hi Sportzwiz bet you can’t wait for Tuesday to come!! We have more bloggers today, sweet!!

Cool so when large crowds are screaming and yelling hopefully if they learn focus now, those even larger crowds might not bother them so much?

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:31 AM

Glad to hear about that hip and groin strengthing cause that will help those muscle groups.

Sad and sorry to hear about Tawns hip but happy that he and Gil are doing what they can to support and participate!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:31 AM

In case you missed some of Eddie’s thoughts from yesterday
On how Etan Thomas looked today:

“Very physical. Very athletic. Very intense and very competitive. He looked good.”On the young guys:

“Dom had a great summer. Our young guys are a lot more focused, a lot more professional, and they’ve taken it upon themselves to work on their game. That’s a real promising thing to see Dominic (McGuire), Andray (Blatche), Nick (Young) and Pech (Oleksiy Pecherov) really work at it.”

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:34 AM

11:16 AM..goign through offense sets now..divided into three groups

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:37 AM

Can you describe the offensive sets more? Slow motion? Are they actually shooting?
Are they set plays on offensive or ball movement with screens and cuts or will that be in a different drill?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:41 AM

there is now defense….but working at a pace a sif they were getting presuured…and then geting into a half-court offense…

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:42 AM

so timing and making good cuts important…once in the half court

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:44 AM

same group as yesterday on offense and defense?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:45 AM

11:24 AM switch it up…one on one from half court to the basket…working on individual containment…it is emphasis in this camp not to get beat off the first dribble

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:45 AM

slwiz..no everyboidy rotates offense/defense…so things switch faster then i can type….one on one…now for example i am watching dome mcguire go at blache

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:47 AM

another example pech had a good move on dom.. but it gets back to what we talked about at the top of this blog…they do not want to get beaten on the first dribble and that will help with perimeter defense

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:48 AM

now it is five on three and they have eight seconds to score

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:49 AM

this simulates a situation when you lose a defender who gets caught in a pick

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:49 AM

okay so keeping the guy in front of you will help to contain the player. Man I wish I had the visual; can’t wait for more video. Hey, Dave can the video crew get more of this type of stuff; the drills themselves? More of Nick and Juan. And of the One Man Fastbreak? More of JaVale? and More of everybody!! LOL

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:50 AM

Oh, yeah, is Jackson there this morning?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:51 AM

i will pass it on….to the viedo crew….this is good drill to work on defensive rotation

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:51 AM

have not seen the hot shooting jackson…

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:52 AM

It’s okay, Dave, I know things are going fast; they have these practices down pat to what they want to accomplish. I wonder how long the coaches worked on getting all the drills in order and timed out?

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:56 AM

LOL about Jackson the hot shooter!! Thanks maybe the bloggers will enjoy the drills, too, though actual game competition is what they live for!! LOL

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:56 AM

slwiz..that is a great question… becasue these practices just flow…..

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:57 AM

back to one on one …watching nick young go at juan dixon

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:59 AM

dixon just slipped by butler

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:00 PM

this one on one is all about defensive containment…do not want to get beaten quickly off the dribble because that puts stress on the defense

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:00 PM

do they look any quicker this morning than yesterday keeping the player in front of them and sliding there feet or did the 5 on 3 burn the defenders? Lots of teams set those picks and screens so that drill is very important I would suppose.

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:03 PM

yes and they are back at the five on three….again plauyers are swithcing from offense and defense they are three stations.. on the other court.. randy ayers is leading a group working on getting through screens

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:07 PM

how much contact is the screener setting?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:08 PM

actually on the far side…of the court is where they are working on screens…but it is not extreme contact

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:09 PM

Do the players seem to “enjoy” this drill? How’s the communication and talking doing? Is it loud and squeaky in the gym?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:09 PM

mcgee just had nice block good job defending the rim

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:09 PM

loud and squeaky is the way to describe it

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:10 PM

how does nick young and Javale Mcgee look??

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:11 PM

drill going on now,…2v 2 going up one way work on transition pick and roll and then regular 2v2 the other way

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:11 PM

Ah so you’re having to look up and away some!! LOL good for your eyesight then! What is the best way to handle the screen? Insight first that it’s developing, but what else helps?

Is Steve with you today?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:14 PM

wizbulletman0…welcome…mcgee hs really looked good this am on bith offense and defense..made some nic emoves in a one on one.. and just had a good block in the sme drill..youg alos solid and was mentioned yesterday by eddie for his good work

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:14 PM

I know, I know the drills are changing faster than a youngster buying candy from the candy store!! OOOOHHHH and AAAAHH for JMac, LOL, keep up the blocks and let us know if he gets the SLAM!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:15 PM

slwiz..steve is here today and so is my radio partner Glenn Consor,..we are excited about radiop this year with the addition of new affiliates including FOX 1370 Sports Radio in baltimore

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:16 PM

as for getting through screens i musta dmit that dril was on the toher side and I did not get a good look at it but will ask after practice

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:18 PM

It’s fast and furious in there so Dave, please keep up your comments. We know you know your fingers are flying too, but we don’t care, we only want to hear what the guys are doing even these drills are like a soothing balm to us who love the players!!

Are the video crew getting some more video of these drills or did you get a chance to check with them yet?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:18 PM

a little five on five now..not a scrimmage..working on press offense

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:18 PM

video crew will be shooting last half hour of practice

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:18 PM

Is Glen Sportzwiz? I thought he wasn’t coming till Tuesday? And what is a color analyst????

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:21 PM

Hey Steve; loved your comments yesterday!! Where did you hear KC sing the National Anthem?

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:21 PM

Glen is not sportzwiz..color analyst is the guy who breaks down the game

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:23 PM

last half hour that’s not enough!! Ah, well, we can only hope and dream for a change to see more of these great players!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:25 PM

brown ,dermarr johnson, blache ,mcguire, and stevenson going against dixon mcgee linton johnson caron butler and nick young

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:25 PM

nice drive by mcguire.. he is having a good camp

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:26 PM

players are swithcing in and out..should be noted etan thomas again looks very confident and aggressive

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:28 PM

Will there be more player interviews on the radio… shoot I can’t remember your call numbers. I know several in Illinois enjoyed the interview with Dee. That was really nice; that was around summer league time. Did you or Glen do that interview by chance? Did any of you (Steve) have anything to do with Nicks TV documentary about HS the other night? The audio for CB3 was nice, too. He seemed to enjoy Flips comment about his shooting!! LOL

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:31 PM

Wizards flagship in Washington is 980 AM…all pre season games wll be on 570 AM and 1260 AM and in Baltimore on 1370 AM and online at NBA.com
and that inlcudes trip to Europe

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:33 PM

did not have anything to do with documnentary…five on five continues…known as free throw game..they do shoot free throws and work from there

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:35 PM

stevenson just hit abig 3.. and did the face wash..it like regular season

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:36 PM

There hasn’t been much info about Europe games. Will that come out in about a week or so? Thanks for the call numbers good info for the local folks; sigh, just too far away for your antennae to reach us but we will do what we can to support the players!!

So does the NBA All Access apply to the Wizard games online? That we have registered for!!

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:37 PM

Huh!! What about this free throw game?

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM

I was reading about the face wash – that blogger will be happy that one of their hopes has been realized in camp!! LOL

I keep saying “blogger”; I will get to know them by handle before the end of season; promise; it’s like new names, ya know, just takes a while. Sorry, no offense meant!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:39 PM

it is five on five…they will go several possesions and then stop for a free throw.. and the free throw shooters are rotated….gives them a chance to work on press offense after a mdae free throw

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:41 PM

About the All Access. I really would like to know about that.

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:42 PM

Ha, you slipped the photo in, thanks!!

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:42 PM

12:21PM…change now. transition offense..no defenders

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:43 PM

will is loading the photos fast and furious

Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:44 PM

calling it a practice…time to stretch….again spread thre word.. we are here every practice

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:46 PM

Pech and Andray are leaning into each other pretty good!!

Hows Brendon Haywood doing?

I’m still learning faces and numbers, too!

Does the Wizards presser the ball in the backcourt much during the regular season?

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 12:48 PM

Thanks will; we will be looking!! And thank you too Dave!! How are your fingers!! LOL

Comment from SportzWiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 1:13 PM

If I was Glenn, I would be a MUCH better basketball player in my prime and I would know a LOT more about the game of basketball. Glenn’s knowledge of the game is amazing!

Comment from SPORTSJUNKIE
Time September 28, 2008 at 2:55 PM

How is Juan looking out there? Does he look like a great fit to fill the role that Roger Mason left. I also would like to know how the other local guy is looking, Dermarr Johnson. I think if he plays to his potential this could be a HUGE steal for the wiz and he could definintely solidify that SF position

Comment from neal
Time September 28, 2008 at 4:07 PM

Terrific reporting. I’m really getting an idea of what it means to be an NBA player. The least of these guys has to be a real pro. Are the other camps as challenging as ours?

Comment from GlingGling
Time September 28, 2008 at 9:04 PM

Sorry couldn’t be here today. It’s good to know the Euro games are gonna be on the radio. At least we’ll get something from them. Thanks Dave.

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 10:17 PM

You were missed GlingGling!! Anybody having trouble opening up and/or listening to JaVale’s Training Camp Vlog #1?

Comment from GlingGling
Time September 28, 2008 at 10:17 PM

I’m so excited about Dominic. I would love to see him be second string at small forward.

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 10:22 PM

Did you get a chance to read some of the comments about Dom?

Comment from slwiz
Time September 28, 2008 at 10:29 PM

such as Coach Jordan:

On Dominic McGuire:
“He is almost a different player. He understands what we are doing. He understands his role and he is playing at a very high level. You can see the seriousness in him. We saw his improvement in summer league and he has been on pace to improve from the end of the last season until summer league. We now see his improvement from summer league to the beginning of training camp.”

Comment from Bridge
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:10 PM

I can’t do nothing but have respect for D-Mac; maturity just oozes off of him – I know that he’s expected to get far. I’m glad that both Caron and Twan are making such huge impacts in his life/career…

Comment from GlingGling
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:27 PM

With an all-star on either side of him, things are looking rosy. He’s got the best of it, Caron as an amazing all around small forward and Antawn as an undersized power.

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time September 28, 2008 at 11:49 PM

yea the vlog for mcgee isnt working for me

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time September 29, 2008 at 8:41 AM

No the JaVale video doesn’t work.

Comment from GlingGling
Time September 29, 2008 at 9:32 AM

KC Jones was talking up Andray.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time September 29, 2008 at 9:34 AM

JaVale’s video should be up and working now.

Comment from doclinkin
Time September 29, 2008 at 10:11 AM

Good morning DJ (and everybody)

Good to read articles and hear about Etan’s total recovery, The man has always shown good heart and I expect Big things from him with a re-newed re-dedication from a player who played like a avatar of a War-god even _before_ he was robbed of a year in the game that he loves. I fully expect to see him playing with berserk joy once the season gets underway. Dwight Howard, look out.

That said, I’ve got small nagging worries only tangentially related to previous Etan conversations (which is usually the old ‘Brendan Haywood’ merry-go round). Chiefly: Andray Blatche and his purported newfound ‘maturity’.

In the vein of ‘Devil has work for Idle hands’… I’m most concerned that Andray’s past immaturity [knock wood] be held against him and rob him of back-up minutes at the 5-spot.

I love the future of our man ‘Bulletproof’ as a Princeton Offense true Pivot player, Bill Russell-esque high post center. His vision, passing skills, instincts, handle etc all suggest a wicked positive mismatch against the league’s slower Centers. Half the Princeton sets are the old Russell/Sam Jones sets from waay back in the days of grainy footage. The action rotates around the center spot at the free throw line like spokes of a wheel, and Big defenders have to mark him out there, leaving space under the rim for the wing atttackers to divebomb in and finish (backdoor, backdoor, backdoor). As a SF he’s too slow-footed on defense, reaches and fouls alot. As a PF he’s got soem skills. But as a Center, he’s waay too quick and skilled for most Bigs to handle, and is less likely to get whistled for the little ticky-tack fouls.

Complicating that development though: Coach Eddie likes mature players who will work no matter what and not get distracted, not complain. Professionals. These are the guys who earn playtime, via effort more than raw talent. Coaches trust consistency, you know what you can gameplan with and rely on. A steady 10 and 5 is better than a sometimes 15/7 sometimes 5/3.

My worry is that Blatche, with his current good attitude intact, might not yet have a role with the team, lose minutes to consummate Pro Darius Songaila and the dreadlocked berserker shaman warrior-for-peace. Darius is a known factor, and Etan will play like he’s spirit-touched no matter when you put him in. Dray, well, he might forget from game to game what makes him so darned good.

So… The question is: Andray’s role. A young player needs repetitions to improve, if he’s mostly used as a jack-of-all trades (defending Big SF’s, backing up Jamison, filling in at center) it may stunt his growth. He may miss the chance to steadily improve. Build on one skill set before moving to another. Bigs take a long time to develop, but Dray could be an All-star Center, once he learns the high-post skill set.

How do the Coaches envision Andray earning minutes this year? What’s his ‘bread-and-butter’ role on the team. Where does he fit in the rotation? Who’s the probably first big off the bench? First forward? Or do match-ups and opponent dictate that more than any other factor.

Or put simply: with all the Bigs and 4’s on the roster. How does the coaching staff find time for them? Both for immediate benefit and development for the future?

Also: for guys like Pech and Javale. Does the D-league ever feature as a possibility, or does the D-League have limited utility unless they’re running Princeton sets.

Comment from dmac
Time September 29, 2008 at 10:21 AM

With the improved play of D-MAC, Pech, AB, Dee, NY and the potential JaVale has. Is it possible that any of the veteran front-line guys like Songalia could be trade bait. I admit that Songalia is a good player but I am not sold on his defense and rebounding. I’d rather extend AB’s minutes so he can be that player that comes off the bench to average 14 and 12 like someone mentioned the other day.
I say this because if Pech has improved his strength and rebounding he could be a very valuable tool in stretching the opposing teams defense with his outside shot. Any Songalia supporters out there?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time September 29, 2008 at 10:28 AM

As usual, doclinkin asks a lot of great questions!

I’d never thought of Andray as a Center, but doc you make some very good points.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time September 29, 2008 at 10:31 AM

Best thing I can say about JaVale’s Vlog is… he is no Nick Young!! LOL Don’t quit your day job, JaVale!!

Fun to see and hear the big young fella all the same.

Comment from neal
Time September 29, 2008 at 10:52 AM

Yes, dmac, I’m a Songaila supporter. He’s a good shooter and HUSTLES ON BOTH ENDS. He’s a graduate of the Michael Ruffin Pushem Shovem Bumpem Hackem School of Defense. I doubt many of his men ever get comfortable and have good games against him. The downside, of course, is a lot of fouls.

Having said that, Jordan has a real dilemma, as doclinkin says. I presume that the 15 guys with guaranteed money will be the ones on the final roster. And I presume that McGuire will be the backup to Butler. If Blatche continues to mature he’ll be the primary backup to Songaila, I suppose, in spite of occasional youthful mistakes, and in spite of what I said about Songaila.

That leaves Songaila and Pecherov as potential trade bait. But I would be greatly surprised if Grunfeld could get equal or better value. And what position would he be looking to improve? PG?

I hear what you’re saying doclinkin, but I think McGee is seen as the C of the future. He could likely fill the role you’re talking about, although we haven’t yet seen whether he has the court vision to pass like we’ve seen Blatche do at times.

Comment from doclinkin
Time September 29, 2008 at 10:54 AM

Songaila is the one player who can exemplify high-post Big Man play. Plus he sets hard picks, gives good smart fouls. I’d like to keep him as a tutor for Dray.

Much as it pains me (*) I suspect Etan is the most useful trade bait — if he demonstrates the ability to shut down Dwight Howard like he did the last couple times they played.

That version of Etan will attract interest around the league. And his trade kicker, combined with a contract that expires next year is a good way for a team to dump 7 million dollars worth of Salary in time for the 2010 free agent market.

I also had a brief daydream that, with Gil temporarily grounded, an Etan for Ben Gordon swap might work. Ben would get the same one-year audition that earned large money for DeSteve and Roger (and Jared Jeffries and Larry –every 2-guard who ever played in this offense).

Anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear mid-year rumors that Big Poet is collecting interest.

(* ‘Pains me’: fellow poet, outspoken politically, he’s been at rallies where my son marched and was a good guy to him, and you hear great things in the community)

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time September 29, 2008 at 11:03 AM

doc — you’re a poet? Click on my name.

I love Etan, but yes he could be trade bait. Eddie likes him, however.

Actually (I know I’ll get grief for this) Michael Ruffin is a much better player than Darius. No, he can’t shoot — but we have *lots* of guys who can score. Everything else he does much better than Songaila.

I hope we don’t trade for Ben Gordon — he is a gunner and that’s all. We don’t have any need for him. Indeed, the fact that he hasn’t raised any suitors or gotten any offers should indicate that the rest of the league sees him t his same way. His qual. offer is $6.5m for this year. He doesn’t bring anywhere near that kind of value.

Comment from doclinkin
Time September 29, 2008 at 11:06 AM

McGee was playing at power Four all summer. As of right now he has no low-post footwork and defense skills. And he’s more comfortable in face-up skills than in the paint. Highlights will occasionally show the wraparound and behind-the-back passes he grew up with before he hit his growth spurt, but stats will show you that didn’t work out all that well in the main. He’s got unbelievable promise once his skill catches up with his talent. But again, the true Bigs usually take a while to pan out (which bodes well for his cost when we re-sign him on the cheap and lock him up long-term to a reasonable deal). (Hope, pray).

Javale is a project. It will be great once he pans out, but– three years in– Dray is right there, right now. He played pretty well as Big Wood’s back-up last year (foul rate notwithstanding). Once they develop to the point where they’re sharing the frontcourt, that will be insanely great. But I think Dray helps to blaze the way once he finally ‘gets it’.

Comment from ricklevinenyc
Time September 29, 2008 at 11:49 AM

two points:

1) Andray’s maturity. Everyone is quick to gripe about his concentration lapses and youthful exuberance. But let’s not forget he is younger than Nick Young. He came into the league at 18 yrs old. I think all he really needed was to gain some upper body strength. It looks like he is developing in that area. I think consistency will be there this season and the Wiz absolutely need it.

2) Songaila is a solid pro. But his contract is bigger than his game is. So is Etan’s for that matter, but until he proves he is healthy, I think Songaila is the better trade bait. I don’s see any long term benefit to keep Songaila on the Wiz given the slew of young talent. But I can imagine other teams that would like to add him to their rosters. Songaila for Posey? Or a similar player would be my choice.

Comment from dmac
Time September 29, 2008 at 12:09 PM

I had felt that down the road that AB would be AJ’s successor at the 4 spot. Doclinkin I respect your analysis of AB’s strong and weak points of his game. I just feel he needs to play more to get better. I feel that AB has got to find him some pet moves from the offensive end where he is comfortable with and really work hard on them. His size and quickness and good hands would be a plus at the four. Although not as talented AB has a little young CWebb potential. What he does not have is the mean streak that CWebb had and a real aggressiveness to the boards. Maybe that is an area where he is improving in. Time will tell.
I felt that ET could be possible trade bait I just did not want to write it down because I really love the guy.
One thing I don’t want to see happen is EJ be reluctant to play the young guy’s more for fear of them making mistakes. Getting these young guy’s more experince is what is going to help take us over the top come playoff time. Our team has the potential to create serious matchup problems with any team in the NBA.
I like a recent quote by Jim Zorn after the Giants loss. He said to Jason Campbell that he needed to trust him more and in turn Jason said to Coach Zorn you need to trust me more as well.

Comment from doclinkin
Time September 29, 2008 at 12:27 PM

Justification for Ben Gordon:

On a one-year rental, as chuckers go, he’s a waaay better version of Juan Dixon.

We drop Etan’s salary a year early and duck salary cap woes that have hampered us in free agency.

We lose a surplus Big, ensuring that our Best Big (Haywood) gets closer to the optimal ~30 mins a game. Interior defense is protected. Youngsters have a chance to earn minutes. Etan’s game is a net positive, but ultimately sub-optimal for the offense.

Not a strong argument, but there were a ton of interesting offseason players this year that I would love if the Wiz could have bid on. if we’d had that 6 million dollars, maybe we could have landed Josh Childress for instance (perfect Princeton role-player, fills in at 2 and three for us). One example, only. The question being, is back-up Big our most pressing need? If no, how do we free space to land that need…

Comment from neal
Time September 29, 2008 at 4:54 PM

If we trade Thomas (or anyone else), we get other players, not space under the luxury tax. And who are we going to get that will be in our long-term plans at that price? EG has been trying to pull off such a trade for over a year. Best thing is to let Etan play out his contract and then use the money (or what’s left of the money if we resign Etan for less) to sign someone better.

Jamison committed 3.0 PF per 48 minutes last year. That surely is below average. Songaila committed 6.3. That surely is above average. Blatche committed 7.4. That must be the most in the league. I presume that will improve this year. If not, he’s a very iffy presence to have out there at critical times.

Comment from Bridge
Time September 29, 2008 at 5:15 PM

“Any Songalia supporters out there?” – - – dmac

Like neal, I’m also a huge D-Song supporter…he’s just fun to watch and (in my opinion) his defense is SOLID; best on the team – people just don’t notice because he’s not out there as much. It’s just like Pech – how would we really be able to judge him as a player before seeing what he’s really about? But yeah, D-Song supporter here and proud to be…

Comment from doclinkin
Time September 29, 2008 at 5:43 PM

“If we trade Thomas (or anyone else), we get other players, not space under the luxury tax”

Nope, if we traded him for a player with one year under his deal (like Ben Gordon, who has an Etan-equivalent contract with the one-year qualifying offer) we’d get out from under the contract one year early and pick up a volume scorer in a year when Gil is out.

Granted, we may stunt the growth of Nick Young, and all the other arguments that applied on the Juan Dixon pick-up. But if Juan Dixon was our stop-gap for Gilbert’s absence, Ben Gordon is a better player. And in this offense he’d be really nasty, hard to stop.

The real question is how he’d co-exist with Gil for even a brief time, considering Gil badmouthed him on the contract deal — and worse yet turned out to be right. But fellow UConn product Caron would be a fine Big Brother for lil’ Ben.

Not that this is the only deal possible. Just saying: I’m pretty sure Etan will show enough that his contract isn’t the impediment for a deal that it used to have been. And I’m pretty sure there will be decent offers this year for it. Ernie may have the luxury of turning down deals instead of trying to include him in various packages.

And again, I’m not trying to sell the guy myself, just saying since that’s what the buzz was in the past (dealing Etan) it occurs to me that Big Poet will begin to attract attention if he plays well, and may make Ernie consider the good deals he can get.

Etan has played well against:
Miami.
Chicago (a 20 pt game in that post-season series win, IIRC — which led to the blow-up/protest/bellyache/benching by the KFB).
Houston (once blocking Yao 3 or 4 times in a game)

Other teams that need a burly center, or whose playstyle fits Etan’s metier:
Atlanta
San Antonio

And the only reason why I consider the question, instead of advocating against it, is that Etan lacks a handle/passing/face-up game which mean that his utility in the offense is lowered. No big deal, but it means about half the playbook is eliminated, and guards/mids/wing players who thrive with nobody in the paint have slightly reduced effectiveness.