bulldog Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 for fans that want to see a confident front office, perhaps the pick of Brown amid all the talk of trading the pick, will serve as the first step in establishing some faith in a team that has for the past 20 years managed to louse up everything from the draft to free agency to the politics within the front office. Thank God Susan O'Malley is no longer running the show. Brown has an NBA body and appears to be a player that has a coachable personality. He also seems to be a competitive guy, a quality that umpteenth coaches in the NBA seem to ignore when sizing up a prospect. It is a quality that can't be taught. Either a player loves to compete and win or he doesn't. At 18, Brown may end up growing to 7-1 and 265 from what I heard tonight, and given the dearth of centers and strong power forwards in the Eastern Conference that has to bode well for the Wizards if they are smart enough to develop him the right way. Now the team needs to make some more modest moves to perhaps bring in a veteran player or two to create some stability in the locker room. With Richmond's release, this team's most experienced players are Michael Smith and Loy Vaught, not exactly what I would call role models for up and coming NBA risers. As Jerry West did for Kobe Bryant, I hope Michael Jordan does for Kwame Brown. Perhaps Jordan coming back for a season before the real free agency dollars become available in 2002 will be the best thing for Brown, who will be able to see an on-court example of what kind of attitude players need to win in the NBA. Richard Hamilton and/or Courtney Alexander (I still think one will get traded) can also use that kind of role model on the court. One positive note: at least the team cancer, Rod Strickland, was given his walking papers and won't be around to infect the team with his poison next season. See how much of a difference he made for the Blazers in the playoffs against the Lakers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted June 27, 2001 Share Posted June 27, 2001 Rip Hamilton should show initiative and work at the point guard spot again in summer leagues. If he can be a decent point guard we can have a backcurt of C Alexander and Hamilton nice size and quickness in the backcourt. The problem is they can't play a lick of defense ------------------ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted June 27, 2001 Author Share Posted June 27, 2001 Hamilton handles the ball well for a shooting guard but is not a pure point guard. I think you will see he is not a natural playmaker, ie distributor of the ball if he is given extended minutes there. People think because Magic at 6'9 and Jalen Rose at 6'8 can play the point in the NBA that ANY player showing ball skills can be transitioned into that spot. The truth is both players were point guards long before they finished growing and filling out. Rather than retard Hamilton's game which is as a scorer, it is best to trade Alexander and get a true point guard as part of a package. Or a true small forward. It is not enough to have two good basketball players on your team if in trying to get both on the floor you compromise both of their games. The Wizards already tried that when they had power forwards Wallace, Webber and Howard all scrambling for minutes in the front court, with Wallace playing out of position at the #5 and Howard at the #3. The smart move would have been to trade the #4 pick in the draft that brought Wallace and added a point guard or shooting guard to complement the Michigan boys up front. Let's not see the Wizards make the same mistake, this time by stockpiling shooting guards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 That is why I was thinking they should try the experiment of Rip at the point again in the summer leagues. It is detrimental to the team and the players to have a logjam at one spot ala the power forward spot previously. So the Bullets will have to hope Rip is serviceable enough to man the spot (he won't become a J Kidd), continue playing the undersized C Alexander at small forward, split the minutes evenly at SG or trade one of them ------------------ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Jordan did the right thing when it became clear he couldn't fleece anyone for that top pick. The best rumor I'd heard was he went for Brand and No. 4 for No. 1, but, Chicago certainly got a better bargain out of things. I love what Chicago did. Hopefully though, Brown will be the best player in the draft and help turn this team around. The part that set him above the others is his work ethic. I don't think being around Jordan will cause him to lose any of that. I do think we should trade Hamilton or Alexander thought of fill some other spots. If we could get a real solid point guard, the Bullets could suddenly look ok again, maybe . There is a way to go before that happens though. Who's for making a run at Chris Webber? ------------------ Doom is in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Webber would be best served either staying in Sacramento,going to Orlando or Indiana. Elton brand has been a consistent 20 point 10 rebound guy for the bulls and it only helps the clippers who should push for a playoff spot. Chicago gets Chandler and the question is will his posse aka support group from the hood roll into Chi town with him. The potential for the bulls is interesting. If this works out the Bulls could have a good Rasheed wallace and a Shaq or they have a Sam Bowie and a Mel Turpin. The one thing is the two kids have each other to turn to while growing up in the NBA ------------------ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 The article in the Post today talked of the Wizards bringing in a veteran to mentor Brown: "There was some reluctance in taking a player so young who has never experienced a big-city atmosphere or played against a consistently high level of competition. Coach Doug Collins and Jordan said the team will put together a support system to help Brown and that teammates will have to nurture him. Collins said the team is considering signing a free agent to serve as Brown's mentor, although he declined to identify him. Collins said he remembered how Toronto Raptors free agent center Antonio Davis took high school forward Al Harrington under his wing when both were with the Indiana Pacers." It would likely be a big man. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 You could see Tyrone Hill as a likely candidate. ------------------ Doom is in the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennesseeCarl Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Yeah, Terry. I think it'll be Christian Laettner. It was a strange draft in a lot of ways. The Chicago trade was a blockbuster, but I'm not sure trading a 20-10 guy (and Brand did that with no help at all) for Tyson Chandler is such a great idea. Time, of course, will tell. But if Chandler is the next Olowokandi, the Bulls are going to look like serious chumps. I think Atlanta has finally done something right. When you factor Ratliff, Kukoc, Nzar Muhammaed and Shareef in the mix, those guys might actually field a team. The Grizzlies made bold moves. Trading Bibby for Jason Williams was wierd. Getting Lorenzen Wright was a good move (Wright was popular at Memphis State, so the new team in town has a familiar name). Gasol and Battier ain't chopped liver. Unfortunately, Big Country is chopped liver. Kwame Brown....he's a big 'un. I sure hope he's a good 'un or it's a total disaster draft (I'm sort of assuming that Simmons, the kid from DePaul is not a franchise saviour). I'd have gone for that trade with the Grizzlies (Bibby and #6 pick for Nesby and the #1) if it was truly available. I wouldn't have minded having Elton Brand, either. I sort of liked Houston's move for Griffin. I'd read some negative stuff about him, but those three guys Houston traded were stiffs. Once again, the Nets have probably screwed it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KMP Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 I got a kick out of the MJ and Barkely conversation on TNT's broadcast. I hope they both come out of retirement to play for the Wizards. You never know what's gonna come out of Barkely's mouth next. Good pick for the Wizards. This could be the point in time Wizards fans look back upon and say the Kwame Brown pick was what turned this franchise around. Then again this is the Boulez. ------------------ <IMG SRC="http://www.joegibbsracing.com/joe_gibbs/joegibbs_images/driver_prof_joe.jpg" border=0><IMG SRC="http://www.joegibbsracing.com/current_season/jgr_wc_18/jgr_wc_18_images/car/bobby_car_race.gif" border=0><IMG SRC="http://www.joegibbsracing.com/current_season/jgr_wc_20/jgr_wc_20_images/car/drive_pontiac_tony.gif" border=0> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted June 28, 2001 Author Share Posted June 28, 2001 The Bulls in my mind made a serious mistake. Brand would seem to fit into a lineup with Curry very well given their games, while Chandler and Curry is somewhat of a stretch, especially on the defensive end. Of course the Bulls will probably be stupid enough to play both guys 48 minutes a game as rookies and that will destroy their confidence. The Bulls are right now the worst organization in the NBA. You don't trade a 22 year old forward who scores 20 points and gets double digit boards for an 18 year old you hope can end up doing the same in 3-4 years. Especially, when you are investing in a player like Curry that is really going to need a support network in the NBA. This guy could really balloon up if he is not watched closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TennesseeCarl Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 I really felt that way too, Bulldog. Why trade Brand - a real star - and then hope that Tyson Chandler will be as good. Is there some money savings? And while Fizer, Curry and Chandler might be a good front court, who's handling the ball and shooting? Maybe Brand has some kind of attitude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted June 28, 2001 Author Share Posted June 28, 2001 it was sugggested on WTEM this afternoon that because Brand was a David Faulk client, there was concern that he would counsel Brand to get out of Chicago after his contract expires in 2002. So the Bulls evidently wanted to get something of value for him before he left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 Yeah this is the final year of his contract and I wouldn't hold my breath clippers on resigning Brand. One thing we should remember is that zone defense will be allowed this upcoming NBA season. So twin towers in the post could be interesting however Curry stills needs to lose weight while Chandler needs 25 pounds of muscle at least ------------------ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zen-like Todd Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 So much for my idea about trading Hamilton for Marbury. The Suns and Nets just traded point guards. Very odd. http://www.sportingnews.com/nba/articles/20010628/326493.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NavyDave Posted June 28, 2001 Share Posted June 28, 2001 The Nets found out too late about Marbury and by that I mean signing him to a maxed out contract but they found a chump I mean team in the Suns to trade a solid player for marbury. Now the Suns have 2 me players in the backcourt unless nickle hardaway has a season ending hangnail or get his feelings hurt from fans calling him ovepaid and underachieving. Thank God the bullets didn t trade for this guy. Loyalty isn't his strong suit ------------------ Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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