NorthEast Wiz

Brown Unhappy:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2002Dec5.html

Here is the latest article from the Post. Brown seems be be quite down after being benched. I don't think Collins had any choice and Kwame must realize that the better he plays the more he will be in there.

What a contrast between his comments and JJ's. Jeffries really understands the proper mindset required when sitting.

You never know how the questions were asked so I'm not reacting too negatively about this.

local_sportsfan

For more than a week, Collins said he knew any changes would cause some hurt feelings, but he added that the Wizards can't be like the Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies or Cleveland Cavaliers, where losing is tolerated under the guise of a growth process.

I agree with this sentiment. The Wiz are better off playing their vets until the youngsters can start producing on a nightly basis.

This is the path the Pacers took...look at how their young players blossomed.

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jazzy1

I totally disagree with what is happening and I think MJ has been deceitful about what the teams goals are. All along Mj has stated how he's here to help the young guys along ,saying often that he's not the future, now suddenly he bench's the young guys in favor of some old stiffs as if thats the difference in the games. To me its not coincidental that the Wizards played better because MJ's back in the starting line-up not because Kwame and JJ were benched. This is a chicken hearted move by Collins always using the young guys as the reason for why the team is losing, when clearly Stack and MJ's lack of production in a back-up role were the primary causes. I have defended MJ here and other places for his reasoning for coming back but now I see thats there's only the selfishmotive which has nothing to do with grooming the young guys. In the NBA you don't get better sitting thats a lie. You only get better actually playing. The NBA doesn't practice nearly enough or as efeectively enough to raise your game in practice.


Jermain O'neal could have developed long before had he gotten the playing time. Its not about pine riding it about getting game experience. MJ is only here to make the playoffs and capture one last shot at glory which I don't have a problem with but to me when you say you're here for the young guys and all they do is sit thats not right and is a false pretense. Collins when Jahidi comes back will suddenly slip Haywood out of the line-up also. I like winning and I think the team could be almost as effective with the young guys playing. The Wizards almost beat the Sixers with Kwame in the starting line-up had again MJ made a play at the end. The young guys rarely get plays run for them and are asked to fill garbage men roles but are blamed when things go wrong. Collins wouldn't dare have the guts to call out MJ or Stack for messing up the games and as I see it ,It was more their fault than the young guys. The young guys are an easy target and have no real credibility to say things in their own defense.

Laetner and Oakley playing will accomplish nothing and if Kwame and JJ along with Etan don't get a taste of the actual playoff games if they reach it their lack of development will only be pushed back a year. This isn't the Bulls nor Cavs situation because they don't have the Stars we have in MJ and Stack and other solid vets in Russell and Hughes. So for Collins to equate the two is stupid, on those teams those guys are asked to have much bigger roles and are looked to produce well in Chicago the Bulls youngsters aren't playing much and they're still losing similar to here they're not the reason if they're sitting but thats the perception though. Here our young guys just need the minutes with MJ as a starter and I think you'll see the team streak anyway. MJ starting is the change in the team not benching Kwame that has turned the teams fortune. Collins just doesn't want to admit that his idiotic plan of sixth manning MJ doesn't work. Trying to act as if the young guys going down has been the effectuve change, Hell Brendan was a star of the other nights game and Etan against the Bucks, those are the young guys he's been ripping into. Like Brendan, Etan and Kwame have said give them time and they will produce.

BEEZ

The pacers also took their lumps letting the players play and develop. So I cant agree with this.

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I have no clue!

BEEZ

I totally agree. I wrote this a lil more than a week ago

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I have no clue!

BCH

I don't think MJ has been deceitful. I think he has been pretty consistent that the main goal is to win and develop the young guys with that as the main focus. Brendan played the entire second half against the Pistons and Etan got a lot of run recently as well. They were contributing and they were playing. The other young guys are going to have to produce when they are on the floor as well. Collins and Jordan are not holding them back, they are merely being professional about going out and playing to win. It does not make sense to throw Kwame or Jeffries into the game if it sacrifices the ability to win the game. They both know it, though Jeffries is better able to vocalize his feelings about it.

Collins still has it in his mind to get young guys into opportunites to produce and that is why you see Etan and Brendan with their chances. Kwame's chance will come again as will Jeffries. When Dixon comes back his chance will come again as well.

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Where's the cake?

jazzy1

MJ was adamant about how he was going to help develop the young guys. Haywood or Thomas's production wasn't central to the Wizards winning. MJ starting was, plain and simple, but Collins probably embarrassed by having to admit that the MJ off the pine didn't work instead scapegoated the young guys. The Wizards can win despite Kwame or JJ getting time they've earned as much time as Thomas or Brendan has earned. I don't mind those guys playing as much as Laetner or Oakley. They aren't being that much more effective than the young guys. Collins and MJ have harped on the fact that it was the youngguys who needed to step up in fact when Stack scored single digits twice and shot poorly in others. MJ was struggling some himself but all you heard was how the young guys needed to step up. They don't get the ball ,aren't the focus of the offense but they're held responsible for not stepping up how does that exactly work. Criticize Stack or Russell or even MJ but don't take the cheap shots at players who aren't even asked to fill nothing but garbage player roles. You need time to find a groove is all thats why none of the young bigs can put together consecutive games of solid play, because they're being platooned. Have a rotation, Brendan played his best game and guess what it just so happened to occur in a game in which he played 40 minutes. Always playing looking over your shoulder is no way to play consistenly it makes you jittery trust me I know. You need to feel as if you are going to be given a chance to work through the mistakes of a game and until Collins lets any group of young guys doesn't matter which ones have those consistent minutes you won't get the consistency. It won't happen.

NorthEast Wiz

I think MJ has been true to his word. First off if MJ was not worried about his knee he would have started the season in the starting line-up and we would not have this issue. So when he says he is not worried about his knee it is only natural that he start, as starting games with your best five is usuually the gaol

Second, by aquiring players like Russell and to a lesser degree Oak indicates that while you want your young guys to come along you are not trying to sacrafic winning. I fully expect our young guys (Etan, JJ, Dixon and Kwame) to be making contributions by the end of the season. They will get time but not if they are not producing consistently.

BCH

jazzy1,

you really need to break out that game tape. Haywood was a huge reason we won that game. Laettner had some key shots at some timely moments as well. Yes, MJ back helps as well but that is part of the message being sent that winning is the primary goal. Playing Kwame for the sake of playing Kwame is not what this team is about. He was put in at a critical point in the previous game and he responded, but right now he is a part of the rotation rather than having a rotation that enables him to get time on the floor.

The Wizards have a commitment to every player on the team. I personally don't feel they are in any way screwing with Kwame. I would personally love to see him in the game, but not playing because of some sort of entitlement.

You are right they don't get the ball but there are lenty of other opportunities out there for all of them. If Kwame needs the ball to make his imprint on the game, then maybe he needs to figure out other ways to contribute so he can get on the floor like Brendan and Thomas did.

The minutes are there for him. He needs to go get them. I am hoping he will find that fire and do it. There was a reason he was playing well at the start of the season and it wasn't because the Wizards were feeding him the ball. It was because of the effort put forth.

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Where's the cake?

BEEZ

How if their minutes fluctuate unknowingly???????

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I have no clue!

TheRifleman

IMHO, Collins has always given his rooks a chance to play - no matter where he has coached (Pippen, Horace Grant, Theo Ratliff, A.Houston, L. Hunter, Don Reid,etc). If he is sitting one or two now, then they aren't doing some fundamental things that are required in a winning situation.

I agree that Stack has been playing not exactly the way one would expect him to play - but The Wiz are tough and the road to the playoffs is a long road, which MJ & Collins know so well.

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NorthEast Wiz

Make improvement in practice and make an impact when you are in the game. A coach doesn't try someone out in a game knowing that they have another player that can contribute more.

If you read JJ's comments in the article, you can see that he understands what needs to be done. Like BCH said I think Kwame does also but was probably given a loaded question.

jazzy1

As a player you just can't play under the duress of a quick hook it doesn't work that way when you play. Hell MJ admits to not playing as effectivly in limited time. Kwame needs floor time in games to develop ,practice in the nba isn't enough listen to some of the older pro's explain this and I agree the NBA play to many games and have to many walk through and watch tape type of practices to hone your game. Kwame could play as well as Laetner has as his replacement and Etan showed given time he could produce. Against the Bucks he got time and had his best game of the year. Then suddenly he gets benched WHY there's no good reason other than Collins total lack of trust in him. Collins uses the young bigs as the excuse for why they lose. And thats wrong MJ's and Stacks shooting trouble has been the problem not our young Bigs. Collins didn't really like to play Ratliff and Ratliff turned into an allstar he blames young players instead of nurturing their ability. Kwame should play and play significant minutes until he learns and if he's not playing well stay with the young bigs instead of the ineffective gray beards.

NorthEast Wiz

Here is the latest quote from Kwame from the NY Times:

"I just don't understand it really when you say in the newspapers that we're the cornerstone and the future and then we're on the bench," Brown says. "I don't know of cornerstone players that sit the bench. They say it's to get my confidence up. Do I look confident to you?"

Here is the full article:

http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20021209-74781370.htm

He says he is working hard so this should be a moot point by the end of the year because he has the talent.

TheRifleman