Andray to be traded?

[JWizmentality]

^^Blatche's suckiness is McGee's fault?

It's kinda like how my flatulence weren't fowl enough to get the in-laws to leave Christmas dinner.

[ErikChowbay023]

I find it interesting to equate poor on-court performance to a players poor work habits and professionalism. Most of us on this board question and speculate about things, while looking from the outside, in.. We have no idea, well most of us have no idea, of what goes on during the practices, meetings, and film sessions. Hell, even the most renowned insiders get it wrong, so who are we to say Blatche got lazy, or that he isnt working as hard. Its easy to say that based on his past, but we all saw the player he was at the end of last year. I honestly do not think he is healthy, and from the history of our medical staff, does it come as any surprise?

Its easy to say that Dray signed the big contract and got lazy, but the fact of the matter is, he got hurt, and from what I recall this is the first major injury he suffered. Yea, maybe its taking a little longer than expected for him to recover, but foot injuries take time, especially for big guys. Wizards fans are always prisoners of the moment. We never look far back enough, and never look down the line. We should all learn to not act or respond to situations in such haste as to trade Blatche, which in my opinion would further deter this team from ever being a championship caliber team.

[nate33]

Having a center that can't reliable score in the post makes it much easier for a defense to guard players who's game starts out on the perimeter. Blatche will suffer until we can get a starter who's game starts close to the basket.

Our center, traditionally the best post player on the team, doesn't have a reliable post game and he is the best center on the team.

At least two thirds of the centers in the league can't reliably score in the post.

[MF23]

Bump

In his recent column about Gilbert, DA makes his feelings known about Blatche:

http://tbd.ly/gECETF

It's not about the franchise player; it's about the supporting cast, as Michael Jordan once put it.

The Spurs haven't been the Spurs just because they got Tim Duncan in 1997; it's because they got Manu Ginobili in the second round in 1999, and Tony Parker at the end of the first round in 2001, and have filled in the cracks over the years with a series of able role players, from Bruce Bowen to Steve Kerr to Danny Ferry to Robert Horry to their current crop of DeJuan Blair, George Hill and Gary Neal. High basketball IQs, self-starters, guys who are competitive but understand how to fill in around a star. Ditto the Mavericks, with Dirk Nowitzki (and Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Jason Terry, Jason Kidd, Butler, et al.).

By way of comparison, I keep hearing that Blatche has turned the corner and is worth the Wizards' time (and Leonsis' $35 million). And then he gets into a fight with McGee outside the Shadow Room last Friday, leading to a one-game suspension for each. Given Blatche's history -- taking forever to get into shape after breaking his foot last summer, which followed refusing to go into a game last March when asked by Flip Saunders and being benched for three quarters, which followed a one-game suspension last January, which followed his arrest in June 2008 for reckless driving and operating a vehicle with a suspended license, which followed a solicitation charge in August 2007 -- why are we still having this conversation? Does anyone think it's a good idea for Blatche to be around Wall any more than it was a good idea for Arenas to be around Wall?

After seeing Blatche's long list of miscues laid out like that, I'm starting to lean more strongly towards trading him. The optimist fan in me hopes that he puts it all together in a Wizards uni on a consistent basis, but I simply can't expect him to bring the consistency he brought during the brief window when he was pushing for a contract extension, when all evidence points to him remaining who he is: a talented, lazy, uncommitted tease.

In contrast, Aldridge preaches that we should give McGee more rope before rendering judgment:

McGee shows signs of the Knucklehead Gene, too, but this is pro basketball we're talking about, and while McGee has flaky ideas of what a low-post move is, he can jump from Chinatown to Lanham, and his defensive wingspan makes him a must-keep. Tuesday in Houston, he leapt like a praying mantis from the paint to block a three-point shot by the Rockets' Aaron Brooks. It was an absurd display of athletic ability. People thought Tyson Chandler was a head case, too, until he got around better players in New Orleans and Charlotte and Miami. Now he's a top-10 center in terms of impact. McGee could be on a similar career arc. Or not. But the Wizards should spend the next five or so years finding out for sure.

I'm fine with that sentiment, too.

Seems like DA and a few on this board knew what time it was. It's a shame that people who have no experience working in the NBA get it while others receiving pay are walking with sonar trying to find a buried treasure. Seems backwards to me especially when realizing it's fool's gold their after.

[hands11]

Drays problem was never talent. It was always maturity and conditioning.

If he doesn't want to get in great shape, then he is still valuable as a back up center and even power forward. And at $6,442,083, that isn't over paying for what he can do off the bench.

But he needed to show up in the best shape of his life this season and he didn't. That was a HUGE missed opportunity for him. Just imagine if he did. The table would be set for him to establish himself as a starter on this team as it moves forward. Instead, you have to wonder how long he will stay on the team.

He could still get it done this year but he is way behind the curve. It would take him doing something drastic. If not, he will slowly get in better shape as the year goes one like he usually does. But that has gotten old. The season doesn't start mid February.

Actions, or lack there of, have consequences. He has opened the door to get moved to coming off the bench. Now it up to a player to push him there. Booker didn't add a J over the summer so he missed his opportunity. Now we have Ves who will see if he can do it.

I never really blamed Flip for playing Dray because he didn't have any real viable options and this team needed what he does on the floor. Even with his short comings.

[sfam]

I never really blamed Flip for playing Dray because he didn't have any real viable options and this team needed what he does on the floor. Even with his short comings.

In the immortal words of "W", "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? We won't get fooled again."

Flip and EG should have figured out by last season, if not the season previously, that Blatche is in a perpetual state of "Who gives a F#ck?" It was clear as day that he just wasn't going to turn it around. Anyone "Shocked Shocked!" that Blatche came in this season out of shape should really be wary of people selling watches of brooklin bridges.

[LyricalRico]

Flip and EG should have figured out by last season, if not the season previously, that Blatche is in a perpetual state of "Who gives a F#ck?" It was clear as day that he just wasn't going to turn it around. Anyone "Shocked Shocked!" that Blatche came in this season out of shape should really be wary of people selling watches of brooklin bridges.

[fishercob]

Bumping this thread -- and its title --toyed with my emotions. Come on, man!