Andray Blatche - Resurgence Thread ( Merged )

[JonathanJoseph]

Amare has had far more serious injuries than any Blatche has had -- including the injury from when Blatche was shot. Amare has overcome those injuries by working his ass off. Blatche hasn't demonstrated anything resembling Amare's work ethic.

Aboslutely, but there aren't very many players who you can say could be as good/effective/impactful as Amare. It's a short list and Blatche is on it.

That's why I think a disciplinarian coach or player to act as mentor for Blatche is about the most important thing the Wizards could invest in (and I have no doubt that the accumulating cap room will target a grizzled, hardass veteran in the mold of a Garnett). If Blatche fulfills 75% of his promise, then the Wizards already have a championship core in Wall/Blatche. What this season's playoffs are showing us is that youth isn't the handicap it used to be (see: Chicago, Memphis, OKC). OKC started off 3-25 just 2 seasons ago. We could be closer than anyone thinks if Blatche matures.

Again, Blatche is still only 24 and has been a "starter" for less than 100 NBA games. In about 30 of those games, he has been an all-NBA, dominant, "best player on the floor" player. Taking the glass-half-empty view of that reality seems awfully short-sighted to me.

[Nivek]

Amare has had far more serious injuries than any Blatche has had -- including the injury from when Blatche was shot. Amare has overcome those injuries by working his ass off. Blatche hasn't demonstrated anything resembling Amare's work ethic.

Aboslutely, but there aren't very many players who you can say could be as good/effective/impactful as Amare. It's a short list and Blatche is on it.

That's why I think a disciplinarian coach or player to act as mentor for Blatche is about the most important thing the Wizards could invest in (and I have no doubt that the accumulating cap room will target a grizzled, hardass veteran in the mold of a Garnett). If Blatche fulfills 75% of his promise, then the Wizards already have a championship core in Wall/Blatche. What this season's playoffs are showing us is that youth isn't the handicap it used to be (see: Chicago, Memphis, OKC). OKC started off 3-25 just 2 seasons ago. We could be closer than anyone thinks if Blatche matures.

Again, Blatche is still only 24 and has been a "starter" for less than 100 NBA games. In about 30 of those games, he has been an all-NBA, dominant, "best player on the floor" player. Taking the glass-half-empty view of that reality seems awfully short-sighted to me.

Man, talking about setting the bar low. First off, I don't agree that he's been "best player on the floor" level for 30 games in his entire career. Second, I'd be mildly surprised if we could find more than 15-20 games in his career that were All-NBA level. Third, even if you're 100% correct, we're talking about 30% of his games. Dunno about you, but that ain't good enough. Best case, we'd be talking 24 games a season. Just skimming the game logs from this past season, I see 5-6 games that might qualify as All-NBA level -- and that's being pretty generous.

He does have ability. The difficulty is that for him to be a good player, he needs transform his body and significantly improve his mental approach to the game. It's a tall order to expect that much change from someone. That said, maybe he "gets it" this time. If I was running the Wizards, I wouldn't count on it. I'd be looking to deal him even as I did everything possible to bring him along and develop him. If he stays with the team, I think we'll be having this same conversation next offseason. And the one after that. And so on until he's finally too old and everyone gives up hope.

(I hope I'm wrong.)

[LyricalRico]

Man, Blatche's hold over some on this board is stronger than Saruman over Theoden.

"I release you!"

[Bickerstaff]

Man, Blatche's hold over some on this board is stronger than Saruman over Theoden.

"I release you!"

You're the one who can't stop talking about the guy.

[arterimal]

Yeah, I'm surprised people are still defending this guy. How many second chances does he get? It's been 6 years now, he still hasn't shown anything consistent. Mostly I'm just sick of reading about this guy every offseason. He is bad news, literally.

[Wizardspride]

Yeah, I'm surprised people are still defending this guy. How many second chances does he get? It's been 6 years now, he still hasn't shown anything consistent

It hasn't been six years...at least not in terms of consistent playing time.

[FAH1223]

Yeah, I'm surprised people are still defending this guy. How many second chances does he get? It's been 6 years now, he still hasn't shown anything consistent

It hasn't been six years...at least not in terms of consistent playing time.

well, he isnt a consistent player

[dobrojim]

Well I'm not holding my breath on seeing consistent AllNBA
level play. But I'm a little more ready than some to give
him a pass on the pace of his maturity re BB. Remember
that EJ was his coach and was reluctant to play him more
than even spot minutes for 3 years or so.

[Illuminaire]

There's a little horse in your cart, though.

Let's remember that as poorly as EJ handled big man rotations,

1) Blatche was constantly getting into off-court shenanigans, and that's just from the crap we've HEARD about.

2) Blatche has yet to start a season in top-notch shape.

3) Until his last year with the Wiz, Jamison was a remarkably productive player on at least one end of the court.


I can blame EJ for a lot of things, but I can't assign very much of Blatche's ongoing motivation and focus issues to him.

[hands11]

There have been plenty of great players who loved to get down and dirty with multiple partners. It was their achilles heel... just a little bit higher.

Wasn't Wilt Chamberlain a sex addict ? He seemed to be a pretty good basketball player.

[Illuminaire]

He also never won a championship until after his prime, partly because he was more interested in glory stats and living the life than actually winning basketball games.

[hands11]

Well, Deuteronomy says to kill just about anyone if they don't follow the status quo, even your kids if they dont take the garbage out without whining. God himself violates at least two of his own commandments before you even reach the New Testament. I would much rather live the opposite of that. But i dont wish to turn this thread into a theological discussion.

Blatche is a free man. Hes got the money to fund lap dance tuesday, if its something he wants to do then thats fine with me, but maybe he should keep it a little more under his hat. As long as monday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday are gym and workout days. He probably has Sunday School to go to.

There have been plenty of great players who loved to get down and dirty with multiple partners. It was their achilles heel... just a little bit higher. By a certain (now deleted) media report, LeBron is the same way, but he has an image to keep so he doesnt get reported about and keeps things quiet.

As long as he keeps working hard, and for god sake use protection Blatche you dont want to be the next Shawn Kemp, then we really have nothing to comment on.

Neither did I, and I'm glad everybody handled this tactfully and maturely.

Blatche is free to do what he does, but I agree with fugop on the tweets. After the guy commented on Osama the other day it made me think freedom of speech is a great thing except maybe when idiots reach millions with sheer lunacy. Blatche is shouting out to much fewer, and to his followers, but he still represents a team.

Freedom of speech does not per se extend to private companies and even folks like teachers, military, heck most folks; have to watch what they say in public because their image can be construed to be that of their company or brand.

Whatever Blatche is doing that really doesn't enhance his image or at least make him seem like a solid pro, he probably needs to maintain low tones with it.

Something I think almost every time I hear Rush, Bush W, Chaney, Sarah Pallin, Bachmann, Beck. And the list goes on. Newt, Trump, Huckabee, Ryan, Rudy Giuliani, Santorum, DeLay.

At least Dray seems to be sticking to people of age and the opposite sex. Not so much for this list.
Amazing how many have gone after children. Granted, the Dems have had issues also, but at least they don't run as Christian fundamentalist family values purists that this group claims to be.

http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Examples ... ral_values

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3fm_IQ5Hco&NR=1[/youtube]

[hands11]

Leonsis on Dray's "Lap Dance Party" on "The Mike Wise Show";

"The Wizards being associated with that is unacceptable. We made sure we got that taken down. We're not happy with that, and neither is he. The way those things tend to happen are not well understood. Sometimes celebrities get an appearance fee, and someone goes and markets them. Andray is a very gifted player, and we know this is a very important summer for him. He needs to come back and be in unbelievable shape with unbelievable determination, because he needs to prove he's a really, really good player and that he can win. He gets it. The proof will be in the pudding, but he understands it."

Dray's ass is on the line... If this won't make him step up his game full-time, he's gonna get traded for sure... Good call by Ted on calling him out though...

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2011/5/10 ... e#comments

What a great response by the owner. Instead of ignoring it and hoping it'll go away - like most owners would do - he uses it as a way to emphasize in no uncertain terms what's expected of Andray. There's no in-between where it'll be accepted if he's in okay shape. Blatche knows he has to be in - by far - the best shape of his life, or he will be deemed a public embarrasment in the NBA world. Ted turned a negative into an opportunity well used.

Very true. Good move by Ted.

[hands11]

How high a draft pick do you guys think we could get for Blatche in a trade?

Blatche for Outlaw+27?

NJ needs a PF, we need depth at SF. Their contracts are nearly identical. What's not to like! If we draft Kanter, our rotation would be pretty much set:

McGee/Seraphin
Kanter/Booker
Lewis/Outlaw
Young/Crawford
Wall/Crawford

We could then go for potential on picks 18-27 since they wouldn't need to play right away.

People have been trying really hard for a while now to come up with something that makes sense but I have yet to see anything that makes more sense then keeping him right now. Age, talent, potential, contract, etc all say Dray stays. If he is to get moved, it will be after at least another year

[hands11]

Yeah, I'm surprised people are still defending this guy. How many second chances does he get? It's been 6 years now, he still hasn't shown anything consistent

It hasn't been six years...at least not in terms of consistent playing time.

Dude, stop with the perspective facts "excuses". They gets in the way of more dramatic statements.

Dray has been in the league 6 years. Never mind he didn't play much his first few years and when he did he was a back up center playing with nothing to speak of at PF on a team with no D.

He has had the benefit of three coaches. Never mind one wasn't really a H coach and the other isn't even coaching anymore. After two years of Flip, 20 plus teamates and a new owner, and all that rest from his injured foot and shoulder, he should have finished better than his April numbers of .507 23.6 pts 10.3 rebounds 7.8 FTAs. Dude is a bust.

But enough with the fact excuses.

Given Drays NBA experience with this organization, I expect a lot more from a 2nd round 49th pick. What a waste. EG should be fired.

[hands11]

There's a little horse in your cart, though.

Let's remember that as poorly as EJ handled big man rotations,

1) Blatche was constantly getting into off-court shenanigans, and that's just from the crap we've HEARD about.

2) Blatche has yet to start a season in top-notch shape.

3) Until his last year with the Wiz, Jamison was a remarkably productive player on at least one end of the court.


I can blame EJ for a lot of things, but I can't assign very much of Blatche's ongoing motivation and focus issues to him.

Not sure what you qualify as top notch but the summer before this last one when he got injured and had surgery on his foot, he had his 7DD summer and come into camp in very good shape. Very good shape is good enough for me.

So if you take that 7DD year.
Then injured surgery year.
I would think it is more likely than not that he gives us another 7DD summer.

[SUPERBALLMAN]

Seriously, what do you all think we could get for Blatche in a trade??

Do you think Cleveland would do Hickson straight up?

Anyone think we could do something like Blatche with the #34 pick to Suns for Childress and the #13 pick, or to the Rockets for Brad Miller and the #14 pick?

I think the Houston scenario could be plausible... they still also have a #23 pick to draft. Miller for us could be a nice vet mentor to guys like Kanter (if we get him), as well as McGee and Seraphin. At 14 we can possibly add someone like Markieff Morris or Chris Singleton, and we'd still have another pick at 18 (Nolan Smith or Klay Thompson?).

[hands11]

Seriously, what do you all think we could get for Blatche in a trade??

Do you think Cleveland would do Hickson straight up?

Anyone think we could do something like Blatche with the #34 pick to Suns for Childress and the #13 pick, or to the Rockets for Brad Miller and the #14 pick?

I think the Houston scenario could be plausible... they still also have a #23 pick to draft. Miller for us could be a nice vet mentor to guys like Kanter (if we get him), as well as McGee and Seraphin. At 14 we can possibly add someone like Markieff Morris or Chris Singleton, and we'd still have another pick at 18 (Nolan Smith or Klay Thompson?).

I think you may want to visit the trade thread. That topic has been discussed over and over and over for a long long time.

If you are interested in playing with the clay, there are plenty making ashtrays over there.

Some of us don't post about Dray trade ideas because well, we just don't think Dray is going anywhere this year so why waste time coming up with trades.

[dangermouse]

I would think it is more likely than not that he gives us another 7DD summer.

Well, a 6DD +1 Lapdance Tuesday.

Unless hes into the big girls, i would count lifting them on and off his lap as a kind of workout. 7DD.

[Illuminaire]

I hope you're right, Hands.

I'm just not betting on it. Dray's track record is a lot like my schoolwork - just enough to get by, with occasional glimpses of awesome. =p

Here's hoping we both "get it", right?