JaVale McGee

[AAEXPRESS]

The thing we all know about our coach is that McGee will rarely sniff the floor. With Haywood out it would be nice for EJ to try and get him 5-10 minutes a game.

[closg00]

The thing we all know about our coach is that McGee will rarely sniff the floor. With Haywood out it would be nice for EJ to try and get him 5-10 minutes a game.

Ditto that. Last night JaVale had a mis-match, and he thrived. EJ has no track record of altering his lineup very much, or using rooks....regardless of mis-match opportunities.

[BruceO]

When he develops most things are going to be mismatches. He's like a Tyson chandler with better offensive skills. He's already changing shots defensively and showing offensive moves. Another thing is its hard to get something fundamentally wrong with how he's built for basketball. A) he has big hands to be able to catch balls - lack of this limited kwame B) he has one of the largest combinations of height and length -lack of this limits smaller centers e.g Etan c) He has speed, athleticism and fluidity - something which lack of affects big centers d) He has a good motor, not only does he move well but can do so for long periods of time- lack of motor has kept alot of good centers off the floor e) good work ethic. He's already working on moves e.g patrick ewing moves, sky hooks etc and he has been staying late on some practices. f) He has a family that has been successful at basketball and will in most likelyhood create the same thing for him since he has all the tools.
As far as future centers I'd place Mcgee behind only Bynum and Oden. To be able to compete with them he'd have to add more weight and strength and understand positioning to be in the right place at the right time, also to be proactive instead reactive

[BigA]

McGee reminds me of Jared Jeffries.

He makes an O-Face?

[yungal07]

Javale is going to be a player -- I'll be the driver of the bandwagon if I have to. I'm seeing flashes from the video of camp and he is just ridiculously athletic. All he needs is experience and he will be a stud...Marcus Camby part dos.

There's no way he gets sent to the NBDL. Even if Haywood wasn't out, I don't think he'd be sent down.

[BruceO]

I also agree he's going to be an elite center. I am totally against sending him to D league unless we really can't find time for him. But he needs to stay put and learn our offense, learn the Pro game and learn our spacing. He also needs to be around to compete with our other centers and push them. To also step in when he's a mismatch. The better his competition the better he will be. So no putting him up against D-leaguers

[PeTBuLL]

Wow, i like what i saw, Javale is very quick for his height, vary talented, a brute diamond!

[doclinkin]

-Rookie JaVale McGee made a surprise start and played well. The kid once again mixed spectacular plays with basic mistakes en route to finishing with a solid line of 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting with two rebounds, two blocks and three turnovers in 21 minutes. He also picked up a major fan in Paul, who was shocked when the rookie rose up and swatted away one of his shots in the second half.

"He can fly," Paul said. "I mean, that's plain and simple. He can fly. I think it was early in the third quarter, I came and did an in and out move and he blocked it. He's easily one of the most athletic big guys in the NBA. You can put him in that Dwight Howard category."

Wow. If you remember, Brendan Haywood said a very similar thing about McGee during training camp.
...
I'm writing this from the lobby bar in the same hotel where everyone NBA-related is staying and just ran into former NBA forward Detlef Schrempf, who is working for the league as part of the European tour.

I asked Schrempf, who clocked 17 NBA seasons and played in three all star games, about the rookie and he was impressed.

"He's very raw but you can see the talent," Schrempt said. "He's a legit 7-footer and he's very long. You can't teach that. He also has good instincts. You can see that. He's still learning. The tools are certainly there though. It's going to be interesting to watch him come along."

A couple of the refs who worked tonight's game (the crew included Joe Crawford, Derrick Stafford and Bennie Adams) were also impressed with McGee. "They've got something there," one ref told me during a casual conversation a short while ago. "That's for sure."

Wpost.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I was wrong on draft night.

I gave the Wizards a big fat F and said that McGee would be terrible. I saw him as a project who wouldn't contribute anytime soon. I was thoroughly disgusted with the pick. I really didn't respect his numbers at Nevada, even though his last season showed improved play.

I really diidn't want the Wizards to draft a "finesse big man". Well, apparently they didn't and I was wrong.

McGee's a way better athlete and a better scorer than I imagined. I thought the Wizards were just drafting length but Javale has elite athlteticism with refined offensive skills. Coaches like him and his teammates are amazed with his skills.

What I'm curious to see is what EJ does with his rookie minutes. Etan, Darius, and Andray haven't played as well as McGee in preseason if it matters at all.

[Wizardspride]

Not to pat myself on the back too much-but I told you McGee was a stud.

To be honest, I won't be too upset if the Wiz barely miss the playoffs this season.

As far as I'm concerned, this season is all about the development of Blatche, Young and McGee.

[Rafael122]

I'm still on the wait and see. I didn't say it was a bad pick nor did I say it was a good one. I've never seen the kid play, and I've only seen highlights from him, but I was impressed with what I saw last night. He's got all the potential in the world, its up to the coaches to mold him.

[omegatronic3]

i dont wanna put too much emphasis on preseason but damn he was definitely the most impressive guy out there. He is an alley oop waiting to happen with his length........this guy is the anti Kwame...he's as long or longer than haywood with better offensive touch..he has a jump shot too so already he better than Etan..he just needs to learn the system which probably takes half the season..but he can make up for lack of knowledge with his length and athleticism.

You cant teach length and hands and he's got em both. Its so nice to see an effortless throw down rather than watching a 7 footer flub a dunk. Hes got way better explosiveness than Blache.

I liked the big lineup we had out there with Blache, Mcgee and Pecherov...probably never see it in regular season but I like Blache/Mcgee combo.

People should just stop talking about Nick Young being the future...that guy is a bust! Way overrated athleticism..lazy....streak shooter. He's a one dimensional serviceable backup at best.
I think Blache is about where he's gonna be..although he may get more consistent. He just doesnt have the explosiveness to be much more of an impact...I like him though and think hes starter calibe.
Mcgee on the other hand has the tools to be special....not that he will be but he certainly has the tools.

Just one more comment...he had a block on Paul where Paul was 20 feet out or so and Mcgee just took one step out of the lane and extended and blocked the shot.

[Dat2U]

If I had to rate the Wizards prospects thus far I'd say this is the order:

1. C Javale McGee - He's definitely the best combination of length & athleticism we've had since the player formerly known as KFB. The difference: He's got a great pair of mitts and has no trouble catching or finishing around the basket. He's absolutely clueless defensively, but his length & coverage ability on the floor helps a ton. He has definite all-star potential and his work ethic & attitude seem alot better than the scouting reports initially claimed.

2. PF/C Andray Blatche - He does not have the athleticism or length of McGee, but he's no slouch either when compared to other 6-11 guys. He's the most rotation ready of our young guys but he also might be the most immature. Sorta stuck on stupid if you ask me. Thinks of himself as point forward when he's obviously not. Has a ton of skills that could best be utilized around the basket against bigger slower players. He's way too foul prone, mainly because he uses his arms far too much and is a bit foot slow. Has all-star talent but will probably never reach it. He's likely to continue to tease and tantalize for years to come.

3. SG Nick Young - Can score from anywhere. Or better yet, can jack a shot up from anywhere. His best attribute is his ability to create shots, but it's also his undoing as he's the type to stagnate ball-movement and piss teammates off because he's never seen a shot he didn't like. For all his great athleticism and length, he struggles to finish around the basket. Hitting the weight room might help in that aspect. He depends on his fadeway far too much. Has the tools to be a good defender but gives effort sparingly on that end. He's another tease & tantalize type prospect who will likely never fully put it together. He can definitely score, but is he willing to do anything else?

4. SF Dominic McGuire - I'm not as down on the kid as some are. Right now he really lacks the confidence to show his wares offensively. He showed some positive signs of developing a mid-range game this summer and improving his ball-handling a tad but its all gone out the window in the preseason. Still, he's got all the requiste gifts you'd want to see in a potential defensive stopper on the perimeter. Long, athletic, quick feet and the willingness to hustle. His best attribute right now is probably rebounding. He just needs some court time in the regular season to develop confidence that he can truly play at this level.

5. PF/C Oleksiy Pecherov - A one trick pony who doesn't perform his trick very well. A 7-0 footer who likes to jack up 3s, but misses alot of 'em. Many claim he's potentially a good rebounder and while he does show alot of effort in chasing rebounds, he often comes up empty handed in that regard. He's a bad mix of being weak in the upper body and foot slow in terms of covering ground. I wouldn't be surprised if he's back overseas in a few years. I think he's overmatched at the NBA level.

My bottom line:

Javale McGee is a keeper. Although he's extremely raw, he needs to see minutes this year, especially with Wood out of the mix for probably the entire season.

Andray Blatche may be our best option in terms of trade bait. Packaging him with another prosect and some contracts may bring a nice asset into our mix. I just think he's too immature to ever be a consistent threat or to be a real difference maker. Some other GM's will love his talent & skillset though. I believe he may be valued by other teams around the league.

I've never been much of a Nick Young fan and I haven't seen anything to change my mind. At best he may become a Jamal Crawford type without the PG skills but that's a below average SG in my book. He's also trade bait IMO.

Dominic McGuire has the ability to be a solid defensive role player down the line. His offense is what's holding him back. I'm willing to give him another year to develop the confidence to get there.

Oleksiy Pecherov is a bust. A 15th man at best, a victory cigar to be used only in blowouts. A guy that lasts as long as he's under his rookie contract. He possess no real trade value, only as trade filler.

[keynote]

That's a good point, Dat. I'm far more willing to part with Blatche now that I've seen McGee's upside. And, I don't think that Blatche's value will ever be higher than it is this season.

Of course, that still leaves EG the problem of identifying the starting PF of the future (since, presumably, we're not going to get one in return for Blatche without significantly sweetening the pot). But, whereas before, folks were only considering Blatche in dreamland trade scenarios in exchange for all-star talents, now I think we can start to think about strategic swaps to upgrade at, say, starting SG. Big for small is a Wizards tradition, no?

[Pollinator]

I'm really encouraged about what I'm hearing about McGee. The kind of people that he's getting props from (Eddie Jordan, Chris Paul, etc, etc.) are ones that you don't take lightly when they say something good about a big man. He's clearly working hard and getting better, and the question is, if he supposedly has been working hard and a physical freak since high school, why is he still so raw?

I repeat what I said when they drafted him, given what we know about him, his make-up physically and emotionally, his genetics, etc, the big variable for him is going to be his health. If he can stay on the court, he's going to be a player, period.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Dat, Andray was born in August, 1986.

He is young.

He is big.

He is skilled.

I think he's got too much size, too many moves under the basket, and far too good a contract to trade him away. Maturity and character issues aside, I'm seeing a future with him at C and McGee at PF. That future is bright.

Let him stay stuck on stupid at least another 1 or 2 before you even think of trading him.

Nick Young, on the other hand, is a guy I'd trade. He can much more easily be replaced than Blatche.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

That's a good point, Dat. I'm far more willing to part with Blatche now that I've seen McGee's upside. And, I don't think that Blatche's value will ever be higher than it is this season.

Of course, that still leaves EG the problem of identifying the starting PF of the future (since, presumably, we're not going to get one in return for Blatche without significantly sweetening the pot). But, whereas before, folks were only considering Blatche in dreamland trade scenarios in exchange for all-star talents, now I think we can start to think about strategic swaps to upgrade at, say, starting SG. Big for small is a Wizards tradition, no?

I'd be more happy to see the Wizards stick with both bigs with upside. Just ride it out this season and let them both play.

With McGee being so athletic, I really don't see why he and Blatche can't play together in the same lineup. Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal are similarly sized. (Okay, slightly smaller than Javale and Andray.)

As for trade scenarios, unless the Wizards get back somebody young that you KNOW can play, like a Bayless or a Conley for Andray then I think they should just stick with Blatche.

[MJG]

I still have almost no interest in trading Blatche. Maybe as part of a big package deal for a star, but sure as heck not in a minor roster tweak type of deal. Even if you pretend he won't improve one bit going forward (a questionable assumption, considering he's improved notably every year he's been in the league so far), he's still a quality backup big and capable fill-in starter with a dirt cheap long-term contract. I don't think you go out of your way to deal assets like that. Doesn't mean he's untouchable; just means that we shouldn't be more willing to try to trade him now than we were a month ago, just because McGee has had a few nice preseason games.

[Wizardspride]

Dat, Andray was born in August, 1986.

He is young.

He is big.

He is skilled.

I think he's got too much size, too many moves under the basket, and far too good a contract to trade him away. Maturity and character issues aside, I'm seeing a future with him at C and McGee at PF. That future is bright.

Let him stay stuck on stupid at least another 1 or 2 before you even think of trading him.

Nick Young, on the other hand, is a guy I'd trade. He can much more easily be replaced than Blatche.

I agree with your entire post except for being willing to trade Nick Young.

I'm not nearly as down on him as some of you guys are.

Then again, I'm pretty patient when it comes to young players.

[Pradamaster]

That's a good point, Dat. I'm far more willing to part with Blatche now that I've seen McGee's upside. And, I don't think that Blatche's value will ever be higher than it is this season.

Of course, that still leaves EG the problem of identifying the starting PF of the future (since, presumably, we're not going to get one in return for Blatche without significantly sweetening the pot). But, whereas before, folks were only considering Blatche in dreamland trade scenarios in exchange for all-star talents, now I think we can start to think about strategic swaps to upgrade at, say, starting SG. Big for small is a Wizards tradition, no?

I'd be more happy to see the Wizards stick with both bigs with upside. Just ride it out this season and let them both play.

With McGee being so athletic, I really don't see why he and Blatche can't play together in the same lineup. Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal are similarly sized. (Okay, slightly smaller than Javale and Andray.)

As for trade scenarios, unless the Wizards get back somebody young that you KNOW can play, like a Bayless or a Conley for Andray then I think they should just stick with Blatche.

Yup. What he said.

There's a major difference between having been a solid, even above-average rotation player in the NBA (which Blatche was for the better part of last season) and having two good preseason games.

I'd also be willing to trade Nick as a sweetner for a potential stud.