With Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld watching from a catwalk at the practice court at Verizon Center last month, forward Oleksiy Pecherov drilled rapid-fire 3-pointers.
“We know you can do that, but you can hit the boards too,” said Grunfeld. “If you get closer to the basket, you can help us a lot in there. You’re a good rebounder.”
Grunfeld’s mix of criticism and praise is a peek into how NBA teams treat their young players — prodding them to do better while trying to keep their confidence intact.
There was a lot of that going around last season as the Wizards broke in Pecherov and fellow 22-year-old rookies Dominic McGuire and Nick Young, while trying to remain patient with 21-year-old third-year man Andray Blatche (see above).
In the Wizards’ 4-2 opening-round playoff loss to Cleveland, the young foursome contributed little. Don’t expect that to continue next year, however, as Washington looks to accelerate their progress.
Nick Young
The 6-6 guard emerged as an instant-offense option in the second half with the ability to score inside, outside, or off the dribble. Had it not been for the reliable work of Roger Mason, Young would have played more.
“We’d like to see him get more minutes,” said Grunfeld. “Obviously at this point, no one is guaranteed anything. Nick is going to have to earn it. Obviously, when you see him play, you see flashes of big-time talent — speed, quickness, great length, and great scoring ability.”
What he needs to do » Young’s offense is there. He should take notice of what DeShawn Stevenson accomplished as a defensive stopper. If Young is to play alongside Gilbert Arenas, he will have to play more defense.
Dominic McGuire
The 6-9 forward had his moments as hustler off the bench. With all the offensive weapons the Wizards have, McGuire could become a valuable energy player, dedicated to defense and rebounding. He might be the Wizard best equipped to guard LeBron James.
What he needs to do » Shoot. His field goal (37.9 percent) and free-throw (43.8 percent) numbers were atrocious considering most of his shots came within 15 feet of the basket.
Oleksiy Pecherov
The 7-footer showed touch from the outside and some presence inside. He was the Wizards top scorer and rebounder in the Las Vegas Summer League last year, but his progress was halted by a stress fracture (ankle) in preseason.
What he needs to do » Stay healthy. Pecherov’s skill set is similar to that of Dallas star Dirk Nowitzki. To show it, he needs to work his way into the rotation.
