Game Threads are Back BABY!! Denver Wiz Friday GT

[Wizards2Lottery]

Where does Dominic McGuire fit in... He was my favorite guy on the team for a little while.

Hate to break it you but he got traded

[He Hate Me]

damn schooling getting in the way of my Wizards knowledge. where is he and what'd we get... i didn't see his name in either the Dal or Cle trades

[Ruzious]

I disagree that AJ didn't try. He just has really slow feet resulting in him not being
able to stay in front of anyone

He was extremely lazy with his help defense. I'll never ever forget how he let LeBron drive for a game winner from the baseline in the playoffs. He could have easily tried to bother his shot or maybe attempt to take a charge or send LeBron to the FT line. Besides athletic mismatches, I really believe that he never cared much about defending.

He was a well spoken guy who could give a nice interview but that jaded peoples impression on his ACTUAL basketball ability.

With all due respect, that one play that happened how many years ago has been harped on to a ridiculous extent. Jamison thought he couldn't get there in time without fouling him, and he was probably right. How many PFs in the NBA are going to beat LeBron to a spot? We're talking about one of the greatest players ever - and he should be given credit for making a great play - as I believe he beat 2 other Wizards on that drive. Let it go, already. Some of you guys are like the stereotypical pain in the arse mother in law that won't let something die.

[jimij]

Please no. Let Miller & Foye go. As long as EG is owning up to mistakes, that's the final one he needs to fix. I'd keep Miller at around 3-4 mil a year for maybe 2-3 years but honestly his production can be replaced by our draft pick.

I'm not oppose to keeping Howard for next season though. Nobody is signing here, so the only one to benefit from that will be the owner. I have no problem overpaying Howard for a year considering the alternatives. Especially considering he could easily dealt at the deadline if it all falls apart again.

If Howard keeps on playing like yesterday, we're going to keep him around next year. That effort translated into veteran leadership with a winning attitude, which is something we need for the rest of the team to develop.

I hear ya, but he's playing now with a chip on his shoulder, plus he's PFC (playing for a contract) and will likely not come cheap. The last time he PFC'd, he got rich and didn't live up to expectations. With his past, he's not the guy to count on to lead young players. And I'd rather have Thornton show what he can do - as a younger veteran.

Ruz - we know exactly how much JH will cost next year since it's a team option. Admittedly it's not too cheap but not out and out ridiculous either especially for only one year.

Plus we get the added benefit of getting a full year out of him while he's PFC as you say.

[Ruzious]

jimij- you seem pretty sure about that - If you'd like to make a wager, just name the amount. I can't see the Wiz making a wager of over $11 mil on him. The chances of him not becoming a free agent are smaller than a rat's turd (Sorry, that's the image that came up thinking about the Wiz spending that kind of money on Howard).

[Joe_Wiz]

I just want to say that this is the 1st game I've watched all the way through -- heck, the 1st game I've watched anywhere near all the way through -- in a long time. Why did I choose to watch? I was partially encouraged by the trades, partially curious about the new guys, and partially excited about Blatche's monster game on Wednesday. But I was also encouraged to hear EG talking about having Arenas back next year. Of course, I doubt I would have kept watching if the team hadn't played well.

Getting more ping pong balls is good, but so is having young players playing well, gaining confidence, and encouraging FA's to think maybe Washington's not such a bad place to play after all.

[Wizards2Lottery]

I disagree that AJ didn't try. He just has really slow feet resulting in him not being
able to stay in front of anyone

He was extremely lazy with his help defense. I'll never ever forget how he let LeBron drive for a game winner from the baseline in the playoffs. He could have easily tried to bother his shot or maybe attempt to take a charge or send LeBron to the FT line. Besides athletic mismatches, I really believe that he never cared much about defending.

He was a well spoken guy who could give a nice interview but that jaded peoples impression on his ACTUAL basketball ability.

With all due respect, that one play that happened how many years ago has been harped on to a ridiculous extent. Jamison thought he couldn't get there in time without fouling him, and he was probably right. How many PFs in the NBA are going to beat LeBron to a spot? We're talking about one of the greatest players ever - and he should be given credit for making a great play - as I believe he beat 2 other Wizards on that drive. Let it go, already. Some of you guys are like the stereotypical pain in the arse mother in law that won't let something die.

That play is a microcosm of the lazy defense he has played for his entire career. He's a good guy with a great head on his shoulders but people overrated his abilities and his value as a player so badly.

[BYRDMAN RULZ]

Seeing the effort the Wiz put out last night, makes it official the trades EG made were the right moves. I think our vets were not that hungry, they almost seemed to be going through the motions at times. And none of last 3 coached EJ, Tapscott, and now Flip have been committed to getting our young guns consistent minutes. This was the first time in a long time I actually enjoyed watching a Wiz game. When Nick Young dove on the floor and when Boykins broke up Melo's fast break I actuall y believed we could win that game. I have never seen Nick Young ever care that much for anything but shooting. I am real curious to see if they bring the same kind of effort tonight. I was really impressed by Howard, Thornton, and Singleton.

This team actually seemed to cared about defending that is the biggest shock to me.

[sfam]

jimij- you seem pretty sure about that - If you'd like to make a wager, just name the amount. I can't see the Wiz making a wager of over $11 mil on him. The chances of him not becoming a free agent are smaller than a rat's turd (Sorry, that's the image that came up thinking about the Wiz spending that kind of money on Howard).

Ruz, this is the Wizards decision though, and it is only for that year. If things don't work out, he can be traded as expiring or let at the end of the year, so I don't see that its a really big wager, especially if we don't want to pick up (or cannot) any of the A or B level FAs.

[Ruzious]

jimij- you seem pretty sure about that - If you'd like to make a wager, just name the amount. I can't see the Wiz making a wager of over $11 mil on him. The chances of him not becoming a free agent are smaller than a rat's turd (Sorry, that's the image that came up thinking about the Wiz spending that kind of money on Howard).

Ruz, this is the Wizards decision though, and it is only for that year. If things don't work out, he can be traded as expiring or let at the end of the year, so I don't see that its a really big wager, especially if we don't want to pick up (or cannot) any of the A or B level FAs.

The problem is - it would prevent them from leveraging their cap space in ways they should - not to mention hopefully giving more minutes to younger players.

[jimij]

Ruz - you are correct that it prevents the cap space leverage but we've got to have somebody on the floor and i'm not sure if Teddy/Pollins/whoever will truly have the guts to let us bottom out. While I'm all for ping pong balls this summer, next year I want to compete for the playoffs especially knowing that we always draw the short straw in the lottery.

I personally wouldn't mind keeping around a vet who can play but who also has tons of playoff experience (other than losing to the Cavs) to set an example for the kiddie corp. it's great to have kids but unless you are lucky enough to draft a superstar who can truly lead by example (i.e. Duncan, leBron, etc) then it's nice to have some vets around who can show them how to play winning basketball.

For all his off the court faults, all of Howards teams in college and the pros have consitently won something our Big 3 never really accomplished.

[dobrojim]

since I blasted AJ a minute ago I'll defend him now.

AJ made it to the champ game (or at least final 4) at UNC.
edit - senior moment - AJ/VC made it to the FF. Got beat
by UT led by Doleac/Andre Miller
Josh didn't make it that far in college afaik. DAL did before
the refs got a woody for D-Wade and handed MIA a
championship on a bunch of calls MJ nor Bird ever
even got.

[cdouglas]

Woah Wait! Everybody stop for a minute.

No more Desuck.
No more Grape Drink stutter, stutter, headfake, heave.
No more "My shot is smoove as butter" Jamison.
We sent Mike James to Texas in a US Postal service box...becuase if it fits it ships.

Everything we've loathed about this team is gone....think about that for a moment.

I feel liberated, I feel like Atlas when he slapped on an IcyHot. I feel......oh lost the moment. I just remembered something.

I would lOVE to keep Mike on this team but I believe Foye can be easily replaced. What about Roger Mason?




My balls

Yeah, there's really nothing about the current team for me to hate.

I'll tell ya what scares me to death though. That this isn't a fluke, we make a run of the 8th seed. Fall just short, end up with the 11th pick in the draft. And everyone including EG will want to re-sign everybody. (Keeping Howard, Miller & Foye = no cap room)

[Wizards2Lottery]

if Teddy/Pollins/whoever will truly have the guts to let us bottom out.

Teddy had the guts to do it. The interesting thing is that their seem to be many similar parallels between these trades. I remember when the Capitals had the firesale. We got back a bunch of players that everyone thought were useless and would never provide anything. Now these guys (especially Fleischmann and Laich) are staples of this team.

[verbal8]

Ruz - we know exactly how much JH will cost next year since it's a team option. Admittedly it's not too cheap but not out and out ridiculous either especially for only one year.

Plus we get the added benefit of getting a full year out of him while he's PFC as you say.

While paying Josh Howard over 10 million next year may not seem to be the best move, it is probably better than paying him say 20 million over 3 years. Also as an expiring contract he would be a trade asset(not too different than Miller this year).

[Ruzious]

Ruz - we know exactly how much JH will cost next year since it's a team option. Admittedly it's not too cheap but not out and out ridiculous either especially for only one year.

Plus we get the added benefit of getting a full year out of him while he's PFC as you say.

While paying Josh Howard over 10 million next year may not seem to be the best move, it is probably better than paying him say 20 million over 3 years. Also as an expiring contract he would be a trade asset(not too different than Miller this year).

You can do a lot more with pure cap space than with an expiring contract. I point to that Kurt Thomas trade example a couple of years ago - Kurt had an expiring contract owned by Phoenix. They traded him along with 2 1st round picks to Seattle for... a 2nd round pick.

It's $11,835,000 for Howard next season. I think it's an easy decision to not pick that up.