Comment from Aj
Time January 29, 2009 at 11:08 AM

When Antawn and Caron find out they are not on the all star team I hope it fuels their fire for the rest of the season. It seems like everyone in the league is starting to play well except the wizards. I just want to see the team play well again. Maybe the team will get a big help from deshawn. Also, we have 5 straight home games starting saturday with a day of rest in between each game. I was suppose to go to my first basketball game on one of those games for my birthday but my dad said no because “the wizards are a waist of time” apparently to him. Oh well.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time January 29, 2009 at 12:28 PM

Happy birthday young fella!

(“waist” should be “waste”)

Comment from llballa19
Time January 29, 2009 at 12:39 PM

Maybe the Wiz will get their act together soon and at least finish the year out strong.

happy birthday

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time January 29, 2009 at 1:44 PM

Happy Birthday AJ

Sorry you won’t be going to a game soon, but, I have to agree with your Dad. Watching us lately is less exciting than going down to the corner to watch the stop light change.

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time January 29, 2009 at 3:03 PM

well happy B-Day lets hope next year you can get to a game and see a win for the home team!

Comment from Aj
Time January 29, 2009 at 3:18 PM

Thanks people and I meant WASTE

Comment from Aj
Time January 29, 2009 at 3:36 PM

My birthday is really on February 5th though.

Comment from Reuben
Time January 29, 2009 at 7:51 PM

tHE east allstar team is AWFUL not butler or jamison:(

Eastern conference reserves
Player (Team) Position Height Weight College/Country
Chris Bosh (Raptors) F/C 6-10 230 Georgia Tech
Danny Granger (Pacers) F 6-8 225 New Mexico
Devin Harris (Nets) G 6-3 185 Wisconsin
Joe Johnson (Hawks) G 6-7 235 Arkansas
Rashard Lewis (Magic) F 6-10 215 Alief Elsik HS
Jameer Nelson (Magic) G 6-0 190 St. Joseph’s
Paul Pierce (Celtics) F 6-7 235 Kansas
Western Conference reserves
Player (Team) Position Height Weight College/Country
Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) G 6-3 202 Colorado
Pau Gasol (Lakers) F 7-0 227 Spain
Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks) F 7-0 245 Germany
Shaquille O’Neal (Suns) C 7-1 315 LSU
Tony Parker (Spurs) G 6-2 177 France
Brandon Roy (Trail Blazers) G 6-6 211 Washington
David West (Hornets) F 6-9 240 Xavier

Comment from dabeatkeeper
Time January 29, 2009 at 8:18 PM

I am not surprised that Jamison and Butler did not make the All Star game this year. It’s been said over and over again on this blog this year has been a total nightmare and hopefully over the All Star break we at least make a coaching change! I really do believe that with a healthy team we can totally compete. I also believe that if Jamison and Butler come back next year (which I hope they do) we could have at least 3 all stars next season. I may catch some grief on this but trade the great lottery pick we will get some a really good vet. we have enough youth on this team and do not think we need anymore. We really still need a tuff big man, Thomas is NOT that guy and should have been gone a long time ago. Haywood well in my book only really has had 1 good year and that was last year, all the rest of his time in the league he’s been wack!

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time January 29, 2009 at 9:47 PM

dabeatkeeper-I am with you TRADE the pick even if we land the number 1 pick I am all for it, OKC is obsessed with Blake so what would they be willing to give up to get him?

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time January 29, 2009 at 10:39 PM

Interesting, guys. Barring any trades we are only going to have one roster spot open next year assuming Mike James excercises his option. Our 2nd rounder is going to be a throw away again anyway. Why not package both picks and try to get somebody that can help us? I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t think Brendan would be back next season. I think the big guy will be back good as new.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time January 29, 2009 at 10:42 PM

LOL I told myself I wouldn’t talk draft picks until after the all star break. So much for that

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time January 30, 2009 at 7:59 AM

The idea of trading the #1 pick in the draft for some guy “who can help” — if we had that pick — would really be foolish.

As for OK: “what would they give up for” blake griffin? What do they *have* that’s better than Griffin. Nothing. (Here’s a hint: look at their record)

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time January 30, 2009 at 8:20 AM

Brendan has been a good Center, especially defensively, since he came into the league.

Everybody thinks he had a break-out season last year, but in fact he was about the same last year as his previous years, with the exception that he became a much better free throw shooter (thanks, Dave Hopla). The rest of his numbers (FG %, points, rebounds, blocks, steals, assists, etc.) were consistent with his previous years.

We don’t need another Center for next year — we have a good starter (Brendan), a promising kid (JaVale), and Etan (guaranteed contract for next year).

Antawn is going to start at the 4 next year, but it would be *great* to have a young stud behind him. Andray, despite flashes, hasn’t shown that he is capable of consistently average NBA production. Blake Griffin would be that young stud.

Dominic has locked up the starting job at the 3 spot, and Caron starts at the 2 and sometimes shifts to the 3. Nick should be backing up those 2 spots, but he hasn’t shown that he is capable of playing regularly in the NBA (tho he is capable of scoring spectacularly upon occasion). Next year will be make or break for Nick Young.

Of course, it would be *great* if Andray could play some 3. His skills would work, and his size would be an overwhelming advantage. Not sure he is quite quick enough, however.

Our other backups for the 2 — DeShawn, Mike, Juan — aren’t very good. If DeShawn returns to form, he does contribute on the defensive end and with spot scoring.

Lots of question marks at the 2 spot, and even more at the 1. If Gil comes back as the player he was — and we all hope that he will — then between him and Crittenton we should be able to cover the position fine. But, what if Gil isn’t quite what he was? It makes *a big difference* to our team.

Comment from kaino80
Time January 30, 2009 at 8:32 AM

Hi Guys,

I agree with Tom on this one.

If the ping pong balls were to falls the Wizards way and we end up drafting Blake Griffin (fingers crossed), I think Ernie would be crazy to trade away the rights to the no.1 pick.

Blake Griffin is an absolute stud and will give the wizards some much needed defensive presence in the PF position that we have laked the pastlast 5 years.

If Ricky Rubio declares for the draft and the Wizards are lucky enough to snag the 1st or 2nd pick I think we should keep the pick. (CDoes anyone know if we stash him overseas for a year or two until his buy-out with his European club expires. Will this count against the salary cap/luxury tax??)

If we end up picking between “3-5″ then I think Ernie should look at packaging either Thomas, James and/or Songalia with our “top 5″ draft pick and trade down to a middle 1st round draft pick for either “cash” (which only a few clubs have the available cap space) and or similar expiring draft picks that can make a strong contribution next year.

Comment from kaino80
Time January 30, 2009 at 9:10 AM

Hi Guys/Sport Wiz,

What do you think the chances are of the Wizards making a move before trade deadline?

Comment from millie mill
Time January 30, 2009 at 9:16 AM

I just have my fingers crossed for the team to be healthy next year.

I don’t watch College basketball but on youtube Blake Griffin looks good. ESPN said that he would have been a top five pick last draft.

I really don’t like the Wizards starting three Small Forwards. Hopefully next year Jamison would be the scorer that come off the bench for us and Blatche and Haywood would start at the 4 and 5 spots. Let Gil start at the (1) D-Mac at the (2) and Caron at the (3).

It looks like D-Mac brings the ball up a lot now and is a good passer. He is not a scorer but neither was Jefferies or Stevenson.

Comment from millie mill
Time January 30, 2009 at 9:19 AM

kaino80,

For what?? Unless it’s for an expiring contract.

Comment from kaino80
Time January 30, 2009 at 9:30 AM

Millie,

Maybe we might package one of our expiring players contracts next year (possibly James) + 09 2nd Round draft pick for an expiring draft player this year of equal value. That way we should be close to being under the luxury tax for 09/10???

Comment from millie mill
Time January 30, 2009 at 9:39 AM

Good idea. I keep forgeting that we might have a high second round draft pick.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time January 30, 2009 at 12:37 PM

*Might have?* Oh yes, we are definitely going to have a high 2d round choice next year. Statistically the 31st or 32nd choice is just as good over time as the 27th or 28th choice, so this is like having another first round choice. Think about Chalmers, Landry, Glenn Davis, etc.

Of course, we can’t *use* that pick — we’ve arranged things to have 14 guaranteed contracts!!

We’ll be under the luxury tax in any case, btw.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time January 30, 2009 at 2:13 PM

I have to agree trading the #1 pick in the draft would be foolish. One problem… we don’t have the #1 pick only the potential to get it. Even if we finish dead last it is still a crap shoot.

Barring a trade it is going to be tough to have to sell our second rounder again.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time January 30, 2009 at 2:39 PM

I’m not that familiar. Past Blake Griffen and Rubio are there any game changing players out there?

Comment from SportzWiz
Time January 30, 2009 at 3:30 PM

Grifon Ive watched Thabeet he might one day be very good, also watched Harden from ASU he reminds me of Ginobili, he’s going left, everyone knows he’s going left and yet you cant stop him. And this was against UCLA so no slouch team.

Havent seen Jordan Hill yet and only alittle of Monroe from GTown.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time January 30, 2009 at 10:56 PM

Thanks SportzWiz. I do like Thabeet’s size. I wish he had a little better post game for a big guy like that. Plus with JaVale and Brendan coming back what do we do with him? I don’t know Hill, but, I don’t like that his fg% has gone down each year while his turn overs have gone up each year. Monroe could be good but he is just too young. I don’t know Harden at all.

If we don’t lock up the first, second, or possibly third picks I don’t know that I wouldn’t package both picks. We are going to basically lose the second round pick if we don’t. If we can get a Griffen or Rubio (if he decides to come over and can) then go for it. Otherwise I say we open up a couple roster spots by packaging a relatively high first and second round pick maybe along with say a Mike James or Etan Thomas or whatever. With Juan on the cusp that would open up 3 roster spots and clear a little cap space depending on who they would trade for.

as a ps… it would be nice to be able to hang onto Etan and James until after next season as both of their contracts expire then. I don’t want to see another year like this one but it would free up a lot of cap space in the year of the “free agents”.