WP: Wizards Dealing With Tall Tasks

[hands11]

Wizards Dealing With Tall Tasks
Centers Could Be Coming and Going

By Dan Steinberg
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 4, 2007; Page E04

Washington Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld said he expects 2006 first-round draft pick Oleksiy Pecherov, a 7-foot Ukrainian, to be on his team's roster next season. The fate of the Wizards' current 7-footer is less certain.

Pecherov, who has bulked up since last summer and weighs 240 or 245 pounds, can play power forward or center but is most comfortable facing the basket, Grunfeld said. He could not sign with the Wizards until July.


Hands11

So now how many PFs do we have. If you count AJ, then we have Songaila, Blatche and Pecherov.

This team is so bottle-necked all the time. I can't wait till this gets straighten out.

Grunfeld declined to discuss his free agent priorities and said he has not yet spoken to Arenas about contract issues.

Hands11
So much to the thread someone started the other day. I told you EG was just being political. Gil didnt say anything.

As for DS and Hayes. I would let them both walk. After watching the GS game it just reminded me of what I have been saying a long time, Hayes doesnt have the heart. He has no swag. As for DS, he wants to start somewhere and we need Gil to start at SG so let him leave. Also, thanks for all the hussle, we will miss your effort Mr Ruffin and bya bye Mr Taylor. So that 4 slots.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/03/AR2007050302256.html

[Gamebreaker]

Getting Pecherov next season opens up us to trading Jamison for a big man who can man the paint and a competent bench player.

[ACW]

Getting Pecherov next season opens up us to trading Jamison for a big man who can man the paint and a competent bench player. Stop w/ the trading Jamison talk :doh:

[Gamebreaker]

Stop w/ the trading Jamison talk :doh:

Why?

If you're gonna state something at least defend your position. :rolleyes:

[Gary Clark Fan]

The real question will be who wants AJ and what they are willing to give.

[ACW]

Why?

If you're gonna state something at least defend your position. :rolleyes: It's stupid. Jamison was one of our top scorers and rebounders, plus he's basically our leader. We'd have to get someone REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good to part with Jamison.

[Gamebreaker]

It's stupid. Jamison was one of our top scorers and rebounders, plus he's basically our leader. We'd have to get someone REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good to part with Jamison.

No, it's not stupid. It's called trading a player of value, who doesn't necessarily fit what you're trying to do, for value that would make your team better.

We don't, and shouldn't, need 3 all-stars just to be able to win in THE EASTERN CONFERENCE. This is not a balanced team, and we'll never get better defensively with AJ here as a starter. He's a really good player, but we need a Center who can really be a force in the paint, and trading him for reasonable value is the best way to do that.

You can't get better without getting some balls and doing what it takes to do so.

[hands11]

No, it's not stupid. It's called trading a player of value, who doesn't necessarily fit what you're trying to do, for value that would make your team better.

We don't, and shouldn't, need 3 all-stars just to be able to win in THE EASTERN CONFERENCE. This is not a balanced team, and we'll never get better defensively with AJ here as a starter. He's a really good player, but we need a Center who can really be a force in the paint, and trading him for reasonable value is the best way to do that.

You can't get better without getting some balls and doing what it takes to do so.


He has to be in consideration when deciding what to do to make the team better.

I think it would be great to have him coming off the bench for the next 5 yrs launching 3s like Marshall, but only if we can sign him for like 6-7M a year.
We can probably do that if we eat another 16M season. Hopefully EG can rework his contract with an extension for less.

AJ is fools gold as a starter. Most games he gives up as many points as he scores. It's great watching him nail shots, but in the end, if it isnt getting you anywhere it's not worth it. Specially for 16M a year.

We need a balanced team. Offense and Defense.

So on the side of trading him, Im sure you could get a nice player for him in return. Someone who maybe doesnt score as much but who can play a balanced game with some good D.

Dallas was smart to trade him to us. They traded a 6th man getting paid a boat load to a team who would start him. They got our starter who became their 6th man for 45% less.

Stack is making 9M this year.
AJ is going to make 16M

AJ wouldnt start for any of the team going to the second round so if you trade him its going to be to someone who was like us.

[earl]

i used to be on the trade AJ boat, but i think if you actually watched the entire season its clear he can't be traded. he is the heart of the team. he is the leader. he allows gilbert to be gilbert. name another player in the league that can score 20/ game with out having many if any plays called for him. if we did get a guy like KG it would take away from gilbert. and if we got a pure defensive player, and most aren't scorer's like AJ, then gilbert would jack up 50 shots a game. AJ is the glue to this team. Gilbert said it everyone said it. go back and look how many games we won when AJ was hurt. We just need to have a legit shot blocker and tough guy at center and keep AJ. you think pheonix is thinking about trading nash because he doesn't play D? come on. when your best player is a head case you can't trade your all star character guy. your locker room leader. EG always says they are not trying to blow up this team. they are close just a few minor additions. if you trade AJ for anything shor of a complete stud...........it is STUPID!

[earl]

He has to be in consideration when deciding what to do to make the team better.

I think it would be great to have him coming off the bench for the next 5 yrs launching 3s like Marshall, but only if we can sign him for like 6-7M a year.
We can probably do that if we eat another 16M season. Hopefully EG can rework his contract with an extension for less.

AJ is fools gold as a starter. Most games he gives up as many points as he scores. It's great watching him nail shots, but in the end, if it isnt getting you anywhere it's not worth it. Specially for 16M a year.

We need a balanced team. Offense and Defense.

So on the side of trading him, Im sure you could get a nice player for him in return. Someone who maybe doesnt score as much but who can play a balanced game with some good D.

Dallas was smart to trade him to us. They traded a 6th man getting paid a boat load to a team who would start him. They got our starter who became their 6th man for 45% less.

Stack is making 9M this year.
AJ is going to make 16M

AJ wouldnt start for any of the team going to the second round so if you trade him its going to be to someone who was like us.

But there aren't enough shots in a game for stack and gilbert. that is the point, most players can't score w/o the ball, AJ can. I remember him at UNC and he would get a pass and have the ball for like 2 seconds and score. Vital would always say he would drop 20 points but only be physically holding the ball for like 60 total seconds w/i the offense for the entire game. his efficiency and ability to create in small windows allows gilbert to be a ball hog and take over.

plus your post is misleading stack 9 mil vs. aj at 16mil. but the trade was actually for our pick and they picked up devon harris w/ that. so AJ for devon harris actually looks like its lopsided in our favor. Last i checked Dallas lasted as long as the Wiz did in the playoffs and they were healthy.

[skins_warrior26]

Earl and hands11 you guys make good points. I really like the idea of resigning Jamison for 7-9 million a year. We need a 3 year deal with him at that rate when he becomes an FA. hands11, I think alot like you when thinking of AJ, but after hearing what earl had to say, it made a ton of sense. He makes some good points you have to admit. Regardless, we still need a defensive presence at center. I want AD playing point, but I don't think that will happen under EJ. What I don't understand is why our starting five can't be...Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Songalia, Blatche? And have AD, Navarro, 2007 PF/C first rounder, and Etan, Percov? as our main bench contributors.

Under such a scenario we would let Blatche and Songalia develop as starters. Thirty plus minutes a night consistanly would do wonders for both of them. Navarro and AD would be a good guard combo as subs. And we could have a rotation at the 3, 4, and 5 to get the rookie, Etan, Percov some minutes while keeping AJ fresh. So basically play AJ in the 1st, and second half of 3rd, and all of the 4th.

[hands11]

Earl and hands11 you guys make good points. I really like the idea of resigning Jamison for 7-9 million a year. We need a 3 year deal with him at that rate when he becomes an FA. hands11, I think alot like you when thinking of AJ, but after hearing what earl had to say, it made a ton of sense. He makes some good points you have to admit. Regardless, we still need a defensive presence at center. I want AD playing point, but I don't think that will happen under EJ. What I don't understand is why our starting five can't be...Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Songalia, Blatche? And have AD, Navarro, 2007 PF/C first rounder, and Etan, Percov? as our main bench contributors.

Under such a scenario we would let Blatche and Songalia develop as starters. Thirty plus minutes a night consistanly would do wonders for both of them. Navarro and AD would be a good guard combo as subs. And we could have a rotation at the 3, 4, and 5 to get the rookie, Etan, Percov some minutes while keeping AJ fresh. So basically play AJ in the 1st, and second half of 3rd, and all of the 4th.

We could do that. There are lots of good options. I thought to do CB at SG before.

Its just crazy when you have to figure out what would work in an EJ world vs what you would do if EJ wasnt coach. Its so frustrating.

Talking about needing AJ because he can balance Gil is sad. I so wish Gil would grow up. He seemed like such a humble guy before, now he just seems like an egomanic to me. He is so talented. If he would just get to focusing on D and being the PG or if he was moved to SG and he played D, we would be a lot better.

Anyway, there have been lots of better line ups then we have seen and there are lots we can do. The question is, will we ever see them?

I havent seen a lot of the line ups that I thought were best even tried.

I thought AD should have started from the beginning this year and last.
I thought we should have played Blatche a lot more.
I thought we should have tried Etan and Haywood up front.

But I didnt see any of this along with a ton of other options over the years.

[pjfootballer]

Here are some things I posted in another thread:

"Like I said before, we don't need more scorers. We need a Ben Wallace type at 5. If he gives us 8 points 14 rebounds and 4 blocks, that is the type of player we need. No more scorers, no more slashers and no more swingmen. We only have like 6 players that are swingmen already. I just don't see the logic with some of you. We get beat in 2 areas. The boards and on defense. When our shooters are hitting, we win. When they aren't, we lose because we can't rebound or play defense."

"We can keep the core together, but without a big rebounder/shotblocker/defender, we'll keep finishing anywhere from 44-38 to 38-44 and be stuck in the first and second round forever."

"One of the Big 3 may have to go and the obvious choice is Jamison. He's the oldest and has the bigger contract compared to CB. I'm not saying blow the team up, but you have to deal out some "jacks" (Jamison) to get an "ace" (a great big man)."

"With the team as it is, we have zero chance of going to the Finals. We'll waller in 44 win hell."

"I'd like to see this starting lineup next year without giving up one of the big 3:

PG- Antonio Daniels
SG- Gil Arenas
SF- Caron Butler
PF- Antawn Jamison
C- Rebounder/shotblocker"

[909997]

Getting Pecherov next season opens up us to trading Jamison for a big man who can man the paint and a competent bench player.

how about we trade u for a bag of chips?

i could use a bag of chips