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State of the Wizards: A cyber-roundtable discussion (Part 4)

Editor's Note: Here's Part 4 of the roundtable.  Player evaluations begin tomorrow, so stay tuned. -PM

A while back, I polled several prominent Wizards bloggers/internet personalities, asking them to answer some key questions facing the Wizards this offseason.  Eventually, many of them got back to me, and now, their answers to each question will be posted here over the next few days.

Your participants:

Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here and Part 3 is here.   Here's the fourth question:

What do you do about Antawn Jamison?  If you elect to re-sign him, what do you think is the appropriate price?

Answers below the jump...

 

 

Star-divide

Kevin Broom: Jamison should be re-signed unless there's a way to get someone who provides what he does, but who's younger.  Something around $10 million per year would be a good figure for Jamison.  AT his age, I wouldn't want to go more than three years.  I suspect he'll demand (and get) five. 

Jamie Mottram: He's been their rock for four seasons now, so I really do hope they resign him, but I don't understand the economics of basketball.

Jake Whitacre: Jamison is an interesting case because while he's coming off the best season of his career, the 16 mil he's got this year is still probably slightly more than he was worth.  So now Ernie and Antawn have to find some way to reward a stellar season with...a pay cut.  I'd probably slot Antawn's salary in the same range as Gilbert's, around $10-14 mil a year.  Antawn's negotiations scare me a little more not only because of the dilemma I just mentioned because I think someone would be more likely to ridiculously overpay Antawn more than Gilbert, but that's just my gut feeling at work.

I Watch the NBA: I would hold onto him as well, there is not another player out there in the L or in the upcoming draft that can play like him.  His leadership of the team is also essential to our future success.  I think he knows he isn't going to get a max contract from any team out there (unless the Knicks suddenly like him) and I want to believe he thinks his best option is in DC.  That said, I would pay him in the range of $11/year for 3-4 years would be a good deal for both sides.  If he wanted a shorter contract I might bring the number down a bit.  If there was another offer out there, I would do my best to match without going to a max deal.

Bobtimist Prime: He was sensational this year. He was always a contributor, and his game flourishes with the guys around him. Him, above everyone else understood his role with the team, and would step up in ways incomparable when any or both of th big three were hurt. After his 06-07 playoffs, he cemented Wizard-god for life status to me. And that was BEFORE he improved himself before this season. All of those defensive deficiencies people used to harp on him about vanished this year, and he only suffered the mildest of injuries. This definitely has "contract year" written on it somewhere, but you can't ever give up on a guy who performs like he does nightly, never gets in trouble, etc etc etc. Guys like that Abe Pollin will want around until they are egregiously obese and making terrible personnell decisions. I say he stays with a shorter-term, yet lucrative deal along with Gilbert, and Abe pays the luxury tax.

Truth About It: Sign him, sign him, sign him......In part 2 of my 4 part series, I mention that a 3-year $32 million contract, or a 4-year $40 million contract would fit.

Kingly-1:Jamison is the leader of this team and he had an outstanding year; therefore, he should be re-signed.  He would have to be paid a salary comparable to those  power forwards who put up similar numbers, but the real question is the number of years in the contract. He is getting up there in age, so anything more than 4 years would be foolish by the Wizards.

In addition, if the Wizards add a big-man similar to the one I described above, that will allow Jamison to shoot more from the outside and take the slower PFs off the dribble instead of being tied to the low block all the time.

Pradamaster: Yes, re-sign him,.  He was our best player this year, and his defense and rebounding improved significantly.  I think he'd be best getting a three-year deal,but the cynic in me says he'll get five years because Abe loves him.  Five years would not be smart, but three years at a figure in the 30-35 million range would be a bargain considering how important he was to us this year.

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Absolutely -

have to keep Jamison. He is our team’s rock and while he does have off nights – to me his effort is always there. I agree – a 3 year contract would be ideal. Another poster a while ago suggested Antawn and Gilbert swap salaries. I think that would be fair. And yes god like status indeed in 06-07 playoffs.

by ooba on May 27, 2008 10:04 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Don't Agree With Kingly-1

I take issue with this comment:

In addition, if the Wizards add a big-man similar to the one I described above, that will allow Jamison to shoot more from the outside and take the slower PFs off the dribble instead of being tied to the low block all the time.

I think this would be a terrible idea. I don’t consider Jamison to be at his best when he’s shooting from the outside nor when he is driving. I believe Jamison operates ideally when he’s posting up. That is when he utilizes his amazing array of awkward-looking flip shots which seem to always go in and are almost impossible to stop. I haven’t analyzed his stats with regard to this, but from watching I believe that Antawn is much more effective in this regard.

This isn’t to say that I don’t think the Wizards need another low post player, because I certainly think they do. However, whoever they pick up should not take Antawn away from his low post game, in my opinion.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on May 27, 2008 12:34 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Agree with you

I get angry at Jamison when he just lounges on the perimeter, so why add someone who will make that part of Antawn’s game more prominent?

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on May 27, 2008 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

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