ITS ALL ABOUT REBUILDING
The Atlantic Division's biggest disappointment may not be the Boston Celtics, it may well be the Washington Wizards. Once again they'll enter an off-season after a disappointing season, one in which expectations of the team making the playoffs and becoming a real team in the East were dashed when they seemed to slump all season long and finished a measly 18 and 32, 13th best in the Eastern Conference and a game behind the Celtics.
The problems for the Wizards were wide spread, All-Star guard, Mitch Richmond suffering his worst scoring season of his career dropping for the first time from the low-to-mid twenties to 19.7ppg, 3.2 below his career average. Rod Strickland's numbers dropped in every category except for steals where a tiny increase of under a tenth per game was made. Juwan Howard's numbers did not improve even when the extra responsibility was handed to him after the trade of Chris Webber for Mitch Richmond prior to the lock out. There were other problems such as Tracy Murray's injuries and inconsistency, Calbert Cheaney's loss of desire and passion and the struggle to find a consistent big man to play at center.
All of the problems culminated with the March firing of head coach Bernie Bickerstaff and an off-season of rebuilding seemed imminent.
So onto the search of a new head coach but before that the Wizards brain
trust must think heavilly about what sort of coach the team needs to become
successful. Its in my firm belief that the Wizards would be much better
off getting someone such as a Phil Jackson who will lay down the law- an
authoritarian yet someone who will listen to the players problems and openly
discuss them.
The search of finding that particular coach, the right coach who will give
them a good start chemically wont be easy, but, in the end if the brain
trust can do that job correctly then Wizards basketball may make watching
them so much easier.
The Wizards have already interviewed former NBA players Buck Williams,
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Maurice Cheeks, Doc Rivers and former Celtic great
and former Hornets coach, Dave Cowens. Also recently interviewed was St.
John's head coach Mike Jarvis, but, he was interviewed more to do with
non-coaching stuff than anything else, although there was a question of
interest about the head coaching position made by both parties.
Jarvis was quoted (Washington Post) as saying "You will not see me coaching in Washington next year," Jarvis said by telephone yesterday. "I have a great job at St. John's and I plan on being there for a while. Every conversation with someone I have from the NBA shouldn't be taken as them seeking me for employment."
Of those names, Dave Cowens seems the most beneficial of them. He not only has previous NBA head coaching experience but walked out on the Hornets after a number of reasons, the biggest being that he didn't feel that the Hornets were a team dedicated on trying to win the NBA title. With a coach like that with the desire to coach his team to an NBA title may transform the Wizards into being classic underachievers into a team that at the very least plays up to their ability.
For the Wizards the next major upcoming event would have to be the NBA draft and they will have the sixth pick in the draft unless they get lucky. "I don't know if there are any difference-makers in the draft, but I think there are guys that can make you better," Unseld said. "But for the first time in a while, we have an option there." That may mean that the Wizards end up with just as good a player with the sixth pick as they would have if they are lucky with the ping pong balls.
With the deadline of the underclassmen announcing their entrance into
the draft closing at 12:00am yesterday the draft field looks much deeper
than first thought. Unseld was clearly correct in saying that there were
no difference-makers in this years field (perhaps with the exception of
Lamar Odom and Baron Davis), but the Wizards look set to get themselves
a good rookie.
The top ten players according to ESPN's Mike Sullivan.
1. Lamar Odom - Rhode Island
2. Elton Brande - Duke
3. Corey Maggette - Duke
4. Steve Francis - Maryland
5. Richard Hamilton - Connecticut
6. Baron Davis - UCLA
7. Andre Miller - Utah
8. Jumaine Jones - Georgia
9. Jonathon Bender - Picayune (Miss.) H.S.
10. Wally Szczerbiak - Miami (Ohio)
The Wizards may be interested in one of those or they may have made
heavy enquiries into the game of Ron Artest's when they interviewed his
head coach, Mike Jarvis.
The player on the top ten list that would be most appealing to the Wizards
rebuilding program may just be Richard Hamilton of UConn. He is coming
off of a National Championship and has amazing athleticism and shooting
ability which would be a good start for the Wizards. He wont be a superstar
in the NBA but he has the ability to become a consistent 15-20ppg starter.
The Wizards also have the 35th pick in the draft and have been known to draft big guys at the position so expect them to take someone like Tim Young from Stanford (Interesting note: He went from being a certain top ten pick to being an end of draft player quickly, didn't he?) or Obinna Ekezie the 6'9" center from Maryland.
After the draft the next phase for the Wizards is to look deeply into free agency and trade options. "We won't sit back and wait to see what other teams do," Unseld said. "We will be aggressive in approaching anybody and everybody. But we've done that before. There won't be any one thing that's going to dictate anything."
It will be very interesting to see what the Wizards can muster. With their new head coach it may be best for the Wizards if they completely rebuild from the bottom up and if they are going to do that then it depends on what sort of coach they have. If they get a defensive minded coach such as Dave Cowens then the players targetted would change completely from if they sign an offensive minded head coach.
Lets model this team on the premise that they sign a defensive minded head coach.
Free Agents
John Coker - Third option at center who averaged 2.2ppg and 1.6rpg per game. Worthy of a training camp to see if he can make a decent contribution to the team.
Terry Davis - Hard nosed veteran who is aging. Cant get off of the floor anymore but should be back to give a veteran presence.
Randell Jackson - Went undrafted out of the 1998 NBA draft but made a surprising contribution to the Wizards bench. Worthy of a training camp appearance.
Jeff McInnis - Is a quality third option behind Rod Strickland and Chris Whitney at the point.
Mitch Richmond - Few teams can afford to give Richmond the maximum so expect Richmond to be re-signed and either kept or for there to be an immediate sign and trade. When asked about his position with the Wizards "I want to be back," Richmond said. "I just have to weigh my options. I love playing with Rod and playing with Juwan [Howard]. I think there's some pieces here. I have to see what the Wizards want." Talk from such a player as Richmond would have to be considered posturing to get the biggest piece of the pie as he can get from the Wizards. Under a defensive minded coach I would expect Richmond to be signed-and-traded.
Otis Thorpe - A savvy veteran presence on the inside who is quite likely entering his final season in the league. Wants to finish it on a contender to see if he can win another NBA title (he won one with the 1993'94" Houston Rockets before being traded the following season to the Portland Trailblazers in the infamous Clyde Drexler trade).
Calbert Cheaney - If the coach is defensive then Cheaney stays. If hes offensive then Calbert will look to get a new breath of life at another club... but where?
Point Guard
You already have one of the better defensive point guards in the league in Rod Strickland and he is signed through 2002. The Wizards also have a quality reserve for Strickland in Chris Whitney and as a third option, Jeff McInnis isn't bad so the point guard position is set.
Shooting Guard
Mitch Richmond must be a likelyhood of leaving the Wizards. He already
has bought a house in Fort Lauderdale, but that means little as Fort Lauderdale
is a popular holiday area. If he was to play near the area then all signs
would point to a trade to the Miami Heat where he would get to play under
Pat Riley and alongside close friend Tim Hardaway.
What it would take the Heat to get Richmond is unclear but a rebuilding
team in dire need for everything not point guard related would surely be
looking at the younger players, but with Rod Strickland in his thirties
the team may decide that after a few trades the Wizards may have a chance
at a title and may decide that a few quality role players may be exactly
what they need.
In my estimation it would take the Heat a trade consisting of Jamal Mashburn,
Clarence Weatherspoon, and Voshon Lenard for Richmond to get it done and
the Wizards to be happy with their return.
Voshon Lenard would become the starting shooting guard with draft pick
Richard Hamilton (if it happens) becoming the backup who may be ready to
take over the starting position. Cheaney would also be an option if re-signed.
Small Forward
With the trade of Mitch Richmond to the Heat with the incoming arrival of Jamal Mashburn he will become the starting small forward of the Wizards. Calbert Cheaney (if re-signed) will become the backup of the Wizards with three point extroadanaire, Tracy Murray being trade-bait.
Power Forward
Juwan Howard is already a major disappointment since signing that monster contract, but amazingly he still has a lot of trade value. If the San Antonio Spurs fail in their mission to win the championship then I fully expect Howard to be on their roster next season. I also expect Murray to be traded with him to give the Spurs more options from deep.
Juwan Howard and Tracy Murray for David Robinson may be as realistic a trade as any big trade going around at the moment. Robinson's tentative nature since becoming the second best player on the team worries the San Antonio front office and will probably force a trade with him. They'd be looking to put mass talent around Duncan to give them the best chance possible of winning in the future and Howard may be their man. He is locked up long enough and is talented enough. They also struggle from outside and Murray would strengthen that area.
If the trade gets done and Otis Thorpe is re-signed then a tandem of
Ben Wallace, Otis Thorpe and Malik Rose may become one of the more intimidating
power forward rotations in the league.
Interest has sparked in Wallace, but I would be very surprised if the Wizards
gave up someone as talented as him without getting major talent back and
he hasn't got a big enough contract for that to happen.
Center
With the addition of David Robinson the Wizards have gotten something
that they simply have not had on their roster for many a year. A star force
inside still capable of posting 20 and 10 may just be the ingredients needed
to see the Wizards into the playoffs and to become a contender.
The Wizards would have a re-signed Otis Thorpe and Terry Davis to use as
backups to Robinson and they always have Lorenzo Williams on the injury
reserve.
Guesstimation Washington Wizards Lineup for 1999'2000"
Starting Lineup
Center - David Robinson
Power Forward - Ben Wallace
Small Forward - Jamal Mashburn
Shooting Guard - Voshon Lenard
Point Guard - Rod Strickland
Second Unit
Center - Otis Thorpe
Power Forward - Clarence Weatherspoon
Small Forward - Calbert Cheaney
Shooting Guard - Richard Hamilton
Point Guard - Chris Whitney
Point Guard - Jeff McInnis
Center - Terry Davis
Head Coach: Dave Cowens
Warwick