RealGM

Basically re-running Mike Lees' poll for our board, thanks Mike
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizard ... _seas.html

I think its going to be impossible to have a true breakout season with your numbers because none of those guys will get major minutes except "maybe" Foye & Blatche but even with minutes, we have a ton of guys to put up points and are ahead of them in terms of role. Again, to me its going to be more of an eye test thing than it will be numbers. I think all our young guys will look alot better on the court this year with us being healthy, with them being older, with us having a better coach, and moreso with Gil just being on the floor to make the game easy for anyone.

If you want a true breakout player for our team, I think it will be Gil & Wood. If Gil is healthy with his new found PG skills & all the weapons we have, he will be put in the catagory of Wade, Lebron, & Kobe. I have no doubt about it. I think he could win the All Star MVP & League MVP. I think Wood will be seen as one of the best Centers in the league, will be dominant on D, and will have alot more oppourtunites to score because Gil will be so much better at passing

Of the players listed Blatche has a pretty good shot to do so, since he's pretty much assured of play time behind Jamison/Wood. Relative to year's past I suspect he'll take a stride forward. But I'm not 100% sure he'll show up as a true x-factor 'breakout' player. Yet.

Randy Foye though gets to play next to Gilbert for at least some of his minutes, and we've seen even sub-terrible players feast off the scraps playing next to Gil. Foye is not sub-terrible, the kid is tough, calm, aggressive, with a nice outside game. And Clutch-capable: shooting .731% on crunchtime jumpers in 07/08. He'll be a solid bail-out option if Gil is doubled and a longshot bucket is needed.

Randy's no-ego game combined with catch-and-shoot skill, long range game, etc are a near-ideal fit as 2nd-tier offensive option. We were among the league lowest in backcourt production from either spot, there's clearly minutes available and a role to be seized even if Foye's defense is average at best. I think he has the best chance at a stellar breakout season since there is no established all-star (or top 5 defender) at his position. Of the player's listed above he has the best chance to start. All you need is opportunity.

The cynic in me, because these are the Wizards after all, read this thread and wondered, "which Wiz player will break DOWN this year?"

If that were the question, I'd say AJ.

long suffrin' boulez fan wrote:The cynic in me, because these are the Wizards after all, read this thread and wondered, "which Wiz player will break DOWN this year?"

*rimshot*

I voted for Randy Foye.

1. Best running-mate for Gil since Larry Hughes
2. He's in a contract year.
3. He will be with the best team of his career & seems like a good fit

I think doc is dead on about Foye having the best opportunity for a breakout considering he'll be playing alongside Gil.

Blatche will see marginal improvement but personally I think he is what he is. McGee will show more flashes, but will be incredibly inconsistent and may unfortunately lose minutes to Oberto. Young has too much competition at his position in terms of guys fighting for minutes and he's not versatile enough to play another position so he may get squeezed out regardless of how much he's improved.

Finally, I think long suffrin' has a great point. With this franchise, its inevitable that someone breaks down. The good feelings about the upcoming season can only last so long before disaster strikes likely in training camp. I'd bet on Antawn Jamison being that guy as well based on him coming off of surgery (thanks Tapscott!) and his advancing age.

No breakout players. The only two that I expect to get the minutes that would even grant them the opportunity are Blatche and Foye, and I don't expect either to be significantly better than they've been up to this point.

I actually think McGee and especially Young will be improved, but both will be playing in the teens, so no matter how good they are, they can't really break out.

long suffrin' boulez fan wrote:The cynic in me, because these are the Wizards after all, read this thread and wondered, "which Wiz player will break DOWN this year?"

If that were the question, I'd say AJ.

I sentence you to a 3 hour BAN, starting 1.2 hours ago!

Juan Dixon.

Foye will start living up to his draft expectations

Laron Profit j/k I think Foye looks the most likely to improve dramatically. I hope Blatche and McGee can step up, but I don't expect the dramatic progress that Foye could display this year.

I just don't think Foye will get enough minutes for the public to consider him to have "broken out". He's going to be competing with Miller, Young and maybe even Stevenson. 25 minutes is the most he would get and considering he averaged, what, 30+ last year, he won't put up those numbers. His efficiency will most likely sky-rocket but only die-hards will take notice.

dlts20 wrote:Again, to me its going to be more of an eye test thing than it will be numbers. I think all our young guys will look alot better on the court this year with us being healthy, with them being older, with us having a better coach, and moreso with Gil just being on the floor to make the game easy for anyone.

miller31time wrote: [Foye's] efficiency will most likely sky-rocket but only die-hards will take notice.

I like what those predictions sound like. The starting five will be formidable if healthy. A strong bench with players that can flexibly and reliably complement the starters, without too severe a drop-off, is what I'm hoping for. I don't care about volume numbers, just quality and consistency of performance. Maybe all five can show that.

Gil and Wood

Gil - maybe shouldn't be considered a breakout since he's already been
a 2nd team all-NBA, but few seem to believe he'll ever be that again.

Haywood - he'll get the minutes (I think) and he's been better
than most realized before, and I think he's gotten better during
his imposed year off last year, and he's hungry.

from the list - N1

My votes for McGee

I voted for Foye. I agree with what Doc says about what Foye brings to the table. I'm really looking forward to watching Foye teamed with GA at the end of games. Both have that "killer instinct" when the game is on the line.

I expect Foye to get more than enough minutes to have a "breakout" season. In fact, he gets my vote as the starter at the SG....although I wouldn't be surprised if Flip decided to start Young (or even DSteve) ahead of Foye since Randy is the team's best backup to GA at the point.

I don't expect Miller to start. I see Miller's real value as a vet who can come off the bench with youngun's like McGee to bring that steadying influence, especially on offense.

On a related note, neither Foye or Miller received votes in ESPN poll of hoops-heads.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... stNewcomer

closg00 wrote:On a related note, neither Foye or Miller received votes in ESPN poll of hoops-heads.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... stNewcomer

It is very likely that Richard Jefferson, Andre Miller, Marion, VC, Hedo or Shaq will all make bigger contributions than Foye or Miller individually. In addition to getting Foye and Miller, they got rid of junk contracts. Even Rubio would not have been on the list. If you counted Arenas and Haywood as additions, then you could argue for one of them being the top addition in the league.

Foye probably will be the one to break out, but I voted for Blatche.

I could see Blatche having a PER of about 19 (with average being 15). Andray's FG percentage will probably be much higher due to the presence of Arenas, Foye, and Miller. Their shooting and passing will cause Blatche to get easier looks inside, as well as additional rebounds. Haywood's going to make Andray have an easier time defensively as well.

So, despite my head calling for Foye's scoring and minutes probably making him the breakout player, I'll follow my heart and vote Blatche.