Wizards Main Priority

[The Dark Knight]

Who should we actually go after during the off season. I am aware that Abe wants to re-sign Arenas and Antawn this off season, but after that is out of the way, who should we go after. Even if we get our big three back next year, that won't be enough to make a run at the title in the 08-09 season.

There are a lot of key players in free agency, who is the best possibility. Keep in mind that Ernie Grunfield (head of basketball operations for the Wizards) does not make huge aquisations.

Personally I think we should go after some three point shooters, we have some decent shooters, but no spot up shooters that can take over games besides Arenas and occasionally Butler. So who is our main priority?

[Monte]

The biggest priority to me is upgrading the defensive inside presence coming off the bench. The Wiz have talent in spots that matches up well enough with other teams. But they fall short, literally, with Songalia as the de facto back up center. This is worse of course because our starting 4 is also undersized. Compare Washington's first BIG off the bench to the teams that advanced. Varajeo/Joe Smith, PJ Brown, Maxiell/Ratliff, Kurt Thomas, even Pachulia stepped up big.

I consider Blatche a 4 longterm.
Etan is a huge question mark with a contract that makes him movable by the trade deadline.

I would focus on turning a mixture of Songalia, the first rounder or maybe DS (because cheaper wings are the easiest to find) for a F/C who can defend opposing 4/5's at a high level.

[Num1Wizfan]

We still need a real big man, haywood isnt gunna cut it. If Gilbert doesnt come back we need to develop someone in order to take his spot possibly nick young. i agree that etan is still a big question mark. But if the team still stays the same next year I see him starting.

[steve]

Okay, the "find a defensive center" is something that gets thrown around constantly and is a fairly nice idea, but who are they going to get?  No names are ever thrown out there and you know why, because there aren't that many names to begin with.  Legitimate defensive big men (who deserve 20 to 30 minutes a game) are at a premium at this point in time in the NBA and if we don't sign Arenas (and Jamison), there aren't going to be many just falling out of the trees.  So then who do they go after Zo, Theo Ratliff, Kurt Thomas, dig up Dale Davis?

The best course of action is the one that they're taking right now.  Resign Arenas to a long term deal.  Sign Jamison to a (much smaller) two to three year deal.  Wait two years for some more cap space when Thomas, Haywood, and Daniels all come off the books and try make a big free agent signing there.

And as far as Etan Thomas being a question mark, I don't really buy that unless you forgot how useless he was before the heart problems emerged.  This is a guy who was given every opportunity to take minutes away from an eighth assing it Brendan Haywood and couldn't even do that.  He's just not a very good professional basketball player and the Wizards are just counting the clock before they don't have to pay him anymore (and no one's taking on his contract next season giving that he has two years before it expires).

[The Dark Knight]

^^Whoa I didnt know you were back^^

Anyways, i dont think the Center position is our biggest option over the off season. What we need to focus on is a good scoring SG. Stevenson takes bad shots during games, and with Arenas coming back, I dont think they will work together in the backcourt (assuming Arenas comes back). We need to sign someone in free agency, or play Nick Young more in the season (which Eddie barely did) we don't want to waste a draft pick signing another guard, we drafted nick and I think he will be great for us for many years to come.

Haywood has shown he can fulfill the Center position, each year he is getting better, why sign someone else and ruin what could be an all star center?

[Link vs. Ganon]

maybe possibly evidently supposedly abruptly constantly enormously finally take a shart

[Link vs. Ganon]

animality

[The Dark Knight]

We got a skipper here!

[B-ball fan 11]

Let Nick Young play, he had all the tools, let him develop into a sixth man, during the season. I see alot of potiential there.

A backup C McGee would be a good project but, I would move up a couple spots to get Jordan. He'll definitely be at least a good backup C.

Lastly letting Young and the Rookie play during the seaon, let him become good NBA players by expiricing what's it's like to be outhere. That's how you get a good bench. This year was a good start.

I think this team is one of the best in the league just has to have a healthy big 3, that knows how to work together efficictively, not just 1 or 2 putting a good or great game, and the third non existant.

[The Dark Knight]

See the problem was that Eddie thought Deshawn was the better man to play the position, and he thought if he plaed Deshawn, he will improve in time for the playoffs. I know that doesn't seem logical for a coach to do that, but I think that was Eddie's thinking.

I don't know about McGee, but I do think if DeAndre Jordan drops to the Wizards, we should get him. But I have high hopes for Kousta Koufus to have a good rookie season, he fits into the Princeton Offense well, and I think he might be the better fit.

The Wizards are a top team in this league, if we are healthy. That seems to be our biggest obstacle we never seem to overcome. but right now we have to focus on etting Jamison and Arenas back, then we can worry about signings and the draft during the off season.

[Monte]

Okay, the "find a defensive center" is something that gets thrown around constantly and is a fairly nice idea, but who are they going to get?  No names are ever thrown out there and you know why, because there aren't that many names to begin with.  Legitimate defensive big men (who deserve 20 to 30 minutes a game) are at a premium at this point in time in the NBA and if we don't sign Arenas (and Jamison), there aren't going to be many just falling out of the trees.  So then who do they go after Zo, Theo Ratliff, Kurt Thomas, dig up Dale Davis?

-And as far as Etan Thomas being a question mark, I don't really buy that unless you forgot how useless he was before the heart problems emerged.  

-The Wizards are just counting the clock before they don't have to pay him anymore (and no one's taking on his contract next season giving that he has two years before it expires).

So glad you asked. I would target Kurt Thomas. He and Grunfeld have a history, Ernie signed him when he was with the Knicks. Otherwise its best to target good defensive players on non-playoff teams.
-Jeff Foster would be another target.
-Denver is looking to move a front court contract, possibly Camby.
-See what Diop wants to be #2 here. He can defend the rim and rebound. -See if Hilton Armstrong is so deep in Byron Scott's doghouse that he is available.
-See what Sactown would want for Mikki Moore.
-Ratliff would be down the list of options, but he's on the list.

I was trying to be nice to Etan. They may be able to move him at the trading deadline, February 09, since he'll be going into the final year. Still a longshot but possible.

[The Dark Knight]

Exactly, we dont need a star player added to our roster, we need a valuable role player such as Marcus Camby. He would be a great addition to our squad, but I like Brendan Haywood's develpment this season. He is still young, and many would like to see him grow into a good player. We need to go after a shooting guard.

[steve]

So glad you asked. I would target Kurt Thomas. He and Grunfeld have a history, Ernie signed him when he was with the Knicks. Otherwise its best to target good defensive players on non-playoff teams.
-Jeff Foster would be another target.
-Denver is looking to move a front court contract, possibly Camby.
-See what Diop wants to be #2 here. He can defend the rim and rebound. -See if Hilton Armstrong is so deep in Byron Scott's doghouse that he is available.
-See what Sactown would want for Mikki Moore.
-Ratliff would be down the list of options, but he's on the list.

I was trying to be nice to Etan. They may be able to move him at the trading deadline, February 09, since he'll be going into the final year. Still a longshot but possible.

None of those players are viable options.  Thomas is washed up as he's proved in the playoffs (notice how he never played unless he was out there to guard a slow and plodding Shaq) and he'll be 36 at the end of next season.  And his connection with Grunfeld is a decade old.  Camby is on the books for as long as Haywood and Thomas, but he makes more than either of them, so if the Wizards were to get him, they'd have to give up someone else (like a Nick Young) for the trade to work.  Foster and Moore, while decent enough bench players, are not upgrades over Haywood.  Diop is more useless on the offense than Haywood is on defense and Armstrong is just useless period (he couldn't even crack 15 minutes for the Hornets despite having no other viable back ups to Chandler and West besides Melvin Ely, who is a homeless man's Brendan Haywood).  And finally, Ratliff is 35 and hasn't been a useful player in eight years (and even when he was a useful player he was injury prone).

The biggest factor is, to get any of these players it would mean that they won't sign Arenas (and probably Jamison) and none of those players makes the team better without Arenas there.  The Wizards best bet right now is to resign Arenas and Jamison (the latter to a greatly reduced salary), draft a player like McVale and hope they can develope him, then wait for Haywood, Thomas, and Daniels to come off the books in two years when they can actually make a serious move.

[Link vs. Ganon]

the wizards just need to relax and take a nice enormous, deeply saturated, salutated, clustery, lumpy, squishy shart

[The Dark Knight]

the wizards just need to relax and take a nice enormous, deeply saturated, salutated, clustery, lumpy, squishy shart

lol, is that waht the rockets doing right now?

like this one:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=AZETcd25-tU