Washington Wizards (next season)

by **Bill Russell** on Mon Feb 23, 2004 2:23 pm

Are they set for a breakout season, next season?

The roster...

C - Haywood
PF - Kwame
SF - Stackhouse
SG - Hughes
PG - Arenas

Bench:

Etan Thomas
Jared Jeffries / Christian Laettner
Jarvis Hayes
Juan Dixon
Steve Blake / Mitchell Butler / Brevin Knight / Chris Whitney

They will lose one of those bench guys to the expansion draft... And prolly get a very good draft pick... They could add a solid frontcourt player or a swingman off the bench...

They have good reserves... Their backcourt is pretty good when healthy, save for the fact that their defense is not so good... If they get Okafor, they will be safe & warm...

What do you think? Do they need any major roster overhaul? Any missing piece, like a defensive wing player? Would you trade Arenas or Kwame?

by **fgrep15** on Mon Feb 23, 2004 4:08 pm

The team was pretty good this season, and if they were healthy and played D would've been good.

I say keep Arenas, without the injuries he would be putting up better shooting numbers, he needs to cut down on the turnovers though.

Kwame also isn't that bad, I'd prefer Ethan starting over Brendan "rock hands" Haywood, and if I'd trade anyone it'd be Stackhouse. The bench is pretty solid, a good big man, good guards, and a good 3 in Hayes.

After getting a draft pick, maybe they could get a center, or Okafor then it'd be pretty good.

by **Bill Russell** on Mon Feb 23, 2004 11:17 pm

Okafor would be the perfect fit for this team... I saw him on Sportscenter Latino America (LOL) and was really impressive... Reminds me of a Hakeem/Big Ben combo (from what I saw...)

by **benji** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:50 am

fgrep15 wrote:The team was pretty good this season, and if they were healthy and played D would've been good.

Actually, defense is not their problem, they have been pretty solid (smack dab in the middle of the league) on defense. Their problem is they can't score, BUT since getting Stackhouse and Arenas back (seven games ago) they've moved from 29th in the league on offense to 27th. So things could be looking up. Add in the fact Kwame appears to have arrived...

They'll still be bad, but they could be good enough to make the playoffs in the East.

by **fgrep15** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 5:57 am

Yea but since Stack returned, they've scored but also gone 2-7, well they had some hard games I guess, Grizzlies, Rockets, Hornets, Pacers and Bucks.

Also their defense is only up because of the stealing machines on the team, good ol Juan Dixon. I mean they let other teams shoot so high, get a lotta dimes, score fairly well, but they cause turnovers by getting steals thats what saves their D.

by **Full Surface** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:08 am

They're first in the league in steals but the bad part is that they're also first in turnovers.

by **fgrep15** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:12 am

I know, they're tied with Atlanta, 16.2, they are also second to Atlanta in opponent steals.

by **Bill Russell** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 6:39 am

Yeah, Arenas, Stack and Hughes turn the ball a lot

by **Full Surface** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 7:28 am

Isn't this Hughes last year in his contract? I doubt he'll return next season..

by **Gripni** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:35 am

Etan Thomas is a restricted free agent after this year. I don't think he will return.

Mitchell Butler is not a point guard, he plays g/f.

Brevin Knight is an unrestricted free agent, as is Chris Whitney and Mitchell Butler. I don't think any of them will return.

Larry Hughes is an unrestricted free agent after 2004-2005.

(Just clearing some things up.)

by **kevC** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:54 am

i like blake... i think he might break out to be a great player... who knows?

by **Full Surface** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:05 pm

Yeah, Etan most likely won't return. Brevin might end up in Charlotte.

by **DipSetVC** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:14 pm

I heard Kwame and Arenas are feuding, just what this team didn't need...

by **Bill Russell** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:52 pm

Hughes signed a 15 mil/3 years contract before last season... I hope he does well... He's one of my favorites (Y)

by **fgrep15** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:06 pm

I like Arenas and Kwame from the Wizards, I like the team actually but the liking increased when they got Arenas. Hughes is the third after those 2, and I really don't like Stack much.

by **Boyk** on Tue Feb 24, 2004 11:22 pm

fgrep15 wrote:I like Arenas and Kwame from the Wizards, I like the team actually but the liking increased when they got Arenas. Hughes is the third after those 2, and I really don't like Stack much.

lol thats the exact same reason i like em a little.
coz im hoping kwame becomes a great player.
arenas is great(wen healthy) and Hughes is the man.
i dont mind stack though.
i also always liked etan thomas to.

by **air gordon** on Wed Feb 25, 2004 2:18 pm

with all their injuries, whatever expectations and questions marks they had coming into this year will be the same next year...

i was happy to see hughes have a good season but a big reason was arenas and stack were out for most of the year. i'm not even sure if those 3 can exist. kwame brown was complaining in the preseason about selfish play and recently he's doing the same now that everyone's back. potential problems here.

i would like to see them go for a veteran who can still play and provide steady leadership.

Washington Wizards (next season)

Washington Wizards (next season)

Who is online