What Should the Wizards Should Do with the 5th Pick?

[FreeBalling]

Go check out Hardens workout for the wiz, its up on the wiz blog.

He got up on his dunks and his shot looked fine...i dont put any stock into the workouts, maybe a little but not alot.

Mullens and Aminu's are up too. (alade aminu, Al Farouq's bro)

Why does Harden look like he's CARRYING the ball every time he goes left or right on all of the videos I've seen.

[fishercob]

Chad Ford is now making up more rumors...says the Celtics want Evans, and would be willing to trade Ray Allen for the #5 pick to make it happen.

no thanks. People must assume we have morons running our front office and maybe their right!

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I think you got my point somewhat pancakes except that you always build your team with players who are established defenders in college that have offensive upside. Physical defensive talent can't be taught where as offensive skills can be taught. That's why we are stuck now as a team. A player can't improve his defensive physical talent like a jamison. he either had it when he came out of college or he didn't. You never hear of a player transforming into an elite defender who wasn't a dominant defender in college.
When you bring a player onto your team, that player should already have a defensive reputation.
EG screwed up because he brought players onto the team and thought they would magically develop a defensive reputation even though they never had one before they got here or while in college. Defensive reputation is what wins championships. A player can always develop a consistent shot but you rarely see a player turn into a shotblocker if he wasn't one in college.
You build your team around players who are gifted defenders that have the potential to be above average offensive players. you don't build a team around players who have limited defensive potential.
Physical defensive talent is something that can't be coached which is why Jamison and caron will never be all nba third team allstars. They both have reached their ceiling as far as offensive talent goes but EG couldn't see far enough to realize that they never had a defensive reputation in college.

My philosophy is you win with one dominant inside guy who can score and defend at the rim and two other solid scorers, plus role players.

I believe one-trick specialists are fine if they're not your key guys.

I think Grunfeld didn't build around defense and he paid too much for offensive guys who had somewhat inflated stats. (Minutes and FGA valued over things like wins score).

I like a whole lot of the pieces the Wizards have, but I'd like them to add a kick ass guy like Blair. They need an enforcer who's more brute force/blunt trauma than Darius, who's more crafty/scrappy/all around baller but athletically limited.

This team could also use a bulldog in the backcourt. That said, I'd love them to add a mini-Gil in Curry.

Overall, the Wizards need better two-way athletes.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

He's from Memphis.

I could probably get to know Evans real fast. For good or bad.

I don't really know if he's from North Memphis or where, but I could probably find out a whole lot about him based on who he rides with, if you know what I mean.

Or, I could just hope the Wizards draft Curry, who's probably .... refined.

I'll leave my biases way out there front and center.

Evans is not from Memphis. He played at U. of Memphis. Evans is from Chester, PA. So before you start stereotyping him at least have your facts straight.

Chester?

The only things from Chester are steers and qu..

I stand corrected. Hmmm, gotta make another sweeping generalization about Pennsylvanians ....

I honestly can say I've only been as close as Delaware and a few times in Philly ...

Dang.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

For those who were displeased with the footage of Harden's workout for the Kings, Chad Ford may have actually shed some light on the subject:

The other two candidates for the Kings' pick -- James Harden and Evans -- have already been in. Harden had a respiratory infection that hurt his workout a bit.

Oh come on - just because he couldn't breathe is no excuse.

CCJ, I wouldn't have guessed that you're related to Jerry "The King" Lawler.

A fine southern gentleman ... The Kaufman stunts were staged IIRC...

My late brother-in-law pretty much worshipped Dolemite and Jerry Lawler ... and up near the end King Jesus.

This morning I viewed a You Tube clip of his favorite movie, "Unforgiven". Bro-In-Law had his own style of conflict resolution. We both loved the line of William Munny "But I'm not like that any more."

[Frostland]

Rumors still suggest Boozer is available....

We trade aBLATCHE, eTHOMAS (expiring), mJAMES (expiring) and #5
We get cBOOZER, cjMILES, #20

Our lineup:
Haywood/McGee
Boozer/Songalia
Jamison/McGuire
Butler/Young
Arenas/Crittendon

then use 20th & 32nd picks to select eMAYNOR (VCU) and dGREEN (UNC).....

Would allow a crunch time with 4 good defensive players on the floor, w/ Haywood -Boozer - McGuire - Butler - Arenas..... Its obvious what the scoring capabilities of the starters would be. And it creates flexibility in the event of an injury....

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaptU2Ezh2g&feature=channel

Here is a look at the Evans Kings work out.

I still think Harden is the guy. Hopefully he slips to us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlhHPYlS ... re=channel

He has one fugly release on his jumpshot.

These workouts should bode well for Evans though. He doesn't have to play in a 5-on-5 setting where his lack of IQ and court awareness come into play.

Yeah, the shot was ugly but almost all of them went in...even the three pointers. And Evans size and strength is obvious. And where does this talk about "lack of IQ" come from? What's the basis for it?

Curry has his supporters on this board...and for good reasons. Harden has his as well. Both appear to be more polished than Tyreke. However, I think it would be a mistake to take either of them over Evans. At the minimum, Tyreke will immediately bring a defensive presence that neither Curry or Harden will come close to matching, imo. And with a couple of years on the job, I'm betting Evans will be a better all-around scorer than either of them. Watch this kid...he's going to be special.

Now that I don't think Evans is from Memphis ...

DCZ what about the drive-by and the stuff about his supporters? Bottom-line for me: I think he's got superstar potential, but I'm concerned about the turnovers and his outside J. HOWEVER, I've greatly underestimated in the last draft Westbrook and Rose. (But I STILL SAY Love is way better than either.)

DCZ, you might be absolutely right about Evans. I like my bias toward Curry because of his parents and his stats at Davidson. I like the metaphysicals and intangibles that say Harden will be a solid support plyer. Evans I've been biased against MOSTLY because I didnt know what I was talking about.

Thought I knew where he was from and pulled a Gary Williams (who won't recruit DC).

That's one reason I respect your posts, Zards. I think the biggest room in the world is room for improvement. I was wrong about Evans background.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

if we get Curry...how are you going to distribute minues with Areneas,Deshawn,Curry,Nick Young and Critteon. How many minutes do you all see Curry getting?

PREDICTION: This is what I think will happen if Curry's the pick at 5.

Wizards will move DeShawn, OPEC, and either James or Thomas; ALONG WITH CURRY to bring back Larry Hughes and NY's #8.

I believe Hughes will be a Wizard again and that Washington will give the Knicks Curry.

Wiz might get Duhon or someone affordable.

Wizards are determined to trade the #5 away.

At #8, watch them get Jordan Hill IF they select Curry for the Knicks.

[fishercob]

CCJ, I see Hughes and Jeffries as "EJ guys." I don't think Flip wants those guys back.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

CCJ, I see Hughes and Jeffries as "EJ guys." I don't think Flip wants those guys back.

Could be.

Or, could be since Ernie's mortgage is riding on Gilbert that Arenas has a lot of say like EJ used to.

Flip's still in the honeymoon phase I would think and will probably not be real vocal on personnel stuff would be my GUESS. (I dunno.) I would think the coach is looking at implementing his system with the guys on hand in a way suited for them.

[DCZards]

Now that I don't think Evans is from Memphis ...

DCZ what about the drive-by and the stuff about his supporters? Bottom-line for me: I think he's got superstar potential, but I'm concerned about the turnovers and his outside J.
DCZ, you might be absolutely right about Evans. I like my bias toward Curry because of his parents and his stats at Davidson. I like the metaphysicals and intangibles that say Harden will be a solid support plyer. Evans I've been biased against MOSTLY because I didnt know what I was talking about.

You're a decent cat, ccj. But I have to bounce back at you one more time. Those Evans' supporters you raise questions about are called Team Tyreke. They happen to be his brothers. In other words, his family. So while Curry has the good fortune to have his parents there for him....Evans has his family in his corner as well.

[doclinkin]

He's from Memphis.

I could probably get to know Evans real fast. For good or bad.

I don't really know if he's from North Memphis or where, but I could probably find out a whole lot about him based on who he rides with, if you know what I mean.

Or, I could just hope the Wizards draft Curry, who's probably .... refined.

I'll leave my biases way out there front and center.

Evans is not from Memphis. He played at U. of Memphis. Evans is from Chester, PA. So before you start stereotyping him at least have your facts straight.

Chester?

The only things from Chester are steers and qu..

I stand corrected. Hmmm, gotta make another sweeping generalization about Pennsylvanians ....

I honestly can say I've only been as close as Delaware and a few times in Philly ...

Dang.

Who needs generalizations:



Chester's an exurb of Philly. A driveby community just off the highway from the City of Brotherly whatever. All the usual problems of the hardknocks beast coast. There's a reason why his brothers had to work doubletime to keep him out of the trouble that friends and family were pulling him into. Life nowadays...

[doclinkin]

BJ Mullens .... upside ....

I'm thinking Ernie's been hit upside the head and can't get past drafting the same player again and again and again if he goes with Mullens.

Personally I thought he brought in Mullens to take a secret peek at Alade. The head to head video (on the official blog) made the elder bro Aminu look real good. 3rd workout in three days and in the 'make your jumpers when exhausted' drill at the end of the workout Alade doesn't even look winded.

[LyricalRico]

Our lineup:
Haywood/McGee
Boozer/Songalia
Jamison/McGuire
Butler/Young
Arenas/Crittendon

That team would give up 120 points a night. I think if you get Boozer you have to move Jamison.

[doclinkin]

Interesting, we worked out Terrence Williams today. He can guard 3 positions. Been a big fan of his since last fall.

Something is up. Ty Lawson, and now Terrence Williams. I think Ernie has a trade in his pocket and I think Mike James is the one being traded with the 5th pick.

Wizards track record would suggest that working out for the team has almost no relation to whether or not we draft a guy. On the other hand, yeah of course Ernie is working the phones (Ginobili rumor, etc). What's interesting to me is thinking about what players might be 'best available' in various trade down situations. We've talked the #5 prospects to death, let's look at plausible options later if GMEG opts to swap.

So far we've heard about:
New York (8th)
Portland (24, 33, 55, 56)
San Antonio (37, 51, 53)

Whose your favorite guy in the range of any of those, provided we drop back and have roster spots open?

Out of that, doc, 24 just seems like a real nice spot in this draft. There's gonna be SOMEBODY that can really step in and play and help a team.

Maynor, McClinton, Terence Williams, James Johnson, Meeks (a really good sleeper if he stays in this draft), Pendergraph (very efficient player alongside Harden, who might be the better player in the short run), Wesley Matthews (available much later, but I have a feeling this guys is what we need at SG), Chase Budweiser (Wiz could use a white baller)....

I'd chuck Marcus Thornton onto that list at/around #24 as this year's George Hill/Courtney Lee type. Multi-skilled 2-guard who does everything you'd want your 2-guard to do, but won't blow you away with anything in particular. Better handle than Meeks. Good fit for Flip's offense with his ability to come around screens and use teammates to get open

I'm also intrigued by Aaron Jackson late or undrafted, but that can only happen if we've cleared significant roster space.

[doclinkin]

There's a big difference in shooting ability and ballhandling between Curry and Reddick. Reddick is a great shooter but not in one on one play. Curry is a great shooter but he also has the ability to score. What I mean is Curry can make the ball find the basket in almost all situations except probably in the post. I'd bet Curry will be a better defender than Reddick to. In clutch situations Curry can probably function a lot better than Reddick can.

Reddick: worse by far in assists, rebounds, steals per 40 or per possession, win score. Playing with stronger teammates, in a system that was designed primarily to spring him free, running off staggered screens to get him an open shot since his athleticism wouldn't allow him to do it for himself. And he came up small in the biggest game of his career. Reddick had one hi-quality skill: picture-perfect form on his jumpshot, hips square to the basket, elbow the same angle every time, crisp clean follow-through and release. Force him to do it differently and he struggled.

By contrast Stef Curry proved he could do it by himself with the ball in his hands, with triple teams preventing him from touching the ball once he gave it up. Hitting shots from insane angles or from outside. Feeding teammates even though they were basically ass.

Check out the Loyola game (I think) where the opponents held Stef to zero points by doubling him even when he simply stood in the rearcourt corner. His teammates went 4-on-3 the whole game and couldn't even score 50%. But he fed them all year for 7 assists per game. Came up large in the postseason against his toughest competition.

People got to understand what they see, get past superficial similarities and watch the game being played.

[doclinkin]

Bobcats workout with Danny Green, Gerald Henderson, Stef Curry and others.

here.

Nothing spectacular from anybody, but is that really little Stef with the putback jam at 1:40 ?

[doclinkin]

Attitude-wise and regarding his probable role with _this_ team James Harden is an ideal fit. Sneaky defender. Third option scorer, setting up teammates first, doing whatever it takes to get his team to win instead of worrying about himself. Choosing Ginobili as his role model.

Interview here.

I was actually impressed with his workout vid, he's got nice quicks to wriggle free once he's already in motion, if not crazy first step. And those arms are insanely long, huge hands. He's got a weird sort of waggle to his moves but it works for him. Interesting.

[AgentOvechkin08]

Is it not scary how Harden looks and sounds like Arenas??

Please tell me that is not just me...even his body is in the mold of GIl except he is a little taller, also it shows he lost the weight, he seems really toned down.

[AgentOvechkin08]

ALso...man is Jennings being a little cocky or what? Didnt he say something earlier about another draft prospect and now he is saying Rubio is not the top PG. Jennings has got to get a newsflash, he skipped college and did NOTHING in Europe.