Washington Wizards Should Be a Go For Leon Powe

The Washington Wizards have stared an opportunity like this in the face before. A power forward with limited offensive skills but incredible energy and heart to make up for it on the defensive end is available in free agency.

The Wizards desperately need him, but seem to be hesitant about his long term prospects.

Back then, it was Ben Wallace. Today, it’s Leon Powe.

The Boston Celtics have foolishly cast off Powe and the toughness he brings in a reserve role to Kevin Garnett. Maybe they are that sold on Glen "Big Baby" Davis, and that’s all good for them.

But as it stands, the Wiz should be sold on Brendan Haywood and JaVale McGee and little else.

Which makes a push for Powe all the more reasonable.

This is the big man committee in the Southeast Division: Dwight Howard in Orlando, Al Horford in Atlanta, Emeka Okafor in Charlotte, Michael Beasley in Miami. That’s no mention of Kevin Garnett in Boston, Shaq in Cleveland, Chris Bosh in Toronto, Elton Brand in Philadelphia or Joakim Noah in Chicago.

As a Wizards fan, are you comfortable throwing Andray Blatche at any of that night after night without spelling him with a tough guy off the bench? Me neither.

Ever since the Ben Wallace fiasco, the Wizards have futily tried to duplicate what his presence in the lineup would have wrought. The franchise has swung and missed on players like with the likes of Etan Thomas, Michael Ruffin, Jahidi White, Popeye Jones, and Isaac Austin.

A player with no demand for shots and no need for development is exactly what the Wizards need to compete with the emerging interior game of teams in the Eastern Conference. And as a bonus, I imagine that he would take great pride in beating the hell out of Brendan Haywood in practice everyday.

We’ve been down this road before. If the Wizards want to make that turn for sustainable success, picking up Leon Powe for the ride wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

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