[grizzoistight]

Help me out..
PG LArry Hughes - Juan Dixon - Tyron Lue ( Whitney will be released even though hes better than lue)
SG Rip hamilton - rod grizzard - Hubert davis
sf Jefferies - jordan - bobby simmons
Pf Kwame brown ( he will be good next year!!! 13 points a game -Popeye Jones
C Haywood - Etan Thomas

 

[erickboy22]

Wizards lineup

I assume that u are saying that Lattener and White would be traded

PG - Hughes, Whit, Lue, Dixon
SG - Hamilton, Jordan (Hughes) (Dixon)
SF - Jefferies, Simmons, Grizzard (Jordan)
PF - Popeye, Brown, Lattener (Thomas)
C - White, Haywood, Thomas

( ) players are interchangeable and can play other positions

I think Whitney will not be on the team but i don't think he'll be released ... i think the Wiz are going to try to trade him for a draft pick

 

[cmd34]

I'll go with:

PG: Chris Whitney
SG: Rip Hamilton
C : Jahidi White
PF: Christian Laettner
SF: Michael Jordan
6th:Larry Hughes

But check out how different it will be if Jordan gets hurt again or says he is done:

PG: Juan Dixon
SG: Richard Hamilton
C : Brendan Haywood
PF: Kwame Brown
SF: Larry Hughes
6th:Jared Jefferies

 

[MikeDC]

I think it's really too early to tell. My preference would be to go with the kids as much as possible. Also, whenever matchups permit, I think I'd like to give Etan time at center.

Something like:

PG- Hughes 32 / MJ 8 / Dixon or Lue 8
SG- Rip 36 / MJ 12
SF- Jeffries 28 / Nesby 12 / Grizzard or Simmons 8
PF- Brown 28 / Thomas 10 / Laettner 10
C- Thomas 12 / White 18 / Haywood 18

I'm not totally comfortable with the SF situation, but unless we can translate Whitney, Lue, Laettner, and/or Davis into something better than Nesby we might as well just sign the latter to steady the boat and then hope that Jeffries and Simmons prove capable.

 

[cmd34]

Shouldn't Jordan be getting some minutes at small forward?

 

[BCH]

Here is my shot.

PG: Hughes/Whitney or Lue/Dixon
SG: Hamilton/Jordan/Hughes/Dixon
SF: Jeffries/Simmons/Jordan
PF: Laettner/Brown/Thomas
C: White/Haywood/Thomas

That is a roster of 12 guys. I am assuming Whitney or Lue get traded. I am assuming Popeye Jones is not re-signed. I believe Hubert Davis may be traded as well. The Inactive List will consist of Grizzard, Davis, and Lue if there are no trades.

White is a situational starter. In some instances you will see White not play at all and Laettner will start at center, and possibly Thomas, with kwame starting at PF.

It is difficult to see Laettner getting left out of the rotation. The guy still can play, and he is smart. He got off to a rough start last year, but when he played well, the team played well. Unless he gets dealt, he will probably play, maybe to try and move him around the trade deadline.

 

[MikeDC]

He might, but I'd really rather he not. At least, no more than a token 4-6 minutes at the start of the game.

Reasons:

1. I wonder if "bulking up" as he did last year was part of the reason his knees went south. It's amazing just how small differences like that can throw one's body out of whack.

2. The more he plays at SF, the more he's got to bang against guys that, at this point, are bigger, stronger, and faster. That's more wear and tear on him.

But, realistically, you're probably right, he'll play some there. How about this:

PG- Hughes 32 / MJ 8 / Dixon or Lue 8
SG- Rip 36 / MJ 12
SF- MJ 6 / Jeffries 24 / Nesby 10 / Grizzard or Simmons 8
PF- Brown 28 / Thomas 10 / Laettner 10
C- Thomas 12 / White 18 / Haywood 18

At that point, though, we've got 12 guys as part of the regular rotation. That seems a bit much to me. Maybe Nesby takes away Grizzard/Simmon's minutes (probably, those guys would swap time on the IR unless someone establishes himself).

I agree with BCH that Laettner is hard to get rid of... he's too good to not play, but he's too old to be in the long term plans. I'd prefer to trade him instead of White though, because White's young and can do certain things very well.

The question is, can we get anyone who's a better fit than Nesby by trading Laettner (maybe packaged with Davis, Lue, and/or Whitney)?

 

[cmd34]

i really think the wiz could contend in the east(hell..me and four mark madsens could contend in the east) if they make a deal for a better point guard or a rebounding power forward. i think there are teams out there trying to dump salary so they could do it without giving up kwame or rip. if they are going to play for the futute then the best thing jordan could do is auction himself off to a contender who would give up a prospect and a pick. hypothetical trades...to the rockets for eddie griffin and a future #1, to the kings (god forbid)for turkoglu and a #1, to the pacers for jonatahan bender and a #1. he just decides what his true objective is...???

 

[BCH]

Unless that better PG is a young almost all-star type of guy then expect the Wizards not to do anything that increases their cap room.

ALso, you can shelve the MJ trading himself talk. I can't think of a reason why it would ever happen.

 

[cmd34]

if his true goal was to improve the wizz it would be a legitimate option. i am not saying it will happen but do you think "the valuable learning experience" rip hamilton and kwame brown are getting from him playing with them for 2 seasons would outweigh how a prospect and extra draft pick would improve them(in the longrun). Jordan would get 1 last run in the playoffs and retire and reclaim his Wizards ownership just as he plans to do anyway.

 

[MikeDC]

With Hughes on board, is it feasible to consider a trade that would involve Rip?

I'd trade damn near anyone to get Baron Davis

 

[cmd34]

for the right guy...yes.

 

[MikeDC]

In my mind, Baron would be the right guy. He's the kind of leader I think we need.

Right now, it really seems like, short of MJ, we don't have much identity. Although Rip is a good player, and Kwame has the potential to be a very good player, I don't know that either of them has the kind of leadership and star power that I see in Baron

 

[ThatGuy]

Errr.. you guys are weird. We just traded Alexander to the Hornets, chiefly because he and Rip were getting in each other's way. Now, you expect to send Hamilton to the Hornets as part of a package to get Baron Davis? Makes a lot of sense..... not.

And if a trade goes down, it will be to get a starting small forward, and hopefully get rid of some dead weight (cap and playerwise). With the emergence of Etan Thomas as a physical presence, I find it quite likely that Jahidi gets moved. At the time of the draft, there were rumors that Jahidi might go to the Magic. We'll see.

If it were up to me, I'd trade Jahidi to the Kings for Turkoglu.

 

[MikeDC]

Originally posted by ThatGuy
Errr.. you guys are weird. We just traded Alexander to the Hornets, chiefly because he and Rip were getting in each other's way. Now, you expect to send Hamilton to the Hornets as part of a package to get Baron Davis? Makes a lot of sense..... not.

And if a trade goes down, it will be to get a starting small forward, and hopefully get rid of some dead weight (cap and playerwise). With the emergence of Etan Thomas as a physical presence, I find it quite likely that Jahidi gets moved. At the time of the draft, there were rumors that Jahidi might go to the Magic. We'll see.

If it were up to me, I'd trade Jahidi to the Kings for Turkoglu.

First, I don't need the attitude. Why not keep it a little respectful.

Second, I don't think anyone actually said "hey, let's trade Rip for Baron Davis".

Third, I in particular would be more than willing to trade Rip for Baron Davis. From the Wizards' perspective, its a great trade. Yeah, the hornets wouldn't do it, but that doesn't mean it's any worse for us.

 

[ThatGuy]

I suppose I don't really care if you "need the attitude". Maybe you are simply too sensitive.

As for the other bit, you can feel free to pretend that

With Hughes on board, is it feasible to consider a trade that would involve Rip?

I'd trade damn near anyone to get Baron Davis

doesn't mean what it obviously does, but that's cool. Just for you, buddy, I'll be nicer, but realize that you are the one being antagonistic at this point, and are in no position to dictate tone.

In any event, since we're talking lineups, and can in fact agree that there is a PG deficiency. I'd find it far more likely, but not probably, that we could in fact pry Andre Miller, he of 16.5 points, 11 assists, and 5 boards a game from the el-cheapo Cavaliers.

While I love Kwame, and think in time he will develop to be an all-star 4, the emergence of Etan tells me that for the next year or so, at least, we could start him at the 4 and not lose much, once you balance out Kwame's potential on offense and fast-breakability with Etan's muscle and defense on the low post. Soo... a trade involving Kwame, the Wizards #1 next year, and Andre Miller (with other components filling in the blanks in terms of backup PGs such as Lue, and someone from the Cavs with an expiring conctract (mebbe Nick Anderson) to balance out the salaries. It's hard to say you'd give up Kwame, but your starting backcourt of Rip and Andre would consist of a young proven 20 point scorer, and the league's assist leaders who puts up plenty of points on his own.

Assuming we would then be able to resign Popeye, I think we'd still be ok in the frontcourt, what with Jahidi (of course assuming we dont trade him for a SF), Brendan, Etan, Popeye, and the semi-useless Christian Laettner.

It's a team that based on inside muscle and outside shooting alone would easily be a playoff team in the talent-starved East.

 

[BCH]

Ok. Everyone knows how nice we can all be.

Would I give up Rip to grab Baron Davis? Yes.

Would I give up Rip to grab Andre Miller? Yes.

Would it take more than Rip to grab either player? Yes.

Would I give up Rip and Kwame to get either player? No.

MikeDC made it pretty evident that we would have that flair and a better player if we could do a Rip for Davis deal. He admitted it wasn't going to happen. It doesn't make sense to try and blast him for stating what is a fact, on both accounts. If he said he expected it to happen then I would lead the charge in questioning why. He didn't.

MJ tried to grab Miller in a deal last year before the draft that involved Rip for Andre. The Cavs didn't bite then, and as much as you might think they would do it now, they aren't unless we overpay in terms of talent.

I like Rip a lot. However, I also know the value of a SG in this league and the value of a top PG. If moving Rip and a few spare parts nets us Baron or Andre then go for it. BUt like MikeDC said, it isn't going to happen.

 

[ThatGuy]

MJ tried to grab Miller in a deal last year before the draft that involved Rip for MJ. The Cavs didn't bite then, and as much as you might think they would do it now, they aren't unless we overpay in terms of talent.

I like Rip a lot. However, I also know the value of a SG in this league and the value of a top PG. If moving Rip and a few spare parts nets us Baron or Andre then go for it. BUt like MikeDC said, it isn't going to happen.

I assume you meant "involved Rip for Andre" in the first line. In any event, I never suggested involving Rip in any trade for a point guard, and wouldnt be quick to do so. The team has enough young talent that I dont think it needs to overreach for other pieces of the puzzle, what with the salary room available in 2k3 for a premier free agent. In one way or another, however, its somewhat obvious that some of the pieces that have been hoarded and are currently on the roster will be moved. Unseld has admitted that trade options are still being vigorously pursued. Now, whether thats just a trade involving Jahidi and Mike Miller (put him next to Popeye, and what a handsome pair you have! ) or something more ambitious, I don't know. It's a shame that we werent able to pull off the Bibby trade last year, but whats done is done.

 

[BCH]

I don't believe the options Wes is pursuing has to do with players we hoarded. We have guys that don't fit with the direction the team is trying to take.

I also wouldn't hold your breath on the FA market for next year unless a lot of the guys that are restricted this year sign a one year deal.

 

[ThatGuy]

Plenty of the restricted players will in fact sign one year deals, and even beyond that, there are plenty of UFAs coming up in 2k3. No need to hold my breath. Thanks for your concern though.

And considering that the bulk of the "moveable" players on the team outside of Jahidi were acquired in the past year and a half, it's hard to say that they dont fit the "direction" of the team. I think its safer to say that the Wizards went on a talent hunt, because they were sorely lacking youthful talent at practically every single position 1 1/2 years ago outside of Rip.