http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/16/AR2009021601244_2.html


Possible silver linings to an otherwise brutal season is that Grunfeld is getting plenty of opportunity to evaluate the youngsters as they play meaningful minutes and the team has a good chance at landing a high pick in the draft lottery.

Possible top picks in this year's draft include Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin, Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet, Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio and Arizona State guard James Harden. However, because the Wizards already have such huge financial commitments, there is a decent chance Grunfeld will consider trading the pick.

The team has about $75.9 million committed to contracts for next season, which would put them over the luxury-tax threshold (it typically rises slightly each year but may not go up next year, depending upon league revenue) before signing a lottery pick.

First-year salaries for players taken at the top of the lottery are between $2.7 million and $4.2 million, and that would place the Wizards significantly over the threshold, something Pollin has avoided in the past. Teams that go over the threshold must pay a dollar-for-dollar tax after the season.

But there are other reasons Grunfeld might try to trade the pick. It could allow him to shed an otherwise difficult-to-trade player -- such as Thomas, who is on the books for $7.4 million next season, or James, who holds a player option for $6.5 million next season -- while adding a valuable veteran.

The last time the Wizards were in the lottery, in 2004, Grunfeld packaged the fifth pick (which turned out to be point guard Devin Harris) with Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner and traded it to Dallas for Jamison.

That move, along with the signing of Arenas as a free agent the previous summer, was crucial in sparking a turnaround that led to four straight playoff appearances. Grunfeld also pulled off one of the best trades in team history when he acquired Butler from the Lakers for Kwame Brown in 2005.

"We'll go into the summer with a lot of assets," Grunfeld said of the potential lottery pick. "We'll have options."

And despite this disastrous season, he is not ready to break up the core of Arenas, Butler and Jamison.

With Thursday's trade deadline looming, Grunfeld said he has received plenty of interest in his players and would consider a move if the right deal came along. But he also would still like to see the current core have a chance to be healthy at the same time.

"I like our players," Grunfeld said. "If you look at our players on paper: Gilbert, Antawn, Caron, DeShawn, Brendan and the collection of other players like Darius, Mike James, Blatche and the young guys, I think we can compete with most teams in the league. But, you have to have the group together for a while so they can develop some chemistry and get a sense of what their roles are. Once we get our group together, there's a solid foundation."

Bear with me folks... I know there's a lot of LeBron love out there, but I'm just not sure that we get a championship by bottoming out the roster, and signing two Max players to go along with Chandler and nothing else.

Signing LeBron and Bosh also requires that the salary cap goes up as it has in the past. It looks like it may go down now.

If we can pick players like Jennings, and Patterson out of the 09 draft and take the contracts off of the books for Washington that they can't handle, like Jamison, then you could argue that we're in a much better position going forward.

You'd have a core of Jennings, Patterson, Lee, Nate, Chandler, Jamison, Gallo and you could resign Duhon, Al, or both if you wanted to.

Then 2009/2010 wouldn't be the barren year that it will be otherwise if we have to let Lee and Nate walk.

Well, I don't agree, but I don't think you're off your rocker for thinking that... there has only been one major UFA signing that has netted a championship (Shaq). No other major UFA signing has been underlying structure to a championship team. Trades and drafting are the only tried and true methods to a championship team.

I do think the team needs to get its cap properly structured though before making any trades or drafting for need, etc. The team needs to maintain maximum flexibility until it gets to the point where management can seriously entertain championship aspirations. Making a drastic move now, I think, would be foolhearty, unless the team can somehow trade for a young superstar today.

[Edited by - supremecommander on 02-17-2009 2:58 PM]

I would trade Rose and a second round pick to Washington for their unprotected 1st round pick and any player they have whose contract expires by the summer of 2010. If we get an extra shot at Blake Griffin, we should go for it.

I wonder which contract they want to get rid of the most.

Arenas? Is there no chance of him coming back as the same player?

Posted by MS:

Curry/Nate/Jefferies for Arenas

No way Wash goes for that. If they did, I'm down to drive them to Washington myself.

Posted by JohnWallace44:

^^^
Really? Maybe in a few months Arenas is healthy again. Curry and Jeffries eat up the cap anyway.

I'd have to know Arenas' health better than I do to know what he's worth. He may be completely done for all I know.

here's the latest on arenas:

http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/arenas_update_080303.html


Gilbert Arenas Injury Update


The Washington Wizards announced that 3-time All-Star, Gilbert Arenas, has been cleared to return to practice.

While Arenas has been cleared by team doctors, the team has stated that they will continue to monitor his progress and there is no set date for his return. Although there has been no timetable set, Arenas stated that he will begin practicing with the team tomorrow.

"Right now I just need to get back on the floor. I will go through these practices and try to get a rhythm again. They cleared me to go out there and go full speed and I'm just going to try to take it slow."

An injury earlier this season after a grueling off-season rehab program has helped Arenas temper his expectations for a quick return. Whereas the battle to return the first time was a physical one with his knee, Arenas believes this time it will be more mental.

"I don't want to get hurt again. Two injuries back-to-back kind of messes with a guys head. I'm just going to try to take it slow. I'm going to work out tomorrow before practice. I'll do my leg work and then I'll practice with the team. Everyday I'm going to build up the confidence mentally."

While Arenas is now cleared for full practice, he has slowly started to get back into a groove by playing rookie Nick Young in 1-on-1 after practice. Joining in the games have also been Oleksiy Pecherov and DeShawn Stevenson.

"It's good practice for me because (Nick) is a scorer," said Arenas. "It gets me back to defending a scoring player again. It helps me with my confidence every drive I hit, every jumper I make, it helps my confidence."

Stay tuned to WashingtonWizards.com for the most up to date coverage on Gilbert Arenas's return.

I havent heard anything to suggest that he is done. He might lose a step, but to me it would be completely worth the risk if it meant getting rid of Curry and Jefferies. If it worked out, it could be a coup.

Arenas + draft pick + free agents...eek.

Do the Knicks have their 2nd rounder this year?

How does AJ Price sound as a good backup PG?

You'd really want to get Blatche, McGee, or Young and the pick back, and maybe they'll never do that, but if you could accomplish that, I'd take back almost anything from the Wiz.

The thing with their bad contracts is that the guys can at least play some ball.

Jamison, Arenas and Butler may have their issues, but they can play. Not exactly like Curry and Jerome.

Posted by sebstar:

Butler on the other hand...

I Love Tough Juice