Andray Blatche: Suspended for Tuesday

[DCZards]

Bullspit. Do your job. If the coach tells you to go to the low block, then get your knuckleheaded ass onto the low block. If you don't get the ball, hit the boards, hustle back on defense and do your job on that end. Lather-rinse-repeat. This isn't PE class where everyone gets a turn to shoot the ball. Bullspit.
Wait, Blatche popped off at a trainer who was trying to do his job because the trainer offered treatment at a time Blatche considered inconvenient? More bullspit. In the NBA, players are expected to report to the trainer's room for treatment. The trainer shouldn't have to "offer treatment." If Kevin Garnett tells the Boston trainer he has a sore knee, the trainer will tell him to come to the training room. When KG gets there, he gets treatment. If he doesn't show up, the assumption is that the knee didn't bother him enough to warrant treatment.

That the Wiz trainer had to track Blatche down in the locker room to offer treatment is a problem in itself.

And Blatche's final quote (about being made an example of) sounds like something one of my kids would say. More bullspit. He needs to grow up. Do his job. Stop whining. Stop loafing. Stop blaming his screw-ups on someone else.

TSW, you're usually the calm, understated, "stick to the facts" type...but it sounds like this "Blatche as victim" storyline has gotten you a little fired up as well.

[TheSecretWeapon]

I disagree again. I think Blatche has had a number of chances to play, and his performance has never been all that great. The past 3 seasons, he's averaged more than 20 minutes per game. That's a lot of playing time. He has 68 starts in his career -- 36 of them last season. He has 5000+ career minutes.

On offense, he has a usage percentage of 20.2% -- right at the league average. His rebounding is okay for a 6-11 guy, but not outstanding. His turnovers have been consistently on the high side. He shoots a low percentage for someone his size and position, and he stopped hitting the offensive glass after his third season.

I think he's had plenty of chances -- he just hasn't done much with them. I'm not saying the Wiz should give up on him. I am saying that it's time for him to take a look at himself and decide whether he wants to put up shots or whether he wants to be a great player.

And by the way, he's not much better as a starter.

The numbers per 48 minutes:

Code: Select all

Blatche Start   Bench
FG      7.9     7.4
FGA     16.8    16.1
FT      2.4     3.2
FTA     3.3     4.5
ORB     4.0     4.2
REB     11.3    11.7
AST     3.2     2.7
STL     1.4     1.6
BLK     2.3     2.6
TOV     3.1     3.5
PF      5.4     7.4
PTS     18.3    18.1
eFG     .475    .466
FT%     .712    .695
PPA     21.5    20.0



eFG accounts for the 3pt shot
PPA is a summary stat similar to PER

Marginally better in a few categories. Marginally worse in some others. Overall, about the same. Looks to me like it's a what-you-see-is-what-you-get player. Whether he's starting or coming off the bench.

[WizarDynasty]

Im riding with Blatche on this one:

I think that's a mistake.

I asked Blatche if he complained about shot attempts, and Blatche said he didn't say a word to the coaches. He said the coaching staff told him to get in the low block on Sunday, but whenever he goes in the post, "It's like I'm invisible." He said that's why he often drifts out to the perimeter in order to get the ball.

Bullspit. Do your job. If the coach tells you to go to the low block, then get your knuckleheaded ass onto the low block. If you don't get the ball, hit the boards, hustle back on defense and do your job on that end. Lather-rinse-repeat. This isn't PE class where everyone gets a turn to shoot the ball. Bullspit.

Completely wrong. You tell a player to get on the low block but don't instruct the guards to feed him the ball, then Saunders is an idiot. Saunder should be developing Blatche into a low post scorer, not a garbage man. I am starting to slowly dislike saunder since he showed his cards on how he plans on using Blatche in the low post. YOu don't tell a low post scorer that they should get their shot attempts off putbacks. a low post presence commands double teams. we have knuckleheaded coach that apparently doesn't know how to develop post players. the count down for saunders may be coming just as ernie "no low post offense" grunfeld is with ted leonsis. again, saunder revealed that he is not commited to developing blatche into a low post option. He wants blatche to be a garbage man in the joakim noah brenda haywood role. again, saunders is designing this offense for soft shooting jamison out on the perimeter instead of designing plays to develop Blatche's low post skills. Blatche is the most coordinated seven footer this team has had in a decade and saunder idea is to term him into a haywood clone. Blatche like it or not has a high basketball and see through this "bullspit". I think if saunder doesn't get a clue soon, he will be sent with his bags packed just like 'ernie 'no low post offense' grunfeld. Blatche has the spirit of a leader. this is your team blatche, just keep getting better and leonsis will fix everything.

[queridiculo]

To my chagrin I've decided to read one of your posts again for once and as usual, you're way of the mark.

Basketball is a team sport first and foremost and a game that is so nuanced that on any given possession there are multitude of things a player can do to contribute to the teams success. None of which necessarily have to involve shooting the basketball.

All TSW is saying is that if Blatches desire to win was as big as his desire to get his, he'd be a player that may actually worth keeping around for a rebuild of this team. Instead he's an entitled blow hard that would rather score 20 points in a losing effort than go out there, set picks, battle for rebounds and put his team in a position to win.

Blatche isn't the victim here, he is one of many culprits, and yet another one of those players this team needs to get rid off.

Adversity does not build character; adversity reveals character. Is anybody really surprised what adversity is telling us about Blatche?

Same old Dre, go away.

[dlts20]

I am happy that Flip is cracking down on the team though. I still wish we could see how it works with Gil back but I dont see that happening

[WizarDynasty]

Blatche is a victim to pathetic management that doesn't believe in low post offense.
ernie "no low post offense' grunfeld's name speaks for it self.
there will be no long term winning without a legitimate low post threat. ernie 'no low post offense' grunfeld has kept this team from having a low post offense for the last 6 years and there has been no consistent winning. Blatche has enough basketball Iq to understand why we are not an elite team and he knows he is the only player on the roster capable of developing into a low post threat. He also knows that he needs a coach dedicated to developing him into a low post player which is the wizards number priority for winning.
Any real basketball player will tell you that they would rather have a low post threat shoot a high percentage post shot than to chuck up a low percentage jumpshot. An offense should be designed to ge the closest highest percentage shot first...jumpshots from the perimeter should be secondary. But of course when you have a leader like ernie 'no low post offense' grunfeld as the leader of your organization, your philosophy becomes flawed.
Until Leonsis comes in and gets a coach that makes it a priority to take the highest percentage shot..before resulting to jumpshots on the perimeter..players like blatche will always be victims. at least blatche has the spirit of leader and not set back and let low basketball iq management destroy his best years of basketball.
so again, not designing a offense based on a post player first drawing double teams and causing the defense to collapse opening up opportunities for all the players on the basketball court is the how a deep playoff team is designed. it is not designed low percentage threes chucked by your p/f after guard penetration every play.
Blatche alone is our only hope for a low post scorer that draws double teams but we are cursed with aka 'no low post offense' you know giving orders from above to make sure this is a soft jump shooting team, not a team that causes defensive collapses due to a superior post player...from our unusually coordinated seven footer and agile seven footer.
Again we have a potential two way post player on the roster than management is not commited to developing. a player who can play in the post and create double teams and can also block shots.
yes he is a poor defensive rebounder but he shows flashes of being a two way player. You have absolutely no two way post players on your roster. and chagrin sends another knight flying off his saddled... face riddled with mud with original ideas. Its not hard to figure out what needs to be done people except to get rid of 'no low post offense'. gm.

[dandridge 10]

I disagree again. I think Blatche has had a number of chances to play, and his performance has never been all that great. The past 3 seasons, he's averaged more than 20 minutes per game. That's a lot of playing time. He has 68 starts in his career -- 36 of them last season. He has 5000+ career minutes.

On offense, he has a usage percentage of 20.2% -- right at the league average. His rebounding is okay for a 6-11 guy, but not outstanding. His turnovers have been consistently on the high side. He shoots a low percentage for someone his size and position, and he stopped hitting the offensive glass after his third season.

I think he's had plenty of chances -- he just hasn't done much with them. I'm not saying the Wiz should give up on him. I am saying that it's time for him to take a look at himself and decide whether he wants to put up shots or whether he wants to be a great player.

And by the way, he's not much better as a starter.

The numbers per 48 minutes:

Code: Select all

Blatche Start   Bench
FG      7.9     7.4
FGA     16.8    16.1
FT      2.4     3.2
FTA     3.3     4.5
ORB     4.0     4.2
REB     11.3    11.7
AST     3.2     2.7
STL     1.4     1.6
BLK     2.3     2.6
TOV     3.1     3.5
PF      5.4     7.4
PTS     18.3    18.1
eFG     .475    .466
FT%     .712    .695
PPA     21.5    20.0



eFG accounts for the 3pt shot
PPA is a summary stat similar to PER

Marginally better in a few categories. Marginally worse in some others. Overall, about the same. Looks to me like it's a what-you-see-is-what-you-get player. Whether he's starting or coming off the bench.

Both Mike Jones and SW are spot-on regarding Blatche and its what I have been saying for the last couple of years. Actually, I think more and more people are starting to realize that both Blatche and Young are not building blocks for our future. However, they are unwilling to admit it because if they do, the future of this team even looks more bleak. It is just easier to convince yourself that Blatche and Young will be great or very good players if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, Blatche and Young have had plenty of opportunties. They just keep blowing them. At some point, you just got to realize that they are what they are, even if that is hard to swallow.

[willbcocks]

Blatche followed up all that with a real winning response, posting on his Facebook status that he was headed to Atlantic City.

Not a pretty article. We're gonna gamble our future on this kid?

I guess the good news is that Blatch's reaction to the suspension was to work on his post game.

[dandridge 10]

Blatche followed up all that with a real winning response, posting on his Facebook status that he was headed to Atlantic City.

Not a pretty article. We're gonna gamble our future on this kid?

I guess the good news is that Blatch's reaction to the suspension was to work on his post game.

Well then, he better work on another post move other than his "up and under," because teams are no longer falling for that one.

[Hoopalotta]

I guess the good news is that Blatch's reaction to the suspension was to work on his post game.

What I heard was that Flip was complaining about his traveling violations and poor rebounding, so that's why he went to Atlantic City: to workout along the boardwalk.

Oh man, this is getting merciless. Sorry everybody.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Honestly, I thought the Wizards should have drafted Curry. Dad was a14-yr pro and mom a school principal. Young kid or not, Steph Curry was going to be disciplined and professional from day 1. The other short, fat, kid Blair just had a passion for winning at every freaking level. Grounded, literally and figuratively--a kid with a grinder mentality. I thought Ernie should have drafted character.

I clearly missed the boat on Evans and had no idea about Jennings--other high character, very good young players). I also wanted the Wizards to look at drafting guys that were clearly leaders, like Darren Collison (4 years at UCLA with Final Four appearances) and Sam Young (hardworking senior, also with 4 years and Final Fours) or Eric Maynor (clutch, ballsy player). There were PLENTY solid kids in this past draft.

Hey CCJ, you got a problem with the "character" of Miller and Foye? You keep hankering for guys like Curry and Blair. (Both have been good but neither is now or will ever be great players, imo.) So it's time to get over Curry and Blair since neither one of them will be walking through the Zards locker room door.

And, yes, most on this board missed the boat on Evans, especially those who thought I was crazy when I said Team Tyreke would turn out to be the best player in last year's draft....Griffin included.

Miller is a FA that's near 30. Foye is a FA that's 26. Their characters are both exemplary. However, they're one-year rentals. Blair is 20 and starting for the Spurs on a paltry rookie deal. Curry is 22 and also starting. Both are building pieces for the future that have good character. Neither will likely ever play for this sorry franchise. I'm not lamenting either not being a Wizard because honestly, they're better than this franchise right now.

You can lash out and say it's time to get over Blair all you want. In point of fact I'm very happy for Blair that God sent him to a great organization. So is he. (Google his quotes and those of Gregg Popovich, a guy with many championship rings. I think it worked out fine.)

DCZ, you can't really say Evans is better than Griffin just yet, but I suspect you're right. I just won't concede it until the young guy plays.

DCZards, the gist of my point is Grunfeld had many character guys to choose from in the draft but he didn't.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Im riding with Blatche on this one:

I think that's a mistake.

I asked Blatche if he complained about shot attempts, and Blatche said he didn't say a word to the coaches. He said the coaching staff told him to get in the low block on Sunday, but whenever he goes in the post, "It's like I'm invisible." He said that's why he often drifts out to the perimeter in order to get the ball.

Bullspit. Do your job. If the coach tells you to go to the low block, then get your knuckleheaded ass onto the low block. If you don't get the ball, hit the boards, hustle back on defense and do your job on that end. Lather-rinse-repeat. This isn't PE class where everyone gets a turn to shoot the ball. Bullspit.

He also said that he snapped on head athletic trainer Eric Waters after the game because he had complained about soreness in his left knee for almost a week and had never been offered treatment until he was dressed and ready to leave. Blatche then shook his head. "I'm always the guy they want to make an example of," he said.

Wait, Blatche popped off at a trainer who was trying to do his job because the trainer offered treatment at a time Blatche considered inconvenient? More bullspit. In the NBA, players are expected to report to the trainer's room for treatment. The trainer shouldn't have to "offer treatment." If Kevin Garnett tells the Boston trainer he has a sore knee, the trainer will tell him to come to the training room. When KG gets there, he gets treatment. If he doesn't show up, the assumption is that the knee didn't bother him enough to warrant treatment.

That the Wiz trainer had to track Blatche down in the locker room to offer treatment is a problem in itself.

And Blatche's final quote (about being made an example of) sounds like something one of my kids would say. More bullspit. He needs to grow up. Do his job. Stop whining. Stop loafing. Stop blaming his screw-ups on someone else.

Dramatic reversal on my part: Now that the details are out, if Blatche went off on the trainer like that ...... f Andray.

Sorry I took up for him if that is true. He makes a real good trade piece if the report is accurate.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I disagree again. I think Blatche has had a number of chances to play, and his performance has never been all that great. The past 3 seasons, he's averaged more than 20 minutes per game. That's a lot of playing time. He has 68 starts in his career -- 36 of them last season. He has 5000+ career minutes.

On offense, he has a usage percentage of 20.2% -- right at the league average. His rebounding is okay for a 6-11 guy, but not outstanding. His turnovers have been consistently on the high side. He shoots a low percentage for someone his size and position, and he stopped hitting the offensive glass after his third season.

I think he's had plenty of chances -- he just hasn't done much with them. I'm not saying the Wiz should give up on him. I am saying that it's time for him to take a look at himself and decide whether he wants to put up shots or whether he wants to be a great player.

And by the way, he's not much better as a starter.

The numbers per 48 minutes:

Code: Select all

Blatche Start   Bench
FG      7.9     7.4
FGA     16.8    16.1
FT      2.4     3.2
FTA     3.3     4.5
ORB     4.0     4.2
REB     11.3    11.7
AST     3.2     2.7
STL     1.4     1.6
BLK     2.3     2.6
TOV     3.1     3.5
PF      5.4     7.4
PTS     18.3    18.1
eFG     .475    .466
FT%     .712    .695
PPA     21.5    20.0



eFG accounts for the 3pt shot
PPA is a summary stat similar to PER

Marginally better in a few categories. Marginally worse in some others. Overall, about the same. Looks to me like it's a what-you-see-is-what-you-get player. Whether he's starting or coming off the bench.

Both Mike Jones and SW are spot-on regarding Blatche and its what I have been saying for the last couple of years. Actually, I think more and more people are starting to realize that both Blatche and Young are not building blocks for our future. However, they are unwilling to admit it because if they do, the future of this team even looks more bleak. It is just easier to convince yourself that Blatche and Young will be great or very good players if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, Blatche and Young have had plenty of opportunties. They just keep blowing them. At some point, you just got to realize that they are what they are, even if that is hard to swallow.

My view on Blatche: Great player for a #47 pick. Signed very cheaply. Twenty-three years old. When you look at a player like LeMarcus Aldridge and where he was drafted and compare him to Blatche, then you have to say there's not that great a difference.

The problem with Blatche is mindset. The other problem--he has been behind Antawn Jamison for YEARS. And finally: The Wizards are going to crap. Suspension, fines, carping, and failure.

I'd say Blatche will benefit greatly from a trade. He's not a world beater, but he'll be in the NBA 10 years from now if he takes care of his body and stays out of trouble. He's a HIGHLY SKILLED guy who would be much better on another team.

Blatche is a good player but his mindset will prevent him and his lack of athleticism will prevent him from ever being a great player. As far as his behavior right now, he could be acting out to get traded.

[Hoopalotta]

I think that's a very good assessment of Blatche there CCJ, but I would hold out some hope that he can improve once Jamison is traded. That might mean that Blatche just teases us for a while, but at the very least he'll have improved his trade value. He might be just the kind of guy that allows us to move up in the draft.

He'll probably be our starting power forward by February 20th, so we can see how he responds then. We have very little to lose by letting things play out with him in a larger role for a while.

[verbal8]

I'd say Blatche will benefit greatly from a trade. He's not a world beater, but he'll be in the NBA 10 years from now if he takes care of his body and stays out of trouble. He's a HIGHLY SKILLED guy who would be much better on another team.

Blatche is a good player but his mindset will prevent him and his lack of athleticism will prevent him from ever being a great player. As far as his behavior right now, he could be acting out to get traded.

I agree that Blatche could benefit a lot from a trade. I think it would be best for him to get traded to a good team. I think in a more limited (but consistent) role and a better team culture he will be more effective. After Butler he may be the next most valuable trade asset.

[DaRealHibachi]

I know some of you hate to admit that AJ and CB (and not Blatche, Young, etc.) are the most important players on the Zards and that the youngun's should learn from their example, but here's what Coach Flip had to say today:

The coach singled out Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Mike Miller as players who are "totally committed" to doing what it takes to win despite all the distractions in Washington.

Of course, some posters will just see this as another example of Flip "favoring" AJ at the expense of the youngsters.

So why wasn't Haywood mentioned...??? Does he let the off-court stuff influence his game...??? Doesn't he bust his ass on both side of the court...??? Does he ever complain about not getting touches..???

Haywood and Miller are the only real professionals on this BS team... AJ & CB both act like immature prima donnas...

[TheSecretWeapon]

CCJ -- I agree that Blatche was an excellent pick at 47. That was 5 years, though. The kid had/has the talent to be a lottery pick. He fell because of the knucklehead quotient. And that's what's keeping him from realizing that lottery talent.

Hibachi -- Haywood probably didn't get a mention from Flip because Haywood is sometimes a complaining smartass. And he pouts sometimes.

[nate33]

Hibachi -- Haywood probably didn't get a mention from Flip because Haywood is sometimes a complaining smartass. And he pouts sometimes.

This has always been a bit of a mystery to me. We know Haywood is a very smart guy. We know he works extremely hard in the offseason (or at least he has been for the past 3 years). And for 3 years now, he's been showing exceptional, sustained effort on the floor, doing all the grunt work on defense and selflessly sacrificing touches on offense. In theory, he should be a coach's dream.

I'd be really interested to know what exactly he says or does that rubs coaches the wrong way. Is he that much of a dick behind the scenes? How can a player be so professional on the court while being such a complete and utter ass off the court? It just doesn't add up.

[TheSecretWeapon]

Maybe I should have put "sometimes" in bold. It's not that Haywood is a "complete and utter ass" -- he's not. It's that when he disagrees with a coach, he doesn't shut up about it. He keeps talking even when the coaches have decided, and it can get annoying. Those kinds of disputes don't happen very often, but they do happen from time to time. Which is why Haywood might not make Flip's "totally committed" list.

Or, it could just be an oversight on Flip's part.