Antwan Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler: What about the Wizards' Big Three?

The Washington Wizards face some real challenges this season. They’ve gone all-in with the Big Three: Antwan Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, and Caron Butler.  Still, the obvious question remains: Can these three players carry a team to the finals, persevering through an improving Eastern Conference? Let's look at a few factors.

Health 

Gilbert Arenas may or may not ever be the player that he once was. To date, the list of successful micro-fracture recoveries is limited to Amare Stoudemire, John Stockton, and Jason Kidd. The list of players whose careers were effectively ended by surgery includes players such as Penny Hardaway, Allan Houston, Antonio McDyess, and Chris Webber. 

You'll notice on the success list, only Amare Stoudemire has the type of game that relies on the athleticism that Gilbert Arenas’ does.  With Arenas out till at least December, we're already talking about a Big 2.5.

Caron Butler has missed 19 and 24 games the last two seasons, respectively. Can he stay healthy?  With an improved Brandon Haywood still lost for the season, poor health has already taken two starters out for half the year.

Defense

Caron Butler plays excellent defense.  Arenas and Jamison...not so much.  This team remained competitive last year with Stevenson and Daniels holding down the point.  Nick Young should see an uptick in minutes, and if he continues to improve his scoring numbers should improve, too. 

His defense is suspect, especially when he's guarding larger guards, and his foul rate (5.4 per 48) is going to limit his minutes anyway.  Young’s young, but he needs to improve his defense and foul rate.

If this team goes back to the score, score, score, lunge-for-a-steal style of defense, they'll not only not contend, but they may not make the playoffs.

Long Term

Arenas' contract is an albatross.  Should things fall apart, the Wizards’ salary cap is tied up in a player coming off micro-fracture surgery, an aging power forward who can't defend, and a great young player signed to a reasonable deal.  Which one is likely to have the most value?

There are questions about whether the Big Three can stay on the court and there are questions about whether this Big Three is on par with Boston's Big Three. On paper, this looks like the Golden State of the East; fun to watch, explosive, but ultimately lacking. 

The only hope they have is a team defensive philosophy similar to the Celtics, who can cover up many individual deficiencies in a team's defensive concept.  It's on Eddie Jordan to get a team full of poor defenders to play well as a team. 

Hey, worst case scenario, Wizards fans have a fun team to watch...