What should the Wizards do?
The Washington Wizards stink. You knew that. Stuck in last place in the Southeast Division and second-to-last in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards are on pace for one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history -- which is really saying something. It turns out that Gilbert Arenas is not the player he was before all the injuries. He can't escape from defenses when he likes and he can't be counted on in the clutch. Caron Butler struggled to find his pace in this offense with Arenas on the floor and without Arenas he has improved markedly. Still, he sometimes struggles with motivation as the season crumbles and trade rumors fly. Antawn Jamison was injured early, then played fantastic basketball, but has lately seemed tired. Perhaps he is injured and perhaps the trade rumors are bothering him, too. Many players on the team have requested trades and much of the league is circling like vultures, thinking they can rob the Wizards of good players, giving back only trash in return.
The NBA trading deadline is a week away. What should the Wizards do?
I think the Wizards should try to trade almost anyone on the team other teams want and are willing to obtain in return for real value. I'm opposed to just giving players away in return for some combination of expiring contracts and players so marginal they are of little use even to a team as bad as the Wizards. In other words, in return for players like Jamison, Butler, Brendan Haywood, the Wizards should get back expiring contracts and either first round picks or young players who can at least be part of a solid rotation in the future.
A three-way trade involving the Wizards, Knicks and Rockets has been floated, though the early details don't look good. Basically, the Wizards would give up Haywood and Butler, two good starters, in return for Al Harrington and...well, that's about it. Even if you throw in some expiring contracts to the Wiz that's a horrible deal for Washington. Fortunately, Michael Lee of The Washington Post reports that such a deal "doesn't have legs right now." Good. Let's hope no deal like that ever grows any legs.
The Journal-Times reports that the Dallas Mavericks and the Minnesota Timberwolves are both interested in acquiring Caron Butler, who has an affordable contract that expires after the end of next season. CBS Sports confirms the Mavericks, whose recent swoon has been publicly addressed by owner Mark Cuban, are very interested in acquiring Butler. The Wizards, however, want to package Deshawn Stevenson in any deal involving Butler, since Stevenson has several years left of a bad contract and he, well, stinks.
How aggressively the Wizards look to unload contracts as they try to pick up the pieces from Gilbert Arenas’ suspension depends on how a fundamental internal disagreement is resolved. Some elements of the Wizards’ power structure favor “completely blowing it up,” according to one source, while others are holding out for a more patient approach. “How badly does Dallas want Caron Butler?” one rival executive said. “Washington will find out.” The Mavs have not been pushing for Antawn Jamison in their talks with the Wizards, believing they have enough 30-somethings on the roster.
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