Wiz minutes

[jazzfan1971]

Hey, I went back 5 pages looking for a depth chart or minutes for each player to be expected this season and could find nothing.

Could you fine folks help me out and tell me how many minutes each player will be getting?

Thanks!

[Wizards2Lottery]

Etan Thomas 48
Brendan Haywood 0

[Dat2U]

Etan Thomas 48
Brendan Haywood 0

Honestly I'm not sure myself. We've got a bit of a log jam upfront. I'm sure the front office wants to see big minutes for Blatche off the bench but with EJ, he may have a real tough time battling Darius & Etan for minutes.

I guess it might look something like this:

PF Jamison (38 min) > Songaila (14 minutes) > Pecherov (garbage time)
SF C. Butler (38 min) > McGuire (garbage time)
C Haywood (24 min) > Blatche (18 minutes) > E. Thomas (12 minutes) > McGee (D-League?)
SG Stevenson (28 min) > N. Young (18 minutes)
PG Arenas (38 min) > A. Daniels (12 minutes) > D. Brown (garbage time)

I expect the big three to continue to get heavy minutes. That's just EJ's MO. Plus were not the type of team to blow out our opponents, even if we have a huge lead, we'll give up quickly, so there won't be much garbage time unless were on the losing end.

When Caron goes out the game, I expect Jamison to slide down to the SF with either Songaila or Blatche taking over at the PF spot. Haywood may see his minutes decrease a bit due to EJ having more options around this year as opposed to last season. Nick Young will be given every opportunity to steal minutes away from Daniels early on as the 3rd guard, as Daniels typically struggles to start the year, but I expect Daniels to regain the position over the 2nd half of the season as the Wiz focus on the playoff chase and EJ relies on the vets he trusts.

[MJG]

My guess as to how roughly it turns out:

PG: Arenas (40), Daniels (8)
SG: Stevenson (28), Young (12), Daniels (8)
SF: Butler (38), Jamison (6), Young (4)
PF: Jamison (32), Songaila (12), Blatche (4)
C: Haywood (24), Etan (12), Blatche (12)

Garbage time for McGee, McGuire, OPec, Brown.

Man, it'd really be nice to dump Songaila and/or Etan. Haywood should be playing at least 30 MPG and Blatche's court time should be going up, not down, but neither seems likely with everyone healthy.

[jazzfan1971]

Thanks guys. very helpful.

[nate33]

My guess as to how roughly it turns out:

PG: Arenas (40), Daniels (8)
SG: Stevenson (28), Young (12), Daniels (8)
SF: Butler (38), Jamison (6), Young (4)
PF: Jamison (32), Songaila (12), Blatche (4)
C: Haywood (24), Etan (12), Blatche (12)

Garbage time for McGee, McGuire, OPec, Brown.

Man, it'd really be nice to dump Songaila and/or Etan. Haywood should be playing at least 30 MPG and Blatche's court time should be going up, not down, but neither seems likely with everyone healthy.

God, I hope EJ has figured out that he has to play Haywood more than 24 minutes. He should play him 30-32, but my guess is that he'll play him 26-27 minutes. 24 minutes would be criminal (though, definitely possible).

I think your breakdown is decent, but I seriously doubt Young will see regular minutes at SF unless there's an injury. When healthy, Butler and Jamison will share all the SF minutes. I also don't think Arenas will play 40. He played 40 minutes in years past because the team sucked so bad when he was off the floor. Hopefully, they've learned from last year how to play without Arenas, which will allow EJ to trim Arenas' minutes down to 37-38.

I see it breaking down like this:
PG: Arenas (37), Daniels (11)
SG: Stevenson (28), Young (12), Daniels (8)
SF: Butler (36), Jamison (12)
PF: Jamison (26), Songaila/Blatche* (22)
C: Haywood (27), Etan (15), Blatche (6)

The decision to play Songaila or Blatche at PF will depend on Blatche's development. If Blatche makes a big leap, he could potentially take all the PF minutes and force Songaila to the bench as a pure garbage time player. Or, if he shows no improvement, Songaila could get most of the PF minutes. There's no way to know right now.

[LyricalRico]

I see it breaking down like this:
PG: Arenas (37), Daniels (11)
SG: Stevenson (28), Young (12), Daniels (8)
SF: Butler (36), Jamison (12)
PF: Jamison (26), Songaila/Blatche* (22)
C: Haywood (27), Etan (15), Blatche (6)

The decision to play Songaila or Blatche at PF will depend on Blatche's development. If Blatche makes a big leap, he could potentially take all the PF minutes and force Songaila to the bench as a pure garbage time player. Or, if he shows no improvement, Songaila could get most of the PF minutes. There's no way to know right now.

Agree 100%.

[miller31time]

Haywood averaged 27.9 minutes per game being the only true center on our roster, AND with Etan Thomas out all season.

Bring Etan in, add another year of Andray Blatche's development, and I can easily see Haywood playing 24 minutes per game (or even less).

Criminal? Absolutely. But that's the hand we've been dealt with EJ.

[jazzfan1971]

There are only so many minutes to go around. I think Blatche needs more minutes myself. I'd make Etan 3rd string if I was coaching. (obviously you folks think Etan needs minutes, I'd go with 30 for Haywood, 18 for Blatche, and let Etan waive a towel)

[Wizards2Lottery]

There are only so many minutes to go around. I think Blatche needs more minutes myself. I'd make Etan 3rd string if I was coaching. (obviously you folks think Etan needs minutes, I'd go with 30 for Haywood, 18 for Blatche, and let Etan waive a towel)

I think pretty much everyone wants to see our rotation that way except our genius coach who believes that when healthy, Etan is capable of splitting center minutes with Haywood.

[LyricalRico]

There are only so many minutes to go around. I think Blatche needs more minutes myself. I'd make Etan 3rd string if I was coaching. (obviously you folks think Etan needs minutes, I'd go with 30 for Haywood, 18 for Blatche, and let Etan waive a towel)

No we actually want to see Etan dumped for an expiring contract. It's our coach who thinks Etan walks on water and glows in the dark. If it were up to us, Etan wouldn't even be on this team.

[MJG]

God, I hope EJ has figured out that he has to play Haywood more than 24 minutes. He should play him 30-32, but my guess is that he'll play him 26-27 minutes. 24 minutes would be criminal (though, definitely possible).

I think your breakdown is decent, but I seriously doubt Young will see regular minutes at SF unless there's an injury. When healthy, Butler and Jamison will share all the SF minutes. I also don't think Arenas will play 40. He played 40 minutes in years past because the team sucked so bad when he was off the floor. Hopefully, they've learned from last year how to play without Arenas, which will allow EJ to trim Arenas' minutes down to 37-38.

I see it breaking down like this:
PG: Arenas (37), Daniels (11)
SG: Stevenson (28), Young (12), Daniels (8)
SF: Butler (36), Jamison (12)
PF: Jamison (26), Songaila/Blatche* (22)
C: Haywood (27), Etan (15), Blatche (6)

The decision to play Songaila or Blatche at PF will depend on Blatche's development. If Blatche makes a big leap, he could potentially take all the PF minutes and force Songaila to the bench as a pure garbage time player. Or, if he shows no improvement, Songaila could get most of the PF minutes. There's no way to know right now.

Haywood getting 24 MPG would indeed be criminal, but considering that last season, he had a career year and Etan was out the entire season, and he still failed to hit a mere 28 MPG, I think something around there is likely. It's embarrassing that that's the case, but that's life.

I don't really want Arenas playing 40+ MPG either, but just going off history again, I don't expect him to average much less.

I don't think Young with "play" SF per se, but I do think we'll use a lineup of Daniels/Arenas/(Stevenson or Young) at times. So those four SF minutes I gave him could also go to Stevenson, or be split among them.

[MJG]

There are only so many minutes to go around. I think Blatche needs more minutes myself. I'd make Etan 3rd string if I was coaching. (obviously you folks think Etan needs minutes, I'd go with 30 for Haywood, 18 for Blatche, and let Etan waive a towel)

You asked for how many minutes players will actually be getting, not how many minutes we want players to be getting. If you asked for the latter, you'd probably see:

+ 2-6 minutes fewer for each of the big three (Arenas and Jamison probably lose 2-3, injury-prone Caron 5-6)
+ Haywood at 30-32 MPG, easy
+ Songaila and/or Etan playing bit roles (single digit MPG), with some people excluding them altogether
+ Blatche playing somewhere in the mid-20s area

[nate33]

You asked for how many minutes players will actually be getting, not how many minutes we want players to be getting. If you asked for the latter, you'd probably see:

+ 2-6 minutes fewer for each of the big three (Arenas and Jamison probably lose 2-3, injury-prone Caron 5-6)
+ Haywood at 30-32 MPG, easy
+ Songaila and/or Etan playing bit roles (single digit MPG), with some people excluding them altogether
+ Blatche playing somewhere in the mid-20s area

Arenas and Jamison : 36 minutes
Butler: 34 minutes
Haywood: 32 minutes
Stevenson: 28 minutes
Blatche: 26 minutes (more if he could avoid foul trouble)
Daniels: 20 minutes
Young/Songaila/Etan/DMac: 28 minutes (combined)

[fugop]

Fantasy:

Arenas 36 Daniels 12
Stevenson 28 Young 18 Daniels 2
Butler 36 Jamison 12
Jamison 24 Blatche 20 Songaila 4
Haywood 30 Thomas 12 Blatche 6

[miller31time]

It's a shame proper minute rotations have to be filed under the "Fantasy Scenario" category.

[Wizards2Lottery]

It's a shame proper minute rotations have to be filed under the "Fantasy Scenario" category.

We were at the top of the East at the All Star break two years ago. Obviously EJ knows what he is doing with the rotations.

[DCZards]

It's a shame proper minute rotations have to be filed under the "Fantasy Scenario" category.

Where else would you suggest filing the "opinions" of fans?

[miller31time]

It's a shame proper minute rotations have to be filed under the "Fantasy Scenario" category.

Where else would you suggest filing the "opinions" of fans?

Let me re-phrase so I can be politically correct, even though we're posting on a message board.....

IMO, it's a shame (IMO) proper minute rotations have to (IMO) be filed under the "Fantasy Scenario" category.

[Spence]

We'll see how many minutes Etan Thomas gets this year. In know it isn't a popular thing to write around here, but I think he'll have to prove himself all over again.