It’s no secret that we are Washington, DC area natives here at FBB. As such, we are huge Washington Wizards fans, and nothing has pleased us more than to see the Wiz turn from Les Boulez into a legitimate NBA team over the past few years. Gilbert Arenas – FBB’s hands-down favorite NBA player – has been spurned yet again, this time both by himself (for missing 2 crucial free throws in the playoffs), LeBron (for trash talking during said free throws), and Team USA (for not playing him enough before he got hurt). Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler complete a fine nucleus next to the Silent Assassin. After the big three, though, things get a little fishy. The Wiz may be improved simply by getting Jared Jeffries off the roster, but the fact of the matter is that one (if not two) of the role players is going to have to step it up big time in order for the Wiz to crack the top 4 in the East. Let’s see if we can find a hidden gem:
The Stud: Gilbert Arenas, PG
Last season Gilbert Arenas went from a really good player to a team-leading stud. His 29.3 ppg ranked 4th in the league, he shot a respectable 44% from the field, hit 2.5 3’s and got to the line 10 times a game. Aside from scoring, he chipped in 6.1 assists and his 2.0 steals were good enough to tie him for 5th in the league. That said, he also led the league in turnovers with 3.7, and his 3.5 rebounds were his lowest since his rookie season. Gilbert does have his quirks (like going a full half without taking a shot every so often), but he’s a fine pick in the mid-late first round (a bit later in the first for leagues that count turnovers). You have to like a guy who says stuff like this: “”I can’t wait to play the Suns and Portland. Against Portland, Nate McMillan, I’m going to try to score 100 in two games and against D’Antoni, I’m going to score 100 in two games. I’m going to try.” He’s also been healthy for 2 straight seasons after missing significant time with a groin injury in ‘04. He re-aggravated his groin this summer, which is a concern and worth watching, but he should be fine to start the season.
The Support: Antawn Jamison, F
Jamison had an interesting year last year. He started off on fire, averaging a double-double in November. Then he stopped being able to shoot the ball at all in December, shooting 36.2% that month. But once the New Year came along, he figured himself out and was a monster from the arc, shooting 54% from three in January and February and really settling into a groove. By the time it was all over he’d nearly doubled his career high in threes (1.8), and set a career high in boards with 9.3. He then beat the odds and managed to make the Team USA Roster and spent a couple months working (hopefully) on his defense with FBB-hated Coach K. I actually like Jamison to reach the high bar he set for himself last year. Eddie Jordan seems to like him, and the slight changes to the Wizards roster shouldn’t have much effect on his PT. Still, I can’t recommend taking Antawn any sooner than the 5th round. The fact is, he’s really only a big benefit in three categories, he doesn’t block enough shots to be effective as a PF, and his FT% is surprisingly low for a jumpshot guy like he is. The points, boards and threes could push someone to take him in the fourth or even late third, but the lack of anything else means he’s really a mid-round guy.
The Supporting Support: Caron Butler
You’ve gotta give Ernie Grunfeld credit – he absolutely fleeced the Lakers last summer when he got Butler and Chucky Atkins in exchange for Kwame Brown. After a failed attempt at being a sixth man, Butler was in the starting lineup by the end of December and rolled from there. Caron is a great guy to take in the middle rounds of fantasy leagues and is certainly a guy I’ll be targeting in the sixth or seventh rounds. Besides a disappointing sophomore year, he’s been a consistent producer. Look for typical Caron numbers: 16/5 with 1.5 steals, and a plus at FT% and threes. That’s good roster filler right there.
The Sleeper: Darius Songaila
It’s no secret that going in to the offseason the Wizards needed to find a big man. Instead, they got the next best thing in Songaila, who has a chance to be a great fit in Eddie Jordan’s offense. Jordan has a poor relationship with Brendan Haywood, and Etan Thomas doesn’t belong on the floor for more than the 15mpg he got last year. I think it’s very possible that Jordan could use a small lineup featuring Songaila at center for long stretches this season. He can hit a jumper from the high post, and that’s a big bonus in Jordan’s motion offense. If he can get himself on the court for 30 mpg, Songaila should be good for 14/8 with a steal and good percentages. If you can get him late (and you should be able to), he’s not a bad flyer to take.
The Slacker: Brendan Haywood
It pains my heart to put Brendan here, but the facts are the facts. I keep waiting for him to break out of his shell, but it’s just never going to happen. Five years after entering the league, Haywood is pretty much exactly the same as when he entered. Check out the stats from his second season and compare them with last year. He saw the exact same amount of minutes – 23.8. What did an extra three years of experience get him? 1.1 more points, .9 more boards, .2 FEWER blocks, .4 MORE turnovers, WORSE free throw percentage … oh, Brendan. On the plus side, he does that awesome put-back dunk every once in awhile, but you don’t get style points in fantasy.
Double Dribbles:
After a hideous start to the year, Antonio Daniels really found himself in the second half. Unfortunately I’m not sure that he’ll be consistent enough to be worth having on your roster, but if an injury pops up for any of the big three, he’ll be counted on for scoring and worth picking up … FA Pickup DeShawn Stevenson puts up some of the emptiest box scores in the NBA. He could play 48 mpg and not be worth owning … This is the last shot for Jarvis Hayes, but I’m not sure where he’ll get the PT to really make an impact … Etan Thomas has solidified his role as a decent bench player but he’s just not a 30 mpg kinda guy, which is what he needs to have any value.