with the 10th selection in the 2003 NBA draft, the Washington Wizards select...

[thito_da_skins_fan]

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/images/I10775-2003Jun18

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10721-2003Jun18.html

Hayes Is a Whiz at Workout
Washington Gives Former Georgia Star a Pre-Draft Look

By Ryan Clark
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 19, 2003; Page D03

Jarvis Hayes approached the mass of media with ease, a made-for-TV smile spread wide across his face. After an hour-long workout with the Washington Wizards at MCI Center, the 6-foot-7 shooting guard-small forward from the University of Georgia said all the right things.

"I think I could fit in pretty good here," Hayes said. "I would love to be in D.C. playing for the Wizards."

Hayes is expected to be a lottery pick in the June 26 NBA draft, and the Wizards have the 10th selection.

"I think I'd fit in good here as a slasher," he said. "They need some wing players, and guys that can play defensively. It's a great place to play, and I see the franchise going in a winning direction."

Hayes consistently hit NBA-range three-pointers and mid-range jumpers during his workout, as General Manager Wes Unseld and New Jersey Nets assistant coach Eddie Jordan, in town to interview for the head coaching job, looked on. Jordan will be named the Wizards' new coach at a news conference today.

Working out with Hayes was little-known Willie Taylor, a combination guard who played one season for John Thompson at Georgetown, then transferred to Virginia Commonwealth when Thompson retired.

"I feel like I'm good enough to be here," Taylor said. "I just have to come in and do what I do best. Shoot well, come strong off screens, show my athleticism. You never know what can happen."

Hayes, who transferred to Georgia in 2000 from Western Carolina, could fit the Wizards' needs at small forward, while Jared Jeffries recovers from offseason knee surgery. Hayes averaged 18.3 points per game as a senior at Georgia.

"He can really shoot the ball," said Marty Blake, the NBA's director of scouting. "If he works on his ballhandling, he could really be a good player."


© 2003 The Washington Post Company

[Funkyalligator]

I want a point guard or a legit center like Kaman, if we can get a point guard like Heinrich with the 10th pick and then draft Chris Marcus in the second round, it would cool.

[thito_da_skins_fan]

Originally posted by Funkyalligator
I want a point guard or a legit center like Kaman, if we can get a point guard like Heinrich with the 10th pick and then draft Chris Marcus in the second round, it would cool.

i agree, but i think Hayes is a beast

dunno what that would mean for Jeffries, but either way we definitely need a PG and a center

free agency could be important for us this year.. who's available?

[jbooma]

what we need is someone who can score and hit a 3, we had no outside game last year

hayes would be a good pick, if he is there

[Golgo-13]

To me it seems like 2/3 is the position we should be least concerned about, especially if we keed Stack. That is where they have the most amount of "talent." Hughes, Jeffries, Stackhouse, Whitney and Dixon can all play the 2, 3 or both and are some of the best players on the team. They need a point guard who can shoot and who can get them the ball or they need someone who can score in the low post. It's as simple as that.

[RySkins]

Agreed. Another 2-3 would be another stupid Wizard pick.

[Gamebreaker]

If they get a guard or small forward, they better get one that can shoot from three point range. Especially since no one on the team can hit a three consistently.

[BayouBrave86]

Whitney? Haha Chris Whitney was traded to Denver last season I believe.
This team is dumb as hell though if they do get Jarvis Hayes, well..it would be a great pick if Stackhouse leaves though..damn this team is a mess.

[earl]

well i think to draft a big man would be giving up on the young 4 that we have. we need to stick with them and develope them. a pg is obviously a huge concern, but this being the deepest pg draft in years i think u can hold out and draft a solid one in the second round. furthermore as for FA's it would serve the wiz best to sign a vet pg that can immediately help the team, and mentor the pg we draft. so i think with the 10th pick the wiz should draft bpa, and jarvis hayes appears to be that person. he can hit the 3, is a great defender, and would give us depth at SF, where virtually the only person we have is jefferies, and he doesn't look durable enough to last a whole season. stackhouse can play sf, but really he's a physical sg, and not a true sf. i think it would be a great pick, for this team, because it also gives us insurance if stack decides to leave this year or the following.