Johnnie Futbol
Nov 14, 2008 May 31, 2012 22 1075
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Why Gee signed with the Spurs
On March 29, Gee gave it all up to sign with the Spurs, agreeing to spend the remainder of the season on the inactive list. With one stroke of his pen, he went from NBA starter to wearing a suit on game nights.
Why?
"The Spurs were going to the playoffs," Gee said Wednesday from Las Vegas, where he scored 24 points in the Spurs' 89-84 summer-league win over Atlanta. "There's nothing like being with an organization when they're going to the playoffs. It's a whole other level, and I wanted to be a part of it."
The Spurs won a mini bidding war with Washington for Gee's services, agreeing to guarantee a small sum for the 2010-11 season as well. And so, Gee sat behind the bench in his Sunday best for the final 20 games of the season, including playoff series against Dallas and Phoenix.
Mike Lee tweets about John Wall
"John Wall is tearing up this practice. Getting to the hoop @ will, tossing lobs to JaVale McGee & hitting Js. Kid's put in work on that J"
Dan Steinberg: Wizards fans were right about LeBron
The perfect read on the day of "The Decision."
The Wiz Will Buy Picks
The Wiz Will Buy Picks: The one thing Wizards fans can take solace in is new owner Ted Leonsis loves draft picks. The Wizards currently hold the #1, the #30 and the #35 picks in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Team president Ernie Grunfeld has told more than a few agents he has the green light to move around the draft if he wants to, and buying picks out for cash has already been approved.
Sources near the situation say Grunfeld has one more year to get the Wizards moving in the right direction or he'll be replaced next summer. This draft and the impending free agency is important to Ernie's job security and as a result some insiders believe he Wizards could be extremely active on draft night, a role usually played by the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Wizards have six players that will likely be under contract next season, meaning they need a minimum of seven players between the draft and free agency. With John Wall being the centerpiece of the Wizards draft plan, surrounding him with a few of his peers in this class looks likely.
Sources close to the situation say the Wizards could look to load up Oklahoma City style, in what most experts' belief to be a very deep draft in terms of roster level players that could be available in the bottom of the first round or the early parts of the second.
Look for the Wizards to be a bit busier than normal; Ernie Grunfeld's job depends on it.
Which players do you like 15 and below (after lottery)?
by Johnnie Futbol on Jun 16, 2010 11:05 AM EDT
on Bullets Forever
Michael Lee wrote yesterday:
Leonsis has made it clear that he would like to get another first-round pick. From what I've been told, the Wizards are eagerly in pursuit of adding a pick that falls in range of the high teens and early 20s.
If we are to assume the Wizards are able to add a pick in the high teens to early 20s range, which players do you like around there?
Just to aid the discussion, I'm pasting below DraftExpress's projected picks from 15 to 30:
15. Gordon Hayward, SF
16. Paul George, SF
17. Damion James, SF
18. Hassan Whiteside, PF/C
19. Daniel Orton, C
20. Larry Sanders, PF/C
21. Solomon Alabi, C
22. Kevin Seraphin, C
23. James Anderson, SG/SF
24. Stanley Robinson, SF/PF
25. Eric Bledsoe, PG/SG
26. Elliot Williams, SG
27. Dominique Jones, SG
28. Greivis Vasquez, PG/SG
29. Willie Warren, SG
30. Quincy Pondexter, SF
11 commentsMonroe declares for draft
Rook, you're now obligated to do another draft profile!
Differences between Gilbert Arenas and Washington Wizards may be irreconcilable
"If your own franchise, the people you considered family, weren't there for you when you needed them most, would you want to play for them and be around them anymore?" said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Arenas "was wrong for bringing guns into the locker room, and it's going to mean pleading guilty to a felony. It's serious business. But the way this came out and how Ernie and the organization handled the facts makes you wonder if he will ever play for them again."
TMZ: Gilbert Arenas Wants To Cop A Plea
Editor's Note: We've discussed this in the previous FanShot, but let's move all discussion on this here.
Greg Doyle: "Talk of Arenas lifetime ban is ludicrous"
I can't say I'm much of a Greg Doyle fan normally, but this is definitely one of the most reasonable takes on the situation IMHO.
Grand Jury Bound?
Editor's Note, via Mike: From TMZ, so consider the source, but this is troubling and indicates the tone by which everyone (e.g.law enforcement officials and the NBA) is taking with this story.
NBA Payrolls
Feel free to follow the link but here are the goods:
NBA payrolls
(as of June 30, 7:30 a.m., with trades, signings, these will adjust)
1. New Orleans $77,575,998
2. L.A. Lakers $76,759,733
3. Washington $75,808,291
4. Cleveland $74,493,925
5. Boston $73,376,991
6. Utah 72,049,799
7. San Antonio $71,135,775
8. Dallas $70,394,830
9. New York $70,353,475
10. Miami $69,681,632
11. Denver $68,741,314
12. Orlando $68,065,216
13. Houston $65,392,249
14. Chicago $63,881,972
15. Milwaukee $62,552,327
16. Phoenix $61,222,538
17. Philadelphia $58,468,491
18. Golden State $58,078,605
19. L.A. Clippers $57,984,404
20. Indiana $57,786,131
21. Charlotte $56,575,697
22. New Jersey $54,716,027
23. Sacramento $53,841,550
24. Minnesota $50,867,220
25. Portland $48,675,767
26. Toronto $46,092,020
27. Atlanta $42,799,583
28. Oklahoma City $41,766,515
29. Detroit $39,002,577
30. Memphis $37,719,633
Bucks deal Jefferson to Spurs
I guess this rules out a trade with the Spurs or the Bucks.
a possible trade - my own speculation
by Johnnie Futbol on Jun 16, 2009 11:37 AM EDT
on Bullets Forever
Larry Hughes & and the Knicks' 8th for Thomas, James and the 5th
I'm throwing it out there as a possibility though I'd like to see Grunfeld get something more interesting this offseason. We do know that Grunfeld tried to trade Thomas and James for Hughes at the trade deadline last season, and the Knicks might want to move up to grab Curry.
It seems to me this trade could go down if Grunfeld isn't offered anything else he likes and if he is high on a player that would likely be available at 8.
One advantage of a 2 for 1 trade (or a 3 for 2 I guess) is it leaves a roster spot open for the Wizards to sign their 2nd round pick if they choose.
A rumor surfaced this month that the Wizards called the Spurs with an offer for him, and maybe all of this made Ginobili wonder if the ground had shifted. Asked by the Argentine press this week whether he thought he could be traded, he said "impossible" had lost a few letters.
As the draft approaches, there's an old debate about drafting for need vs. taking the best available player. There are strong cases to be made for both. But lately, I've started thinking it depends on the stage of your team's development.
My over-riding thought is that in all player acquisition, draft or otherwise, if you can see a path to a title, you take it. Period. Winning draft day, or winning a trade, is nothing compared to winning titles.
So, if you run a team that you think can win a title with a speedy point guard like Jeff Teague, then dammit, you take Jeff Teague and don't worry about what anybody else says.
I'm sure we have all played gin rummy. In this case, Jeff Teague is that seven you have been waiting for all game. When you get that piece, you lay down all your cards and say "rummy," even if it means discarding an ace.
On the other hand, when the cards have just been dealt, who wants a seven? At that stage of the game, you are willing to displace just about any card to accommodate whatever queen, king or ace might stray your way.
The point being: If you are a piece or two from a title, just get that piece.
But of course, most teams aren't, and I bet they're better off taking the player they believe -- with some clever long-term judgment -- to be the best available.
the least with most?
by Johnnie Futbol on Apr 9, 2009 5:25 PM EDT
on Bullets Forever
From a Cavs: The Blog post:
http://www.cavstheblog.com/?p=224You know how everyone always talks about players who get “the most with the least” and usually talk about great athletes who can’t shoot or dribble? Well, in terms of the player who has the most natural basketball talent in terms of size, athleticism, shooting ability, passing, everything you can’t teach, I think the player who gets the least with the most is Blatche. He can do anything. He’s big. He’s athletic. He can shoot. He can handle. He can pass. He drained beautful jump-hooks tonight. He has every conceivable tool, and he just can’t put anything together. By the way, the player who does the most with the least is Andre Miller. This is a whole other post, but every one of his possessions has a purpose.
Speaking of talented, JaVale McGee. Wow. I know the Cavs loved this guy, and a little bird told me they would have hopped on him if he was available, so I’ll always be rooting against him a little. But wow, talk about talent. When is the last time you remember Z having a JUMPER stuffed back and another one of his shots changed? With length and hops, nobody gets higher than JaVale, right? If I was the Wizards management, I would buy into the talented but incomplete package of McGee/Blatche as my front-line of the future and pray for the best. And probably drink a lot.
Jamison
by Johnnie Futbol on Mar 27, 2009 9:17 AM EDT
on Bullets Forever
I know there are more interesting things to talk about just a day before Arenas's return, but given that we've discussed Jamison's relationship with the young Wizards on numerous occassions this season, I figure it's worth including a quote from a Washington Post article today:
Javaris Crittenton on Jamison:
"He's a professional. From his approach to the game, to how he dresses, to how he comes in early as a captain. Words can't even explain what type of player Antawn is. A true soldier, even with everybody injured, he battles and battles. Win or loss, he's coming to play hard every night. I know that he's teaching me how to be a true professional."
another theory on mcgee
by Johnnie Futbol on Jan 28, 2009 7:54 PM EST
on Bullets Forever
OK, so there's Tapscott's explanation: Players have to earn their time on the court. If they lack experience and get caught too often out of position, then they're gonna get limited playing time.
Then there's cuppettcj's explanation (hope I get this right, sorry if I don't): Grunfeld's planning on trading McGee who's trade value is based on his incredible upside and not on anything he does on the court this season, so it's better to keep him healthy on the bench.
Now I personally think the Wizards want to keep McGee because they should want to keep him. Trading him would be a big mistake unless a can't-miss-blockbuster trade comes around, and I just doubt anything quite that good will be available. The Wizards have enough young talent or solid veterans to trade along with a lottery pick so if Grunfeld wants to make a big splash than I don't think he needs to trade a player who could in the long run be the one that finally makes this team a contender.
So finally another theory (this probably isn't original): McGee is going to be a reserve behind Haywood again next year. Limiting his playing time this year means there's no controversy next year. It also means that if McGee's development is more gradual but steady rather than rapid, yet inconsistent, then when it comes time to sign McGee to another contract perhaps the Wizards can get him for something a little more modest? Certainly his statistics wouldn't be quite as impressive, but the Wizards might think in the long run McGee's development might benefit just as much.
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