The most intriguing Washington Wizard this NBA offseason isn’t Gilbert Arenas.
Yes, we’re well aware that Arenas is in the midst of a month-long sentence at a halfway house in Montgomery County. But when Arenas was suspended by the NBA in January and the Wizards were detonated in February, it was Andray Blatche who was handed the keys, and he responded by blowing his career numbers out of the water with 22.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists over the final 32 games of the year.
The statistics give credence to a Wizards commercial in which Blatche said he’d be prepared when his time came — if it weren’t for two behavior-related incidents during the season, of which remarkably only one got him suspended by head coach Flip Saunders.
After the Wizards’ finale on Wednesday, Saunders defended Blatche’s numbers and why they solidified his standing as the cornerstone — opposite Arenas — of Washington’s rebuilding plans.
“If he’s more competitive with better players, it should be easier for him,” said Saunders, citing late-season opponents Boston, Orlando and Atlanta when asked if he was confident in Blatche’s ability to produce in meaningful games.
“When they go into a game, they’re doing what they can, they’re trying to take away your first option, and he’s our first option,” said Saunders. “I think when he’s got other players, Gil and those guys, they’re not going to be able to run two or three people at him. I think it could be easier.”
Saunders also said Blatche needs to get in phenomenal shape. Hasn’t that happened every offseason since he was drafted in 2005? And does Blatche understand that he’s not likely to get 20 shots a night, nor be the alpha dog in a locker room that is also home to Arenas, Josh Howard and perhaps a high-priced free agent?
“My next challenge is going out and continuing to do the things that I was doing the second half of the season, next season,” said Blatche. “I want to go out, and I want to compete next season, and I want to lead my team as far as I can.”
We’re anxious to see how far that might be.
