ESPN Insider on Kwame

[fdarugar]

Can anybody post that Insider article about Kwame possibly being on the trading block???

Thanks

[SAMB0]

Originally posted by fdarugar
Can anybody post that Insider article about Kwame possibly being on the trading block???

Thanks

Monday, December 13, 2004

By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider

We've spent plenty of space over the past several months debating
whether the Bulls should trade Tyson Chandler and/or Eddy Curry. But
what about the high school phenom who went ahead of them both – Kwame
Brown?

Like Chandler and Curry, Brown has been a woeful underachiever. This
year, he's been a complete non-factor in the Wizards hot start. After
missing the start of the season with an injury, he's averaging just 6
ppg and 1.6 rpg.

Following a promising third season, Brown is struggling to get with
the program. He got in head coach Eddie Jordan's dog house this week
when he refused to enter a game after a timeout. That led to a
two-game suspension, along with the promise his name would immediately
find its way back on the trading block.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Brown was the No. 1 pick in the
draft because he didn't carry the baggage that Chandler and Curry did.
He was supposed to be a good kid with a great work ethic (unlike
Curry) and a skilled big man with guard like skills (unlike Chandler).
So far he's shown some of the poor attributes of each, without
delivering on the upside.

Kwame Brown
Forward
Washington Wizards
Profile

2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
5 6.0 2.0 0.6 .650 .500

What gives?

"I really think the whole experience of playing with Michael Jordan
ruined him," one former Wizards insider told Insider. "He was a good
kid who got beat up by Jordan mentally. Michael thought he could take
it, but it just put him in a funk. He also saw what veteran guys got
away with off the court and started to imitate. If he ever turns his
career around, it's going to be somewhere other than Washington."

The prospects of getting Brown in a trade have other GMs drooling.
He's a 7-foot, 270-pound, 22-year-old athletic big man who is slowly
becoming a center. Wouldn't the Wizards be crazy to give up on him
now?

Maybe not.

"I think he's got a shot to be a good player in the league, but he's
not going to turn into someone like Jermaine O'Neal," the same former
Wizards source told Insider. "His hands are too small. They really
hurt him both offensively and defensively. He can't get things done in
traffic. He also struggles with his decision-making. I don't think
Kwame is dumb, but he's slow to pick things up."

With Antawn Jamison doing the scoring at the four, Brendan Haywood
starting to show some promise in the middle and back-up Etan Thomas
locked up long term (he should return in early January from a severe
abdominal strain), the Wizards, according to league sources, are
flirting with trading Brown before he hits restricted free agency this
summer.

The Sonics, Raptors, Knicks and Hawks have shown interest. If the
Wizards could land a top-flight small forward and defensive minded big
man in return, it seems like it would be the perfect opportunity to
cash in and make a run in the East.

They may need the help. After a fairly easy schedule through the first
six weeks, the Wizards are about to hit a tough patch. They play
consecutive games against the Heat, then embark on a four-game Western
Conference trip against the Lakers, Suns, Warriors and Kings.


New York Knicks: Allan Houston returned to duty this week and with his
return came a flurry of trade rumors linking Houston to a deal with
the Raptors. Don't hold your breath, Knicks fans.

While Isiah Thomas said Sunday he's not really ready to explore
trading Houston – he needn't bother. The three years, $55 million left
on the contract should end the discussion before it begins.

A source in Toronto said the team had no interest in Houston's
contract. To get Vince Carter, the Knicks are going to have to give up
two assets they really don't want to part with: Jamal Crawford and
either Nazr Mohammed or Mike Sweetney. Throw those players in with Tim
Thomas, and the numbers for a deal with Carter and Jalen Rose work.

But that's too steep of a price ... even for Isiah.

Samuel Dalembert
Center
Philadelphia 76ers
Profile

2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
14 5.1 6.3 0.6 .455 .786

Philadelphia 76ers: Head coach Jim O'Brien abruptly changed course
this week and took Samuel Dalembert from the end of the bench and
inserted him in the starting lineup. The results were impressive.

Dalembert averaged 9.5 ppg, 11.5 rpg and 4 bpg in 31.5 mpg for the
Sixers. They won both contests. The question is whether the Sixers are
doing this to jump start Dalembert or to showcase him.

O'Brien hasn't offered much praise to Dalembert in the press or in
private, and at least one source believes the Sixers are doing this in
an attempt to up his trade value.

That certainly seems reasonable when you see the way Marc Jackson has
played and how much O'Brien loves him. Jackson had 28 points and 7
rebounds against the Bucks on Sunday.

Atlanta Hawks: Not only did the Hawks get two impressive wins this
week, they're getting a bigger than expected contribution from rookie
Josh Smith.

Smith averaged 10.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg and 2 bpg for the Hawks while
shooting 55 percent from the field. Smith almost single-handedly beat
the 76ers early in the week, snapping the Hawks' nine-game losing
streak.

The Hawks owners were so happy after the game they all rushed Smith as
he left the court. Said Smith, "I shook a lot of rich guys' hands."

Ben Gordon
Guard
Chicago Bulls
Profile

2004-2005 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
18 11.7 2.1 1.4 .400 .829
Chicago Bulls: Ben Gordon continues to tantalize the Bulls. He's been
up and down all season. But when he's up, the Bulls find a way to win.
Gordon had 31 on 13-for-24 shooting in an improbable win over the
Timberwolves. He also had 21-point game in a Bulls win versus the Cavs
earlier in the week.

It's clear Gordon has the offensive firepower to be a success in the
league, but will he be able to diplay it with consistency? Sandwiched
between those two big games was a four-point performance against the
Sixers and a zero-point night against the Spurs – both losses for the
Bulls.

"Ben is a shooter, a scorer," head coach Scott Skiles said. "He is a
typical rookie – not talent-wise; he is way above the typical rookie
in talent – but typical in that he has been up and down a little bit."

Utah Jazz: With the Jazz suffering from injuries to Andrei Kirilenko,
they turned to rookie Kirk Snyder.

Snyder had a 13-point game in a win against the Blazers this week and
a 12-point performance against the Heat. His point production may be
impressive, but it's his defense that's gotten him in head coach Jerry
Sloan's rotation.

"He deserves a chance to play," said Sloan. "I can't let him sit on
the bench all season long. I need to give him a chance here and there
– and maybe more, I don't know. I don't know who he is for sure yet."

Portland Trail Blazers: The Blazers have been giving rookie Sebastian
Telfair minutes over the last four games with mixed results. Telfair
has shown a knack for running the break and getting to the line.
That's why his 10.3 ppg average is so high. The downside? He's
averaging just 1.5 apg, 2.5 turnovers per game and shooting 33 percent
from the field.

San Antonio Spurs: After a shaky November where he averaged just 12.9
ppg, 5.1 apg on 40 percent shooting, point guard Tony Parker seems to
have finally settled down. His December numbers are much more in line
with the $66 million contract extension he signed just before the
season started. Parker is averaging 14.6 ppg , 7.8 apg and shooting 51
percent from the field.

The Rest

As well as veteran Steve Smith has been playing for the Bobcats, the
chances are a high a team might want to borrow him for the rest of the
season. Bobcats GM Bernie Bickerstaff said he'd oblige if Smith wanted
to go. "If there was a contender interested in Smitty, that would be
his choice," Bickerstaff said. "My (position on) Smitty is totally out
of respect for him; if he could get another ring." ... Grant Hill's
left ankle has kept him out of commission for the last four years. So
why are the Magic being so overcautious about an injury to Hill's
right shin? While the injury is to his right leg, the Magic do not
want him overcompensating on his left side. ... Rookie Tony Allen is
earning minutes in the fourth quarter for the Celtics with his tough
defense and highlight reel offensive moves. "Offensively, he's going
to be who he is. He's going to make sensational plays, and he's going
to make some plays that make you shake your head. That's what rookies
do," coach Doc Rivers said. "Defensively, we have a system that he can
run through, and he can be the best one in the system if he does it.
... The thing I love about our small lineup is that Tony Allen can
rebound with any (power forward). The kid is good, and he gives us
some interesting options." ... After getting off to a slow start,
Jason Richardson is starting to live up to that huge $70 million
extension he signed this fall. Richardson is averaging 23.8 ppg, 7 rpg
while shooting 53 percent from the field. The only downside?
Richardson is still averaging only five free throw attempts per game.
... For those of you still waiting to get on the Eddie Griffin
bandwagon, his +10.2 plus/minus rating ranks second on the
Timberwolves behind Kevin Garnett. He's averaging 17.2 ppg and 8 rpg
over his last five. ... Nene recorded his best game of the season for
the Nuggets this week, scoring 21 points and grabbing six rebounds
against the Raptors. However, on Sunday he suffered a right hip
pointer and is hurting again. "His last game, he was nine for 10 from
the floor and played very well," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik said. "Now
we take a step backwards again." The Nuggets are 8-3 when Nene plays
and 4-5 when he sits. ... Since Rafer Alston contemplated retiring
from the Raptors after a Dec. 3 loss, he has been on a tear. He's
averaged 18 ppg and 8.2 apg since losing it after coach Sam Mitchell
benched him for a silly technical. ... The Cavaliers have lost two
straight, in part because of horrendous defense. In the last two games
they have allowed opponents to shoot 59.3 percent from the field. ...
Former second-round pick Dan Gadzuric is beginning to distance himself
from the rest of the centers on the Bucks. He grabbed 10 or more
rebounds in three of the team's four games last week. His +7.1
plus/minus rating is tops among Bucks regulars. ... Kerry Kittles had
15 points and 5 assists in his debut for the Clippers on Saturday
night versus the Lakers. ... Bobby Sura hasn't been the savior at
point guard the Rockets were hoping for. He's averaging just 5.6 ppg
and 3.4 apg on 36 percent shooting from the field since he came back
from injury in late November.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.[/quote]

[hands11]

Like Chandler and Curry, Brown has been a woeful underachiever. This year, he's been a complete non-factor in the Wizards hot start. After missing the start of the season with an injury, he's averaging just 6 ppg and 1.6 rpg.

( yeah, when was that ? He has played 6 games now after being hurt since the summer. Stats are 7.7 ppg 2.3 rpg in 15 min, shooting 665%. Give me a break. This is his break out year and he hasnt even started to play yet. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kwame_brown/index.html

Given his first 2 years where with Jordan and Collins and 1 transitiion year with our new coach and a team in disarray and with Hughes and Gil shooting 50 times a game and him being 22 and the first highschool player drafted #1 overall, I think he has done a fine job. )

Following a promising third season, Brown is struggling to get with the program. He got in head coach Eddie Jordan's dog house this week when he refused to enter a game after a timeout. That led to a two-game suspension, along with the promise his name would immediately find its way back on the trading block.

( Wrong . He was suspended for one game and he isnt in anyones doghouse. I'm glad we got this out of the way. Rather it happen early. Jordan did the right thing.)

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Brown was the No. 1 pick in the draft because he didn't carry the baggage that Chandler and Curry did. He was supposed to be a good kid with a great work ethic (unlike Curry) and a skilled big man with guard like skills (unlike Chandler). So far he's shown some of the poor attributes of each, without delivering on the upside.

( He has shown his upside, just not consistanly yet. Give him a break. He went from Jordan to a new coach, new system and the 3 stars last year being out most the season. He has Jerry as a role model. Jerry, if you don't let me stay another night, I'm going to punch you lady, Stackhouse. Give the kid a chance with the new organization. )

"I really think the whole experience of playing with Michael Jordan
ruined him," one former Wizards insider told Insider. "He was a good kid who got beat up by Jordan mentally. Michael thought he could take it, but it just put him in a funk. He also saw what veteran guys got away with off the court and started to imitate. If he ever turns his career around, it's going to be somewhere other than Washington."

( Yeah, if we are dumb enough to let him go. He will do fine here. Talk to you in 20 more games when we are all talking about how awesome he is.)

The prospects of getting Brown in a trade have other GMs drooling.

( I'm sure it does, but they will just have to drool. No way our GM is dumb enough to let him go yet. He is just coming back for Gods sake. )

He's a 7-foot, 270-pound, 22-year-old athletic big man who is slowly becoming a center. Wouldn't the Wizards be crazy to give up on him
now? ( YES, VERY )

Maybe not. ( NO, YES VERY CRAZY )

"I think he's got a shot to be a good player in the league, but he's
not going to turn into someone like Jermaine O'Neal," the same former Wizards source told Insider. "His hands are too small.

( Yeah, the same stupid, FORMER, Washington inside. Come on, large hands are great but to say this is why he isnt going to be a star is stupid. He doesnt look like he has a problem holding onto the ball. I would have though Haywood has small hands. )

They really hurt him both offensively and defensively. He can't get things done in traffic. He also struggles with his decision-making. I don't think Kwame is dumb, but he's slow to pick things up."

( He just started to learn some Center last year. He has done fine in the lane. I've seen him wheel on people with his quickness and step out and blow by them. He is a great passer also. How do you do that if you cant make a decission ?)

With Antawn Jamison doing the scoring at the four, Brendan Haywood starting to show some promise in the middle and back-up Etan Thomas locked up long term (he should return in early January from a severe abdominal strain), the Wizards, according to league sources, are flirting with trading Brown before he hits restricted free agency this summer.

( Jamison is starting at the 3. Jefferies is at the 4. This guy has made 2 mistake in this article. Who can take him seriously. Kwame will play instead of Jefferies. He will also play the 5 when Jamison is at the 4. Having Etan just gives us more talent. We will crush teams when Etan is playing against thier second strings. This is called DEPTH. You need it to win over a whole season and against the best teams. This is how you win a championship. Look at Dallas last year. They had Jamison on the bench. You keep the talent while you can )

The Sonics, Raptors, Knicks and Hawks have shown interest. If the Wizards could land a top-flight small forward and defensive minded big man in return, it seems like it would be the perfect opportunity to cash in and make a run in the East.

( We already have this. Jamison, Hayes, Kwame, Haywood, and Ramos in the future )

They may need the help. After a fairly easy schedule through the first six weeks, the Wizards are about to hit a tough patch. They play consecutive games against the Heat, then embark on a four-game Western Conference trip against the Lakers, Suns, Warriors and Kings.

( Yeah, the help is the guy he is suggesting we trade. Basically, this guy sounds like someone that doesnt really know what is going on here. He is an outsider. He is just writting something sexy to get exposure. Former Washington Insider. Please.

Our GM will wait to see what Kwame can do over more the just 6 games. He has already shown huge strides with 16pts in 22 min on 6-9 shooting after coming off an injury that had him out a long time. He is bigger and stronger and more mature. Im glad he got put in place by Jordan so early in the session. He needs to get in line with what we are doing and it looks so far like he has. Who knows who is going to ge hurt. What if Haywood gets hurt next game. Etan may not be back this year at all. You never know. You don't trade a Kwame Brown. Not yet you don't.

Keep Kwame. He deserves to play on this new, more stable, more established team. He deserves a chance to find his role here. He could be a super star for many many years. )

[bigricky3469]

ok looks like Brown might get traded, not sure if I like this but ok this is true we are a struggling defensive unit that lacks a defensive mind person in the middle with exception for Haywood who sometimes looks scared when going against really good big men in the league. Would it be so crazy to let Brown go in a trade that brings us something great back in return. But only something great I'm not in the buisness of getting burn again i.e...Webber anyone remember.... Can the Wiz rape someone's GM for something great in return for Bronws untipped potential.

Does anyone have any suggestions.

[fixer26er]

If we are struggling defensively why would we trade our best defensive player? At least our best post defender?

[Fatty P For The Pulitzer]

I don't want us to be proactive in trading Kwame, but it'd be hard to turn down a borderline superstar SF and a defensive minded big man. We would dominate the East if we could pull that. Jamison is really a PF playing SF, so that wouldn't be a problem moving him to PF. Stick in a sharpshooting SF who is willing to try on the defensive end, and a big man who's forte is playing D and bullying opponents on the boards (I love Ruffin's hustle, but he fouls too much and can't even hit an open dunk if he got the ball down low) and we'd be very tough. However, I don't think Kwame will fetch us that much, and I'd rather wait to see Kwame play another 2 months before I would start listening to offers. I like the offensive production per minute he's been getting, but I'm not liking the rebounds per minute. He's got to start hitting the glass, especially in the defensive end.

[DonMagicJuan]

we just need a PF that makes that 15-20 ppg and 10 rbs a game...caue then we would dominate the east....someone like stromile swift or hell, even kwame just stepping up would just help us ALOT

[hands11]

Kwame 7th game back

Against Shaq

first half

12 min 2-3, 6 rebounds, 2 offensive.

He is playing tough D against Shaq but the refs arent going to let anyone D Shaq that isnt a superstar like Tim Duncan, so Kwame is getting called for fouls.

Like they say in Vegas, let it ride.

We should no way trade Kwame.

Put Kwame in instead of Jefferies at PF, play Haywood at Center then leave Jamison at SF where is going great.

Ranks #19 in the NBA in Points Per Game(21.5) Ranks #17 in the NBA in Rebounds Per Game(9.2)
Ranks #8 in the NBA in Minutes Per Game(40.4) Ranks #16 in the NBA in Field Goals Made(161.0)
Ranks #12 in the NBA in Field Goal Attempts(365.0) Ranks #8 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds(67.0)
Ranks #6 in the NBA in Offensive Rebounds Per Game(3.5) Ranks #10 in the NBA in Double-doubles(10.0)
Ranks #12 in the NBA in Field Goals Per 48 Minutes(10.06) Ranks #11 in the NBA in Field-Goal Attempts Per 48 Minutes(22.81)
Ranks #17 in the NBA in Efficiency Ranking(21.68)