SB Nation User Blog: Romans12

Boiling Over

Romans12 — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:01:18 -0000

I have had enough.

Last night was the last straw for me. I need to voice my thoughts somewhere. Instead of forcing my friends to listen, I will put my thoughts here so that you have the option to close the window at any time.

To me, last night painted a perfect picture of how pathetic this season has become. It is not just the players at fault, although they should shoulder most of the blame. This is an organizational issue, and one that disturbs me to my core.

I maintain that I have faith in Ernie Grunfeld. I feel that his patience in regards to making deals will eventually pay off in the end. Watching the Wizards fall apart in the last minute or so of last night's game was bad enough. The fact that Roger Mason Jr. buried a game winning three at the buzzer against Phoenix made me sick. He is near the top of the league in 3pt percentage. DeShawn Stevenson is now at 27.5% from long range. We chose Stevenson over Mason. What infuriates me is that I feel like I see through this whole "Send me to the bench so I can get my swag back" routine. Bull-fucking-shit. DeShawn Stevenson got paid and has lost his motivation. Plain and simple. Deep down I believe he wanted to go to the bench so that he could coast through the rest of his contract without the pressure of being our starting SG. Most people are treating this like a selfless attempt to make the team better. I don't buy it.

So where the hell is Ernie Grunfeld?? I mean seriously. When I am at work...and I am asked to do my job, and I respond by not doing it - I get my ass chewed out. Who is getting chewed out on the Wizards? Ed Tapscott is an absolute joke. His title before somehow ending up as the head coach was Director of Player Development, correct? Now, in my industry, we would simply call this position "Lead Trainer". His JOB is to TRAIN our players to be more efficient at their craft. The fact that he is employed by a professional sports team SHOULD mean that he is better at his job than any of us would be. He should be aware of the common sense mistakes that he is making on a daily basis. Who is getting trained on this team? Someone please tell me.

We just traded for Javaris Crittenton. He is young. He is talented. He is a point guard. If I was the head coach and the former director of player development, I would see this as a great opportunity to develop a young player. We drafted JaVale McGee. He is a freak athlete. He brings energy. He is young. He is talented. I would see this as another wonderful opportunity to develop a player.

So tell me this B.F. - What statement does it make to JaVale McGee when you choose to send in Etan Thomas into a game for two minutes as opposed to giving him some burn? Is it any mystery that Etan Thomas is not in this team's future? Even if his production increased, if you handed a list of our roster and each player's contract to every Washington Wizards employee and fan and asked them to circle the player who they would most like to see traded from this team, what percentage would circle Etan Thomas? I'd like to think that it would be a fairly high number. So here we have a player with zero future on this team...and another who, IMO, is a major part of this team's future. Two minutes of playing time - who do YOU give it to? Well Eddie Tapscott felt like it would be better to let Etan Thomas get that playing time. If I was JaVale McGee I would take that as a slap to the face. A good developer of players would see that Etan Thomas is essentially a finished product. JaVale McGee, by all accounts, has limitless potential that is begging to be developed. There is a major problem here.

Both McGee and Crittenton received "DNP- Coaches decision" in the box score. If I was the director of player development, I would have seen last night as a perfect opportunity for growth for our young players. Instead, we run DeShawn Stevenson out there for 21 minutes to continue his atrocious play. I seem to remember EG and Tapscott saying that Mike James could play both the guard positions. If he is on fire and nobody else on the team who plays the two is shooting over 20%, what would it hurt to have Crittenton get in there and run the point for a few minutes and let James slip over and play the two?

My biggest problem is that all of this is happening in the arena of an obviously lost season. Unless the ping pong balls do something crazy, we are in for a top five pick this year. Ed Tapscott saying that we are still playing for a playoff spot should be grounds for his dismissal. Can we please be the first professional sports team to fire two coaches in one season? I'm sorry but your clever anecdotes and eloquent speech do not hide the fact that you are a horrible NBA coach. Earth to Eddie...if you are losing most of your games in the fourth quarter, it probably means that your best players are getting tired and are not able to adequately finish games. Perhaps playing Jamison and Butler 40 minutes a night is a poor basketball decision.

Everyone in this organization needs to start doing their fucking jobs. If you break it down, this is a vocation, a job, a career. People are being paid to do things, and they are not doing them. Players, coaches, management, everyone is dropping the ball here. At the very least, play with the realization that you represent something more than yourselves and your teammates. You represent a great city and a passionate fanbase who pay very good money to support you. Seeing you fight for a candy dish on the sidelines more fiercely than you fight for a loose ball on the court is like spitting in the faces of the people who love you the most.

I don't mind rooting for bad teams. I rooted for Rip and Courtney Alexander. I had no problem with Juwan Howard, aside from his contract, because he played his ass off every night. Tom Gugliotta and Don Maclean hustled for some pretty awful teams. You, my current Washington Wizards, are a shame. You obviously don't give a shit about us so why should we give a shit about you?

I'm still going to watch every game. I will, however, admit that for the very first time in my life, I find myself hoping that the Wizards will lose. I want to win this draft lottery and grab Blake Griffin more than anything and I'm not afraid to say it.

Sorry if this pisses anyone off.

Boozer Trade?

Romans12 — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:56:55 -0000

Paul Milsap posted his 10th straight double-double tonight. I think his success makes Boozer expendable. Both of their contracts are up after this year.

Wizards get - Carlos Boozer, Utah's first rounder.

Jazz get - Haywood, Songaila, Pech, and Washington's first rounder.

I feel like the Jazz have always been a center away from being a legit contender. Songaila excels in the pick and roll game which is Jerry Sloan's signature. Our first rounder has value since we are getting beat so badly...especially vs. Utah's pick which will be much lower. I have a feeling Utah will be content letting Boozer walk after this season and re-up Milsap so he can start.

The question is would Boozer sign a new contract upon arriving?

Arenas, Young, Butler, Boozer, McGee would start. Jamison would come in as the 6th man.

It's late so I can't tell if this deal looks awful, it makes sense to me.

Jennings revisited.

Romans12 — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:42:06 -0000

I know this is a rather depressing time for Wizards basketball. There are so many people that I want to grab by the collar and scream profanities to.

The guys who I watch games with and I have actually had a long running inside joke about Ed Tapscott which makes this all the more difficult to bear. It'd be hard to explain the joke, but if anyone used to watch SNL when Norm MacDonald did the news - every once in a while he would randomly bust out a picture of Frank Stallone to be the punchline of his joke. That's who Ed Tapscott is to us when we talk about the Wizards. We just think he's funny and that there's no way he is going to get these guys to where they need to be to even be a .500 team. I hope they prove me wrong.

On to business. We are not going to the playoffs. We are going to be picking in the lottery. We may even be picking very high in the lottery. No team named the Thunder is going to be better than us.

I say these things because I've been thinking a lot about a conversation we had about Brandon Jennings and Ricky Rubio. Now, I think the Thunder are going to have the best shot at the number one pick...who, as of now, appears to be Blake Griffin. I just don't see anyone else to take there. It feels like a Kenyon Martin pick.

We need a point guard in the worst way. Even if Gilbert comes back and plays well and does not hurt that knee...the question going into next season still has to be "Will Gilbert stay healthy?" Haywood should be good to go by then. We have a ton of big men. The only role player we lack is a backup point guard who can do some serious damage. For those of you who are Pro-Rubio, I will begin my campaign for Brandon Jennings with these two lists. I will reserve the right to abandon ship at any time and campaign for another player since the draft is still far away. Just need to talk about something else besides losing and injuries and Ed Tapscott and Frank Stallone.

Notable CURRENT NBA players that are Oak Hill Academy Alumni

Carmello Anthony
Steve Blake
Kevin Durant
Rajon Rondo
Josh Smith
Jerry Stackhouse
Stephen Jackson
Michael Beasley

NBA/ABA Players who were born in Spain, not just current -- but back until the beginning of time.

Wallace Bryant
Jose Calderon
Jorge Garbajosa
Pau Gasol
Raul Lopez
Fernando Martin
Sergio Rodriguez
Wally Szczerbiak? Didn't know that.

Every year when I watch the McDonald's All-American game, my boys and I always keep an eye on the guys from Oak Hill just because you know they are usually going to be the best ones on the court. Of course not all appear to be sure bets for future All-Star appearances in the pros, but to me, on some of the guys you can just see it. Jennings stood out from the tip. I know those games are just a glorified AND1 game but just because the basketball gets a little street doesn't mean you can't see legit talent screaming at you on the court. I'd give him more credit for what he did - he had that team on point. Jennings was getting the ball to everyone.

This is not really a knock on Rubio. I haven't seen him enough. Yeah hes flashy, but that's just not what we need right now. We've got Gil and NY to be flashy - and Blatche who keeps on forcing flashy for some reason...I've got enough MF flashy.

What this team needs is energy, tenacity, and some toughness. I really don't see that in Rubio and I keep watching highlights of this lefty with a flat-top doing between the leg dunks and flying to the basket out of nowhere to swat layups off the backboard with both hands. The dude hustles. Nick Young has a flat-top. Maybe him and Jennings can be nicknamed Kid & Play.

The way it's looking now, we could potentially end up in a spot where we are choosing between Rubio and Jennings. They may even be the two best players available. I can definitely see scenarios where this is our draft day dilemma.

Jennings is obviously a better fit for this team. He is quick, athletic, and physical enough to get into the lane in the NBA. Not to mention he is left handed and an excellent dribbler which is always an advantage because defenders are usually more accustomed to guarding right handed players. Here's my lineup.

Jennings, Arenas, Butler, McGee, Haywood

I'm not saying this is who should start, but if i was a coach I'd try it. McGee is athletic enough to run the 4, he just needs some power. His length combined with Haywood's would be amazing in a solid defensive scheme. Butler can play his natural position and Arenas can atleast do what DeShawn Stevenson does and shoot nothing but three pointers. Atleast there will be a silver lining in this situation. Gilbert won't be testing that knee as much with penetrating through traffic. What's the silver lining with Stevenson at the 2. Atleast he's not shooting 29%.

I know it's really early to talk picks but I'm feeling pretty safe in looking towards the top of the prospect list. I'm a big draft guy so if anyone else in here is feeling pessimistic and wants to argue anytime about players, I'm game!

We won't be the Spurs.

Romans12 — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:58:21 -0000

Before Gil came out and said it today, I have been thinking the exact same thing about this year. Could it be better for us to end up in last place this season and pick toward the top of the draft?

The answer is NO. There is no Tim Duncan in this draft. There is nobody who will serve as the foundation for the Wizards first dynasty. In my opinion, you are only as good as your record. According to our record, we are the worst team in the league.

I love college basketball and the draft. I pumped JaVale McGee from the beginning - I'm not too surprised at what he has been able to do thus far. Although the college season has just begun...here's my question(s) -- Is there anyone in college basketball or overseas who you think could be a "franchise changer" a la Tim Duncan? If the season ended today and we had the first pick, who do you take? Let's assume Gilbert comes back 100% next year.

Even coupled with a full recovery from Arenas, I don't see anyone that could have a huge impact on this franchise. Duncan came in and created an identity WITH an aging David Robinson and then Robinson willingly allowed the identity of that team to change into what it is today.That is extremely rare.

There are a few prospects that I will be keeping an eye on now that we have started so poorly. This is also the order that I would pick them in, today.

1. Blake Griffin PF, Oklahoma - Eventually, he would replace Jamison in the starting lineup. Arenas, Young, Butler, Griffin, McGee. That is an exciting lineup. His effort is always there, he scores and rebounds well. He could bang with the power forwards that abuse Jamison.

2. Brandon Jennings - PG - My favorite player not in the NBA. This guy is unreal...if you haven't watched his youtube clips, please do. He will be the best passer in this draft. He is a highlight reel waiting to happen and would be sick running the second squad. Need points? Jennings, Arenas, Butler, Jamison, McGee. Jennings gets EVERYONE the ball. He decided to go play in Europe instead of at Arizona this year.

3. Al Farouq-Aminu SF, Wake Forest - Watched his tape and thought I was watching a more athletic Luol Deng. He'd be another long body to throw out there and would provide a reliable backup for Caron Butler. I keep praying that McGuire gets his shit together and becomes that consistent back up.

4. Stephen Curry PG/SG, Davidson - There is going to be a ton of people hating on Curry when it comes to how his game relates to the pros. I think the kid is going to be silly good. There's nothing I can say here that you haven't heard. Most unstoppable player in college basketball, hands down.

5. DeMar DeRozen SG, USC - I haven't seen an athlete like him since James White. I can't wait to watch USC games this year just to watch him play. He could move up my list with a big year. If he is the best option when we pick, pack your bags DeShawn.

This is not our year. There is no denying that. Sure we could put together a nice season and get in the playoffs again. Can we beat the Celtics, Cavs, or Pistons in seven games? No way. Personally, I'd sit Arenas all year if it would make sure his knee would hold up next season. I can be patient. I am getting exactly what I wanted from the Wizards right now. I wanted Nick Young to be that scoring option off of the bench and challenge Stevenson for that starting spot. I wanted McGee to prove everyone wrong and he is. If that continues and Andray Blatche gets it together - this year is a success regardless of the record.

Jim Zorn is ANGRY

Romans12 — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 01:47:17 -0000

Apparently at the post game presser, a reporter from the Washington Times kept rephrasing and asking Zorn the same question over and over, obviously not satisfied with the answer.

When the reported rolled his eyes at Zorn, Jimmy Z. slammed his fist against the podium and chastised the reporter in front of everyone (awkward). Who is this guy?

I'm not upset...we won. Jimmy could crack corn and I still wouldn't care. I would, however, like to request that someone hunt down the video of him getting pissed off and throw it on the main page so that I can have something to watch repeatedly at work.

Shaun Alexander

Romans12 — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:49:39 -0000

Word is that the Redskins are bringing him in for a workout tomorrow and if all goes well, he will sign with the team.

I've always been curious what, if anything, Shaun Alexander had left. If he is fully healed, maybe he can spell Portis a bit while Betts is recovering from his injury. There's no way he can get back to his old form. Worth a shot I think. Another veteran in the locker room with playoff experience doesn't hurt. Maybe he can hang out with Jason Taylor when he feels like an outsider.

He already knows the system from Seattle so there wouldn't be much adjustment. It's a cool idea if anything.

Catch the Bone.

Romans12 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:56:07 -0000

I feel as though the good Lord has tossed the Redskins a much needed bone in week two.

Big name Saints Marques Colston, Scott Fujita, Roman Harper, and Randall Gay are out for tomorrow's game.

I'm thinking this will open things up quite a bit for Campbell and Co. Although we may only have four linebackers tomorrow...I'd say the unit that needs to be the most concerned is the Saints' secondary. I recall that group getting abused a couple of years ago. Without looking at the roster...I think we are looking at about the same group. They struggled to cover the deep ball and I would be shocked if Zorn doesn't call a ton of more plays downfield.

Portis should have bigger holes against the Saint's D-Line. If our guys up front can get CP to the second level, he should get some big runs. The Saint's LB's are shorthanded without Scott Fujita - who ALWAYS starts. I guess he is their version of London Fletcher...just not as awesome. I wonder if he was the defender who gets to wear the super helmet. I'll just assume that his absense will have a pretty big effect on the way their defense plays. The only way I see them not feeling that loss is if Vilma goes super human, he's really good. The O-Line needs to handle their business and Mike Sellers needs to keep Vilma away from Portis. Big game from two-six if they do.

I'm praying that Chris Cooley plays this week. On all accounts, Fred Davis has had a nice week of practice. Those two should be able to find plenty of holes in the middle of the field...especially if we are running more shotgun. That will be even more of a weapon should JC simply attempt a few deep balls to Santana, ARE, and the Rooks.

I hope we are able to take advantage of this shorthanded Saint's defense. The offense was what really scared me, but not so much without Colston. That should allow us to put a spy on Reggie Bush or Shockey on any given play - we won't have to use a man helping on Colston.

Let's avoid that dreaded 0-2 start! HTTR!!!

A prediction for the future...

Romans12 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:06:21 -0000

I'll preface this by saying that what I'm proposing is going to sound crazy. Also, it's Friday and I do not have the desire to do the math, so I apologize for that.

The Wizards are ever so quietly angling themselves to make a major push for Toronto Raptors forward Chris Bosh.

Major names in the league are going to be hitting the market in the summer of 2011. The Nets aren't hiding the fact that would love to build their team around LeBron. The love the idea so much, in fact, that they are willing to build their team around him now despite the fact that he does not play for the Nets.

Could it be possible that teams are posturing for the other big names as well...years before they hit the market? Take...say...the Washington Wizards for example. Here are some numbers that come off the books that year.

Etan Thomas - $6,373,900
Deshawn Stevenson - $3,348,215
Antonio Daniels - $5,800,000
Brendan Haywood - $5,000,000
Dominic McGuire - $427,16

That is going to free up around $20 million.

Here is why this scenario is possible...

Nobody really wants to play in Canada. What a terrible market for a superstar to be in. Bosh has already proven that he is willing to go to great lengths to get some bigger lights shining on him. If anyone thinks he is staying in Toronto longer than he has to is kidding themselves. He signed his courtesy contract just like LeBron and D-Wade. The Heat just drafted a franchise player and are most definitely on the upswing. Bosh is similar to LeBron in that...
His team is probably not going to get much better. I don't see Jermaine O'Neal catapulting this team into contention. My guess is that he, and the next couple Raptors seasons, will be more of the same. They will become the Wizards of the North...putting together a string of first round exits. Bosh sacrificed his long term security to see how this team developed over a three year period. When that three year period comes to an end, they should have about the same quality of team, with no real sign of legitimately contending in the Celtic dominated East. Why on Earth would he stay in Toronto?
Let's just assume that Arenas and Jamison both resign. Sit Arenas down this summer and call his bluff. See exactly how much he is willing to take off of his max contract to keep AJ. Sign Gil and then overpay AJ (just a bit) to ensure that he stays. A 3 year contract would be ideal. That means we can run with essentially the same team for the next three years. This team healthy, to me, has a great deal of potential. If we have our hearts set on Bosh, what would it hurt to give this team a legitimate (healthy) shot at it for the next couple of years.
Don't rule out a trade. In two years, I envision Jamison's numbers being almost identical to this season. He will be a high character, veteran, double-double machine with an expiring contract. Of course, 7'0 athletic, young, big men are hard to find so the best case scenario for Toronto is to get one in return. Fortunately, the Wizards will have two - Jevale McGee and Andray Blatche. Jamison (and his expiring contract), McGee/Blatche, and draft picks. Heck, I'd give you Blatche and McGee in that deal for Chris Bosh. Find a team that can offer more.
Fear the Celtics. I am sold on this team being at the top of the East for the next few years barring another ridiculous trade. The three headed monster is the next big trend in professional basketball. I envision teams attempting to mirror the Celtics for the next few seasons. Now put yourself in Chris Bosh's size 13 shoes for a minute, you have a big decision to make. Do you believe that Calderon and O'Neal/Bargnani (in CANADA) gives you a better chance at a title than Arenas/Butler (in the NATIONS CAPITAL)? I apologize for offending any Canadians...all I know about Canada is what South Park tells me.
"Anything is possible!!!" - especially with the Wizards. Why? Because our GM keeps his mouth shut. The Wizards beat reporter has to be the most frustrating job on the planet. Props to Ivan Carter for doing what he does. Anyone who tries to predict what EG will do is crazy. If he is trying to get in position to be a major player for Bosh, we won't know until it happens.
Which statement do you believe more?

A) The Wizards can win a championship with this current team.

B) The Wizards will never get over the hump without a legitimate low-post scorer and defender.

Beyond the injuries...this is THE dilemma for the Wizards. To tell the truth, I am right at 50/50 on this one. In my mind, there is no other place to be at this moment. "I mean, before the injuries hit, we were in first place." How many times have you heard this one? The problem is that it's true. Yes we were in first place, and yes that was Eddie Jordan coaching the all-star game. So, at the very least, it's conceivable that we could mask this deficiency by scoring 120 points a game and end up at the top of the East at season's end.

The only problem is you don't win the championship by being in first place after the regular season. The other problem is that not many teams win a championship with out a dominant low-post player. Not a "power forward" who gives you 20-10 every night, but a dominant low-post player on both ends. I pose another question...

Replace Kevin Garnett with Antawn Jamison. Does Boston still win the title?

I doubt it... but I'd be surprised if they didn't have the best record in the East.

Last nights draft was disappointing just because there were so many other players on the board that I would have liked to have. I am furious that Mario Chalmers fell to the second round and will be suiting up for Miami...who just drafted Michael Beasley. Picking McGee only feeds my frustration with this team because I am right at 50/50 on whether he will be any good. With so much uncertainty on this team, it would have been nice to get a decent player whose production on this team would have been predictable.

I suggest to you that your frustration with this pick may be a factor of the current situation of the team, not so much with the actual player taken. For me, I will appease my frustration with visions of grandeur such as the one above.

Lessons from the Champs

Romans12 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:54:42 -0000

I'll admit that I was caught up in the glamor of the Lakers that I failed to realize how good the Celtics really were. Although last night's game was a blowout, Lakers vs. Celtics was a nice change of pace from the Spurs vs. Cavs dud last year. I wasn't old enough to understand basketball when this rivalry was at it's peak, so revisiting the history of these teams was pretty fun to watch too.

The Celtics were easily the best team in basketball. I was convinced of that when I went to watch them beat the Spurs earlier this year in San Antonio, without Ray Allen. Their championship is well deserved.

Bill Russell thinks his boy KG and the Celts are going to win 4 or 5 titles. My initial response was "No way! Bill Russell is old and senile." Bill Russell may be on to something though. There were no growing pains with the Celtics. They even handled a bold prediction from an over-zealous Wizard in their first home game. Gil, like me, probably did not expect them to come together as quickly as they did.

The Celtics are only going to get better. KG is there for the next five years, Pierce four, Allen three. Perkins, a great low post defender is there for the next four. Rondo, Powe, and Big Baby have two years left on their rookie contracts. Posey's contract is up, but I doubt that he or the Celtics will let him play anywhere else for a while.

For me, this is clearly the team to beat in the East over the next 4-6 years. The #1 contender in most people's eyes seems destined for a break-up. I'm not sold on LeBron and the Cavs being a consistent contender either. With so many teams shaking things up, it seems logical to keep our team as is. All Ernie needs to do, as mentioned, is stockpile young talent and IF you want to make a trade, make a trade that matters like the Celtics did. I'll take the team that has 3 superstars and the longest tenured coaching staff in the East over a team in flux any day.

Ernie should learn a few lessons from the Celtics, such as...

1. A good defense needs an anchor. One thing that both the Lakers and Celtics have is a defensive anchor, not just a role player who excels at defense. Watching KG in the middle of that zone last night was a thing of beauty.

IMO Rondo has just as much impact leading the defense from the PG position. His defense was especially delicious last night. When healthy, the first guy to defend the ball for the Wizards is usually Gilbert Arenas. His defense is passive at best, guys get into the lane too easily which then screws everyone else up. If Gil can't hold his own up top, our perimeter defenders cheat into the lane. You've seen what happens then, wide open threes whenever you want em.

Solution: Find a player that can defend the PG position with no assistance. A couple of names that everyone likes here are Mario Chalmers and Kyle Weaver. Weaver looks great, however, I'd worry about him playing point guard in the NBA. I honestly didn't watch him play much at all so I'll let others chime in on his abilities there. I saw Chalmers a lot and he appears to be ready to step in right away so I'll run with him.

Draft Chalmers with the expectation that he will start at point guard in certain situations. I know changing point guards depending on the match-up can cause chemistry problems, but if there is a team that is used to a plethora of starting line-ups, its the Washington Wizards. I don't see that being a huge issue.

I would much rather see Gilbert guarding Ray Allen off the ball than guarding Rondo with the ball. Chalmers should be able to stick with Rondo well enough that our perimeter defenders can stick with their shooters. I would also start Chalmers/Arenas against Delonte West/Daniel Gibson, Chauncey Billups/Rip Hamilton, Kurt Hinrich/Ben Gordon, and potentially Derrick Rose/D-Wade (can you smell a rivalry?)

Obviously this wont work all the time. For instance, you wouldn't want Arenas guarding Joe Johnson when we play the Atlanta Hawks. Here, I'd move Chalmers to backup PG, throw in Stevenson or NY to match up with Johnson, and wish Bibby the best in trying to keep Arenas from dropping 40.

There may also be times where neither of those pairs looks like a good matchup. One example I can think of is the Spurs. I go to the Spurs vs. Wizards game every year in San Antonio and it never ends well. I wouldn't want Arenas to be matched up with Parker or Ginobili. In this case I would start Chalmers/Stevenson and bring Arenas in off of the bench. The pessimist in me doesn't believe that Gil's knee won't give him fits next year. I don't see any way he can play 40 minutes a night. Night's like these would give his knee some much needed rest, and provide us with some major fire power off the bench. If the worst case scenario happens, and we lose him again for an extended period of time, we will have a young guard who has already been fed minutes and should be able to step in...permanently if need be.

2. Length matters. Going back to the Celtic's zone last night...I had a good conversation with a friend of mine about how incredibly long the five man unit on the floor for the Celtics was. Rondo, Posey, Pierce, Garnett, and Perkins. With their arms extended, there were zero passing lanes for the Lakers to work with. Of course the length is only one part of it...cohesiveness, athleticism, and intensity is what made the Celtics defense great.

Going with the theme of stock piling young talent, this idea made me re-think potential draft picks. I'd still feel the same about Brandon Rush, CDR, and Dorsey. Each provide a great deal of length as well as pure defensive talent. Rush goes up a few notches in my mind because he plays great team defense as well, which is what we are looking for. There may be some undrafted players that would fit the bill as well. I'd like to see Ernie look at Patrick Ewing Jr. and DeMarcus Nelson. I still can't support us picking Hibbert despite the fact that he has done well in workouts. Although we had success with a slower pace this year, the Wizards are not a half court team. He would never keep up.

3. It feels better with your own guys. I know, winning a championship with any guys is an amazing feeling. Last night, I was the most excited for Paul Pierce. I didn't care at all who won the series, but I found myself rooting for the Lakers because a majority of their squad were players that they developed like Vujacic, Walton, Farmar, etc. The Celtics ripped off other teams for two HOF players and filled their role positions with a bunch of guys who were looking to mooch off of the big 3 for a title. Do you honestly think Posey, Cassell, and PJ Brown would be in Boston for any other reason? PJ Brown was retired!

Believe me, I want a title in Washington by any means necessary. I'm just saying it will be much more satisfying if we do it with the guys that we developed. I don't want to take anything away from their win, it was awesome. I just would have been more satisfied had Al Jefferson tried to take home Michelle Tafoya as opposed to KG.

This brings me to my next lesson learned...

4. All it will take is one good season. I whole heartedly agree that stock-piling young talent is the way to go if you want to win a title. I think that gets you about 75% of the way there. The other 25% comes from having one good run to the playoffs, and then getting solid veterans with 3-4 years left in their careers sign on to try and mooch a championship. I would love to see an exact figure of how many of the champs over the last 10 years have had at least one very effective veteran sign for less then they were worth with hopes of getting a ring. The Rockets did it, the Spurs did it, the Lakers almost did it with Malone and Payton, and now the Celtics did it.

The Wizards play the style of ball that players love. There are no problems in our locker room. Good venue, great city. Where's the mooch love for the Wizards? I guess being a "Wizard" isn't as cool as being a "Celtic" or a "Laker". Maybe if we were still the Bullets...sigh.

5. Decide who the best player on your TEAM is. Kevin Garnett is the most unique talent on the Celtics. He was head and shoulders the best player on the Timberwolves. Just because he is the rarest talent doesn't make him the best player on the Celtics. The best player on the Celtics won the finals MVP award. Luckily for the Celtics, your team can take on the personality of either one of these players and be just fine. Such is not the case for Washington.

Gilbert Arenas is the most unique talent on the Wizards. There are only a handful of players that you have to be legitimately worried about scoring 50 points on you on any given night...he's one of them. That doesn't make him the best player on this TEAM...if it did, he would have been named a captain by now. Teams take on the personality of their team's best player. I hope that our team is as convinced as I am that Caron Butler is the best player on our team. Our Wizards would do themselves well to take on his personality instead of Gilbert's. I'd like to see Arenas play with Butler's intensity on both ends of the floor and see where that gets us.

6. Choose a slogan that your team can rally around. I kept hearing "Our time" from Doc Rivers at halftime. Think Eddie Jordan gave any motivational speeches revolving around "Ready to Rule"?

Never Let Up...that should be our mantra.

My Fave Five

Romans12 — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:01:36 -0000

I know that all the talk regarding our pick seems to revolve around trades, but there hasn't been a lot of talk about the players anyone actually wants to draft. This is a deep draft and there will still be a lot of talent to choose from at 18.

Here are the top five guys that I'd like to see end up in Washington. I'll leave Dorsey out to hopefully spark some discussion about other players.

How would you rank your five? For my five, I'll keep it to players that are likely to be around or who have a chance of falling. I'm not focusing so much on need here, just guys that I like, who would fit in well with our team.

1. Ty Lawson PG, North Carolina - We wouldn't need him to score a lot off of the bench. He may be a great third PG should Arenas' knee continue to bother him, or if Antonio Daniels goes down. I'd say that's always a possibility considering the way he gets after it during games. He would look very nice next to NY on the second team. Lawson may be a bit undersized but he will always be one of, if not the, fastest guys on the court. Combine that with great floor leadership and that's a hell of a point guard. His outside shot needs work, but I don't think it's too far fetched for this guy to develop a nice mid-range game. Great finisher.

2. Marreese Speights PF, Florida - This guy must have had one of the more strange seasons of any player with all of the Billy Donovan drama. First, his coach goes to the NBA, then he's back. He kicks the whole team out of practice and wont let them wear Florida apparel. Odd. Regardless of the drama, this guy had a lot of pressure on him as the best player on a young, championship defending Florida squad. He's only 19 and he did pretty well for himself. It wasn't enough to get a third straight championship, but enough to draw numerous comparisons to Elton Brand.

3. Chris Douglas Roberts SG, Memphis - I see a lot of Josh Howard in CDR. In comparison, Howard has better size and a more consistent jumper from deep. CDR is superior in his ball handling and ability to get shots for himself and his teammates. Bottom line, this guy loves the big game and always wants the ball when the game is on the line, which is what I love about him. He plays tough, aggressive defense and he doesnt gamble a lot. I wouldnt imagine there being much of an adjustment coming from Calipari's offense. Douglas-Roberts could contribute right away.

4. Nicolas Batum SF, France - Now that Pech is here, and JCN is watching his buddy chase a title from Memphis (single tear) - it may be time to restock overseas. Batum is a baller from France who needs a couple more years under his belt before he's ready for the LeBrons and Paul Pierce's of the NBA. His motor is his biggest concern. Coaches are frustrated at his "pretty-good" output because he is often the best player on the floor. He could develop into a great defender. Chad Ford compares him to Mickael Pietrus but the ceiling should be much higher.

If there's not a trade to Ernie's liking or a player that he sees chipping something in of value this next season, I expect him to re-up our talent overseas.

5. Chase Budinger SF, Arizona - Budinger is a phenomenal athlete who possesses range beyond the NBA three. He's a great finisher, and one of the best dunkers in basketball. Sorry to be repetitive, but it be too fun to watch Antonio run a 3 on 1 fast break with NY and Budinger infront of him. We'd have one of the more athletic second units in the league. I'd put him higher but he doesnt play great defense.

5b. Mario Chalmers PG, Kansas - I debated putting him in instead of Budinger, but I am hoping that enough teams worry about his ability to run the point so he slips to the second round. You can't discount the tournament this guy had. He's a gamer just like some of the other guys I named. I love his game, especially his defense. If he couldn't run the point, I wouldn't mind putting him in at the two. He could easily jump right in as a Roger Mason type player for us, but with much better defense. Best case scenario...Lindsey Hunter with a better shot?

I wouldn't mind if Ernie worked a deal to move back into the early second round for a guy like Chalmers. If we did that and used our other second rounder on a guy like Dorsey (sorry), it would instantly improve our defense and make up for the shortcomings of our other players.

Other guys I like a lot and would be thrilled to see drop to us, but don't think they will - DJ Augustine, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, Joe Alexander.

Laugh and point...