WizardsKev

jazzy1

Break this down is this really legit and accurate.

JNice

Is Hamilton really worth 8 mil a year? IMO no.

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BCH

Kev,

Glad you could post this. i was about to link it.

I think you have somewhat of a point but I think you are reading a little too much into it. The Wizards were in a position this year to obtain talent, in the form of Larry Hughes. They could not afford to sit on their hands and hope they got someone next year. They could have been standing there with a ton of cap room and no Rip and no FA, if Rip goes down with the groin again and a FA decides to skip us.

I think it was a situation where they could not bet on the best situation happening because the worst scenario is a lot worse by taking that gamble.

I would not be surprised to see the Wizards use this year to gauge Rip's groin and to see his improvement. I think they will sign him after this year to a reasonable deal. We would lose some cap room, that we may not spend anyway, and use it on the class of 2004, which is murky with the RFAs of next year.

Player movement is too unpredictable right now. I think the best GMs are ones that do what is best for the now with an eye to the future. The Wizards have not screwed theselves, but they have given themselves flexibility with many options, including sign and trades.

Getting a top flight FA has always been a wishful dream in my opinion and it is something the old management would have bet all their chips on. I am glad the new Wizards are being proactive.

BCH

Kevin Broom is an outstanding writer. You can take what he says as being very reliable.

jazzy1

Thanks BCH for clearing that up I wasn't familiar with his work, This is a little disturbing in that RIP will probably be let go we've got to trade him not just let him walk I don't think our future will be made in FREE AGENCY instead through drafting and through trades, I believe the teams are colluding with one another to keep player movement and salaries down, look at the Rashard Lewis and Keon Clark situatuions, I think most premier FA will remain with their teams, so we should follow our present course which is acquire young talent for trade posssibilities and look to the draft.

On the Low I think DARIUS MILES or Q Richardson are 2 players because of their affiliation with Jordan as possibilities in the next couple of years.

BCH

Don't jump the gun jazzy1.

Rip is not gone yet, and even with what WizardsKev has provided us, I am not so sure he is out of the picture either.

It makes it more difficult for us to have our cake and eat it to, but I believe Hughes was broght in to run point and not replace Rip. I do not even think he could replace Rip, and it may be that the Wizards have a different plan.

In the end it is still speculation on the impact this interpretation of the CBA will have next season. I am curious though because it was not talked about this summer even though it affected a team like the Clippers and Olowokandi. I don't doubt the validity of the research however becasue the Clippers were not persuing FAs. We have a whole season to run through and you never know, Laettner may be gone by the all-star break.

Sir I Gotta Go

Why would you let your best guy walk just so you can get cap room?

Coatesvillain

Because he's asking for more money than he deserves right now. Rip's another one of those guys who'll come back every year, not bigger then the last, and always primed to get hurt. I honestly wish he plays the pull season, and eventually ends his career as a Wizard.

Because that's what he wants.

-Tim

jazzy1

I like Rips game and hope he remains a Wizard also but unless he gets stronger like it was mentioned before paying him a ridiculous contract may bring us back to Juwan Howard all over again an overpaid role player who's damn near untradeable. I still have hope that RIP is getting stronger therefore developing into the top flight player we all want him to become but this year is pretty much it either he shows or he goes, if his salary demands are in the unreasonable range,then bye bye if his salary demands are reasonable lets keep him and keep rolling.

CoolHandLuke

I don't see it as too much of a problem losing Rip. Sure, he's the best player that'll be on the team next year, if he stays. However, he's not worth the max. Larry Hughes came in. Grizzard, Dixon, Navarro... chances are one of them pans out. And then Jeffries is the SF of the future. With Hughes, Grizzard, Dixon, Navarro, Lue, Whitney... I think at least two of those players should step up to the point that losing Rip won't hurt too bad, and if Jeffries or Brown develops into a star, then it shouldn't be a real setback at all. That said, I obviously hope Rip stays.

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BCH

I can guarantee that Whitney and Lue are not looked at as long term solutions to anythingon the Wizards. Whitney is a great team guy though and in the end hopefully he is done right by the oraganization.

WizardsKev

In the article, I'm not saying that Rip IS gone -- I'm saying the Wizards may have to make a choice. If they have a serious chance at landing a max free agent, they'll likely have to let Rip go to do it. That's really the main point of the article.

BCH

Thats cool.

I am not anticipating a max FA signing for next year regardless of having the cap space or not.

NorthEast Wiz

I think that signing a big time free agent is a pipe dream also. It is rare that championship talent is built on signing free agents. The more likely scenario is the draft and trades. We seem to be doing OK with both.

I have always said that the L8 signing was awful and I stick by it. I don't mind the signing but I think he is at around 5 mil plus and that is way too much based on his performance, prospect for future performance and injury history.

The only hope is that sometimes a high salary player helps fit trade scenarios like our buddy Loy Vought with the Juwan trade.

Glad to be back. Quick vacation.

Do I hear a Redskins bandwagon?