Will The Wizards Blow It Up?

The Wiz are a fascinating team right now in that they have talent but can't produce wins. They have to decide if they want to blow everything up and enter a rebuilding phase. Mike Prada lays out how painful (but perhaps necessary) that process can be.

about 2 years ago Jeff Clark 8 comments 0 recs |

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I know Wizards fans arent used to a winning tradition and they were absolutely in love with just making it to the playoffs for these past few years, but they should’ve done this in the first place instead of giving Gilbert that ridiculous contract. They should have shown him the door after opting out and asking for that much money after he had two knee surgeries on the same knee in a one year span. They could have let him and Jamison walk, traded Butler (whos value was through the roof at the time), kept the 5th pick in the draft instead of trading it to Minnesota, AND they would have loads of cap space going into the two biggest FA years in NBA history.

by greg683x on Dec 21, 2009 4:58 PM EST reply actions

The contract is going to be a lynchpin, one way or another

Was there any knowledgeable fan around the league who didn’t do a Cary-Grant-in-Arsenic-and-Old-Lace double-take when that deal went down?

That was an impossible situation for their franchise, but they needed to show some discipline in dealing with Gilbert’s contract and they plainly did not.

"It has come to the editor’s attention that the Herald-Leader neglected to cover the civil rights movement. We regret the omission."

by feral on Dec 21, 2009 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

just my personal opinion, but Gilbert made that an impossible situation on them especially seeing as how Jamisons deal was up also. Gilbert could have easily played his contract out and earned that money, instead he snaked his way into. It was completely obvious what he was doing was all about himself and could care less about the team.

If I see a player on my team doing that, especially one that claims to be the franchise player and wants franchise money, I’d show him the door just on general principle. A team led by a personality like that will go no where……and thats whats exactly happened.

I really have a hard time believeing Gilbert would have been able to get that contract anywhere else in league, especially from a team he wanted to play for.

Jamison on the other hand, as many holes as there is to his game, he’s a classy guy, a team player, and a great pro. I’d take him on my team anyday.

by greg683x on Dec 21, 2009 7:46 PM EST reply actions

Agreed,

though I think some sub-par team would have offered Arenas near max money to fill seats. When healthy he is a big draw. But that is the issue, he hasn’t been healthy in what seems like a decade and that has worn down the team and their comradery. They need to move him, or else they will sit and rust until his contract is finally over.

by funkstarrdeluxe on Dec 22, 2009 9:46 AM EST up reply actions

arenas is untradeable..

jamison puts up numbers for bad teams..

caron is not a guy you want to be one of your top 3 players..

nick young is a baller and foye is an undersized 2 gaurd..

heywood is a grreat player

blathe is inconsistent

deshawn stevenson is the worst player in the nba..

the wizards got a whole lot of nothing.

by matthewmafa on Dec 21, 2009 10:25 PM EST reply actions

How do trade a 111 million dollar player...

… who’s played about 50 games total (including this season) over the last THREE seasons? I like Jamison & Butler, but they’re good complimentary starters on a decent team. Asking them to carry the scoring load is a risky proposition.

by LuckyNumber07 on Dec 22, 2009 2:08 PM EST reply actions

they can carry the scoring load

if you want to go 41 and 41 and get a first or second round exit in the playoffs

by matthewmafa on Dec 22, 2009 2:35 PM EST up reply actions

Not sure there is much of a choice...

With the Wizard’s current “big 3” they aren’t going to win a title. If that is the goal, then you are going to have to make some moves. Either gamble on a head-case that might pay off (which you could presumably get on the cheap), get real lucky in the draft or blow it all up and start over.

by funkstarrdeluxe on Dec 22, 2009 2:41 PM EST reply actions