Monday’s Workout Participants
The Washington Wizards will conduct pre-draft workouts on Monday, May 18th at 11:00 am at Verizon Center. The following players are currently scheduled to participate in tomorrow’s workout:
Scottie Reynolds G Villanova Herndon, VA 6’2”, 190 lbs.
Jerel McNeal G Marquette Chicago, IL 6’3”, 200 lbs.
Lester Hudson G Tennessee-Martin Memphis, TN 6’3”, 190 lbs.
Mike Rose G Eastern Kentucky Naperville, IL 6’3”, 195 lbs.
UPDATE: Click here for video and photos of today’s workout.
Oh also a quick note on the Lottery. Flip Saunders will be the representative at the table for the Wizards. I know there was a question whether it would be Ernie or Flip but it is going to be Flip. The info is incorrect on nba.com
Posted: May 17th, 2009 under Wizards.
Comments
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 17, 2009 at 11:29 PM
These are all marginal prospects — mid to late 2d rounders at best. We have a high pick in round 1 and the 2d pick in round 2.
Why are we looking at these guys?
That said, Lester Hudson tested the waters last year, withdrew, and once again *dominated* his team’s statistics and put up fantastic numbers. But… at last year’s Portsmouth Invitational (playing against mostly 2d round prospects that year), he did not shine.
The rest of these guys I haven’t even heard of. Maybe Scottie Reynolds.
I don’t get it.
Comment from datonypony
Time May 18, 2009 at 12:29 AM
Um, where are the high 2nd round prospects????? We have a very high 2nd round pick lol!
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time May 18, 2009 at 1:35 AM
its best to cover all spots because if we dont get the top 2 picks we are 9 out of 10 times going to trade it with a host of players for a Vet of some need to sit on the bench or make a Big 4 in witch case we might end up with the other teams low 2 round pick witch we wont keep anyway because the last thing we need is a project player who will cost us cap space
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time May 18, 2009 at 7:57 AM
looks to me like the Wizards may be trying to trade for a 2nd round pick much later than we should be drafting?
Comment from SportzWiz
Time May 18, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Remember last year with a guy like Taj McCullough, some of these guys are brought in and if they shine in workouts they will get invites to summer league or camp.
Saying that some guys might be seen as mid-late second round picks early in the process but certain teams might like them more and after workouts they move up (a guy like Walter Sharpe last year).
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 18, 2009 at 8:54 AM
The best prospects aren’t setting up workouts until after the ping pong balls drop, I suppose — and that makes sense.
Makes sense, too, that the team needs a full roster for summer league. We’re just impatient around here I guess….
Comment from vitality08
Time May 18, 2009 at 9:15 AM
Is it possible that Flip will coach summer league or is he “beyond” that?
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time May 18, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Maybe these guys are guys we are looking to pick up on the cheap if we were to trade our second rounder?
Comment from SportzWiz
Time May 18, 2009 at 9:43 AM
vitality, I can’t give you an answer but usually head coach’s observe but dont coach summer league
Comment from doclinkin
Time May 18, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Guard is a need position for us. I don’t mind checking out a few fringe players looking for stealth bargains. Ernie has always done pretty well identifying relative unknowns as NBA talents. Never know if we make a deal that clears up a roster spot, or even if we like a guy and trade for him as a throw-in on a deal someday down the road.
Still, agents will see us not as a priority workout since we only have the one roster spot, likely taken by that top pick unless something radical happens.
I like this little group. I never would have noticed a guy like Mike Rose. But could be that GMEG’s scouts following Lester Hudson in the Ohio Valley Conference saw him hitting 48% from outside (‘like zoinks! scoob’) and wanted to see if he’s the real deal.
Scottie Reynolds has the right kind of swagger, I always liked him as a college baller, whatever career he ends up with. He’s the kind of player who would do quite well on a Euro squad whatever happens with his NBA deal.
Lester Hudson. Yeah he came up short in pre-draft camp (not the PIT, which is for seniors only) but still Mr Quadruple Double is always worth a look. Short scorers have been finding success in the league nowadays, it’s good to have a change-of-pace attack guard to force fouls on perimeter players. Not a bad option.
I don’t guess any of these guys will make the team, but still. Not bad to test ‘em out.
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 18, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Any 2d rounder, if he is any good, is “on the cheap.” If we have a roster spot for a 2d draftee, I doubt we’d be trading such a valuable asset. But… we may not have roster space.
Comment from SportzWiz
Time May 18, 2009 at 10:57 AM
quick note on Rose, he was the best 3pt shooter in college last year.
Comment from doclinkin
Time May 18, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Yeah 48.1% on 200+ attempts is pretty insane. Nice going Mike.
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time May 18, 2009 at 12:29 PM
Ok I got a trade scenario: We trade Stevenson, Pecherov, and Haywood to Dallas, we receive Rip Hamilton from Detroit, and Detroit gets Erick Dampier from Dallas…if anybody can think of draft picks to swap in this situation that would make it seem more realistic let me know. Here’s how I see it will work: we get a good player for a long term contract, Dallas dumps a player they have been trying to get rid of for a long time because of how much he makes, and they get 2 year contracts instead of a 3 year…..and Detroit only suffers short term financial struggles instead of hanging onto Rip for 5 years
Comment from doclinkin
Time May 18, 2009 at 12:40 PM
Can we please preemptively nuke any ‘Trade Haywood’ proposals? We made the playoffs last year without Gilbert. Barely cracked 20 wins this year without Haywood. Ought to know by now, Big Wood is a critical lynchpin for this squad. Harder to replace than any benefit skinny Rippy would add to the win column. Only one ball to go around on the scoring end, but we fodamnsure need significant Defense. Bwood is staying.
Comment from SportzWiz
Time May 18, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Workouts just finished, going through the videos now. SHould have something up soon.
Comment from popcornkid
Time May 18, 2009 at 2:17 PM
I still think Christmas is the way to go…
Comment from SportzWiz
Time May 18, 2009 at 2:26 PM
the guys played two on two.
McNeal and Rose were in white and they beat Reynolds and Hudson.
Hudson came in last year for workouts but didnt declare for the Draft. He shot the ball pretty well.
While Rose is known as a shooter he was much more effective attacking in what I saw (realize this is just a handful of plays and after a long workout).
Reynolds has a very nice mid range stroke.
McNeal made a nice cut off the ball that led to the game winning layup in 2-on-2
Comment from SportzWiz
Time May 18, 2009 at 3:13 PM
Mike Rose is in white wearing the headband
Jerel McNeal is the other player
Scottie Reynolds scores the first basket for the black team.
Comment from datonypony
Time May 18, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Well, we all know how much of a defensive anchor haywood is and how important he is to the team. But frankly this will be as good as he gets and wizards don’t live on defense either. We have what, two good defenders? I think trading him and giving more serious minutes to our young centers might be an option.
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time May 19, 2009 at 12:08 AM
Tom… the only way we may be able to free up that second roster spot is by packaging our picks. That will leave us with an open roster spot but no 2nd round pick. Thus working out guards that fall at the end of the second round to those that aren’t considered. Ernie is hoping to find a Gem. He has done it before.
To trading Haywood…. NO! and emphatically. He MUST be retained to keep our chemistry. We have proven we can win without Gilbert. Winning without Haywood didn’t work so well.
Less than 24 hours guys until we know if we hit the “jackpot” or are in for a busy blogging summer lol.
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time May 19, 2009 at 12:14 AM
I personally like the Popcornkid’s suggestion. I know NOTHING about him, but, how can you go wrong with a guy named Christmas?
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 19, 2009 at 6:52 AM
Grif — nobody *must* be retained. Plus, you have to look at salaries and contracts that are coming up. Brendan is expiring and will command pretty big dollars, and we may not have them. I’m not suggesting we trade him, not at all, but if we’re going to play GM here, we need to keep a few more factors in mind.
No we don’t need Rip either.
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 19, 2009 at 7:19 AM
Grif — Dionte Christmas was in the first group of kids who worked out for us last week. nbadraft.net has us taking him w/ our pick (#3) in round two. They rate him pretty highly, obviously.
He has good size, but his numbers aren’t great, and they haven’t really improved over his college career at Temple.
Obviously, after the ping pong balls drop tonight, we’ll know more about what our options are in this draft. Hard to get excited about guys like Jerel Mcneal when Blake Griffin is on the line.
Comment from Phemy
Time May 19, 2009 at 7:37 AM
Good luck to all of us! Let’s hope for the best!
I dreamed last night that we got the second pick after the kings, but they took ricky rubio…oh my 
go ‘zards!
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time May 19, 2009 at 7:51 AM
what if a team like Phoenix gets the #1 pick? has that ever happened before, where the best team in the lottery gets the number 1 pick? that would be devestating to see because they barely missed the western conference playoffs! lol
Comment from neal
Time May 19, 2009 at 8:29 AM
I’m out of town til Sat so it’s up to you guys to represent us. If it comes to a trade, my preferences to let go are (in order):
Grifon Racing
Dan Snyder
Antawn J
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 19, 2009 at 8:55 AM
That’s a great question — I think some surprising teams have gotten the first pick (i.e. Chicago last year!), but I don’t know whether it’s ever been the one with the fewest ping pong balls.
Maybe, if Griffin did go to Phoenix, that would make a trade of Stoudamire (to us, I hope) more likely?
Comment from MPWizFan83
Time May 19, 2009 at 10:39 AM
It always seems to be the teams in the middle of the pack, with the 7-9% chance of winning, who end up getting it. Hopefully we can pull it off tonight….Griffin!!!
Comment from millie mill
Time May 19, 2009 at 11:13 AM
In 1993 Orlando had the fewest ping pong ball and won the lottery.
W L
Orlando 41 41 #1 Chris Webber
Detroit 40 42 #11 Allan Houston
Miami 36 46 #10 Traded Lindsey Hunter
Denver 36 46 #9 Rodney Rogers
Golden State 34 48 #3 Anfernee Hardaway
Milwaukee 28 54 #8 Vin Baker
Sacramento 25 57 #7 Bobby Hurley
Philadelphia 26 56 #2 Shawn Bradley
Washington 22 60 #6 Calbert Cheaney
Minnesota 19 63 #5 Isaiah Rider
Dallas 11 71 #4 Jamal Mashburn
Comment from millie mill
Time May 19, 2009 at 11:14 AM
There was only 11 teams in the lottery in 1993.
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time May 19, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Interesting to see how few of those lottery picks turned into anything special.
Later that year, Sam Cassell went (#24), and in the 2d round Nick Van Exel and Bryon Russell turned into pretty good NBA players.
Muresan and Chris Whitney — both ex-Bulls — went in round 2 as well.
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Comment from GrifonRacing
Time May 17, 2009 at 10:30 PM
There seems to be a “guard” related theme to this years work outs.