#5 ....

[Skinned]

That sucks! Of course we fell!

What next?

[method man]

now hopefully we can get martynas andriuskevicus or wutever his name is. he is young and it will probably take him a year or two to mature and buildup muscle but he experts believe he will be a good player in the future. this means that we hav to go get a caretaker while andriuskevicius learns the position like camby or mark blount.

[method man]

or else if we want a player with less upside who will make a quicker transition, look no further than andris biedrins. he is not like other europeans, he dominates in the paint. this is the type of hard-nosed center we need. he can make a fairly quick transition to the nba game. some reports such as nbadraft.net say he is 6-9. others such as nba.com say he is a 7-footer. i would take him rather than andriuskevicius if he is closer to 7-feet, even if he is 6-11.

[luckydevil]

Shaun Livingston

[REDALERT]

I agree, with the 5th pick, the Wizards select.






Andris Biedrins

Latvian center/power forward Andris Biedrins has jumped into the mix as a projected top 5 pick this year with incredible performances in the first month of the season playing in Latvia. Granted, the Latvian league isn't the creme de la creme of Europe, but it is decent enough to make some scouts in Europe completely flabbergasted by Biedrins accomplishments.

Biedrins is a left-hander with shotblocking ability, two highly regarded assets in the minds of NBA teams. He's got an active body, and developing offensive post moves. Biedrins has also developed some range on his shot.

Biedrins scored 34 points in a game against Finnish team, the Honka Playboys (great name huh?) and has been impressive averaging 20.8 points per game over the first month of the season against solid European teams.

A few NBA contacts have commented that he is definitely a top 10 pick, and could very well crack the top 3-5.

Biedrins came over in the summer and played in the 400 team Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas. He made the All Tournament team playing for the (Washington DC based) DC Assault I team and showed great potential.

Biedrins was to transfer to National Christian Academy in DC and become a junior. However he was unable to resolve his eligibility issues and remained in Latvia where he is playing with Skonto Riga.

Biedrins play was so impressive in Vegas that he would have been projected as the the top junior in the Nation.

Biedrins worked out with the Philadelphia 76ers for a few weeks with players such as Brian Skinner and Marc Jackson who came away very impressed with his abilities.

Biedrins was compared to Darko Milicic in a recent Fiba article. Though the comparison might not be exact, the magnitude of Biedrins potential is.

[method man]

after reading this i say yes to biedrins and no to andriuskeviscius. andriuskeviscius actually does not hav an inside game according to a scouting report. he gets his point from tip-ins and jumpers. according to nbadraft.net, he has a solid 10-foot jumper.

[Kevin101]

Andres or Shaun Livingston is a good pick.

[method man]

shaun livingston would be a decent pick if we decide to move arenas from point guard to shooting guard so that the shooting guards guard the tall livingston and the point guards guard the smaller arenas. but i believe center is our most immediate need...someone who averages only 7 ppg and 5 rpg is not fit to be a starter in my book. he is nothing more than a backup. lets get biedrins. we can get keon clark or ostertag for a year or two as biedrins develops off the bench. we hav to let go of etan thomas because i believe there will be way too much interest in him and i dont want us overpaying. biedrins can be the main big man backup in his first year and possibly take over the center role the second year.

[REDALERT]

I saw Shaun Livingston play in the Mcdonalds Classic game. I say no to Shaun Livingston. NO..No...no.....

[The X-Factor]

Of course it's fitting that the Wizards are the only team that got screwed over with their lottery selection. What else is new?

This is a really big issue now. Dropping out of the top three really hurts our chancs of picking one of the few good players in the draft. I think the best way to go now is to trade the pick and get some decent talent for it. I doubt anyone who is available at #5 will make much of an impact this coming season.

[Skinned]

Another review of Biedrins:

NBA Comparison: Chris Bosh

One of the most promising big men prospects in Europe. Good defender, has size and wingspan as well as good timing in blocking (2nd in bpg in Latvia) and boarding. Not that polished yet on the offensive end, but scores consistently with both the drop-step and the turn-around jumper out to 10 feet. Has yet to add some inside moves, a more reliable outside shot and some pounds of muscle.

Notes: Member of the Latvian National Team at the Euro Cadet Championship in 2001, finished as 4th in scoring (16.3) and 3rd in rebounding (8.5). Also performed at the Euro Junior Championship 2002, where he played against opponents who were two years older than him, but still managed to average 6.6 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. He was named "Newcomer of the Year 03" in Latvias LBL.

-Stefan Lorenz

[Jay Master Jay]

Maybe Mike Jordan can come back and help you guys again?:laugh: :2cents: Elvin Hayes or someone it's been a long time and yaw stink.:2cents: Are parade is in June 4 out of 5 aint shabby.:rolleyes:

[Buford]

this is a blessing. No body is going to be a Lebron or Carmello this next season.

at #5, there is a decent guy out there and the teams in front of you will help make your choice.

[SKINtil8tin]

We have the worst luck in the NBA.

[REDALERT]

This is really BullSh!t. Every year we get screwed and win the thing in one of if not the worst year in draft history. Were one of the worst teams in the last 10 years and only cracked the top 3 selection only once. Teams like the Bulls/Orlando/Clippers always seem to atleast crack a top 3 spot.


Frankly, I think the rules should change depending on records alone. Like the NFL, if you have the worst record you receive the #1 selection and so on.

[SkinsHokie Fan]

The problem with that Red Alert is that teams would tank games towards the end of the year and it would be a race to get that top pick.

In the NFL it works because there are too few games. In the NBA and NHL teams (like the Pens in 1984 to get Lemiuex) can easily tank games

[method man]

and orlando gets the no. 1pick for the 3rd time in the last 12 years. now they can get okeafor and go back to the playoffs. wut bs. but anywayz our management has to decide whether it is worth drafting andrius biedrins or martynas andriswutever and waiting for a year or 2 before they blossom into good centers. an alternative grunny may consider is trading the no. 5 pick for a good veteran center. for example if u read this board u all noe who i want to trade for altho it wont happen now. a third alternative they may consider is trading down a couple picks. if i were grunny, i would trade down a couple picks, let martynas get selected, and draft biedrins to avoid criticism by the league. we could dump off stackhouse or laettner as part of a deal. i am thinking of biedrins as etan thomas but a couple inches taller and more athletic. if we draft biedrins then we also hav to sign a caretaker for a 1 or 2 year deal such as keon clark or greg ostertag. in the meantime biedrins will hav to develop his inside moves and add muscle and serve as kwame brown's and the center's primary backup for now. haywood should be demoted to no. 4 on the big man depth chart. he is someone who should only play 10-20 minutes a game at max. possibly the only team with a worse center is the suns wit jahidi. if biedrins can complement brown well and average 10 ppg and 7 rpg by his 2nd or 3rd year, then i think he is our future.

in the secound round, i want us to take victor krhypa. according to nbadraft.net, he is a really versatile small forward who needs playing experience. i think we should draft him and hav him stay overseas for a couple years like juan carlos navarro.

[BadKarma]

The Wizards will continue to stink as long as they are called the friggin WIZARDS :doh: I make myself a promise to never buy any of their gear until they change back to the Bullets or at least something less nerdy. I suggest changing it to the Terrapins. :D

The problem is the crappy front office, watching the Pistons wreck the Pacers tonight I noticed that the 3 players carrying them in the finals (Wallace, Wallace, Hamilton) were all former Wizards picks. Who did we get in return Abe Polin? Jerry Stackhouse, who played in all of 20 games last year. :mad:

I say trade away this 5th pick insult for an established NBA big man who can make an impact right away. We have enough projects.

[earl]

shaun livingston a 6-7 unselfish pg would be the perfect fit if we move gilbert to the 2. however i don't think we can afford to have another h.s. kid, so we have one of two options.

1. Ben Gordon- i know we are crowded at this position, but he is this years Caron Butler. Miami was crowded but they still drafted him because he was the best player, and they made the playoffs. next to Okeafor gordon is the safest pick.

2. trade up for emeka. jerry stackhouse and the #5 for #1 and swap #2's.

[REDALERT]

Earl, Shaun Livingston is light years away from being a legitimate NBA players. I can't believe some of these agents talking up guys like this nevertheless selecting them.

Telfair's another one. These guys may have tore up there High School competition. But put them in an environment with players from around the world and the US and you'll find out just how far off theses guys really are. You'll find that boat loads of kids are just as good as they are. Even Doc Walker stated that in his last interview here at Extremes. Put these high school guys in colleges and you'll find other guys just like they are or even better.

[panel]

Hey, does anyone know if that Korean kid Ha Seung-Jin will be elagable this year.

[jbooma]

Repeat after me NO HS'ers and EURO's :)

At the 5th pick we have the chance to take the second best juinor and best senior in the draft, there has to be one in there right, somewhere :(

[bofluid]

Originally posted by panel
Hey, does anyone know if that Korean kid Ha Seung-Jin will be elagable this year.

Jin is in, but I think people are looking at him as more of a late first rounder now.

According to the post the Wiz have a lot of interest in Childress. I really hope the Wiz don't go that way. He seems like nothing but another Jared Jeffries to me.

[Destino]

Originally posted by jbooma
Repeat after me NO HS'ers and EURO's :)


Yeah no Euro's is a great way to go, I mean look how well it's worked for us in the past.......

I say go european and stay that way. This draft is poor on US prospects, no reason to waste a #5 on a guy with almost no upside.

[monkey66]

Did anyone ever really doubt we would fall?

The curse of Lez Boulez is every bit as strong as the Cubs or Red Sox...

[gbear]

If none of hte picks excite us, is there a way to make this the year we give our pick up for Haywood?

Losing that first is going to hurt at some point...why not take our lumps now?

[Buford]

is there that huge of a dropoff in talent between the 1st overall pick and the 8th? There are a handful of guys who all have problems.

[Oldskool]

what is it with Washington teams getting the 5th pick?

[js79]

hahahhahha this is so typical.
get ready for another BAD season

[The X-Factor]

Originally posted by REDALERT
Earl, Shaun Livingston is light years away from being a legitimate NBA players. I can't believe some of these agents talking up guys like this nevertheless selecting them.

You're right, the guy is only 170 lbs, not even close to being big enough for the NBA. He's going to have to sit for at least 2 years before he can even smell the court. The Wizards cannot afford to take him and then wait on him to develop.

[Skinned]

Originally posted by The X-Factor


You're right, the guy is only 170 lbs, not even close to being big enough for the NBA. He's going to have to sit for at least 2 years before he can even smell the court. The Wizards cannot afford to take him and then wait on him to develop.

I am not one to rule out Livingston, because he is potentially the best point guard in the draft and, other than a center, this is really what the Wizards need. Think about the fact that we do not have one player who creates off the dribble, penetrates the paint and can then dish off while opening things up for teammates. We could then move Arenas to the 2 and let him be a scorer, plus we could then trade Hughes, who actually has developed some value.