Good News/Bad News
Haywood is going to get the surgery, so he'll be out for 4-6 months, but Ivan is reporting that Jamison has a right knee contusion so he should be good to go for the season opener.
Depressing, sure. But this could've been far worse.
over 3 years ago
Jake Whitacre
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Here's the other good thing
Brendan called around and talked to specialists and got a second opinion. I trust he didn’t just use the team doctors, he seems like the type to be exceedingly cautious. Play it safe and smart.
On the second opinion...
Not just one, but two specialists in NYC……fancy.
Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It Dot Net
Even more heartening
Dave Johnson told me (on the blog) that Ernie referred him to the specialists in NYC and told him to get that 2nd opinion.
Inotherwords he didn’t refer him to the physician who’s a family friend of Abe Pollin and simply assume that’s good enough. So maybe that 4-6 months is a realistic timetable and Big Wood doesn’t actually have an undiagnosed virulent case of contact sprain that will spread to the rest of the team and require a full torso amputation for the lot of ’em. And maybe future injuries will be treated by actual experts and not on the discount by some guy I know.
At least Jamison's injury isn't more serious
But this news is depressing
"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck
by George Templeton on Oct 8, 2008 11:24 PM EDT reply actions
Haywood loss not that big
The difference between Haywood and Thomas (when Thomas is healthy) is just not that big. Haywood is better defensively, but on rebounding and offense, it’s a wash. And if it gets Opec and Blatche more minutes, it’s a good thing. OPec needs minutes to develop. Up or out.
no
thomas is a huge liability defensively, as are blatche and opec. not to mention that etan being the same player he was before the heart problems is unlikely. haywood is probably the only above-average defensive player we have on the entire roster, so i would say that losing him is a pretty big deal.
No # 2
And Haywood’s contributions can’t all be measured in stats. You can’t count the number of altered shots. You can’t count the number of arrested drives. You can’t measure the easy baskets that were made harder.
He was an efficient scorer, and had a low turn over rate (for a Center). He had the second best Adjusted Field Goal % behind Dwight Howard; and he had the 3rd best PER among Centers in the East at 18.37. Behind only Dwight Howard (22.98) and barely behind Ilgauskas (18.76). Thomas’ best PER in his entire career was 2003-04 at 16.48. He is, BY FAR, the best defender on the Wizards – both individual defense, and help defense.
In my opinion, Haywood is among the League’s most underrated big men.
Thomas brings false “energy”. His hands are like stone. He’s undersized and not particularly athletic. He has one (1) consistent Offensive move, and he can’t hit free throws.
In short – Thomas is a good backup Center.
Is Haywood > Thomas + Blatche + Opec/minutes? I’m not sure. If this gets Blatche and Opec more minutes, it’s a good thing. Jordan hates anybody with unrealized talent, which is why he falls in love with his overperforming losers. I look forward to seeing Opec and Blatche play as much as 50 minutes a game.





















