NBA: Wizards Forward Andray Blatche on Block Again This Summer?
Late last December, Washington Wizards teammates Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee were involved in an altercation that earned them each a one-game suspension and were thrust into trade talks as a result.
No moves were made, and it would appear as though both men are in Washington for the long haul.
While McGee is the less accomplished of the two players, the Wizards could stand to gain a lot by trading Blatche this offseason.
The Wizards have seen their entire roster change in the last two seasons, and Blatche may be the next domino to fall.
Around the trade deadline last season, Blatche's name came up in a potential deal involving former teammate Gilbert Arenas and the Orlando Magic.
The proposed deal involved the Arenas and Blatche, and Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter and Daniel Orton from the Magic. Fans were eager to approve the deal because it got rid of Arenas, while others were hesitant to approve because it meant giving up Blatche, who had been a bright spot as a starter.
As a full-time starter, Blatche improved in nearly every statistical category last season, which gives the Wizards something to bargain with.
Many teams would like to have a young near seven-footer who can do it all.
Blatche missed 18 games last season with a shoulder injury, but still averaged 16.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals per game. With production like that, many wonder why Blatche would be up for trade consideration at all.
The most common criticism about Blatche is his maturity, both on and off the court. However, Blatche is still young and productive, and the Wizards find themselves in a situation where they may want to sell as high as they possibly can.
Washington has a lot to think about this offseason, from deciding who fills out the backcourt with John Wall and finding a small forward to round out the frontcourt.
The Wizards have two first-round picks in June's draft and if last season serves as an example, they will look to acquire another pick.
Blatche has the rotten luck of being the most expendable player on the Wizards roster. He doesn't have an injury history like Josh Howard, an exorbitant contract like Rashard Lewis, the raw explosiveness of McGee or the youthful but gritty paint presence of Trevor Booker and Kevin Seraphin.
Best case scenario, the Wizards can get another pick in the 15-17 range, but realistically they should get something in the 20-25 range.
Teams like Denver at 22 and Charlotte at 19 have need for youth and productivity at the power forward spot, with Kenyon Martin getting older in Denver and Tyrus Thomas being inconsistent in Charlotte.
This year's draft is considered by many to be very weak in terms of overall talent, especially outside of the lottery. Perhaps Washington's best options are trading Blatche for future picks or strictly players.
The issue that comes with trading for players is matching the value. Blatche has a decent-sized contract, five-years, $35 million signed before the season, but a trade may come down to packaging him with McGee to garner any real interest.
There are a lot of things to consider in approaching a trade, especially one involving a young player with varying value.
Perhaps this is a case of the Wizards passing on young talent before it has a chance to truly blossom. Players like Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace traded for Hubert Davis, Terry Davis, Bobby Simmons, Tim Legler and Jeff McInnis among others.
It is no wonder many fans approach the subject of trading young players with such trepidation.
For now, the Wizards seem content to mull over the idea of trading Blatche to further improve their draft status.
The Wizards have a lot to gain in trading Blatche, but run the risk of ditching proven production for untested youth in a weak draft.
