The first day of the rest of the Washington Wizards season is Tuesday, when the team returns to Washington for the first time in nearly two weeks, thanks to a combination of snowstorms and the All-Star break.
At the very least, the players ought to be refreshed after the layoff, but a renewed sense of optimism is unlikely after a seven-player trade with Dallas last weekend sent two starters, Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, to the Mavericks. The move signaled the demolition of a franchise determined to save money first before starting over.
In return for its departed stars, the Wizards (17-33) expect four new faces at practice, starting with Josh Howard, a late first-round draft pick by Dallas in 2003 who blossomed into a All-Star by his fourth year in the NBA. Howard was expected to be a key contributor for Dallas, but injuries have cost him 21 games and limited him to nine starts.
Gooden, the other major piece Washington received in the trade, joins his fifth different team in the last two years.
With the trade deadline two days away, the Wizards are still likely in the market to make more moves — there has been reported interest in Antawn Jamison from Miami, Boston and Cleveland.
The team has maintained that its reasons for making a trade include obtaining young talent and/or future draft picks. Salary relief — the most significant thing the Wizards got out of last weekend’s deal — may be the most Washington can manage, which is a reflection of its disadvantaged position and lack of negotiating leverage.
