Official Trade Thread XIV: 6/14/10 - 12/22/10

[willbcocks]

I'm going to disagree on a technicality. I don't think Nick has any trade value, so I don't think he'll be traded. The other two, for example, could leave in a trade for Melo.

I think the most likely scenario is that Nick is not resigned and so leaves the team before the other two.

[MJG]

None of them will be traded. N1 has no trade value, so while I suppose he could be a throw in in a larger deal, nobody is going to be actively seeking him. McGee is young, has shown potential, and plays our weakest position, so trading him doesn't fit with our whole rebuild-through-youth philosophy. Blatche is young, cheap, productive, big, improving, etc; maybe I'm giving the team too much credit, but when you own possibly the best production-to-cost non-rookie contract in the league, you should probably hang on to it.

[nate33]

Blatche won't be traded.

McGee will only be traded in an unlikely scenario in which we get back a better center (possibly Horford or M.Gasol).

Young, Thornton and Yi have limited trade value because they are in the last year of their contract. I don't really see much of a chance of us trading any of them as the primary component of a deal. They could be "filler" in a larger deal, but that won't be because of our burning desire to get rid of one of them. If only one of them gets moved, my guess is it will Thornton. I think he is the worst fit and the most expendable, particularly after Howard gets back and if Booker pans out.

[closg00]

I'm going to disagree on a technicality. I don't think Nick has any trade value, so I don't think he'll be traded. The other two, for example, could leave in a trade for Melo.

I think the most likely scenario is that Nick is not resigned and so leaves the team before the other two.

+1 Young has minimal trade value.

[verbal8]

I think Young will be the first to leave the Wizards from that list. I think Wall is untouchable and Blatche is as close as you can get. McGee is only at this point going to be traded for someone who is young enough to have potential, but is more established.

I think Hinrich is the most likely to be traded this season. Josh Howard could be another candidate. I think Yi and Young could be traded also, but it is more likely it would be their contracts not the player that is the trade target. Thornton could be an interesting trade piece if Booker and Howard play well this season. For the most part I think Arenas is more valuable to the Wizards than he would be to other teams. However an injury on a contender could force a team to make an irresistible offer for him.

[Wizardspride]

I like Crash, but that's a pretty ugly trade. Taking on Diop and Diaw (I assume they both have negative contracts at this point?) and losing Blatche while getting the very average Henderson? I don't like it.

I would consider something like Arenas + Mcgee for Crash + Dampier. I like Crash a lot, and he's exactly the type of player I love cheering for as a fan, plus I think he would be great to pair with Wall and Blatche. Dampier's contract, of course, would set us up beautifully for the future, be it a Melo run or whatever.

I like Crash but I don't consider him to be a true franchise player.


And if Gil returns close to peak performance, I'm not sure I'd want to trade him.

[nate33]

I like Crash, but that's a pretty ugly trade. Taking on Diop and Diaw (I assume they both have negative contracts at this point?) and losing Blatche while getting the very average Henderson? I don't like it.

I would consider something like Arenas + Mcgee for Crash + Dampier. I like Crash a lot, and he's exactly the type of player I love cheering for as a fan, plus I think he would be great to pair with Wall and Blatche. Dampier's contract, of course, would set us up beautifully for the future, be it a Melo run or whatever.

I absolutely would not give up Blatche in this deal. I don't think I'd even give up McGee for Wallace. Wallace makes a big impact when healthy, but he is hurt too much and he already has 9 NBA seasons under his belt. I think we'd be buying Wallace when his value was at its peak. It would only drop from there.

I'd much rather go after a guy who makes nearly as much impact but a MUCH lower cost. Somebody like Kirilenko or Prince might be obtainable next summer in free agency without giving up anything at all. The difference between Wallace and Prince isn't worth Arenas + Blatche!

[Ruzious]

Nobody of significance on the Wiz will be traded until we're a good 25 plus games into the season - if then. The Wiz have to find out who's going to blend best with Wall and project that long-term. They almost certainly don't know how that's going to shake out, and they'll need time to figure it out. Until then - and what opportunities present themselves will determine who - if any - goes.

[fishercob]

If only we had a thread to discuss potential trades.

[closg00]

If only we had a thread to discuss potential trades.

Don't you love the off-season? At-least there is FIBA.

[manifested]

Nobody of significance on the Wiz will be traded until we're a good 25 plus games into the season - if then. The Wiz have to find out who's going to blend best with Wall and project that long-term. They almost certainly don't know how that's going to shake out, and they'll need time to figure it out. Until then - and what opportunities present themselves will determine who - if any - goes.

Long time lurker here.

I agree with this. The players I think we'll be evaluating most closely are the McGee/Blatche pairing in the frontcourt. Blatche looked great last year but I'm not convinced these two can co-exist on defense. Neither of them can hold their ground well in the post. Length can compensate for that but even more of a concern is that neither of them are particularly consistent defensive rebounders. We can get away with one, but someone down low has to do the dirty work. Still these are the two guys with the most trade value on the team due to potential, age, contract, and offensive ability.

Here's hoping that everything works out. McGee stops jumping everytime someone glances at the basket and improves at holding his ground in the post, Blatche continues his play from last season and does a better job boxing out, and we've found our frontcourt for the long-term future. I really think these developments are possible over the course of the next year. But it'll take some seeing for me to believe.

[no D in Hibachi]

When Blatche plays PF he's above average in post defense. Beside Zach Randolph and Pau Gasol, when he's PF, who routinely muscles other PF down on the block? Amare? No he's pure P&R, Bosh? No he's pump fake drive/17 foot shooter. Boozer? At least 2 inches shorter than Blatche, not nearly as long, and Batche has enough bulk to combat Booz's bull-dozer type play. McGee clearly cannot hold his position in the post defensively, but don't confuse McGee's weakness with Blatches.

[manifested]

When Blatche plays PF he's above average in post defense. Beside Zach Randolph and Pau Gasol, when he's PF, who routinely muscles other PF down on the block? Amare? No he's pure P&R, Bosh? No he's pump fake drive/17 foot shooter. Boozer? At least 2 inches shorter than Blatche, not nearly as long, and Batche has enough bulk to combat Booz's bull-dozer type play. McGee clearly cannot hold his position in the post defensively, but don't confuse McGee's weakness with Blatches.

I agree with you that Blatche generally does well against PFs and for the reasons you noted. I was thinking of some of the discussion in the McGee thread about Blatche guarding C's since McGee cannot hold his position at all. I think this would be a mistake for Blatche, but it will probably happen and is a factor in their ability to play together.

What I was more trying to get at is that the combination of the two doesn't seem to mesh well yet on the defensive end which could make one (more likely McGee) a trade consideration in the future since neither are a good matchup against Centers (or excel in rebounding).

My mistake, should have been clearer.

[no D in Hibachi]

Two years ago I considered Blatche a poor defender even as a PF. Now I consider him slightly above average for his position and I expect he'll become a better defender now that he's not asked to carry the squad. I expect McGee will improve as he goes through the same physical maturation that Blatche went through during the early part of his career. The front court defense will stink this year because McGee is still growing, but I still think a Blatche/McGee front court has promise to be at least above average, and perhaps very good, in a year or two.

[Dat2U]

I think patience is key when it comes to Blatche & McGee playing together. I don't expect them to start out like gangbusters together but I'll happy with gradual improvement. We've got two years before its time for extensions for both so to me that's the timeline that we should be following.

As for Young, Thornton or Yi, I'd be surprised if we traded any of them. But I would even be more surprised & probably disappointed if any of the 3 where on the roster for the 2011-12 season.

[verbal8]

I think patience is key when it comes to Blatche & McGee playing together. I don't expect them to start out like gangbusters together but I'll happy with gradual improvement. We've got two years before its time for extensions for both so to me that's the timeline that we should be following.

I think McGee and Blatche could end up being this Wizard team's version of the Butler/Jamsion combination. A duo of stars that is talented offensively, but they both have the same vulnerability. With Butler and Jamison it was defense. With Blatche and McGee it is rebounding(especially defensively).

However there are some reasons to be more hopeful. I think when Blatche and McGee are peaking Wall will be better than Arenas ever was. Also I think Seraphin could provide a 3rd big who compliments Blatche and McGee well. Also Arenas even with a slight decline should be better than the disaster at SG with the EJ-era Wizards teams.

[Dat2U]

I think patience is key when it comes to Blatche & McGee playing together. I don't expect them to start out like gangbusters together but I'll happy with gradual improvement. We've got two years before its time for extensions for both so to me that's the timeline that we should be following.

I think McGee and Blatche could end up being this Wizard team's version of the Butler/Jamsion combination. A duo of stars that is talented offensively, but they both have the same vulnerability. With Butler and Jamison it was defense. With Blatche and McGee it is rebounding(especially defensively).

However there are some reasons to be more hopeful. I think when Blatche and McGee are peaking Wall will be better than Arenas ever was. Also I think Seraphin could provide a 3rd big who compliments Blatche and McGee well. Also Arenas even with a slight decline should be better than the disaster at SG with the EJ-era Wizards teams.

I don't see it. The biggest difference is Blatche & McGee have legit size for their positions. Both Jamison & Butler were tweeners & considered undersized for their positions. McGee may be as bad as Jamison was/is defensively but also he still has time to improve.

I'm honestly far more optimistic about the core of Wall, Arenas, Blatche & McGee than I ever was with Arenas, Butler & Jamison.

[no D in Hibachi]

I don't see it. The biggest difference is Blatche & McGee have legit size for their positions. Both Jamison & Butler were tweeners & considered undersized for their positions.

Exactly, at 6"11" 250 Blatche is bigger than most PF's in the league. At 7'1'' 255 McGee is longer and taller than most center's and if he puts on another 10-15 he'll be pretty much as big as any center in the league. Jamison was listed 6'9" and Butler was listed 6'7", but both of those listings were generous and still small for their positions.

[willbcocks]

The problem with Blatche and Mcgee as a pair is that they both have mental issues that hurt them. Blatche seems to be able to learn from his own mistakes, which I think is the most important quality in a player, but he still seems to blame others rather than himself for his team's play. If he's guarding his man and another guy gets beat, he thinks it's not his fault if the other team gets a layup. Same goes for rebounding. I lost track of the number of times he watched another play waltz in for a layup last year, and this was during his magical 30 games.

This would be fine if he played on a great team that didn't make mistakes, but when you've got "I'm happy with my play" Mcgee messing up everywhere next to you, you really need a player that can cover his ass. Which Blatche won't. And Mcgee's ass will need covering until he starts listening to the coaches.

I think we'll see some very bad team D next year, but I hope by the end of the year these guys start solving their mental problems.

[Illuminaire]

I'm definitely not worried about Blatche on defense - I think he gets it, most of the time, and he cares. He really beasted it during some games last year, and while I did note him lagging behind late in some games, at that point he was the only decent frontcourt player out there and I understood a certain level of exhaustion.

I *am* a little concerned with our defensive rebounding. Blatche isn't bad, he just isn't terribly good either. He doesn't want every ball that comes off the rim. He rebounds too "nice" for lack of a better description. We definitely need someone with a nastier "MINE" mentality when it comes to cleaning the glass. If Seraphin can do that, awesome. If not, that's a piece we'll need to work on to be a top-tier team.