You da man Ivan! Keep up the good work.

This is exciting news for those of us who are a little worried when looking in the rearview mirror, knowing that the magic, bobcats and, dare i say, hawks are going to be much improved. The optimism surrounding Pecherov and now JCN means that the Wizards have gotten better w/out having to give anything up.

Not knowing what kind of play JCN is, it's hard to say what the wiz should do, but here are my thoughts. If JCN is a scoring point guard that can come off the bench and possibly play with Arenas, then I would consider packaging Daniels and Haywood/Thomas for somebody. JCN is younger than A.D. and probably better. And if he fits the mold of other european players, then he should be able to improve the Wizards' offensive flow.

I'm not really into James Posey. Where would he play. The Zards are loaded at the 3. If JCN is such a hot commodity, then they've got to hold for more than a player of Posey's caliber.

Great stuff Ivan.

The Wizards have a luxury tax problem. After signing Pecherov, Young, McGuire and resigning Blatche, they're only going to be able to spend about $4-5M on free agents. (This assumes that Blatche is signed to something around $4M) They might have as much as the full MLE if the luxury tax threshold jumps more than expected. But that's about it.

What the Wizards need is a big guard or SG/SF who can defend the bigger SG's in the league. Navarro isn't going to cut it. Maybe Nick Young can be that guy, but the scouting report says he's not a very good defender.

The way I see it, there isn't enough room for both Antonio Daniels and Navarro. One of them needs to be traded.

My favorite option would be to get Memphis to take Etan off our hands (they're under the cap) in exchange for giving them Navarro's rights. That would free up about $6.3M in additional cap space which we could use to acquire a big, defensive-minded SG or SG/SF.

man, I'm a dork. Seems like Ivan and I are the the only ones on the internet today. that's what studying for the bar will do.

What about some sort of sign and trade involving JCN with Orlando for Darko? Are the Wiz even interested in him. Orlando needs someone other than Jameer Nelson running the point.

Interesting news from Mr. Carter.. from the reports I've read, part of JCN's deal with Barcelona is a promise on his part not to play for any other European team if he plays in the Euro league again. Which makes sense - why would Barcelona's GM be so foolish as to release JCN, only to have him go to Real Madrid? So I'm inclined to think this is the real deal: Juan Carlos is coming to the NBA.

I don't know what to make of a potential sign-&-trade for Posey. He's always seemed like an erratic player, and I recall that he's had some injury issues in the past couple years. I don't like the idea of sending a potential star to the Wizards' biggest rival, either.

I wonder how much money JCN would ask for? Part of it would certainly factor the amount that he would have to pay Barcelona, reputed to be in the range of $3 million.

I think I speak for the WizardsNation when I say dear God no to the Posey for Navarro rumor.

I for one would rather have Juan Carlos (in part just to hear Bucko saying Juan Carlos in full throat) then Stevenson. But if he must be traded then the other team should be required to take Etan.

In response to a previous poster: I believe Darko Milicic is a free agent, and Orlando will be letting him go now that they've got Rashard Lewis. But it's because they can't afford him, and given the salary cap, the Wizards probably couldn't afford him, either, unless they unloaded some salaries first. Sounds like Etan isn't going anywhere, but the Brendan feud with EJ might spell the end of his career in Washington, and that's a significant chunk of change.

"I think I speak for the WizardsNation when I say dear God no to the Posey for Navarro rumor."

Amen.

Am I crazy? Why, why in the world would we make a trade with Miami (of all teams) sending them a hot commodity for James Posey??? Can someone explain to me how this would help US?

James F-in Posey?! Really?! Who's in charge here? Wes Unseld?

""I think I speak for the WizardsNation when I say dear God no to the Posey for Navarro rumor."

Amen."

HALLELUYA

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! James Posey stinks...Ernie, you are better than that. We need JCN here unless we can get a good "big" for him.

Ivan, thanks for the update but you must be kidding. James Posey? Must be rumor mongering (wishful thinking) out of the Heat camp. He is just a duplicate of what we already have, though maybe a little better defensively. An upgade to Jarvis Hayes but so what!! Certainly not a big scoring threat off of the bench like JCN might be.

Package the JCN rights, if they're determined to trade them, with other contracts to fill the need of a rebounding center, not another "tweener" that has little value to the roster.

For those who don't know, Ivan will be on Wpl at 5p tonight on comcast sports net.

If the Wiz "recieve some nibbles" for Etan, they definitely should consider it. Unloading that contract for a non-contributor would be great almost no matter what is on the other end of the deal.

And as for JCN to Real Madrid? Seriously doubt it, remember the Figo incident a couple of years ago when the fans threw a pighead (yes!) against Figo went out to take a corner kick. Some transfers you just don't do.

Yeah, I'll be on Wash Post Live with my boy Gene Wang tonight at 5 with all kinds of Wiz news. E-mail the show and I'll try to answer any questions on the air.

In a perfect world we'd package JCN and Etan and trade them to the Griz for Lowry. We'd have cap room and a good young PG.

Ivan, wait... don't go just yet. How you gonna drop a Etan bomb like that and don't even give us info on who they might be talking to?

James Posey??? What, was Michael Doleac untouchable???

Ivan, on washpostlive, just tell us everything you know about the JCN and the coaching staff situations.

M.E.G. -- stop goofing around and study! You'll only have to do this once if you do it right the first time.

In a perfect world, I'd be gettin a lap dance right now.

Let me add to the chorus on this one. Why in the name of all that is reasonable would the Wizards give up Navarro for James Posey. How does that make the Wizards better?

The sign and trade deal with Posey seems idiotic. In essence the wizards would be trading a valuable player for the opportunity to sign a streaky player (Posey) who is a free-agent. The wizards should be able to get much more than that for Navarro. And if they are that enamored with Posey then they could sign him outright and leave Stevenson out of the mix

Add my hearty "ahhhhhHELLLLLLLLLLLLLnaw" vote to the once-discussed (and hopefully long-forgotten) JCN-James Posey sign-and-trade.

Ditto to the Posey trade. That is crazy. I think the only way the Wiz can get rid of Etan is to include the rights to JCN.

That would clear cap room and then we could make a run at Darko. Come on Ernie lets do it....

After suggesting Darko in the last entry, I've had a sudden change of heart. Darko is looking for $10 mil his first year (in a 5 year deal with escalators) - well out of our price range. Let's just hope Navarro can play some solid minutes and keep our guys (we were pretty good last year when guys weren't injured).

Since the Grizzlies are trying to land a big man right now like Varejao, Moore or Milicic, perhaps it's the first step in a Etan-JCN deal with the Wizards.

Sure would have been nice to go after Darko. I think he'd be perfect in Eddie Jordan's system that likes its centers in the high-post. He's got the skills to flourish in such a system. I wonder if there is any other way to make room for Darko?

What's up with this team.. Can't they get it right? Ever?

JCN for ???

Keep the guy for a year.. If he was a champion in Europe he will most like be a champ here..

Come on Ernie... What are you thinking or drinking?

What's up with this team.. Can't they get it right? Ever?

JCN for ???

Keep the guy for a year.. If he was a champion in Europe he will most like be a champ here..

Come on Ernie... What are you thinking or drinking?

What's up with this team.. Can't they get it right? Ever?

JCN for ???

Keep the guy for a year.. If he was a champion in Europe he will most like be a champ here..

Come on Ernie... What are you thinking or drinking?

"..the Wizards and Heat have discussed a a sign-and-trade that would send Navarro's rights to South Beach for James Posey."

Nooooooo, dammit! I agree with George on this one.

Ivan you just crushed my hopes man. :(

Just say NO to Posey! :P

- Ray

One thing to keep in mind: Let's say the Wizards want to sign DeShawn first, and that it will cost them $4 million in the first year, for example. That would leave about $2 million (the rest of the MLE) for Navarro. If Navarro doesn't want to sign for that amount, that doesn't mean he can sign with any other NBA team. His only other option would be to stay overseas. As long as the Wizards offer him the slotted amount for the 40th pick in the 2002 draft, the Wizards keep his rights. So, the Wizards could sign DeShawn this summer, and try again with Navarro next summer. This guy's been making the Wizards wait for a long time. There's no reason that the Wizards have to drop everything and change their plans because Navarro suddenly wants to play in the NBA now.

I'd like to keep Navarro next year. He could be the missing link.

The Wiz need a shooting guard who can shoot. A shooting guard who shoots opens up the floor for everyone else. Stevenson and Daniels can't really shoot. So JCN all of a sudden falls into the Wiz' laps and they want to trade him?

Not only can JCN shoot, but he is a winner, a champ, and can play team ball. I have been looking forward to JCN for years, following his development on European reports. So now we finally get him and turn around and dump him for some 30 year old who adds nothing?

Why on earth would we even consider making any kind of deal with the freaking Miami Heat? Ernie simply cannot be that dang stupid. No way on this earth can we trade a piece to a team that has owned us for years.

I'm interested in James Posey in the same way that I'm interested in being awake for hernia surgery.

IC, the scouting reports I've seen on JCN basically say he's a poor man's Manu. I want that. I'd love to have a dude that is buckets if left open. I want the flopping, the european style of sharing the rock. Gimme some of that.

HOLD IT!! The Zards have tons of offense, a guy like Posey is clutch - he can shut down a sc,sf and , by the way, Nowitzki (he and Haslem shut him down). He's that kind of dirty player who can be a streak 3 point shooter the team needs. JCN is a good player, but it's not like he's a Spanish AI, he's an offensive threat, a 2-guard in a 1 guard's body. Using Posey on Wade, Johnson and Richardson is where the Wiz need Posey.

POSEY IS A FREE AGENT!!!!!

The thing is; Posey is a free agent. The wozards arent forced to deal with the heat.

The Wizards would prove to be a loser organization if after all this time, they finally can have JCN on their team, but end up trading his rights to another team. It would be a sad day for the Wizards, especially if they get Posey in return.

"JCN is simply talking the NBA talk right now to drive his price up in Europe so he can get a fat offer from a team like Madrid"

This theory is unreal. Plain silly. He's going to the nba, the buyout that has been lowered it's only the nba related. The other one, for euro teams, stays the same.

If he goes to Madrid, he should have to forget to live again in Barcelona, ever.

"JCN is simply talking the NBA talk right now to drive his price up in Europe so he can get a fat offer from a team like Madrid"

This theory is unreal. Plain silly. He's going to the nba, the buyout that has been lowered it's only the nba related. The other one, for euro teams, stays the same.

If he goes to Madrid, he should have to forget to live again in Barcelona, ever.

"Gimme some of that."

LOL!

Where you been at BK? :)

I agree. The Wiz can't be that dumb.

- Ray

Navarro for James Posey???

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Not even Unseld would do that.

I'd like to see the guy play, but if he can be swapped with Etan or Brendan for something CRUCIAL, then do it.

It doesn't matter anyway, we're all Bullets fans, right? In the end, we'll suffer and/or celebrate, regardless.

Have you seen this video before?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9JLJunoxlc

Finally, and most importantly, a shout out to the memory of the all members of the Continental Army.

"I think I speak for the WizardsNation when I say dear God no to the Posey for Navarro rumor."

Amen."

HALLELUYA

Can I get a witness?!

"After suggesting Darko in the last entry, I've had a sudden change of heart. Darko is looking for $10 mil his first year (in a 5 year deal with escalators) - well out of our price range."

It's also well out of the price range of any team that might be interested in signing him. No one is going to give him a $50-$60 mill deal based on the sliver of promise he's showed so far.

Here's the thing...

Doesn't it tell you something if a bunch of teams are HIGHLY interested in a player that you own the rights to?

The ONLY way you trade his rights is if you get something good in return as Shotgun says and it better darn well be a big man.

Otherwise stick him in a Wiz uni and go with it. Dear God, not Posey though. EG can't possibly be that dumb.

"Can I get a witness?!"

Amen to that brother! ;)

Ivan, where you at? I agree with what MarcBarcelona said. You better knock some sense into EG and company and ask him what the heck is he thinking if he considers that deal with Miami.

And why Miami of all teams in the NBA? They have no respect for Washington, just ask Alonzo.

- Ray

Navarro is back again....

I am not thrilled about Posey (depending on the contract), but the dude does play defense. Think the Wiz need another 1/2 guard for more offense and no defense. Didn't we just draft Nick Young?

I'm thinking the only way Ernie is thinking about doing this deal is because the Heat have agreed to take Etan off of our hands. Ernie is not that dumb to make a trade for someone who you can get via free agency without a trade, is he??????

Translation - The Heat get Navarro (who they covet), Posey gets his 6 or 7 million dollar contract (because he will get a lot less on the open market because teams are strapped), and most importantly the Wizards are able to unload Etan (whom they have been trying to trade since the beginnig of the season (another hint for you Eddie....)

Although I must admit Posey plays some pretty "nasty" defense on the opposing teams 2's and 3's. He also has a nice "j" and he is a veteran.

Ernie must have told Ivan a about a "small part" of a larger deal. Haywood does not have to be "packaged" because there are teams who want him straight up, unlike Etan. Again, Eddie are you reading this and listening??

If Ernie can pull this trade off (including Etan) I am fully for it. Then as I said before we can use Etan's cap savings and MLE to offer Darko a contract he can't refuse.

I would then start him at the "5" and then have Haywood come off of the bench. Or better yet, if a team that is under the cap wants Haywood, and is willing to give a low end first round pick (i.e. Spurs, Suns, Dallas, Pistons) I would take that in a heartbeat. Thoughts....???

Correction on those teams I mentioned for Haywood. They are all close to or over the cap. Maybe it could be a high 2nd rounder with someone like the Grizzles or the Bobcats.

Taking Etan off our hands isn't reason enough to do a S&T for Posey on a multi-year MLE deal that would probably cost more money and run more years than Etan has left. Posey is 30 years old, has had a bunch of injury problems the last few years, and his production has declined.

Who are the teams that have made straight up offers for Haywood?

"Taking Etan off our hands isn't reason enough to do a S&T for Posey on a multi-year MLE deal that would probably cost more money and run more years than Etan has left."

Exactly.

Posey wants a sign and trade because he will get more money that way. Miami isn't going to pay him that and neither is anyone else.

That's such a desperate move and would be as bad as trading Kwame for Caron.

I hope it's not true. - Ray

Um, for those who say Posey "adds nothing"....

The Wizards don't have a starting 2 under contract. Think about that.

"The Wizards don't have a starting 2 under contract. Think about that."

Orrrr they can sign Navarro.

They drafted Young and could also give Stevenson that money. I'd rather have Stevenson back then give Posey, Etan Thomas-like money.

That IS a Wes Unseld trade.

It's a bad all around deal.

- Ray

Wow...a lot has happened this afternoon. Told you EG was up to something. But I also don't think Ernie is dumb enough to do the Navarro for Posey straight up. If it is part of a bigger picture to solve the center situation as Mikie theorizes it makes sense. Posey would help our wing defense, but MacGuire was drafted to do that. I hope they get something done by Vegas so we can know what to look for in the new players. Will they be looking at Pech or Blatche to give time at the 5? These movements will mean a lot for what those 2 will be expected to do.

Wow...a lot has happened this afternoon. Told you EG was up to something. But I also don't think Ernie is dumb enough to do the Navarro for Posey straight up. If it is part of a bigger picture to solve the center situation as Mikie theorizes it makes sense. Posey would help our wing defense, but MacGuire was drafted to do that. I hope they get something done by Vegas so we can know what to look for in the new players. Will they be looking at Pech or Blatche to give time at the 5? These movements will mean a lot for what those 2 will be expected to do.

I hear ya on the Unseld reference, none of us want those days to return.

I do think it would be expecting a lot of JCN to think of him as a starter, he needs to prove himself first. I'm not a huge Posey guy but he does bring some defensive skills to the table that were clearly missing the last few years.

Can they sign Navarro and Stevenson? Ivan's article makes this seem unlikely.

Kalarama - Question for buddy. How would a 3 year year deal at 6 million for Posey cost more then the 3 years Etan has left on his contract starting at 7.5 million and ending at around 9 or 10 in his last year?

All I know is I just want Etan gone at all cost (even on a questionable trade like this one). Etan is like Jarvis to Eddie. Eddie can not resist to play them even at the expense of hurting the team and not giving someone else on the team a fair opportunity.

If it was up to me, I would love for Etan and Haywood to be gone. I am so tried of this back and forth about Haywood and Etan. Neither one of them are starting centers. But if I was forced to choose between the two, I have to go with the 7 footer, because he is a 7 footer.

I have never pretended to say Haywood is an all-star or a legit starter, but for what we have now, he wins over Etan in my book "hands down".

As for your last question, the suiters asking for Haywood, no idea. Ivan and someone in the Times a week or two ago mentioned there were at least 5 teams asking for Haywood, but Ernie did not feel he would be getting equal value back for him so he is not "pulling the trigger". (Another example on how differently Ernie and Eddie look at Haywood).

If it was up to Eddie, he probably would have traded Haywood for Michael ("The Kandi-Man") Olikandi straight up and thought he got the better of the deal.

My last question before I log off is why does Navarro fall under the ML if the Wiz drafted him in the second round?

It's not like he's an FA right?

Someone else blogged this, but it just dawned on me as well and I don't think anyone picked up on it.

Ivan, you have some 'splainin to do! ;)

- Ray

"How would a 3 year year deal at 6 million for Posey cost more then the 3 years Etan has left on his contract."

Because Posey wants that same kind of money, he wants 6 mil a year and no one outside of NY is going to pay him that and he knows it.

Again, why would Navarro fall under the ML is the Wiz DRAFTED him in the 2nd round?

- Ray

Ray,

Navarro is a 2nd round pick. 2nd round picks are not slotted. They can be signed for anything, but are treated kind of like a FA with the salary cap. So, the Wiz would have to use the normal exceptions to sign him: MLE, LLE, Rookie Minimum. Typically, 2nd rounders sign for the rookie minimum. I haven't read anything that specifically addresses 2nd rounders in the CBA (except the Arenas thing).
So absent hard evidence, this seems to be the rule to me. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

-MichaelT

Thanks MT. :)

Everything I read on this site basically says he would count against the actual cap, but NOT the ML.

However, it would be possible to do a "sign and trade" and not have it count against the cap.....I *think*.

Sucks. :(

http://members.cox.net/lmcoon/salarycap.htm

- Ray

"A sign-and-trade deal can be made even with players who have been renounced, but cannot be made when the player is signed using the Mid-Level, Bi-Annual or Disabled Player exceptions."

Hmmm, I'm lost. :P

- Ray

Wiz have the MLE and BYE (1.8 or so) to work with. They can be combined and split however they choose. I'm glad to hear they don't automatically assume they can't get both Deshawn and Navarro under contract.

I see no reason to give Posey more than a one year deal if this even comes close to happening. That way Etan/Posey is off the books after one season. Etan currently has 3 years and 20.59 left on his deal.

JJ,

The MLE and LLE Can NOT be combined. You are right that they can be split, however.

Ray,

Any draft pick that is signed can NOT be traded for 30 days. The CBA and cbafaq.com only says draft pick (that I have found), so I assume it also applies to 2nd round picks. After 30 days I have no idea. So, I think we can only trade his rights. I could be wrong, as there isn't much stuff that specifically mentions 2nd round picks that I've found.

-Michael T

DCMAN88- DO NOT RESPOND TO HIM OR ACKNOWLEDGE HIM HE USES INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ON THIS FORUM

mikie, Etan's salary is 6.3M this year, not 7.5M, so essentially you're gonna trade Etan for Posey for almost exact money? Not saying Posey isn't worth some minutes on this team, but really no thanks especially for JCN.

If we're gonna spend 4-5M/year on a swingman with some defense and upside, I'd rather give it to Pietrus since it's looking like GS might not want to spend too much with Ellis and Biedrins getting their 2nd contracts next summer and Nellie liking Barnes a bit more.

DCMAN88- DO NOT RESPOND TO HIM OR ACKNOWLEDGE HIM HE USES INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ON THIS FORUM

DCMAN88- DO NOT RESPOND TO HIM OR ACKNOWLEDGE HIM HE USES INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ON THIS FORUM

On JCN's salary, I'm willing to bet that it in fact does not count against the MLE. Think about it: Young, McGuire, and more importantly Pesh all don't count against the MLE, just the cap. There's not much difference between Pesh and JCN in that Wiz hold both their rights, just one has been stashed in Europe forever and one only since last year. So it seems that if Abe is willing, we CAN keep both DS and JCN salary-wise, we'll just be a few more million over the cap.

DCMAN88- DO NOT RESPOND TO HIM OR ACKNOWLEDGE HIM HE USES INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ON THIS FORUM

just had to chime in to add my name to the list of H#$%#@@ no to posey

The difference between Pech and JCN is that Pech was a first rounder; different rules apply.

DCMAN88- DO NOT RESPOND TO HIM OR ACKNOWLEDGE HIM HE USES INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ON THIS FORUM

amalg, you're right that Pesh was a 1st rounder, but that difference doesn't mean anything with the argument against the MLE or not. 1st rounders have slotted salaries with a 2 year guaranteed contract whereas 2nd rounders do not have any guaranteed years and the money is not so structured or slotted. In either case, neither 1st or 2nd rounders in the draft do not count against the MLE, like Young and McGuire do not. JCN applies here as well.

DCMAN88- DO NOT RESPOND TO HIM OR ACKNOWLEDGE HIM HE USES INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ON THIS FORUM

What about tring to go the other way with Memphis i.e. any combination of Haywood and/or Etan ,Stephenson,Daniels for Gasol?

Interesting that people are mentioning that even Wes Unseld wouldn't do the Posey trade. Unseld really wanted Posey about 6 or 8 years ago, but couldn't put together a package for Denver to get it done. Trading for a 24 year old Posey made sense. NOW, however?
And why on earth would you prefer a 30 year old Posey to a 26 year old Stevenson, when they are both pretty much the same player, Stevenson would cost less, Stevenson already knows your system, and Stevenson wouldn't cost you Navarro!!!

Hi, this is a comment from a Spanish basketball fan.

It's a matter of honor: Navarro will NEVER leave Barcelona to go to Madrid, much less use them for a raise somewhere else. Could you ever imagine Larry Bird as a Laker? It's the same stuff. He truly wants to go to the NBA. Outside the NBA, there's nowhere he'd rather be than in Barcelona.

OK lets clear this all up once and for all:
No you can not combine the exceptions.

2nd round picks are not slotted salaries.

Most 2nd round picks are just happy to make a team and take the minimum.

Navarro isn't just happy to make a team so he wants more that the minimum.

The Wiz are OVER the cap, so they only thing else they have to offer Navarro is part of the MLE.

That is why Navarro counts against the MLE.

Ivan good job, i always get the update on my favorite sports team becos of ur hard work...appreciate it

Ivan good job, i always get the update on my favorite sports team becos of ur hard work...appreciate it

The MLE and BAE can't be "combined" but you can give Deshawn a starting salary of 4 million that with 10% raises would come to 4 years 18.5 million.

I thought you could use what is left under the MLE (1.8 or so) in addition to the bi-annual exemption which would allow JCN a starting salary of 3.6+ that with regular escalation would come close to Navarro's asking price over 3 years. If the above is not allowed, I don't see how they get both.

Who in the heII wants James Posey? We had him once and got rid of him. Maybe, MAYBE if he was 22 I'd consider it. If we agree to that trade, I'm resigning as a fan of the Wizards. JCN is supposedly a very good player. We need to keep him and let DeShawn go if he doesn't agree to our base offer. DeShawn is a nice player but we saw what he did in the playoffs. JCN is a big-game veteran (I've seen numerous comparisons to Ginobli.) Also, we need to trade Daniels to another team that is looking for a good backup point. He was among the leadsers in assists during the playoffs and proved his value.

Why not JCN and Etan Thomas for Udonis Haslem and some filler?

James Posey??

I would take Jarvis with a bad knee over him.

I'd take Wes back as GM before I'd take Posey.

I'd take Labradford Smith over James Posey.

I'd take Leron Profit over James Posey.

I'd take Anthony Peeler back before James Posey.

I'd take Phil Chenier and Kevin Greevey or Jeff Malone in their current condition over James Posey.

Making another team better, the team that was won the division every year of it's existence makes zero sense.

Damn the rumors I say.

After reading the posts, I like the Etan/JCN package in a sign and trade for Milicic. At worst, Darko is a younger, taller upgrade to Etan. If Etan is getting 7 mil per year and JCN is worth 3 or so, the numbers would work for a Darko trade. I've seen Milicic play and though he's no star, he DOES have shot blocking ability, can shoot and is only 22. I say give him 8 or 9 mil a year (it's the only way we get him. he wouldn't take less) . Jamison's contract ends after this year, so we should be able to handle it.

My biggest complaint about the rumor is that we would contemplate any kind of trade with Miami (unless it included Shaq or Wade). They have beaten us down for years....why would we want to help them???

I agree with the masses on this one. Posey for JCN is dumb! However, Posey isn't that bad a player and the Wiz could use a strong defender like him. But for a team that finished dead last in bench points, why would you want to trade away a proven scorer? But here's a question for the forum. Stevie is getting bought out of his contract by the Blazers. Wouldn't he be a better upgrade than JCN off the bench? Come home Stevie Wonder!!!

This Tyrone Nesby ..uh I mean James Posey trade talk is killing me. We oughtta keep JCN, trade AD and keep it moving. If Deshawn doesn't take our 3 year/10 mill offer, we have a backup. JCN can start til Nick Young is ready. Better yet, Caron should be at the '2' to give us better size. Blatche should be starting at the 3 anyway. This is what I see for this coming year: Gil, caron, Blatche, Antawn, and Pech/Haywood starting, Nick Young and JCN gunning off the bench, Jarvis Hayes at Giant Foods, AD back in Seattle, Ruffin backing up Jarvis at Giant Foods, McGuire coming off the bench playing D, Deshawn taking 1 mil on principle from Memphis, Etan getting hurt again but still on the roster, Donell backing up Gil and JCN, Roger Mason struggling to make the team, Lee Humphrey in the NDBL hoping for a call up,Songaila coming off the bench with solid play, Booth stealing money again by playing well for 4 games a year. No offense to any of those guys but if I'm right and we have no major injuries, this oughtta get us to 50 wins.

I have no problem with Posey coming to the Wizards. If DeShawn doesn't take the Wizards offer, offer $2 million a year to Posey and use the rest to sign JCN.

As for Steve Francis, C.Bell, that would be great if he would take the veteran's minimum to be the 3rd string PG.

Mark, I think its dangerous to look only at the playoffs when doling out salaries. Thats how Tim Thomas got ANOTHER huge contract after basically waiting out his last one on the bench or at home: one good month. Thats not a statement against AD, he was a warrior.

Match-ups determine so much in the playoffs too. Is it that hard to believe that Daniels gave the Cavs that much trouble after watching Tony Parker slice them up?

Same goes for Deshawn in the other direction. He ran into a healthy Hughes and Pavlovic (who went on to do well versus Vince Carter and the Detroit wings). He also went from minutes per game in the mid 20's to low 40's with Caron and Gilbert down over the playoff stretch. Deshawn ran out of gas trying to make up for the loss of 2 all stars. Thats not a "firable offense" in my book.

Otherwise, the Posey name-drop looks like the heat's initial offer to me. Why help them AND take back a sorry package like that? If they are gonna trade his rights then go big. This is a Euro MVP after all. Offer him to Denver in combination with Etan for Camby. Jarvis' 1 year sign and trade would have to be included so they'd get 2 shooters out of the deal.

Last but not least...How about a Etan/JCN trade to Seattle for Chris Wilcox? In 2008, Jamison comes off the books and we then have Gil Caron, Blatche, Wilcox, and Pech as a starting 5. That gives us interior defense as well as some scoring. Just a thought ...

Listen why are we "fans" trying to give away JCN????? Keep him, at this point I'll trade Etan for a bag of nickels, and lets run with what we have. 40-45 games in, if it doesn't look good we can move whatever pieces we need to move. But right now with JCN, we're quick, explosive, and deep offensively. Let's just see what we've got, thats all I'm saying.

Listen why are we "fans" trying to give away JCN????? Keep him, at this point I'll trade Etan for a bag of nickels, and lets run with what we have. 40-45 games in, if it doesn't look good we can move whatever pieces we need to move. But right now with JCN, we're quick, explosive, and deep offensively. Let's just see what we've got, thats all I'm saying.

I have nothing personal against Deshawn and understand that he was asked to do a lot in the playoffs. My only issue is that he was supposed to be our defensive stopper at the 2 and provide a little offense as well. Well, he didn't stop anyone and played ok offensively. I think we're better served by having a guy who's a threat to shoot 3's at any time and is a veteran (JCN). It's not just about the shooter..a guy that shoots 3's opens up the floor offensively and disrupts the other teams's defense.This is the ONLY reason I am not continuing to bang the drum for Jamison's removal. I think Jamison is the main reason we are poor defensively. He's too slow for SF and too small for PF and thus a huge defensive liability. He gets our bigs in foul trouble trying to cover for him. but (and this is big) he opens up the floor for Gil's drives because he is a threat to shoot the 3. That having been said...given the choice, I'd take JCN over Deshawn. Also, AD is a very good 15 minute a game player. I agree completely that giving out money for short stretches of good play is unwise, but he's a good playmaker on the right team (Seattle). Trading JCN to anyone in the Eastern conference is just plain stupid. JCN was MVP of the Spanish league !! I doubt he's a bust.

MIAMI TRADE

La Bomba for Posey?? I'm in agreement with everyone else...HEEEELLL NO!

But I wish somehow we could get a package giving up Brenda and Navarro to the Heat for Haslem and Posey.

I realize that the Wiz would need to receive more in the trade...and perhaps find a way to get rid of AD too.

So many complications, but just a thought. I think Udonis would be a good piece...but then again, we'd be trading with our division rival and I'd hate that.

"My only issue is that he was supposed to be our defensive stopper at the 2 and provide a little offense as well. Well, he didn't stop anyone and played ok offensively."

I feel the same way really.

Thanks MT, I couldn't find anything on second rounders either. You're probably right. I guess we'll have to see how this all plays out.

I think getting Posey here would be a dumb move for the Wiz however. His skills are on the decline and he wants paid?

Not a good mix, the Wiz should know this already *cough*Richmond*cough*

- Ray

"Kalarama - Question for buddy. How would a 3 year year deal at 6 million for Posey cost more then the 3 years Etan has left on his contract starting at 7.5 million and ending at around 9 or 10 in his last year?"

Posted by: mikie | July 4, 2007 09:06 PM

It wouldn't, but then:

(A) There's no way Posey would sign a 3 year, $6 mill deal to go to the Wiz. It says quite clearly in the article that he's looking for some team's MLE (which would start at around $6 mill).

(B) Etan isn't making $7.5 million now and won't be making 9 or 10 mill his last year. He signed a 6-year, $36 mill deal (essentially a full MLE deal) that paid him $5.8 mill last year and has two more years left:

http://asp.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/salaries/playerdetail.aspx?lname=thomas&player=386

Since the maximum percentage raise that can be built into a contract is 12.5%, the most he could make next season in base salary is about $6.6 mill.

(C) A 3-year MLE deal for Posey would end up costing the team more than the two years Etan has left on his contract by several million dollars.

I sincerely hope EG is not basing his opinions on whether to keep Navarro on whether or not Stevenson stays. Now I understand we probably can't have Stevenson AND Navarro, but is it even a contest between the two? DESCRUB STEVENSON???? He doesn't deserve more than 1.5 million, max. He was arguably a worse defender than Gilbert last year. I didn't see him stop anyone, and even though Gilbert doesn't either, at least he plays the passing lanes. I know Gil and DeScrub are BFF but come on, you don't pass up Navarro because of that. He points to his 11ppg last year, I point to the playoffs when he was exposed. If EG or anyone else in the NBA gives him more than that, it will be a travesty.

And, a note of clarification:

Several reports say that Etan has a trade kicker that would bump his salary up to $7.3 mill next season. However, that kicker only comes into effect if he's actually traded, meaning it's only the team he's traded to that would have to pay the additional salary. If he stays with the Wiz, they would only have to pay him the regularly calculated salary on his contract.

Haslem is overrated. He was the recipient of single coverage because of Shaq and Wade as well as the threat of bombers like Walker and Williams. He also plays for our chief rival...the same team that has consistently licked Wiz arse for years. Any HEAT trade talk is not being considered, I'm sure. Wes is no longer in charge, subsequently we are no longer suckers for stupid trades.

Why exactly are some folks in this forum trying to rationalize this JCN for Posey deal? Even if we package Etan with JCN we still end up with James F-in Posey! Have we been beaten down THAT much as Bullets/Wiz fans that we'd actually accept this deal? Far as I'm concerned, this is BS, and I am outraged that our team would (1) draft a talent like JCN knowing that he won't help right away, (2)then when he is ready to join our squad, consider trading him to OUR TOP RIVAL, (3) for JAMES F-IN POSEY! Words cannot even describe how angry this whole discussion makes me...

Folks, don't be so quick to dismiss Etan. While he is limited on offense, he plays hard every single game. He sets good screens, rebounds, and blocks a surprising amount of shots. That's a whole heck of alot more than I can say for Brenda. I don't buy the logic that we should retain Brenda "just because he is 7 feet tall."

This Navarro stuff is really interesting, but it is all conjecture at this point. Would you mind if I turned the conversation back to some real news, the hiring of Thibodeau?
The fact that he is coming in as the LEAD assistant is pretty stunning and important, I think. If he was just added as an assistant, his views on defense could have been dismissed pretty easily. When EJ went small in the last 6 minutes of the 4th like he always did, and Thibodeau said, "Um, Eddie, ... you might want to get some size in there," and Eddie ignored the advice, what would happen afterwards? Would he just keep quiet, or would he press the issue repeatedly with Jordan and even argue with Jordan about it if needed? And if he did argue with Jordan about it, would Jordan just blow him off?
But as the lead assistant, it seems Grunfeld has purposely given him the standing to push Jordan on these issues. Do the other assistants report to the lead assistant? If so, if will be more difficult for those other assistants to just take Eddie's side on these sorts of issues and make Thibodeau an outsider.
I have never been one of the "Eddie's got to go" crowd. What I like about the hire is that I think Jordan has the potential to be a really good coach, but I've noticed his stubborn streak. So, the question is, will Jordan grow as a coach, starting with accepting the input of Thibodeau and becoming a better defensive coach, or will he never be a better coach than he is now? This year will be the test, I assume, and if there is no growth, I imagine it will be time for Grunfeld to find someone else.

Interesting summary at draftexpress.com on Aaron Miles, who will be on the Wizards' summer league team. He might compete with Donell Taylor for the 3rd PG spot:

Aaron Miles, 6-1, Point Guard, Pau Orthez (France), 1983

The all-time assist leader in Kansas history, Aaron Miles is quite a familiar name with NBA teams. He hasn't quite found a way to latch onto a team since going undrafted in 2005, but surely made a great case for himself as an NBA player this past season. Pau Orthez quickly found out that they made the wrong choice early on by signing John Gilchrist, and decided to bring in Miles to help get their season back on track. Miles did that and then some, helping Pau to reach the Top 16 of the Euroleague for the first time in their history, knocking off mighty CSKA Moscow once in the process, and finishing 2nd in the French league in assists with 5.8 per game. Things weren't all that rosy as Pau did miss the Pro A playoffs, but Miles regardless had a very nice season.

He'll be playing with the Washington Wizards summer league next week, and in our estimation should have a good chance at making the team. He's a pass-first point guard who is as steady and mistake-free as they come. He also plays fantastic defense, but has never been known as a scorer or outside shooting threat, something that we saw sparks of improvement from in the summer league last year. At the very worst, he's a cheap 3rd string point guard to sign for the minimum, although we think he can be more than that.

Why exactly are some folks in this forum trying to rationalize this JCN for Posey deal? Even if we package Etan with JCN we still end up with James F-in Posey! Have we been beaten down THAT much as Bullets/Wiz fans that we'd actually accept this deal? Far as I'm concerned, this is BS, and I am outraged that our team would (1) draft a talent like JCN knowing that he won't help right away, (2)then when he is ready to join our squad, consider trading him to OUR TOP RIVAL, (3) for JAMES F-IN POSEY! Words cannot even describe how angry this whole discussion makes me...

Folks, don't be so quick to dismiss Etan. While he is limited on offense, he plays hard every single game. He sets good screens, rebounds, and blocks a surprising amount of shots. That's a whole heck of alot more than I can say for Brenda. I don't buy the logic that we should retain Brenda "just because he is 7 feet tall."

I meant KICKED, not licked. My bad !!
Also, the way our team is built, we need to acknowledge that we are closer to the Suns model than the San Antonio model. We should emphasize our strengths and score, score, score. I'd rather have JCN than Deshawn even if Deshawn were an all league defender. The fact that we passed on DJ Strawberry in the 2nd round tells me that we are looking to be an offensive team. DJ was arguable the best on the ball perimeter defender in the draft. Forget what all of the 'experts' say about the makeup of championship teams. Just because defensive teams have been winning does NOT mean that an offensive oriented team cannot. Phoenix would have had a good shot if not for the suspension last year. Granted, we take not playing D to a new level and need to tighten up but we don't have to change the makeup of our team to do that. We just need one or two key additions (or a Jamison subtraction).

Why exactly are some folks in this forum trying to rationalize this JCN for Posey deal? Even if we package Etan with JCN we still end up with James F-in Posey! Have we been beaten down THAT much as Bullets/Wiz fans that we'd actually accept this deal? Far as I'm concerned, this is BS, and I am outraged that our team would (1) draft a talent like JCN knowing that he won't help right away, (2)then when he is ready to join our squad, consider trading him to OUR TOP RIVAL, (3) for JAMES F-IN POSEY! Words cannot even describe how angry this whole discussion makes me...

Folks, don't be so quick to dismiss Etan. While he is limited on offense, he plays hard every single game. He sets good screens, rebounds, and blocks a surprising amount of shots. That's a whole heck of alot more than I can say for Brenda. I don't buy the logic that we should retain Brenda "just because he is 7 feet tall."

My current hope is that whoever fed Ivan the Posey rumor is also the same person who fed him that line about leaving Barca for Real (which is unbelievably absurd). Seriously Ivan, Barca to Real, I can't believe you fell for that.

Folks, don't be so quick to dismiss Etan. While he is limited on offense, he plays hard every single game. He sets good screens, rebounds, and blocks a surprising amount of shots. That's a whole heck of alot more than I can say for Brenda. I don't buy the logic that we should retain Brenda "just because he is 7 feet tall."

Posted by: Essex | July 5, 2007 11:39 AM

Well said (but, alas, destined to fall on too many deaf ears).

If Etan is traded and Haywood stays, I'm pretty sure the move will have less to do with which is better and more to do with (A) which makes the best financial sense and (B) Ernie G asserting his control over the operation (and sending a not-so-subtle message to Eddie).

http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/20070705/NOTICIA357006049.html

Juan does NOT want to come to Washington. He fears Arenas won't be here next season and that the Wizards don't have a shot at winning the championship. His first choice is Memphis, and his second choice is Miami.

Henry, you're right about the stubborn streak. I think it's a good ideal handing power to Grunfeld. It puts EJ on notice. Also, for a few years I was a big Haywood fan and while I've cooled on him, it's hard to dispute the facts. First, the wingspan thing.. http://www.draftexpress.com/measurements.php?year=All&sort2=DESC&draft=0&sort=6
It's a fact that he is not a great rebounder and never will be. It's a fact that when he is mentally into the game, he rebounds better and plays harder. It's a fact that when he gets touches offensively, he stays in the game mentally. It's a fact that when he's on the floor, we are better defensively and all-around. We need to either start him and play him for 35 minutes every night or trade him. My preference is to keep him and jettison Etan if possible.

I think we should let DeShawn walk (as he is going to be tough to low-ball salary-wise), to enable us to get JCN and Blatche within the cap if possible. JCN is as ready to play as any Euro in recent times, so he could start with Gilbert (if he earns this in training camp). Young is going to help at 2-guard as will Daniels. Mason's still under contract as well, right? Don't think we should keep Taylor unless there's space both in terms of roster and salary.

I'm going out on a limb and say that Ernie has no intention of dealing JCN, unless he is given an offer he can't refuse. The initial offers from rival GMs of course are going to be the lowest quality, eg Posey! that is an insult to both JCN and to Grunfeld. But I hope we keep JCN, he would blend in well and upgrade our offensive scheme with his passing and outside shooting.

PS, are there any centers as under-achieving and as me-first as Haywood? I'd take a 'stiff for him just to rid us of his destructive attitude.

With, reportedly, 5 or 6 teams interested in Navarro, if EG decides to trade his rights, I'm confident that EG will make the deal that best fits the Wizards' needs. What I have never been able to fully understand is this idea that you should NEVER trade with a team in your division. I understand not wanting to help a rival out, but what people who take this position seem to ignore is that your team is also benefiting. If you are confident in your abilities as a talent evaluator, it seems to me that you should not be hesitant in doing such a deal, if that is the best deal that is available in a given situation. I'm not necessarily advocating for a Posey-JCN sign-and-trade. As far as I know, it's just a rumor, or other considerations may be involved. Also, we might get better offers from other teams. I'm just saying that if we do trade JCN's rights, we shouldn't rule out deals with other teams in the division or conference, if those deals bring us the best players in return.

Can't agree more about not wanting Posey. If they could get a quality player for JCN and Thomas I would do it in a heartbeat. Getting rid of Etan's contract would be great. I am not a huge fan of Euro players so I may be completely biased but isn't it very possible that JCN's trade value is as high as it will ever get right now?

Kalorama - Thanks for the clarification on Etan's contract. The media seems to make this arguement Etan's contract is such a "hard contract to trade". I am thinking it is because of the "trade kicker".

I have a question for you or anyone else who have NBA "salary cap" skills. If the problem trading Etan is the team acquiring him is afraid of that 15% trade kicker popping in, why can't the Wizards offer to "pay" the 15% increase difference?

What I mean is, whatever we are paying Etan in base the receiving team would pay the same thing. The Wizards in turn would pay the difference of the trade kicker. Is that allowed in the NBA trade rules?

If that is the case then, Ernie should have no problem trading Etan because that is not such a bad contract. I think this is where not having Ted Leoneus as owner and having Abe here is killing us.

Abe does not have the "pockets" to absorb a "hit" like that where Ted Leoneus would and could (i.e. Mark Cubin).

Lastly, to chime in on the Posey issue. As I said before, if we get Posey; it should be at the 1.7 veteran slot only. I only mentioned trying to make this trade because I want the Etan and Haywood thing over so bad I can taste it.

However, after reading the other posts and looking at this again, it would be totally stupid to let Navarro go before we even get him. I was just looking at clearing Etan's contract (Grizzles - under the cap so we would not have to receive a "matching" contract in return) and then having enough cap room to go after Darko. Navarro might be a "stud", or he might be a "dud". Only having him here will tell the story.

Proposed trade - The rights to Navarro and Etan's contract to the Grizzles for a 2nd round pick and cash considerations.

The Goal - Clear cap space to go "strong" after Darko. If we don't get Darko, look out 2008. Jamison's salary comes of of the books plus Etan's contract is gone. 2008 looks to be a good year to go shopping, and we still would have enough firepower here to make some noise. (OPEC starting at the 5 and Haywood backing him up).

Sean, I agree with you. I said the same thing as soon as I saw Aaron Miles on the roster. I think he is a big time upgrade over Taylor. Remember, Taylor was out of position anyway. Miles is a pure pg. I think once he gets to training camp, Eddie will fall in love with him.

If it comes to it, then I'd have to choose Navarro over Deshawn as well. I'm sure Ernie will leverage his rights to see what kind of deal he could get, but I'd prefer to see him in a Zards uni.

As for the going rate for a player with his stats, its about 4 million. Anthony Parker got more than that from Toronto (4.5) and put up 12+ per. Matt Carroll just got 4.5 for 6 years and he doesn't even equal Deshawn defensively. MoPete is going to get something in that range and so is Desmond Mason. Guys like Rasul Butler and Fred Jones score a bit less and got 3-3.5 million just last year.

Saw that about Aaron Miles too. Sounds like the perfect 3rd PG to me.

It will be interesting the effect Thibodeau will have on Haywood. When you are a defensive player on an offensive team, you can tend to feel not valued very much. If you now have a defensive guy on the bench who is pushing you to do all the right things on defense, teaching you how to be a better defender, and applauding you when you do, it could have a really positive effect.
What will be interesting is whether Thibodeau spends the summer watching film of the Wizards and gives his input to Eddie about what they've been doing wrong, who are the good defensive players, etc., etc., and then whether he pushes for Haywood to remain with the team.

"Jarvis Hayes at Giant Foods, AD back in Seattle, Ruffin backing up Jarvis at Giant Foods"

Thanks for that, mark. I laughed uncontrollably for a good 3 minutes. Well done, sir.

I don't think simply clearing Etan's salary would put us under the cap, just closer to it but still over. If we're still over, short a starting center AND top European player we'd still have to sign and trade for a career underachiever like Darko.

The team would be even thinner than we were last year. Not a good idea.

As bad as Etan can be, he's far from the worst overpaid big men in the league after hearing how much guys like Adonal Foyle and Gadzuric are going to make. its all relative.

Haywood = Carmin Soft

No coach will be able to help in that regard.

Johnny Boy - The Wiz are not over the cap, but they are close. My thinking was that the 6 mill something we are paying Etan could be used with the 5.8 MLE to offer Darko at least 9 to 10 mill a year as an offer.

I like Stevenson (should get 3 million for 3 years "tops"), but if we had a chance at Darko; we would have to say bye to Stevenson. My only worry is Stevenson and Gil are boys and how would Gil react to losing Larry Hughes and then Stevenson two years in a row?

Darko is only 22 and I saw him playing (in real games) when he overseas on a lot of video that was circulating the net at that time in 2003. The guy has some nice skills, but I truly believe Larry Brown may have pretty much "ruined him" in the head.

Now that I have made that statement, I would hate to see what Eddie is going to do to him with his "rotational mind games". I think he would probably be just as hard or harder (like he is on Haywood) on Darko and finish off what Larry Brown started. I hope that won't be the case.

Some big men might need a "different approach" when it comes to coaching them to get "max" effort out of them. The MartyBall approach does not always work all of the time and with everybody (i.e. look at Tony Dungy with the Colts).

I'm not in favor of packaging JCN with Etan just to get Etan off the books. That puts us in a position where we have to rely on Abe to spend money in 2008 because there'll be money to spend. A few contracts aside, I'm not so sure that the Wiz are willing to spend like other teams are. If Dan Snyder was running the team, I'd be good with that strategy. Abe, I don't know. We all need to keep in mind that before we got hit with all of the injuries, we were at the top of the Eastern conference. I think that fact gets lost sometimes. If we had stayed healthy, we'd have been top 3 and probably gone to at least the second round of the playoffs (where we may have met Detroit who we owned last year.) We may well have wound up in the Finals. Lets' maintain the status quo while reducing our stars minutes and integrating Pech, Blatche, and JCN. We should also find 5-10 minutes a game for Nick Young and McGuire if he makes the team . We also should remember that JCN cannot dictate where he plays. It's up to us to determine where he plays in this league. We made the playoffs without him and will do so again this year. He's our asset to do with as we please. I don't want to hear any crap from him about what team he wants to play for. I think his value will never be higher than it is now BEFORE he plays a NBA game. I'd trade him for value but keep him if nothing comes up. I'd say that the value of a young (27) veteran point/shooting guard who was the MVP of one of the best leagues in Europe is at least a high #1. It's win/win for us.

ok. It was my understanding that once rookies are signed etc that we'd be over by 8 mil or so. So subtract Etan's figure wouldn't really open up money. Also wasn't sure on combining an amount we're under with the MLE.

Darko had such potential. But its clear LB really did a number on him. After all this time, I think its scary to judge him based on potential. Would any Wizards fan still judge Kwame on potential? Darko sleep walks through his backup minutes accumulating some ok numbers. Paying him 8-10 million to do it here is something this team should avoid.

I'd rather pay Varajeo and work on his game than pay Darko and work on his head.

I'm trying to think of players that have noticeably improved their competitive drive AFTER getting to the NBA, or AFTER getting huge guaranteed money. Anyone?

No one is going to give Darko a deal starting at $8-$10 mill. Very few teams have that kind of money to spend on FAs (Charlotte is the only one I can think of that comes close) and the the players that teams would be willing to use in a S&T for Darko will almost certainly include the kind of crap contracts that Orlando won't want. He'll most likely have to "settle" for the MLE. At that price, and given how badly the Wiz need help in the middle, he may be worth the risk.

In fact, in a recent news article, Darko's agent was so livid at Orlando for giving all of their FA cash to Lewis that he vowed that Darko would absolutely not resign with the Magic, even in a S&T deal.

Johnny Boy, the list is probably REALLY short. The only exceptions are guys who had game but were in the wrong system and therefore didn't flourish. There are a bunch of guys who could really play but for some reason didn't make it in the NBA because of the coach, system, whatever. Anybody remember Reggie Williams from Georgetown or Al Wood from NC back in the 80's? Gilbert is an example of the rare guy who did better after getting paid because the opportunity presented itself. Most guys don't have that motivation. It takes heart and the desire to be the best, which unfortunately can't be measured. When it's all said and done, Darko will probably be extremely average.

I'm guessing that in Ernie's mind, all the moves he's making have to be with the goal of landing a center in mind. There are so few good centers, you either have to be lucky to get one or you need to play your cards just right.
I either want to see JCN play here, or be used in a trade to get a good center. Trading JCN for Posey or Hakim Warrick? Yuck. Having Orlando sign Darko and send him to Washington for Etan and JCN? That's a gamble well worth taking, and Orlando is in serious need for scorers, so JCN might be attractive to them.
Darko has real potential and I was impressed by what I saw from him this year. Although he might never fulfill his potential, it is way too early to give up on him (he is 22, 14 months older than Blatche). He is a very good fit for Eddie's offense and certainly is a better player than Etan (he had slightly better stats than Etan and Haywood this year).

Navarro will be a perfect replacement for Jarvis Hayes, and finally give the Wizards some scoring off the bench. I like the new assistant coach too, who apparently knows how to coach perimeter defense. Along with bench scoring, perimeter defense is the Wizards' biggest problem; Gilbert and Jamison are simply disinterested defenders. Haywood needs to improve as a rebounder, but he is a plus defender (unlike Etan, who is good at swinging his hair and elbows but not much else). Adding Navarro is a great move, and assuming everyone stays healthy this team could dominate the east next year.

Ok. I'm sure this will spark some discussion...
This may sound racist but it's not meant to be and it is actually just an observation. How many white guys over 6'10 are there in the league that can really play in the low post ? Novitzki? Brad Miller? (poor man's Laimbeer), Kirilenko (very good but only 6'9"), Okur? (decent player), Kaman? (average). I have no idea why this is the case but looking at trends, you have to wonder whether Darko will ever be more than average as a low post presence. Could be that inner city (black) kids have less room to operate on smaller courts and learn the inside game more? I know for a fact that we (I'm black) tend to want to drive more and shoot jumpers less when playing street ball.
Euros and American white guys who learn on bigger suburban courts/gyms are generally better outside shooters and drive less. Manu is probably one of the exceptions. Let's forget about the league now and look at the past 20 years or so. How many dominant inside white bigs have there been? The last low post center I remember who was really good was our own Jeff Ruland. Bill Laimbeer was also good. Maybe Rik Smits at times and maybe the big Russian from Cleveland. McHale was very good at PF but not many others come to mind. Tom Chambers was good for a couple of years but he was more of a wing player. Vlade was decent. Laettner was ok for a couple years. My question is this...Do we play the odds and assume that Darko will NOT be the dominant inside presence we need or can we just guess based on what he's done so far and hope that he develops? This is not to say that we should only draft black inside. It's just an open forum for a discussion. Personally, if I could have any PF in the league for our team in a reasonable deal, it might be Kirilenko. I'm just not sold on darko being the rebounding/defending presence we want. Too many tall ND and Duke stiffs come to mind. To be fair, there are HUGE number of Ike Austin's and Kevin Duckworths out there, too.

I mean NC and Duke stiffs. Joe Wolf types.

http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/20070705/NOTICIA357006049.html

Well, well well...I say that JCN won't want to come to DC, that he will want to go somewhere that folks in Spain have heard of like Miami, New York or LA, and everyone calls me an idiot. Then, the post above says that his top destinations are Memphis (to be w/ Pau) or Miami. Maybe I'm not such an idiot after all.

I probably worded my post incorrectly. I did not mean to imply, nor do I think think that the people of Spain have never heard of DC and I apologize if I insulted any of our good Spanish friends who read this. I meant to say the city doesn't interest them as much as some other American cities. I am speaking from personal experience, having lived in Barcelona. Every time I would meet someone, they would say, "where are you from in the US," and I would say, "DC," and they would say, "oh, sure. I really want to visit New York, Miami, San Fran, or LA."

JCN's people probably want him in Miami, LA or somewhere like that b/c it will get him more exposure etc. Memphis is a fit b/c of Gasol, but I'm sure he would have not interest if Pau weren't there.

"This year will be the test, I assume, and if there is no growth, I imagine it will be time for Grunfeld to find someone else."

I think he's as good as gone Henry, barring them going to the finals. I agree on the "growth" thing, they flop at the end of the season and he's as good as fired. Again, to me a coach is a "teacher" and that's not Jordan.

He clearly plays favorites also.

How about this....what if Thibodeau has some where in the process been told he *could* be the next coach of the Wizards and would get a chance to interview if Joradan fails next year???

We'll see I guess. To me Jordan will always be a good assistant who could never get the job done as coach.

I just don't think he's the guy to lead this team. I wouldn't count Arenas as good as in a Wizzy uniform next year either. Things could go from bad to worse really fast next year this time.

- Ray

The only thing worse than trading JCN to Miami would be trading him to Orlando. Was that post a joke?

Orlando screwed itself quite nicely by signing Lewis to a max deal (he's good, but isn't worth max money). They're one team in the division that I'm not really worried about.

Wiz Fan:

I know it may sound weird to you, but, people in Europe have definitely heard of Washington, DC.

As for tastes of Spain in the area, Jaleo is the only place in the US to get jamon Iberico (mmm... acorn fed black hoofed swine).

Balmer-Washington is the 4th largest metro area in the country. inferiority complex begone.

I'm sure Ernie will be receptive to his people and their concerns. That said, we own his rights and if he wants to play in the NBA he has to work with us. If there was ever a time for an organization to show some backbone with a player attempting to manufacture leverage, now is the time.

not that his people are 100% against DC either. I understand their concerns but its nothing that should keep him from wearing the uniform.

Beauregard-
I know they have heard of it (who hasn't?). I just don't think they care as much about it as a place like NY or Miami (more glam/glitz).

Mark, whether Darko will be a player or not has nothing to do with his skin color. He may not ever be a great low post player, per se, but that hardly means he won't be a player who contributes at a high level. It's been my belief all along that with the way the Wiz are currently constructed, a low post, back to the basket, needs to take lots of shots in the paint to be effective type of C isn't what the Wiz need. They need a guy who can be athletic, physical, hit the boards, defend block shots, and score in a complementary role (putbacks, offensive rebounds, diving to the basket behind guard penetration, general hustle). Darko may be that player, he may not. But his race has little to do with it.

Oh, and in today's NBA Kamen is a lot more than an "average" low post big.

I think EG should find out if the Minnesota Timberwolves are interested in JCN and propose a trade of Jamison, JCN, Etan and Blacthe for Kevin Garnett. The Timberwolves will be getting an expiring contract, two young up and coming players and ETAN, for what every thats worth. I don't what to get rid of Blacthe but I would give him up for Kevin. It seems like every year you can find a 6'11" guy in the NBA draft. Don't laugh I know it's wishful thinking.

Any deal the Twolves make for Garnett is going to have to include at least one (and likely more than one) of the following, in order:

--Young(ish) all-star caliber player
--High draft pick(s)
--Large amount of cap relief

That deal doesn't really cut it. It comes close on the cap side, but taking on Etan's contract undersuts much of the value of trading for Jamison's expiring one.

"Why in the name of all that is reasonable would the Wizards give up Navarro for James Posey. How does that make the Wizards better?"

Unlike every single Wizard - James Posey actually plays defense

HA HA HA HA HA HA:

"Jarvis Hayes at Giant Foods, AD back in Seattle, Ruffin backing up Jarvis at Giant Foods"

You're killing me!

Don't beleive this crap please:
http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/20070705/NOTICIA357006049.html

I have been reading the spanish media about the Navarro issue and you can be sure about this:
- Navarro will play in th NBA league, cause FC barcelona lowered is trade price from $13m to around $4m.
- Navarro wants to come to the Wizards (it is his first option according to his agent)
- He would like to play with Pau obviously, but this is some sort of a dream of the spanish media rather than a reality.
- He is seeking for a $10m/3 year contract.

About him i could tell you that is is a very talented player, without a doubt one of the best "2" (SG) in Europe, and has won every championship possible in Europe and Spain (including MVPs and scoring leader in the European League, and the ACB).

He has a very good shot form the arc and drives the ball very good and fast too(he could be PG too). He is very good penetrating the basket too with is "Bombas" (bombs) and has improved very much his defensive skills (altough he is not tall and/or big enough for the NBA league i am afraid).

I hope you enjoy his plays next year!

spanish fan

What?

"JCN is simply talking the NBA talk right now to drive his price up in Europe so he can get a fat offer from a team like Madrid."

You couldn't have picked a worse example. I don't know if you've got any idea about this but there's a big rivalry between Barcelona and Madrid teams (soccer or basketball it doesn't matter). Long story.

Anyway, someone like Navarro (Gasol also), who has always played for Barcelona and truly feels identified with them would NEVER force his way out to join Madrid.

Also such statement gives to understand that Madrid can offer him higher wages than Barcelona does which is absolutely false.

With all due respect, it wouldn't harm anyone to document yourselves before writing nonsense like that.

What?

"JCN is simply talking the NBA talk right now to drive his price up in Europe so he can get a fat offer from a team like Madrid."

You couldn't have picked a worse example. I don't know if you've got any idea about this but there's a big rivalry between Barcelona and Madrid teams (soccer or basketball it doesn't matter). Long story.

Anyway, someone like Navarro (Gasol also), who has always played for Barcelona and truly feels identified with them would NEVER force his way out to join Madrid.

Also such statement gives to understand that Madrid can offer him higher wages than Barcelona does which is absolutely false.

With all due respect, it wouldn't harm anyone to document yourselves before writing stuff like that.