Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 15, 2009 at 10:05 AM

I think we’re going to take Stephen Curry. And later we are going to look very smart.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 15, 2009 at 10:35 AM

ok Tom, just for you, Give me 5 names for round 2.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 15, 2009 at 10:39 AM

Well, DraftExpress now has us taking Rodrique Beaubois — some people think he’s off the charts, others that he’s stepped off a cliff. I was happier when they projected us to take Thornton — but maybe he’ll be gone.

So… I don’t know — am sitting in a coffee shop in Atlanta about to head for the airport and will give this some thought.

Of course… we do need to make a trade if we are to absorb 2 guys in the draft; that may be the reason Givony thinks we’re going to nab RB. To leave him in France for a year or so…?

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 15, 2009 at 10:42 AM

Oh… here’s a wild card, a guy who hasn’t been mentioned but is rising rapidly towards a high 2d round pick (hence maybe ours): Paul Harris (out of Syracuse, I think?).

He is 6’3″ with a 6’11″ wingspan and is unbelievably ripped at 237 lbs.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 15, 2009 at 10:54 AM

FYI. Some non draft news. Sorry to wait but Friday was busy and I thought Monday would be a good day to get this out there. We got to see Andray Blatche do an individual workout following Tyreke Evans’ workout with the team. To say the least VERY IMPRESSIVE.

He shot the ball lights out! I saw his entire workout compared to the last 15-20 minutes of all the draft workouts.

He shot the ball better than anybody I have seen at the workouts. He was working out with all five coaches (flip, wittman, cassell, zierden and unseld jr.) and looked very very good. He worked on post up moves, one dribble step back moves, elbow jumpers, sprinting the floor into mid-range jumpers, baseline jumpers.

Comment from vitality08
Time June 15, 2009 at 11:22 AM

Who has AB been working out with since the season ended? Are these types of workouts (with existing team members) common in the off season or is this something done since we have a new coaching staff?

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 15, 2009 at 11:29 AM

It just depends. Lots of guys travel or go home over the summer. I dont know how often this has been going on but I have seen him downstairs quite often waiting for workouts to end so he could get his work in.

This is the first one I saw.

Usually more guys are around later in the summer, closer to camp so they can start getting ready for the season.

Comment from jamiwiz
Time June 15, 2009 at 11:49 AM

I am pretty confident that the Wizards will be able to package the expiring contracts of Mike James and Etan Thomas and the 5th pick to get a decent player… Perhaphs even a player like Jason Terry from the mavs( since they want the pick for James Harden)

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 15, 2009 at 12:14 PM

I really like the idea of taking Harden if he falls to us. Curry or Tyreke Evans if he doesn’t. That’s what I’d like. And if we are willing to field a 14 man team.

Realistically though without using the 5th pick in some sort of trade scenario I see no way for us to free up a roster spot for our second round pick. I don’t think too many teams would be willing to trade for our 2nd rounder plus a James/Etan. I wouldn’t be willing to package any other players with our 2nd rounder just to free up a roster spot.

Wasn’t Andre working out with Gilbert this summer? That may account for his new found proficiency? Great news SportzWiz! That is a very encouraging sign. Now if we can talk Nick into working out with Gilbert we may really be onto something.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 15, 2009 at 12:18 PM

Gil was in orlando for the finals per Mike Jones with the Times and this was during that period of time. I have heard gil has also been around however I havent seen him.

Comment from bingosherlock
Time June 15, 2009 at 12:46 PM

I want DeJuan Blair

Comment from neal
Time June 15, 2009 at 2:31 PM

Well, now all 30 teams can think about possible trades. I think we should do another one with Mitch. Sort of a Kwame for Caron II. Maybe Mitch still has a warm spot in his heart for Washington.

Again, Etan Thomas ain’t going anywhere.

However, I think there’s at least a 50-50 chance we’ll trade our pick and a player for a veteran, or for a veteran and the other team’s pick (maybe the other team’s pick next year). Come on Ernie, do your thing.

Draft night is a week from Thursday. We still at only about 4-5 attendees Millie? The first one’s on me for lady bloggers or men coming from outside the metro area (such as Tom).

Comment from neal
Time June 15, 2009 at 2:39 PM

We need for some team to fall in love with our pick and overpay for it.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time June 15, 2009 at 3:38 PM

SportzWiz, you can not begin to imagine how happy I was to read your post about ‘Dray. I’ve said it before, and now again: Blatche has all the tools to be a tremendous contributor to a big Wizards run next year. The Wizards team, as currently constituted, can take the East next year. I’d like to see EG package the 5 spot pick with Etan and take either a future pick, or $$$.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 15, 2009 at 4:04 PM

I thought you’d be happy gabbo. I know you’ve been asking so when I saw the workout I figured you’d like to hear about it.

Comment from neal
Time June 15, 2009 at 4:23 PM

I think this is the 6th time I’ve said this. Etan Thomas ain’t going anywhere. He would be more of a negative to some other team than he is to us. I’m going to be really embarrassed if I have to eat my words.

Unless EG pulls something out of his hat our improvement will have to come from our new coaching staff or individual improvement from within. I hope we have gone from a good head coach to an excellent one.
What’s the norm for young players to reach their full potential? 1 of 4? So we have Blatche, McGee, Young, McGuire and Crittenton. If two of those guys becomes all he can be we could be competitive with almost anyone.

The news about Blatche sounds wonderful.

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time June 15, 2009 at 4:26 PM

Hello everybody:

Sportswiz that is great news about Dray and let me say I am very excited about seeing him next year, one thing that I am confident of Flip has a knack for the development of his forwards, keep up the great work Dray! Secondly, congrats to the Los Angles Lakers and also Phiil Jackson on a great year! And not to forget, the Magic for a great run this year! Now to answer your question, I would love for the Wizards to trade the pick and unload a contract or two for some veteran help, if we keep the pick I agree with Tom, select Curry.

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 15, 2009 at 4:53 PM

well curry will be coming in tomorrow along with a few other guys who are projected in the lottery. Just posted tomorrow’s participants

Comment from Bridge
Time June 15, 2009 at 5:38 PM

“….We got to see Andray Blatche do an individual workout following Tyreke Evans’ workout with the team. To say the least VERY IMPRESSIVE….” – - SportzWiz

That’s really GREAT news regarding AB, considering the fact that I’m one of his #1 cheerleaders aside from GABBO. GO DRAY!!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 15, 2009 at 7:50 PM

Glad to hear Dray is in the gym working and making good progress. I don’t think anyone doubts his talent!

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time June 15, 2009 at 8:08 PM

Neal – “We need for some team to fall in love with our pick and overpay for it.”
AND “I think this is the 6th time I’ve said this. Etan Thomas ain’t going anywhere.”

I would think that taking Etan and our 1st round pick for $$$ or a future pick might be a good deal for a few teams.

As a matter of fact, I’d be willing to give a team our pick if they took Thomas and his contract.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 15, 2009 at 8:40 PM

If we trade a salary w/o taking one back, we are obliged to add that same salary number to our roster within a year (or maybe even by season’s end?). In other words, there’s no way to dump salary in that manner.

Now… it gets kinda arcane; there’s a way to have a “salary exception” and that can be passed around — but we don’t have one, so it doesn’t affect us.

The way to get rid of salary is by trading a long-term contract for a short-term one. Gets rid of *future* salary, however, not present salary.

Expiring contracts are *valuable assets.* We are going to need to re-sign Brendan and Dominic soon and Caron soon thereafter. If we didn’t have salaries coming off the books, no way could we afford to do that.

Comment from neal
Time June 15, 2009 at 9:10 PM

Well put. That’s even more important than the no-trade clause in Thomas’s contract.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time June 15, 2009 at 9:16 PM

Thanks, Tom I’m glad that we have folks on the blog who understand the ins-and-outs of the NBA lets-try-to-have-parity rules.

I know how much you love Dom and I like his attitude and energy too, and I believe that he is one heck of a hustle player, but he is not going to be high on the MUST re-sign list unless he scores in double digits this year, and that is not going to happen because he will be, at best, coming off the bench. Resigning Brendan will be the key. We have more than enough 2 spot players. Although Dom would be great to have coming off the bench as a defensive stopper and I would hope that we keep him, he is the least important of the young guys. A 6’9″ 220 lb NBA player who doesn’t put many points on the board but makes his living by hustling is easily replaced by someone else who hustles and scores more.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 15, 2009 at 9:53 PM

Etan’s future hinges on what kind of trade we make. That’s if we make any trade at all. If we are just trying to free up a roster spot he is probably safe. If we are trying to bring in a big time name then he may not be. He, Mike James, and Gil, Caron, and Antawn make the most. In a package for a big name either he or James would probably be included because of their high salaries.

I get the feeling Abe is looking to win now. This is uncharted ground for him. In the past he has been adamant about not paying the luxury tax. I don’t think Ernie is going to try to win with a 14 man roster. I think we are going to see something “big”.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 15, 2009 at 9:57 PM

Getabig — you are, to the say the least, wrong about Dominic, who is at least so far the only young player who has definitively worked out, but there’s little point in debating these kinds of things.

Comment from GrifonRacing
Time June 15, 2009 at 10:07 PM

I think we have enough scorers on the roster without needing Dom to get 15 to 20 a night. He is the kind of player every team needs. The kind of player that gives you everything every minute… scraps for every loose ball… has his head in the game 100% of the time….thinks of his team mates first…. and does what ever he can to make those around him better. Dominic has progressed into this kind of player much quicker than, I think, any of us thought he would. He rebounds, plays defense, gets blocks, is learning to get steals, and his shot showed improvement from the middle of the season on. If we were to let Dominic go for the kind of money he will be asking for it would be a crime against Washington and the Wizards. Guys like him don’t come around often.

Comment from getabigboyoffense
Time June 15, 2009 at 10:15 PM

Good evening Tom M.,

I bow to you in your understanding of NBA rules, regulations, team and player statistics, etc., but except for the fact that the Wizards had so many injuries in addition to the LOTTERY COACH, Dominic would not have seen many minutes…let alone started last year. He is a young man with a great attitude and tremendous energy. He minimized his mistakes and he worked hard last season. Opposing defenses ignored him, so he scored a bit. His Wizard competition was injured. His minutes will be limited in 2009-2010. He will be coming off the bench as a defensive stopper.

Comment from Babakism
Time June 16, 2009 at 2:57 AM

James Harden is actually starting to look pretty good. Tyreke Evans is a lesser option but not a bad one. I don’t think we should make a desperate trade. If we get a fair offer then its cool, but the ginobili ray allen stuff is crap. If we make a trade it’s gotta be for something big like stoudamire or bosh. Say we don’t trade the pick and we get harden why not trade nick young and our second round pick for a first round pick to get dajuan blair????? I like what I’m hearing about andre blatche. Perhaps he is working out with Gil like he said he would. I always thought he had chris webber potential. Not many 6-10 guys can cross people up throw no look behind the back over the shoulder passes to people on the move and knock down a 17 foot jumper. Blatche needs to get his a$$ in the weight room so we can see some stretch marks on those flabby arms so he can finally finish when he gets fouled

Comment from datonypony
Time June 16, 2009 at 4:26 AM

I will honestly swallow my tongue if this isn’t Blatche’s break out season. Where’s the news about Javale??? What the heck is he doing? He better be working out haha, even more than Blatche.

Comment from dmac
Time June 16, 2009 at 5:39 AM

This is very good news to hear of Andray’s workouts and positive feedback. As we all know the kid definitely has the talent and potential to excel in the league. Hopefully a new coaching staff can bring the best out of him. My only concern is with the new coaching staff teaching him to play smarter and not pick up so many foolish fouls as soon as he gets in the game.
That breakout game he had against the Warriors when he dominated both ends like a young C-Webb and Kevin G.
Man if this kid could finally put it together then we would have Jamison successor at the PF. In fact we could start Andray and have Jamison be our 6th man.
Jamison would be lethal coming off the bench. At certain times of the game he could substitute for either forward spot.
Andray’s versatility could enable him to handle the 5 spot at times.
This possibly places us in the driver’s seat far as what we do with our pick.
We can keep it and go with Harden, Evans or Curry.
We can draft Jordan Hill and send him alongwith Mike James and receive Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse expiring contract.
When we have our young players ready to step up and produce it improves our flexibility in all areas of consideration.
This should be a great workout today. I am curious as to how Curry will matchup with Flynn, Jennings and Price.
One mock draft on Fox sports has us drafting Johnny Flynn.
With the Mystics off to a good start this has to be Washington’s year.
On another note I hate to see Manny Acta possibly get the ax, but when a franchise needs a fresh set of eyes to lead the way change is inevitable.
I hope our fresh set of eyes in Flip will lead the way to a great upcoming season for Wizards basketball.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 16, 2009 at 1:13 PM

Admittedly, it is hard to keep in mind that there are guys in this draft who are older than Andray — not a lot but some.

Still, if we are going to get excited over a one-on-none workout by a 4th year NBA veteran, that tells you he hasn’t achieved much yet.

Comment from M2
Time June 16, 2009 at 4:29 PM

Blatche is what he is I don’t care who saw him knock down a bunch of shots in 20 minutes. I can knock down a bunch of shots in 20 minutes… Hell, even D Mac & Crit can probably knock down a bunch of shots in 20 mins.
You all need to stop believing that Blatche can become anything more than he is. A serviceable veteran at this point that will shine for you periodically while creating a few miss-matches & depress the hell out of you the rest of the time.
& there’s nothing wrong with that. We know what we have. & I don’t care if he’s entering his 15th year in the league & is still only twenty years old! So what?
He’s lazy, relies heavily on his natural abilities, has the lower body of a guy 280 lbs & the upper body of a guy 195 (& that’s just plain old uncontrollable genetics), etc.
I want to be wrong SO BAD but sadly, I’m not…

& Tom, GABBO has Dom nailed (it’s actually not that difficult to do so)… You’ll figure it all out at some point.

Our musts:
Gil
Caron
Haywood
McGee

Everyone else:
Lets make a deal

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 16, 2009 at 5:23 PM

Agreed about Andray — he’s not overpaid, so it’s no point in complaining. No he’s not Lamar Odom or going to be either.

As to Dominic, he’s a terrific basketball player in every area except scoring — surely you’ll agree to that? Add to that the fact that he improved a lot from rookie to 2d season. That’s a good indication that he still has room to get even better.

Actually, “lets make a deal” applies to absolutely everyone. It’s just a matter of whether it’s a good deal.

Comment from M2
Time June 16, 2009 at 5:35 PM

Not for me… Those four stay regardless.

& when I say regardless you know that I’m considering the current deal making climate. Obviously it applies to everyone in a dreamworld with infinite possibilities but we both know what’s possible right now.
If Cleveland wants to trade LeBron, sure… But be real with me Tom.

Those four stay!

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 16, 2009 at 7:59 PM

Oh, no question — I don’t think we’re trading Gil any time soon. I wouldn’t be completely shocked if Caron were traded, however. Not that I’m calling for it, but it wouldn’t be a complete impossibility.

Comment from doclinkin
Time June 17, 2009 at 12:11 AM

& Tom, wrong again about player assessments, this time with Flynn. He’s a STUD. His workouts have moved him far UP the board & you somehow have the discernment to think he’s “a backup at best”?

Doc please jump in & tell Tom how he should feel about Flynn!

I stayed up and watched every minute of that 6-OT game at the Garden. Then news reports had him essentially not sleeping for the next couple days and still putting up solid performance. It’s tough not to be impressed with Flynn’s drive, energy, desire. Whatever his shortfalls, those things lead to improvement.

He’s short but not small; long-armed, strong, quick, tough, undaunted. A competitor, and better still with his poise a natural leader, on the floor and in the clubhouse. I liek Johnny Flynn a ton. Probably the guy you’d most want to hang out with, important quality in a PG especially someone as driven as him, he makes it cool to want to win.

At #5 there are players I want more. But if you were a team without a good option at floor general you’d do fien selecting Flynn as your instant captain.

On Blatche: he’s the best senior coming out in this year’s draft.

Comment from doclinkin
Time June 17, 2009 at 12:16 AM

On the other hand Blatche could use a bit more of this kind of workout dedication:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzczOMJoOXQ

Bigdaddywookie working his core strength.