I love the Wiz trade!
Call me a homer, but I'm a huge fan of the trade that Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld orchestrated yesterday, shipping the #5 pick in the NBA Draft and a collection of bench stiffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guards Mike Miller and Randy Foye.
Are the Wizards guard-heavy after this deal? Absolutely, but it's a necessity, with the health concerns plaguing Gilbert Arenas over the past two seasons. Randy Foye is a young (25), 6'4" combo guard who has improved his scoring average by three points per season since being taken in the 2006 NBA Draft. Did the Timberwolves make a huge blunder by trading present All-Star Brandon Roy for Foye? Of course they did, but that should fall on the Wolves' front office, not Foye. I believe a change of scenery will do wonders for Foye, who was constantly reminded by T'Wolves fans that he wasn't Brandon Roy. Foye, Roy...I know, it gets confusing!
New addition Mike Miller fills a glaring need in the three-pointers department for Washington; without Gilbert Arenas in 2008-09, the Wizards shot just 33% from beyond the arc, 2nd-worst in the NBA. I'll take a guy like Miller who has shot 40% for his career from three-point land. With a healthy Arenas and Miller on the floor at the same time, the Wizards will have two long-distance snipers that defenses will have to respect.
Some would argue the Wizards gave up too much to acquire Foye and Miller; I beg to differ! Look at the #5 picks in the NBA Draft in the past decade: Kevin Love, Jeff Green, Shelden Williams, Raymond Felton, Devin Harris, Dwyane Wade, Nikolaz Tskitishvili, Jason Richardson, Mike Miller, and Jonathan Bender. Obviously, outside of Wade and Harris, not exactly a murderers row of NBA talent. Blake Griffin is the clear #1 pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, and the gap between him and the next tier of players is enormous. Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld apparently wasn't sold on adding a youngster like Arizona's Jordan Hill or Arizona State's James Harden to the mix, so he chose to trade for a seasoned veteran in Miller and a lottery pick just three years removed in Foye.
As for the departure of Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila, and Oleksiy Pecherov, I won't lose a second of sleep (wearing my sleep apnea mask, of course) about them leaving for the midwest. I just need to hire Thomas' agent; he had a clause in his contract that calls for a $1.2 million bonus if he is traded from the Wizards. I'm guessing it took him all of two seconds to agree to the deal. Etan Thomas is a nice guy, but it turns out he's a way better poet than he is a basketball player. Songaila was a nice role player, but I could get down the court faster than that glacier. And Pech? I guess he didn't turn into the Wizards' version of Dirk Nowitzki like they hoped he would when he was picked 18th in the 2006 NBA Draft. Let's draft a skinny European with a bad haircut who doesn't play a lick of defense...what a disaster.
Let's have some faith in Ernie Grunfeld; he knows he needs to add a big man or two to compete for roster spots on this guard-laden team. The departure of Thomas, Songaila, and Pecherov paves the way for more playing time for youngsters JaVale McGee, Dominic McGuire, and Andray Blatche. And Ernie might still have a few tricks up his sleeve before draft night is over. How about Antawn Jamison and DeShawn Stevenson in a package deal for a rugged power forward? A team that needs some scoring punch to put them over the playoff hump just might bite on that deal.
Don't listen to all the haters...this was a good deal for the Wizards, and you'll see it paying dividends throughout the 2009-10 season.
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Categories (click for archive)John Auville | Junkies |
Botched Vacation Auville, obviously Chris Farley has allowed you to learn some facts about the Wizards, but one thing he neglected to tell you is that the Wiz have an eternally punched ticket to a first round playoff exit at best.
This is what happens when Grunfeld stays around for too long. Do you remember the end of his tenure in Milwaukee? Thw Wizards now have a pair of undersized starting two guards.
I am glad that you praise the Wizards for getting Mike Miller then later on when you name the #5 picks that are not a murderers row of talent, Mike Miller appears there as well. So does he have talent or not? Box thinking not to realize you kind of contradict yourself.
"Songaila was a nice role player, but I could get down the court faster than that glacier."
Yeah but at least Songaila doesn't run down the court with his palms up! Oh wait, sorry, you're Usain Bolt Auville now due to the tutelage of Chris Farley, my bad.
Plus, who do you think you are, J-Pedia or something, comparing yourself to an NBAer as if you're John Paul "I'm comparable to Steve Nash" Flaim!
As for the trade, it's much too early to love it yet. I agree that Miller is a nice addition, filling a desperate need for perimeter shooting. But ultimately, this deal will be judged by comparing Foye to whoever's picked 5th (just like he'll never escape the Roy comparison). And while this draft may lack overall depth (other than PGs), I think it has plenty of star power at the top.
It all depends on who's left at number 5. I'm not sold on Rubio, but I know E.B. will be distraught if his boy Tyreke Evans falls to 5. Evans has more potential than Foye. If somehow Thabeet falls to 5, that would make this deal terrible, cuz you know how tough it is to get powerful bigs. You Junks disrespect him (J.P.: "Hatheem Thabeet") and compare him to Mutombo, but hey, getting a top defensive center who's athletic enough to score inside when open is a great start. He can slowly develop his postgame in the years to come, but more importantly, he's a LOCK to be a stud defensively, and the Wiz can use that more than anything.
Of course he shouldn't be there - chances are, it'll be Evans, Rubio, or Harden that slips to number 5. If Harden is there, then I say it was a bad deal for the Wiz, cuz he will be a better player than Foye, especially when you're teaming him up with Arenas. Foye and Arenas are both combo guards, and that can work okay to a point (Baron Davis and Monta Ellis were a nice duo two years ago in GS), but it's not ideal. It'll leave them undersized on D.
Harden has a sweet lefty stroke from deep and is great at taking it to the hole and drawing contact to get to the line. He's savvy. That's his best attribute - his basketball IQ. He has tremendous court vision and passing skills, so to get that from a legit 6'5" SG, it adds up to: a lefty version of Brandon Roy! Uh oh, for Foye's sake, you better hope Harden is taken before number 5.
This doesn't make them a better team than what we had in 2007-2008 and prior, during the Gil years. They may do better than in 2008-2009, but that is not saying much. The only way for them to really make the leap would be for them to get a real power forward who could give them 15-10, as opposed to a "4" who runs away from the basket when the ball goes up. The team may make the playoffs, but they aren't competing with Boston (presuming that KG's knee is OK), Orlando, and Cleveland for the East's spot in the Finals next year.
You should trade Momma Wortheimer and one of your annoying dogs for a calendar and set of stones. Don't worry, I've already cleared the transaction with Farley.
Dude. Why you disrespectin' the world's most popular sport. We powned Spain yesterday and it was the #1 sports story all around the world and you donks can't be bothered to blog about that?
NUBS.
Dear John,
I don't believe you ran this post through me for my approval. I would expect this to be down by the time you get home tomorrow. Since I do not like the apparent trade by the Wizards, you will feel the same way.
P.S. I also need you to get your daughters head out of the banister, and please tell your son who's running like a simpleton around the house that he is NOT a ghost.
Love you baby.
Nice way to stand up for the Wiz by saying nothing when EB was whinning like a little girl yesterday, then posting on MASN soon after. Good Job!
P.S. let me know when you grow some...or do you need Amy's approval first.
Yeah, the trade looks fine, but what about Kwame Brown?
hey jawwwwnn, i think it would be a good idea if you went running friday night to monday morning....and dont worry i will look after amy. i have a new workout plan i want her to try out....
The Zizards make great picks in the draft. Stop hating Mr Wortheimer and play tackle football with your son, donkey.
Mr. Auville,
We at Kiawah Island heard that you are most unpleased with your travel arrangements this season. As one of our most loyal guests we would like to invite you to extend your stay with us not only for the week after the Fourth of July. How does the entire month of July sound? We will contact Mr. Farley on your behalf.
Hey pops,
Chris Farley came over after you left for work this morning and i saw him and mom wrestling.
also if you want my shoes in a box...do it yourself
also i am playing tackle football this fall and if you dont like it you can get the heisman.
The Wiz need to trade Arenas Now while there is still some value for him!!! The Man can,t stay healthy.
Dad,
I am hungry. Go ask mommy if I can have a snack
Brendan