Butler Ready to Win This Season
SportzWiz checking in…as I posted yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit down with Caron Butler for a Q &A. Check out what the two-time All-Star had to say about his summer.
WashingtonWizards.Com: You look to be in great shape, what type of workouts have you been focusing on this summer?
Caron Butler: It’s been a combination of a lot of things. Most of the things I have been doing have been on the field. Doing a lot of dynamic work. I’ve been doing a lot of sprints and agility work. I’ve been working on my speed mechanics and getting a lot of conditioning in as well as working on my strength in the weight room. I’m getting a lot of shots up, anywhere from 1,000 to 1,400 makes a day. I have just been trying to keep a nice rhythm. I took very little time off this summer. I probably took two weeks off in April and then started back up May 1st and I’ve just been working ever since. I’m preparing myself to be ready to compete for a championship this season.
WW.Com: I have also heard that you cut out something from your diet this summer, can you talk about that and the difference it has made?
CB: Sure. I cut out soda this summer. I stopped drinking soda April 8th, I have been away from soda basically the whole summer. No mountain dew, no grape soda, just water and juices. I got a nice juicer and I’ve been mixing a whole lot of things in there and my body is feeling a lot better from not drinking the soda and sticking with just the juices.
WW.Com: Since we last saw you in April, the Wizards have upgraded their depth with the acquisitions of Mike Miller, Randy Foye and Fabricio Oberto. What do those guys bring to this team?
CB: It gives us more depth and veteran leadership. Obviously we need that. You now have veteran guys on the bench helping the young guys growth. During the games you can talk to them about situations and helping them always be ready. I’m happy with the moves that management has made this summer. We got some horses to come help us. It has me really looking forward to this season.
WW.Com: You’ve had the opportunity to see Gilbert Arenas play this summer, how did he look?
CB: I went down to Chicago and saw Gilbert at Attack Fitness and he looked great and he looked happy and that is what you want to see. He was out there playing great basketball. He was looking like his old self and he just looks great. Like I said before, I just think it was mostly confidence with him. I have been through a knee injury before and I know how that goes. A lot of the time you have to get the confidence back in it. Now that he has the confidence, I think the sky is the limit. You can expect big things out of Agent Zero. We definitely need him because we are ready to win this season.
WW.Com: Training camp is just over one month away. What are your expectations for camp this year?
CB: I think we will jump right into the basketball and grit of camp. I think a lot of guys are focusing on coming into camp in great shape. I think Coach Saunders and the rest of the coaching staff will be pleased to see everybody’s bodies and how they took pride in staying in shape over the summer. I think by day two of training camp we are going to be tossing it up and playing. I am looking forward to the challenge and I know the rest of my teammates are as well.
Posted: August 25th, 2009 under Wizards.
Comments
Comment from AUNDRA
Time August 25, 2009 at 12:37 PM
DOC
You seem to have it all figured out so I’m going with your logical approach. I just want everyone to come into camp in the greatest shape in there lives and be consistent and play with great outlook for this season!
We will hit the ground running so Nick lets pick it up and sprint it out! Good Luck!
Comment from dmac
Time August 26, 2009 at 7:03 AM
Doc it is always good to read your commentary. You brought out some excellent points on the potential our depth and flexibility in lineup changes could cause headaches for coaches around the league all season.
Just the thought of a more improved Caron, a consistent AJ, a healthy Hibachi and the shot blocking BH, hopeful breakout of Blatche and Nick and depth of the team makes one real hopeful.
Comment from GlingGling
Time August 26, 2009 at 11:10 PM
On paper we got the goods.
Comment from dmac
Time August 27, 2009 at 7:14 AM
In light of the recent Washington Post article on who will breakout this season here are my choices and predictions.
Breakout Player among the Young Posse-
As much as it should be Blatche or Young I am going to step out and predict that Javale McGee will be our Young Posse breakout player this year. He is going to in practice and games put Flip in a position where he has to play him. I know that as a Center that is a big prediction. I am steeping out with Javale because he is determined to be the best player he can be.
Gil will win the comeback player of the year has he lead us into the playoffs. I predict Gil will average 24 points, 7 assist and 2.5 steals per game. Will make the nall star team.
Newcomer of the year will be Mike Miller. he will fill in at both SG and SF. Wizards will have a lethal outfit when in certain instances Arenas, Jamison, Miller Butler and Haywood will be on the floor to spread it out.
Most improved Wizard will be Caron Butler who will also make the all star game. he will thrive from Gil’s new approach to the game.
Comment from millie mill
Time August 27, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Someone else post this on another site and I thought it was very interesting idea.
“What do you think about this scenario?
——————————————————————————–
So all us Wizards fans know that Mike James and Deshawn are gonna be useless for us next year so what about this 3 way deal?
Celtics get: Beno Udrich
Kings get: Mike James, Deshawn Stevenson and Brian Scalibrine
Wizards get: Andres Nocioni and Tony Allen
It’s no secret the Celtics have been wanting to dump both of these guys and they desperately want a PG, possibly to replace Rajon sometime soon. Beno is a capable PG with enough experience to satisfy this need and with the drafting of Tyreke Evans I don’t think the Kings are interested in keeping Beno (6 mil) for the duration of his 3 year deal. Adding 3 vets could improve the Kings young guys and with all 3 bringing expiring contracts the Kings could go after a big free agent next year. Nocioni would give the Wizards a PF/SF to fill the depth that we need in both positions and Tony Allen would be in case Nick Young doesn’t step it up.
Thoughts?”
Comment from millie mill
Time August 27, 2009 at 11:04 AM
I like this trade. I think it will work for all teams involved. The Celtics get there Backup Point guard. The Kings get a vet PG to help the Rookie, a Shooting Guard and a PF/C. I think Deshawn has a player option after next season. Other than that they have two expiring contracts. The Wizards get a third option at SG (same thing Deshawn was) and a SF that will back up Butler. I know Andres Nocioni makes 7.5 mil and has three years left on contract, but this year we would have spent that money anyway. 2010 we would probably lose Miller, and Tony Allen. In 2010 we will need some consistency off the bench and Nocioni can fill that role. Plus this will give a little more time to J-Critt.
Point Guard-Gilbert Arenas-Randy Foye-Javaris Crittenton
Shooting Guard-Mike Miller-Nick Young-Tony Allen
Small Forward-Caron Butler-Andres Nocioni -Dominic McGuire
Power Forward-Antawn Jamison-Andray Blatche-Dominic McGuire
Center-Brendan Haywood-JaVale McGee-Fabricio Oberto
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time August 27, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Doc — hope Caron has the *handles* for the role you project for him. And that we don’t get into too much trouble defensively w/ Jamison trying to check wing players.
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Comment from doclinkin
Time August 25, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Caron’s mid-range attack, strength and savvy will be a good fit for much of what Flip likes to run. He’s one of a few players that can set solid screens to run interference off the ball and help outside scorers spring free.
And with head’s-up passers like Caron, MM6, Gil, Foye– even Dom & Dray (in spot minutes)– the ball should be popping around the court. Crisp movement off the ball, nice timing on the pass to the open player, the assist rate should rise significantly compared to the dribble-hand-off preference of the Eddie Jordan sets (reduces TO’s, but emphasizes the one-on-one mismatches more than passing).
Great to hear that he’s tuned up and fit. Dropping soda will help him keep the stamina and avoid fatigue-based injuries. More importantly an athletically lean and crisp Caron has a solid chance to play the point-man in Flip’s dynamic parabolic floating match-up zone whosis defense. Caron in the Spreewell/Tayshuan/Trenton Hassell role. Caron has the quick hands, smarts, anticipation and long arms to fit the system, he only needs a notch of quix in the feet and lateral skip moves to really make it work.
That and Jamison playing at SF a few more minutes per game will help. Flip likes to go Big. AJ is no intimidator in the paint sealing the weakside agaisnt backdoor and second chance points. With AJ outside there’re fewer angles of weakness if he’s a wing-player more than a low-post last-line defender. A bigger player next to Big Wood– Dray/Obie/Dom (even McGee eventually)– will make a ton of difference at stretches when defense is the primary need.
Though right, that adds to the backcourt log jam as well. Nice problem to have.
I expect the line-ups to be pretty fluid for the first half of the year while Flip experiments. I’m worried less about over all record than how well we play late-season. But from here, the depth looks pretty nice in all respects, save perhaps PF, unless Dray does take that step forward well expect out of him. Or McGee figures out positional defense. Or hey, Dom develops a low-post finishing move.