More Wiz Draft Talk

While Minor Thread has many good points, I think the best possibility for the 'Zards is to acquire a star veteran who can increase their offensive and defensive post presence. As mentioned, there are already some young players who are growing into their roles, like Blatche and (possibly) Lang. Captain Blatche, as his friends call him, hs shown to already be a solid rebounder in the (limited) minutes he's gotten. If you extrapolate his reb. and ppg. from this past season to 48 minutes worth of playing time (unrealistic, but for argument's sake) he would've had 14.5 ppg. and 13.3 rpg. Obviously, it doesn't exactly work like that, but Blatche did show promise and got some good experience towards the end of the season due to whatever gypsy curse was on Les Boullez. That and we've heard he may be the next coming of Kevin Garnett. Also, I know somebody who played against him in high school and thought he was scary.
Lang saw less time and really doesn't figure to have as high of a ceiling. However, myabe we can get rid of the "Living Dead Center" aka Calvin Booth and have Lang step into that role. However, given the fact that he averaged about 9 and 5 in the NBDL, I'm not too high on him. I'd be more interested in seeing what Vermeenko can do.

I'd be more interested in trading for a stud, good character, strong defense playing post man. How about Kevin Garnett? Jamison would be a good centerpiece to the trade, along with Brenda and the good Constable Hayes (via sign-and-trade). It works out cap wise if you add some scrub from Minnesota and it would transform the Wiz into instant title contenders. Also, they wouldn't be trading away their young core players (Arenas, Butler, Blatche, Navarro if he ever immigrates, Stevenson) and wouldn't be mortgaging their future for a title. You could also throw in the number one this year if you want, though this will probably be the best offer McHale gets for Garnett, especially considering Minnesota would be getting more ppg. out of the deal, and it would give them a cheap youngish center and role player, as well as cap room if they decide not to keep Jamison (his deal expires after next season...possibly giving the 'Zards a shot at signing him for a less exorbitant deal). Grunfeld shouldn't be worried about losing a first rounder since the team's already going to have two, maybe three young players to develop next season.

I think it's crazy enough to work, especially considering one of the GMs is intelligent and shrewd enough to build a team virtually from scratch and one is a guy who's had a top five player the last ten years and hasn't gotten his team past the first round of the playoffs. Sounds plausible.


(Ernie Grunfeld, far right, and Eddie Jordan, center, in trade negotiations with Kevin McHale, left)