Comment from gray16
Time June 1, 2010 at 4:02 PM

a bunch of great shooters in that workout, even tiny gallon could shoot

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 1, 2010 at 4:08 PM

If the Wizards do not get one of the big free agents this year then clearing all the cap room, especially trading the #5 pick last year would be such a big waste. We are about 24 million under the cap. If we have an opportunity to add a TOP 10 player for the next 5 years on the roster and do not take advantage of that then it will be just a shame. A crying shame.
Just my opinion.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 1, 2010 at 5:44 PM

Maybe better to add that guy *next* Summer, jmpalomo? We need to figure out what we have this summer and during the season. If we add a guy in his late 20s, we are likely to be wasting the move, because we don’t have a roster that can contend for a title soon enough.

It’s hard to keep in mind how *fast* an NBA career goes by. If possible, you want to get great talent when the guy is *young.*

So I guess I don’t really agree w/ your opinion — but… keep pushing it all the same. Whom do you have in mind? I don’t see LeBron or Wade: they both want to win a title *now*, wch won’t happen in DC.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 1, 2010 at 7:25 PM

If we give David Lee a 5 year max starting at 16 million that would enable us to not give up any draft picks. That still leaves us 8 million under plus a bunch of exemptions.
Our Center and Power Forward positions would be set with Lee, Blatche and McGee for the next 3 years
Our guards of Wall and Gilbert will be set for the next 4 years.
We will be looking at the easiest position on the court to fill out that starting 5- Small Forward.
That’s what I would do.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 1, 2010 at 8:47 PM

We don’t have as much cap room as you think.

We have 6 guys under contract for @$29m. Our first pick will cost us $5m. Our #30 will cost $1m, and our #35 @ $750,000. That’s @ $36m for 9 players. Lets assume we’ll have 14 players.

We have $9-10m in trade exceptions. Those count against our cap (even though we’re not actually *spending* that money). We can trade those for players on other teams, i.e. allowing us to acquire players w/o giving any up. If we got a player for each of them, just to take one example, then we’d have 11 players and be about $10-11m under the cap while still needing 3 players.

Or we could renounce the trade exceptions and sign a FA for, as you suggest, $16m. In that case, we have 10 players and are only a few $m under the cap — while needing 4 players.

Rumor is we are trying to acquire another draft pick. That too would affect our situation.

Of course there are a lot of other paths and always more that can be done creatively than one might think. But it would be hard for us to sign a $16m FA and be able to keep building the team. Not to mention that it would narrow our options next Summer.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 1, 2010 at 8:49 PM

Btw, I like David Lee a lot — I’d love to pick him up. I’m not objecting to him at all.

Comment from Gotabigboyoffense
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:05 PM

Just about every potential NBA player can shoot the ball. Are there any drills where we can see agility, defense, rebounding?

Comment from SportzWiz
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:16 PM

gabbo those are the only drills the media was allowed to see today.

Comment from gray16
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:18 PM

david lee is cool, but he doesn’t really play any defense either.

plus he’s a 20/10 power forward, where does that leave dray? are we just replacing him?

i mean david lee is a player any person would want on their team, but for us, does he fit?

@ gabbo: those guys shooting today shoot better than a lot of guys in the nba.

defense isn’t going to be shown in drills, it’s shown in games, everything has been shown in college (or overseas) for that matter. rebounding as well. agility was shown in the combine, but minor things are shown in these workouts with agility.

these workouts are just the final things, the little details that teams want to know about a player, the wizards pretty much already know who they want at this point (at least i hope). this is just a confirmation period.

Comment from dcbutler357
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:19 PM

I’m sorry, I just don’t see AB, Javalle and David Lee as the master plan for our front court. Isn’t Lee a power forward? Get a real center until Javalle can handle it, and let’s stop putting players in positions that’s not their natural positions. There’s no need to do that EVERY year.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:26 PM

Personally, I’d like to swap one of our trade exceptions for Kevin Love — and I think it’s not out of the question that we do so on draft night. I’d be especially happy if we could somehow get one of Minnesota’s picks along w/ him. That’s probably a long shot.

I’d also like to trade one of our exceptions to Miami for Michael Beasley and their #18 pick. Miami is absolutely going to get rid of Beasley, ideally for a trade exception which they could renounce, giving them cap room to sign Wade and another top FA. I don’t want Beasley, but his salary is expiring, so he’s got one year to buckle down. But I do want another round 1 pick.

Were we able to do *both* these deals — a pipe dream admittedly — we’d have taken a big step forward in rebuilding.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:32 PM

Gotabig — there is extensive agility testing at the Combine. Results here:

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-draft-measurements/

Most of the athletic testing is kind of pointless: e.g. bench presses. Long arms are good for basketball and bad for doing bench presses.

I doubt that having guys come in for team workouts adds much to understanding their ability to play ball, given the hours and hours of footage teams have on just about everybody. But it lets you see how they take a challenge you give them, lets you see how much intensity they bring to this very competitive draft process, lets you gauge their intelligence, ability to relate to other players, etc.

Shooting uncontested jump shots doesn’t tell you much!

Comment from tyrone2000
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:33 PM

i agree with you dcbutler357 except i am not sold on Blatche and i’d take D Lee over him to start. We still need a starting center and small forward.

Comment from gray16
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:36 PM

kevin love is a 15/12 power forward… but a sixth man

i like love as well, he has good talent, but he’s not better than blatche (if blatche continues to play like he did) so he’s still going to be coming off of the bench. so that means blatche is going to have to slide to center for about 15 minutes a game, so that means small ball.

but with love’s rebounding, that’s won’t be the problem, the only problem will be defense. if that could work out defensively though, i’m all for it… but do you really think the wolves are willing to let go of love?

Comment from gray16
Time June 1, 2010 at 9:52 PM

i really hope the wizards are taking non drafted players seriously this season, never know who will end up with a wes matthews out of this draft…

and as deep as this draft goes, there is going to be some serious talent not getting drafted. anyone interested in jon scheyer? manny harris? lance stephenson? any one of those guys could be on an nba roster next season, if not all three.

Comment from dcbutler357
Time June 1, 2010 at 10:32 PM

ok, since when does bench-pressing in any sport become pointless. This is where you start talking about taking offensive fouls and holding someone down without grabbing a jersey, using your body strength as an asset beats an out-stretched long arm a lot of times….LOL….JUST ASK JAVALLE…LOL

Comment from dcbutler357
Time June 1, 2010 at 10:36 PM

Gray 16, with a draft this deep, everyone’s cupboards should be running over….lol…this is a good year to stock up on some assets. HOWEVER, this will show which teams can develop personnel or have a system in place to develop personnel.

Comment from dcbutler357
Time June 1, 2010 at 10:42 PM

I REALLY like the center from Kansas. He was outplayed in the NCAAs by a center that kept hitting threes or something that showed a weakness, but he’s a big fella and probably is an anchor that we may need. I haven’t seen a lot of the college players this season, but he reminded me of an Ostertag type.

Comment from wizbulletman0
Time June 1, 2010 at 11:35 PM

IDK i really like Tiny Gallon all of a sudden. He just got on my radar about a month ago when i was browsing draft prospects. I actually totally forgot about him and dont think i saw one game in college. He is very skilled for a 6-10 300lb big man. He looks like he has a good mid ranger jumper and is watching some highlights from highschool at Oak Hill, he is also physical. We could use a versatile player like him. I would say he is a rich man’s Glen Davis, but Davis is a couple inches shorter which makes it even more intriguing. If he is there at 30 i say consider him.

Comment from Babakism
Time June 2, 2010 at 12:08 AM

I remember when the season was starting a couple years back and Gilbert Arenas was on the cover of the Washington Post as he was drawing names of schools that he would be playing for that year. Remember when he donated a thousand dollars for every point he scored to a different school every game he played? I loved seeing that. I was so proud to have a player with a heart like that on my team who cared so much about the community. Oh how easily we forget……………… Yes I know that the whole gun thing is stupid and unacceptable and it hurt me just as much as it hurt all of you. But we have to remember this is the same guy who adopted a kid from the south side who was orphaned after his mother got killed.

Gilbert Arenas has the ability to be a game changing player in this league again as he once was before. Who knows if that will happen or not. What we do know is he is under contract for alot of money for alot of years and he is on our team.

I for one am looking forward with great anticipation to his return. I will cheer him on again as I have done before. You will never hear a boo bird come out of my mouth. He made ONE stupid mistake that happened to be a big one but it is still just 1.

Just as quickly as people have forgotten, what was forgotten can be quickly rediscovered……..

You can do it Gil…….

Comment from Wizards4Life
Time June 2, 2010 at 3:48 AM

as the saying goes.. no one remembers the good you have done but when you do wrong everyone remembers.. its sad but true all day long! as a man/woman you got to remember that if you get paid 2$ or 20 mil your still just a man/woman and no man/woman is perfect we all make mistakes some big some small but if we hold him down for that mistake then we have in turn made a big mistake

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 7:02 AM

Signing Rudy Gay would fill the SF position our starting 5 would be:
Wall
Gilbet
Gay
Blatch
McGee
Not bad especially if McGee hits a little more potential

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 2, 2010 at 7:21 AM

DraftExpress has an interesting analysis listing prospects by position in the order they think they *should* be picked.

http://bit.ly/aYW44T

Note that Jerome Randle, who worked out for us a day ago, is their #2 point guard. He tore up Portsmouth. But he is small.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 8:24 AM

What if Toronoto, Miami, Dallas and Cleveland tell their prized freed agent that they will not do a Sign and Trade. I do not see Chris Bosh giving up $30 million. I can see Lebron because he can make it up.
A players first chance at the Big money they go for the dough. Carmelo Anthony is in Denver because that’s where the money is at (He took an extra year of guaranteed cash- that’s why he is not a free agent this year) This is Bosh’s big chance at payday. If Toronoto is smart they will tell him take their max offer or go make $30 million less somewhere else.

Comment from tyrone2000
Time June 2, 2010 at 8:29 AM

Babakism you have a great opinion of my man Gilbert Arenas and it is right on point!

I hope the Wizards does not go into the season expecting McGee to be the starting center…and

If Wall is not ready to start, please do not start him either…make him earn it at least…

Comment from neal
Time June 2, 2010 at 8:52 AM

Tom, I can’t find anything in the Collective Bargaining Agreement about trade exceptions counting against our salary cap even if unused, and some other aspects you guys are talking about re. trade exceptions. Additional info about them would be appreciated. Is there a place where I can read about them?

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 8:55 AM

The one thing you have to realize with McGee is that this year is suppose to be his “Rookie” year if he stayed 4 years in college.
You have to give the young man a chance to develop. Second year in Flips system I would go in with the idea that Javale will be the starting center.
Don’t go throwing 7 million a year on a “has been” or a center that averages 8 points and 7 rebounds a year.
Look at how rare a good to great starting center is: There is not one on the free agent market this summer.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 8:58 AM

John Wall is the starting point guard the second David Stern says “With the first pick in the 2010 NBA Draft the Washington Wizards, jmpalomo’s wizards, take John Wall.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 2, 2010 at 9:13 AM

JaVale is entering his 3d year in the league, and he is still very raw. Doesn’t mean he shouldn’t start — remember, we aren’t going to win many games this year, we’re rebuilding. Anyway, who else is going to start? But I don’t know that he is the answer as a starting Center long-term.

JaVale is enormous. He has unique skills. But there are a lot of basic things he has trouble doing. Holding position on defense for one, and there are lots of others. It’s not a certainty that he will ever develop into an above-average *all around* NBA player.

Comment from dcbutler357
Time June 2, 2010 at 12:32 PM

Babakism,
Thanks for the reminder about Gil’s good side, it was definitely needed (may need to be reposted a few times)

Neal,
The trade exception rules were posted on bullets forever a month or two ago

Jmp….Bosh isn’t really a center imo, he’s a four, and if the other guys buy into a system, they will definitely take a pay cut to get a ring. Now after the ring, they may be rolling for the cash (i.e. the guy from L.A. that went to Houston…)

For some reason, even though Javalle is 7 feet, he’s not a true center IMO. He will need to play along with another big, to truly be effective, unless he can bulk up, put on some pounds, or have a learning curve like no other. I wish him well whether it be here or elsewhere.

Comment from maggicman11
Time June 2, 2010 at 12:33 PM

interesting facts for those who think Nick is Already a lost cost entering just his 4th year.

Nick 1st year: avg. 19points per 40 min/ 44% fg/ 40% 3pt
Kobe 1st year: avg. 19 points per 40 min/41% fg/ 37% 3pt

Nick 2nd year: avg 20points per 40 min/ 44% fg/ 34% 3pt
Kobe 2nd year: avg 23points per 40 min/ 42% fg/ 34% 3pt

Nick 3rd year: avg 18 points per 40 min/ 41% fg/ 40% 3pt
Kobe 3rd year: avg 21points per 40 min/ 46% fg/ 26% 3pt

note: Nicks 3rd year saw his playing time go down to 19 min a game while kobe saw his go up to 37 min a game while the stats are not that different

Comment from tyrone2000
Time June 2, 2010 at 12:53 PM

Kobe vs Nick… Wow! Not even in the same book…how about measuring the will to win a game, knowing when it is your time to take over, and last but not least -being a leader amongst the best in the world…

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 1:17 PM

Tyrone, it sounds like your talking about Michael Jordan!

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 1:20 PM

Dcbutler357, I wasn’t talking about Bosh being a center. i am talking about him going for the cash. When all is said and done there is no way in the world, especially since he hasn’t seen the big money yet, that he is going to take a $30 million pay cut to play for anyone. I don’t care if it is the Lakers. Lakers can’t pay him more.
All Toronto has to do is tell Bosh that they will not do a sign and trade. He is stuck.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 1:25 PM

Johnny Damon got slammed by the Boston Red Sox fans for taking the Yankees offer of $3 million more a year for 4 years.
You might think that is little for a professional baseball player.
That came up to $12 million reasons for him to leave the Redsox.
The number 1 Criteria for 99.99% of all professional athletes comes from my favorite movie: SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Comment from maggicman11
Time June 2, 2010 at 1:58 PM

Tyrone2000-Its not about Kobe vs. Nick, its about what it takes to adjust to the NBA game. its easy to say this player has been in the league 3 years, he should be averaging 30 pts. but when u get on the court its a different story. if Kobe were to have been drafted by the wizards and put up those same numbers, i wonder how many “fans” would have been ready to ship him off after his 3rd year??? i wonder how many ppl would consider him one of the worst players in the nba??
Dray will be in his 6th season coming up, and we still havent seen the best of him. but since he came on strong the second half of the season everyone suddenly became Dray fans. Im not one to waste time dropping players as fast as we pick them up. Any true bball fan knows it takes time to develop. and by time i dont mean just a couple practices. and by develop i dont mean become Kobe.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 2:19 PM

KOBE BRYANT TRIVIA
1. Who was he traded for from Charlotte?
2. Who were the two players drafted right before Kobe?
3. The bullets could have picked Bryant with the 5th pick but instead what did they do with their pick?
4. What undrafted player from that draft went on to become an All-NBA and All-Star (hint- played for the bullets)
5. From that draft who played Major League Baseball?
6. That draft produced how many players that played in the All Star Game?
7. Name the 3 Georgetown players drafted that year?
8. Last but not least, name the fast food restaurant that was drafted?

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 2:22 PM

Sorry. Bullets had the 11th pick that year. 2 spots ahead of where Kobe was drafted at 13.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 2:28 PM

Another Sorry. There werer 2 major league baseball players drafted in the NBA that year.

Comment from maggicman11
Time June 2, 2010 at 3:05 PM

Washington didnt pick 11th.. we gave that pick to golden state. kobe was traded for Divac.
ill have to look the rest up

Comment from wizards_fusion
Time June 2, 2010 at 3:30 PM

Trivia aside, I wonder if Grunfeld is going to package the 30 and 35 for something like the 20 and a future draft pick.

I rewatched that Vasquez shooting drill. He is the Venezuelan Nick Young. When they are hot, they’re All-NBA. When they’re cold, they’re All-NBA benching and doghouse. Say what you will about Nick, but does the team need 2 of them? I’m leaning toward no.

It looks like very few websites and fan commenters are going for Evan Turner as the #1 now – which means all the attention is being focused on John Wall.

Lastly, be on the lookout from the NBA on the availability of NBA Draft tickets at Madison Square Garden. A very select few will be available to the public via Internet pre-sale and then only about 80 of them the day of the Draft. Tickets are no more than $15.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 2, 2010 at 3:57 PM

magicman11 — why don’t you add year 1, 2 and 3 stats for rebounds, assists, steals, turnovers and fouls per 40 minutes for Kobe and Nick?

Also, maybe take into account that Kobe played his first regular season NBA game 2 months after he turned 18. Nick is about to turn 25.

I don’t get the comparison between Nick and Vasquez at all. GV is limited by his athleticism, but he has a great feel for the game and can make the guys around him work to their potential. Nick has outstanding athleticism but very little understanding of the game. He’s a great summer schoolyard player.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 4:04 PM

30 and 35 might get you the 20th pick. If I had the 20th pick I would not make that deal. With a deep draft you might get lucky and have a lower lottery player fall to you.

Comment from jmpalomo
Time June 2, 2010 at 4:10 PM

KOBE BRYANT TRIVIA
1. Who was he traded for from Charlotte?
VLADE DIVAC

2. Who were the two players drafted right before Kobe?
TODD PULLER AND VITALY POTAPENKO

3. The bullets could have picked Bryant with the 11th pick but instead what did they do with their pick?
TRADED THE PICK AND 2 OTHER 1ST ROUNDERS AND TOM GUGLIOTTA FOR CHRIS WEBBER

4. What undrafted player from that draft went on to become an All-NBA and All-Star (hint- played for the bullets)
BEN WALLACE

5. From that draft who played Major League Baseball?
MARK HENDRICKSON (ORIOLES) AND RYAN MILLER (FAMOUS TRIVIA QUESTION: REPLACED CAL RIPKEN WHEN HE STOPPED PLAYING)

6. That draft produced how many players that played in the All Star Game?
11 ALL STARS (WOW!)

7. Name the 3 Georgetown players drafted that year?
ALLEN IVERSON, JEROME WILLIAMS AND OTHELA HARRINGTON

8. Last but not least, name the fast food restaurant that was drafted?
ROY RODGERS

Comment from dcbutler357
Time June 2, 2010 at 4:27 PM

JMP, we shall see about Chris Bosh….but imo, if he has a chance to play with LeBron and/or DWade, I bet he won’t worry too much about the 30 mill. After being in the league for a while, players want that ring, the money is coming regardless(shoe deals, sponsors, etc). Heck MJ’s basketball check eventually became his smallest….lol

Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time June 2, 2010 at 4:29 PM

@Wiz-F-I can see some things with the comparison between Young and Vasquez. However the one place you lost me with that one, is on defense. Vasquez is more polished coming into the NBA than Young was. He also has a tremendous work ethic (not saying more than Young) and you cant be the ACC player of the year not having an all around game. Vasquez is a PG that can play SG, Young is a SG that’s it that’s all. IMO Vasquez has more value and upside, because he can bring toughness and versatility.

Comment from Tom Mandel
Time June 2, 2010 at 8:09 PM

Hard to imagine two more different players at the guard spot than GV and Nick. It’s a bizarre comparison to me.

Comment from datonypony
Time June 3, 2010 at 12:02 AM

Comparing nick to kobe is just….