| 30 Teams, 30 Days: Washington Draft Preview Authored by Jason M. Williams - June 5, 2009 - 5:34 pm
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2009 Draft Picks: 5th, 33rd
Pre-Draft 2009-10 Projected Starters:
PG Gilbert Arenas
SG DeShawn Stevenson
SF Caron Butler
PF Antawn Jamison
C Brendan Haywood
Key Reserves:
SG Nick Young
PF Dominic McGuire
PF Andray Blatche
PF Darius Songaila
PG Javaris Crittenton
C JaVale McGee
What the Wizards Do Well:
The Wizards finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, mostly due to the fact that they had half the team injured for most of last season. However, that turned out to be a good thing, because not only do they have the Washington Big Three, but they now have a respectable contingent of talented youthful players ready to contribute big minutes off the bench.
We all know what kind of damage can be done by Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Gilbert Arenas – when healthy – but now we know a lot more about the youngsters in DC.
Nick Young showed signs that he can be an elite scorer in the league after a stellar sophomore season. He scored 20 points or more twelve times and averaged a decent 10.9 points per game in only 22.4 minutes. While his numbers are somewhat underwhelming, his streaky shooting off the bench provides instant offense when the starting crew isn’t delivering.
Last year’s top pick, JaVale McGee, demonstrated at times that he could evolve into an excellent big man in a couple of years. With his long body and tremendous wingspan he can become a nightmare in the paint as a help defender. Despite limited minutes, McGee had 21 games with 2 or more blocks, and changed the way the opponents attacked the basket when he was in the game.
Greatest Areas of Improvement:
Scoring in the Middle
The Wizards have plenty of depth up front with the young duo of Blatche and McGee, assuming Haywood and Etan Thomas stay healthy. Starting power forward Antawn Jamison often likes to float outside and play like a small forward, so the Wiz would benefit by having a big body to camp out down low, eat up boards and thrive on back to the basket looks.
Three-Point Sniper
This team is really stacked on paper, and should be able to contend with the Cavs, Celtics, and Magic for the top of the East when everyone is healthy, but that seems to never happen. The other glaring weakness that I can pinpoint is the lack of a pure three-point sniper. While the Wizards have plenty of guys who hoist up three after three, they have nobody that can legitimately hit on 40% of their attempts.
Who’s Gone Number 5 Recently?
The fifth pick has been a hot commodity for draft day trades. The three teams who have acquired the fifth overall selection have fared very well, while one of the teams who kept the pick probably wasn’t nearly as excited (see: Atlanta Hawks).
2008
Kevin Love, Memphis Grizzlies (traded to Minnesota)
2007
Jeff Green, Boston Celtics (traded to Seattle)
2006
Shelden Williams, Atlanta Hawks
2005
Raymond Felton, Charlotte Bobcats
2004
Devin Harris, Washington Wizards (traded to Dallas)
Who Should the Wizards Target?
For more in-depth analysis and background regarding the players that the Wizards should target in this year’s Draft, click on each player name to be redirected to Christopher Reina’s Prospect Report piece.
- Jordan Hill of Arizona
Jordan Hill might seem like a bit of a redundancy for this Wizards squad, but Hill’s potential as a true power forward of the future might be too great for them to pass up. His athleticism fits perfectly with the rest of the team and he could provide them with a reason to trade Jamison and his remaining 3 years, $39M.
- James Harden of Arizona State
The Wizards are built to win right now. That is the one reason why adding a guy who can step in and contribute immediately is the best possible scenario for them in this draft – whether it be by selection or by trade. Harden would give them an immediate upgrade at the shooting guard position, but adding another guy who absolutely loves to shoot might not be the best idea.
Picks Over the Past Five Years
The have done well in the recent past on Draft day, with the exception of 2006. They turned the fifth pick in 2004 into Antawn Jamison, stole Andray Blatche in the second round of 2005 and landed three youths in 2007 and 2008 with loads of potential.
2008
JaVale McGee, 18th
Bill Walker, 47th (traded to Boston)
2007
Nick Young, 16th
Dominic McGuire, 47th
2006
Oleksiy Pecherov, 18th
Vladimir Veremeenko, 48th
2005
Andray Blatche, 39th
2004
Devin Harris, 5th (traded to Dallas)
Peter John Ramos, 33rd
Who Do the Fans Want?
According to Andrew Perna’s Washington Wizards Lottery Summit, an interactive forum featuring the responses of true RealGM hoops fans hoping to add their two cents to the Wizards Draft discussion, the fans of Washington have made it known that they would like a point guard or power forward if they don't trade the fifth pick.
The Verdicts
1. What could the team have done differently to make the playoffs?
LyricalRico:Not be injured.
fishercob:Avoid catastrophic injuries to Brendan Haywood and Gilbert Arenas.
miller31time:Avoid injuries to our best overall player and our best defensive player.
ZonkertheBrainless:Playoffs? Playoffs?
Chocolate City Jordanaire:They could have drafted Mario Chalmers instead of JaVale McGee. Earlier, instead of signing Arenas and Jamison for all that money they could have signed Ramon Sessions for a lot less.
Halcyon:I don't think they really could have done much with all their injuries.
closg00:A creative coach with a different offensive system.
DaRealHibachi:Health, a better coach, and player development.
Dat2U:Our GM not standing pat in the previous offseason.
NbdyBeatsTheWiz:If they changed their medical staff.
MJG:Probably nothing. Maybe if we hired a non-quack medical staff a year or two ago, Arenas' latest setback wouldn't have been as debilitating, and he would've returned mid-December like the original target.
Ruzious:Nothing that wouldn't have crippled the team long-term.
2. Where were the team’s biggest strengths?
LyricalRico:They fired Eddie Jordan.
fishercob:It's hard to say that a 19-win team had strengths, though they did remain resolute, calm and classy in the face of extremely difficult and frustrating circumstances.
miller31time:Antawn Jamison had a year on par with the best in his career. He was a warrior this season.
ZonkertheBrainless:My mother always said, if you have nothing good to say... No, actually the bench was really good.
Chocolate City Jordanaire:The dreaded ‘P’ word; potential. McGee has great potential. Blatche is young and serviceable.
Halcyon:Hard to say. I guess we were somehow able to maintain team chemistry, despite being outmatched in talent almost every single game.
closg00:A nice group of core-players exist to build-around and make one last playoff run.
DaRealHibachi:We were pretty weak this year, but I guess you could say the wins against the Cavs.
Dat2U:Maybe the overconfidence of the players, coaching staff and management that they can excel when healthy.
pancakes3:Some may disagree, but I thought we developed two players that will bey pivotal next season: Blatche and McGuire.
NbdyBeatsTheWiz:Honestly nothing comes to mind. I'm either being lazy or realistic, take your pick.
MJG:Honestly, I'm having trouble thinking of much.
Ruzious:Their forwards.
3. Who had a surprisingly effective season?
LyricalRico:McGee and Dominic McGuire.
fishercob:McGee and McGuire.
miller31time:McGee. When he was drafted, everyone and their mother was horribly disappointed with the pick.
ZonkertheBrainless:McGuire.
Chocolate City Jordanaire:Jamison.
Halcyon:McGuire.
closg00:McGuire.
DaRealHibachi:McGuire.
Dat2U:McGee. He showed that he could contribute immediately.
pancakes3:McGuire.
NbdyBeatsTheWiz:Jamison surprisingly playing all but one game, continually plugging away and putting up double doubles despite playing 40 minutes a game in a lost year.
MJG:McGee is the easy pick. A good chunk of the people here thought he was bust material, and even those that didn't figured he'd be more of a long-term project.
Ruzious:McGuire in the second half of the season.
4. Who had a surprisingly ineffective season?
LyricalRico:Andray Blatche and Nick Young underperformed, but that's not really a "surprise".
fishercob:I guess Blatche. I would have expected more from him at this point.
miller31time:Take your pick. I was disappointed that Young didn't develop a consistent and more well-rounded game.
ZonkertheBrainless:Blatche. He was maddeningly inconsistent.
Chocolate City Jordanaire:Butler.
Halcyon:Blatche.
closg00:Young and Butler.
DaRealHibachi:It looked like Butler gave up.
Dat2U:Blatche.
pancakes3:Mike James. Nobody was hoping for a duplicate of his fluke season, but there were certain expectations that he'd come in and be a serviceable point guard.
NbdyBeatsTheWiz:Anyone and everyone in charge of player development.
MJG:Blatche.
Ruzious:Butler. He became lethargic.
5. How confident are you in the front office heading into the offseason?
LyricalRico:More confident than not.
fishercob:Confident. I'm glad that Ernie is running things as opposed to some of us yahoos.
miller31time:Not very confident, to be honest. This is not an easy project here in Washington.
ZonkertheBrainless:I think the front office has painted itself into a corner as far as the luxury tax. We can basically sign one draft pick over the next three years unless drastic magical "bad contract disappearing juice" is liberally applied.
Chocolate City Jordanaire:A solid four out of ten.
Halcyon:Semi-confident. Ernie Grunfield is still better than half the GMs in the league, and I believe that Abe Pollin definitely wants to see a championship before he passes away.
closg00:More so in trades than drafting.
DaRealHibachi:They didn't make any trades when they needed to, so not so confident...
Dat2U:Not confident at all. Management's refusal to acknowledge this is flawed team and its blind love and respect for Antawn Jamison leaves me flabbergasted.
pancakes3:Shaky at best. The management has sent a loud and clear message that they want to see how a healthy roster would fare before making any other huge transactions.
NbdyBeatsTheWiz:My confidence in the front office has declined gradually every offseason since EG's hire. I still think he knows what he's doing, but I'm only about a 5 on a scale of 1-10.
MJG:I'm fully confident in the front office's ability to lead us to 40-50 wins and the 4th-8th seed.
Ruzious:I'm not sure I'd feel "confident" about any NBA front office. Like most every fan, I think I know best.
6. What are the team‚s biggest needs in the draft?
LyricalRico:To find someone to take the pick and give us a vet.
fishercob:An upgrade in the backcourt.
miller31time:Shooting guard is our biggest weakness right now, but defense is needed as well.
ZonkertheBrainless:A doctor. We should get someone from Stanford who's also pre-med.
Chocolate City Jordanaire:A tough guy like DeJaun Blair, an athletic point guard or a shooting guard.
Halcyon:A starting SG, starting PF and a backup PG. The order interchanges depending on the talent available.
closg00:A shooting guard, passer and big power forward.
DaRealHibachi:A defensive power forward in the low post, and an extra combo guard.
Dat2U:A backcourt partner for Gilbert; whether its a one or a two is for debate.
pancakes3:Shooting Guard. The talent flows deep and wide.
NbdyBeatsTheWiz:In my mind we're a team that wants to make a serious run into and through the playoffs next year, so it would be nice to land somebody who can contribute this year.
MJG:A quality guard.
Ruzious:Talent with toughness, defense, three-point shooting and team speed.
7. Who would you like the Wizards to take with the fifth pick?
LyricalRico:Nobody because we'll traded it.
fishercob:I expect the pick to be traded.
miller31time:Nobody. Trade the pick for a veteran shooting guard and hope that it leads to another trade for a more defensive-oriented power forward.
ZonkertheBrainless:Best player available and then trade for luxury tax relief and a reliable, two-way veteran starting two.
Chocolate City Jordanaire:Blair or Stephen Curry.
Halcyon:I am thinking James Harden is the most reasonable choice here.
closg00:James Johnson.
DaRealHibachi:Harden.
Dat2U:My favorites in order are Curry, Tyreke Evans, Ty Lawson and Blair.
pancakes3:The cop out answer is "trade the pick" because there really isn't a prospect that wows us, but I'd go with Curry.
NbdyBeatsTheWiz:Harden or Curry would be playing it safe, but I'd love it if they traded down to get Blair.
MJG:I'm not the draft expert many others are, but I like Curry.
Ruzious:I'd like to trade down to 17 with Philly. Exchanging Blatche for Speights, and take the best point guard available at 17.
Click here to read other draft previews in our 30 Teams, 30 Days series
Who do you want the Wizards to draft at number 5? Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts. He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments and questions. |
