Rashard Lewis Appreciation Thread

[nate33]

I can't remember the last time the Wizards got a stop

[DallasShalDune]

I can't believe Shard is still getting panned by a good section of this board. He has definitely produced better than Gilbert post trade. He has helped our team to a better record. He has a year less on his contract. The trade was a win for us.

That and he's a better SF than PF--without a doubt. Flip has been playing Shard the way he should.

+1

The guy has been everything I thought he wouldn't be.

I am pleased that Lewis is still able to play well at SF and that he is such a positive, team-first guy and a great role model for young players.

I (again) owe Ernie Grunfeld an apology. Horrible contract? Not considering the team's play lately.

Also, Flip has used him wisely at SF and most nights he is really good there.

I agree. 100%. I was actually rooting for the guy to fail. I hated seeing Gil go, but you know what? It was necessary and Shard has been better than advertised. I'm happy with his production.

[AceDegenerate]

I can't remember the last time the Wizards got a stop

Pretty appropriate in this thread I'd say.

[Dat2U]

I guess everyone loves Lewis b/c we weren't the team that paid him his phat contract.

It was kinda the same deal when Jamison first came to DC with that mega deal the Warriors gave him. He was beloved and respected as a veteran mentor and leader... until he got paid in DC, and then he needed to go.

Lewis' production is terrible considering how much he's paid, but lets celebrate the fact he's not Gilbert and we didn't pay him.

[nate33]

I guess everyone loves Lewis b/c we weren't the team that paid him his phat contract.

It was kinda the same deal when Jamison first came to DC with that mega deal the Warriors gave him. He was beloved and respected as a veteran mentor and leader... until he got paid in DC, and then he needed to go.

Lewis' production is terrible considering how much he's paid, but lets celebrate the fact he's not Gilbert and we didn't pay him.

Yes. Of course this is true. Lewis is clearly overpaid. But he's been a better player for the money than Arenas (the post-injury Arenas, that is) and he's been a better locker room influence so why not be happy about it?

[DaRealHibachi]

I can't remember the last time the Wizards got a stop

Pretty appropriate in this thread I'd say.

Yeah, b/c we all know Arenas was an All-NBA defender...

[tontoz]

He plays mostly at the 3 yet he is averaging 7.6 rebounds per game. That has really caught me by surprise.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I guess everyone loves Lewis b/c we weren't the team that paid him his phat contract.

It was kinda the same deal when Jamison first came to DC with that mega deal the Warriors gave him. He was beloved and respected as a veteran mentor and leader... until he got paid in DC, and then he needed to go.

Lewis' production is terrible considering how much he's paid , but lets celebrate the fact he's not Gilbert and we didn't pay him.

Yes. Of course this is true. Lewis is clearly overpaid. But he's been a better player for the money than Arenas (the post-injury Arenas, that is) and he's been a better locker room influence so why not be happy about it?

+1

Lewis posted up Pierce and actually got the better of a great SF. That and his attitude and professionalism have won me over. Also, Gilbert's unfortunate struggles show the deal was good.

Grunfeld's done many things I disagreed with. Signing Gil and Jamison ended up just like I thought the day he did it. That said he's done a few things I vehemently disagreed with that turned out good. Lewis for Gil has been good, making the best of a bad contract situation (I know he could have not killed Gil's image and would have a less bad contract in return--but that has nothing to do with Lewis/Arenas).

[AceDegenerate]

I can't remember the last time the Wizards got a stop

Pretty appropriate in this thread I'd say.

Yeah, b/c we all know Arenas was an All-NBA defender...

lol, when was the last time I even mentioned Arenas?

But since you brought him up, we also all know Arenas is not and has never gone 0-21 on the road.

It's all good though right, Playoffs are just around the corner aren't they? Redemption is in the #'s for Washington isn't it?

[Saqs]

Yes. Of course this is true. Lewis is clearly overpaid. But he's been a better player for the money than Arenas (the post-injury Arenas, that is) and he's been a better locker room influence so why not be happy about it?

Cant disagree with this. Both are overpaid but Arenas obviously has not been very effective as a bench spark. He's scored in double figures just once over their last 10 games. Slightly in his defense, SVG does seem to be asking him to do more point guardish things and he has had a couple games with 5+ assists off the bench but its hard to view his arrival in Orlando so far as anything else but disappointing. Lewis, OTH, has better numbers in just about every category since the trade.

[DCZards]

Lewis' production is terrible considering how much he's paid, but lets celebrate the fact he's not Gilbert and we didn't pay him.

You go around the league and just every NBA team has someone who is overpaid...some teams have 2-3 overpaid players. Heck, the Zards play Denver tonite and they're stuck with Al Harrington's fat contract. It's often the nature of the beast. So why sweat it. At least Lewis is apparently showing that he also has some value in the huddle, the locker room and on the practice court.

[DaRealHibachi]

Pretty appropriate in this thread I'd say.

Yeah, b/c we all know Arenas was an All-NBA defender...

lol, when was the last time I even mentioned Arenas?

But since you brought him up, we also all know Arenas is not and has never gone 0-21 on the road.

It's all good though right, Playoffs are just around the corner aren't they? Redemption is in the #'s for Washington isn't it?

Yeah, b/c a Gil-lead team got anywhere for huh...???

Anyway, you don't need to mention him at all; I mean, every time you post, it's either talking about how we shouldn't have traded Gil for Lewis (which leads you to say how much Lewis sucks or whatever, when in fact he's playing better than Gil was when he was here), or something in that direction...

Fact is, Gil was never going to lead this team anywhere anytime soon, he's not as good (and it looks like he never will be) as he was before his injury... You can hate on Lewis all you want, but the fact is that we're doing better with Lewis than with Gil... And to insinuate that Lewis is the cause of our road losses, makes you look like a sad, bitter man...

[AceDegenerate]

I think lots of people like to mix up facts here.

The only fact that matters for this team is that it sucks.

[cwb3]

Considering it was a mid-season trade, a swap of one teams troubled big money player for others, I think Rashard has played pretty decently for the Wizards. His shot has been spotty the past couple of games, (although 8 for 14 last night is pretty good) but generally I think he fits in ok on both sides of the ball. He has played better than I thought he would.

[tontoz]

I guess everyone loves Lewis b/c we weren't the team that paid him his phat contract.

It was kinda the same deal when Jamison first came to DC with that mega deal the Warriors gave him. He was beloved and respected as a veteran mentor and leader... until he got paid in DC, and then he needed to go.

Lewis' production is terrible considering how much he's paid, but lets celebrate the fact he's not Gilbert and we didn't pay him.

How do you think Orlando feels paying so much for Arenas' 8/4 shooting 36%? They could have gotten that from a D-League call up.

[TGW]

How do you think Orlando feels paying so much for Arenas' 8/4 shooting 36%? They could have gotten that from a D-League call up.

LOL.

I think alot of folks are still butthurt over that trade, although every aspect of the trade, from production to contract, points to the Wizards winning that trade. These same butthurt fans are the ones who didn't say anything when Gilbert was shooting 3-9, turning the ball over 5 times, and playing craptastic defense. They just let it slide because Gilbert made a buzzerbeater in a 1st round playoff game in 2005, so we "owe" him. GTFOH...that bum got paid, tanked it, and is now sucking for another team. Change yer panties and get over it.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

I'll appreciate his sorry ass if it gets someone fired!

[Zonkerbl]

A team so bad even Lewis lost his cool! WOW!