The Wizards fancied themselves a 50-win team, with a healthy roster of course. But to get there, they’ll have to do more than just rely on good health. And with eight free agents on their own roster, it’s doubtful they’ll return intact.
“It’s hard to get from that 44-win range to 50 wins,” one Eastern Conference assistant said. “A lot of teams are in that same area. … Can the Wizards win nine more games with [Gilbert] Arenas playing a full 82 games? They probably would come close. They just have to tinker with their roster.
“You win with hard-nosed veteran players. If you want to take the next step, you probably need hard-nosed grizzled veterans.”
» Free agency: The Wizards won’t be big players in free agency and must decide whether or not to keep Jarvis Hayes and DeShawn Stevenson, among others. The unnamed coach likes them, but considers them reserves.
Keep this in mind: When President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld was in Milwaukee, he signed versatile Desmond Mason. But Mason, a free agent, made around $8 million this season.
Cleveland’s energetic backup center Anderson Varajao is a restricted free agent. They could also use P.J. Brown, an effective defender and rebounder even at 38.
Reston’s Grant Hill, if he doesn’t retire, would be good in a reserve role. Chicago’s Andres Nocioni would add toughness.
» Trades: The Wizards will have to get creative — and possibly even gamble. They could use center Brendan Haywood in smaller deals, or they could put someone else with him, perhaps Jarvis Hayes (in a sign-and-trade).
“Brendan gives you dimensions that are hard to find,” the coach said. “He has great length and a defensive presence. He has a manageable contract.
“Will you get an All-Star in return? No. You will get a piece to the puzzle or you could use the money to sign someone else.”
But the most desirable player probably would be forward Antawn Jamison. He’s still an elite scorerand entering the last year of his contract. He has a meaningful presence in Washington, but he might be able to fetch a lot in return.
Maybe they could somehow lure Marcus Camby from Denver. The Nuggets have a lot of money invested in power forward and center. Grunfeld once traded for him in New York.
» Draft: Because it’s a solid draft, the Wizards might be able to parlay the 16th pick as part of a trade.
If they don’t, they might be able to land power forward/center types in Tiago Splitter, a Brazilian playing in Europe, and Jason Smith from Colorado State. But Smith might not be the best fit. Another possibility is USC shooting guard/small forward Nick Young, a cheaper alternative to Hayes.
Future considerations
» The NBA salary cap likely will be announced in July, but it likely will be around $60 million, perhaps a little under. The Wizards will not have a lot of room under the salary cap to be big players in the free agent market.
» One thing to keep in mind with the possible changes: the Wizards’ Princeton offense can be difficult to learn, which could slow the Wizards early if there are more than just a few additions.
