ESPN: Wizards to sign Earl Boykins

by Mike Prada on Nov 11, 2009 4:01 PM EST in Free Agency Comment 30 comments

The injury-hit Washington Wizards plan to sign veteran guard Earl Boykins to bolster their depleted backcourt, sources told ESPN.com.

What, Muggsey Bogues wasn't available?

This is good from an entertainment standpoint, but pretty disappointing from a talent standpoint. It'd be nice to have a point guard who, you know, played like a point guard. Brevin Knight would have been better, in my opinion. But hey, it's just a stopgap for an unguaranteed contract, so maybe the pickings were slimmer than I thought.

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Great.

Yeah, this will solve all our problems.

Goodness me. He sucks.

My swag was phenomenal.

by se7en on Nov 11, 2009 4:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think the weirdiest thing is

a month ago, nobody would have thought that we’d need more backcourt help.

by Pryme on Nov 11, 2009 4:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Disagree.

He’s not great, but he’ll provide energy, which is what this team’s been lacking. For whatever reason, we look woefully flat out there—Gil and Brendan need time to get their legs back, Caron… well, he needs more mountain dew? I don’t know. It’s a mystery why these guys have been so lifeless, but they have.

Earl Boykins may be a shoot first PG, but he’s got a ton of energy and I’m betting it’ll be infectious. This team has been bogged down with negative energy for the first few weeks—fans, players, media, everyone—and having cute little Earl around will help. It sounds crazy, but then, it’s just as crazy to think someone like Brevin Knight or Jamal Tinsley would change our fortunes.

by Andrew Sharp on Nov 11, 2009 4:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But that's JaVale McGee's job

Besides, the best energy jolt will be better play, which is best aided by better players.

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

by Mike Prada on Nov 11, 2009 4:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

Lets just hope that “day to day” for foye really means day to day and he is back after detroit. Twan and miller should provide the energy we need.

by Blatche4MVP on Nov 11, 2009 4:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Boo.

I don’t like this move at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laydODN6xVk

by hibachi on Nov 11, 2009 5:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not great, not terrible

Didn’t he sign a big money deal in Europe just last year? He really is a pretty decent player.

Brevin Knight would have been much better, but its unclear that he was available for a non-guaranteed contract.

Boykins at least gives us some pop off the bench, which we appear to desperately need with all of these injuries to our offensive players.

by Manimal Smith on Nov 11, 2009 5:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Not that bad

Boykin is small but we may need that kind of player. Blatche Haywood McGee Oberto. We are relatively big right now, we desperatly need some ball movement, offensive lift, and penetration (w/o turnovers). I think Earl will do a good job with our team. I mean he has scored 33 points in a game if that’s any indication of his scoring capabilities. I’m really not sure what will happen but we will find out soon.

by Unxpekted on Nov 11, 2009 6:01 PM EST via mobile reply actions 0 recs

disagree a bit

I’m not trying to be cynical or anything but him being able to score 33 points in a game is no indication of what he will do to impact the wizards there are players I cannot even remember who scored way more than that who are way back on the dept chart.

My problems with little earl the pearl

This guy needs the ball to be effective, And obviously I know people need the ball to be good, but he needs it to make any impact whatsoever, he won’t be able to defend bigger gaurds so he has to have the ball to put pressure on the second team, essentially he is a poor man’s allen iverson (current iverson). Without the ball he will get used and abused.

Yes he will put up points, but look at his stats over his career, he shoots around 40%, below that from 3 so that essentially makes him a drive and pop gaurd, which isn’t all that bad with mike miller camping out behind the 3, but even though that might sound great for those of us wanting to see that drive and pop ball movement let me first say that I can remember watching old Nuggets games when he played and all I remember is earl dominating the ball and just being a black hole.
THIS team I repeat does not need more 1on1 play, there needs to be more ball movement, LESS dominic mcguire taking any shots (yes his shot improved, from very bad to bad) D Mc is a good defender so I wouldn’t take minutes away from him, People asking here and there why JaVale isn’t playing blah blah blah, IT is so DAMN obvious why he doesn’t get minutes it’s because he makes dumbass moves in the paint when he should just kick it out, his game is not at the level where he will be getting those kinds of minutes unless he understands his role (shot blocker, put backs, rebounds, easy dunks and maybe the occasional wide open shot), But I will say that Flip needs to give him some more run, and probably will

BTW NICK YOUNG, oh my goodness… his face says it all, he won’t get any run or any impact because he needs the ball to be effective as well (since he can’t defend at all), NY is your basic 1on1 specialist (he needs those fancy moves to get a rhythm so that he can rise for his jumper, you see that kind of stuff at your local pickup game all the time, in other words not reggie miller not rip hamilton running around screens for pick and pops), but I still have faith in him, just not now, Gain some lbs (maybe deshawn can help he looks like he’s ready to tackle someone on the football field at the SG position) and work on his defense (it’s working for caron…)

But anyway I know this sounds like a rant, and it is so I will let it all out for those who want to read this crap.

GILBERT ARENAS,
CHILD PLEASE… you are not a point gaurd, you are a SG (same shout out goes to Randy Foye), I love Gilbert and am pulling for him (maybe during the halfway point of the season it won’t matter and we can just have anyone bring the ball up and just toss it to Gil, but right now Ball handling is a huge responsiblity for GIl, he still needs time to develop as a Real PG, something flip must understand by now that he is not and will not be)

I mean after watching the Miami game I couldn’t help but think, if D Whistle was on the wiz for GA, oh my goodness we would be really damn good with all the weapons he would have, I mean seriously wade is surrounded by some random cats and he is winning. BUT i will say that what seperates that team from the wiz is that Wade has a quality REAL point gaurd in Mario Chalmers to back him up and handle the ball as well as hit the open 3, (Randy maybe will get to that point mid season idk…)

AND SERIOUSLY??? can ANDRE BLATCHE PLEASE JUST TRY TO DUNK everything within 2 feet of him instead of some goofy shot off the backboard, Please dude you are like 10 feet tall just DUNK, no layups, Just DUNK.

And btw as soon as I saw Deshawn Stevenson go to shoot those free throws in the Miami game, all i could think was he was going to miss (if I was Miami I would have just done hack-a-deshawn if it got close).

But anyway thats all I have to say for now, I’m sure theres people out there who are really agitated, even more than me (I’ve been watching this damn team since Chris Webber was turning the ball over),

BUT PLEASE ANTWAN we need you dawg, Didn’t realize till now that he is the guy who makes this team have common sense.

by o dat boy good on Nov 11, 2009 6:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agree about blatche needing to go up strong

i feel the same way

by DarrellWalkerFan on Nov 11, 2009 7:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

no defense playing volume shooter eh?

will fit right in.

by BayAreaBullet on Nov 11, 2009 6:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

is his nickname really the squirrel?

by facekdr on Nov 11, 2009 6:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I thought it had something to do with a frog

or maybe that is just my faint memory of that commercial he was in.

by Manimal Smith on Nov 11, 2009 6:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Earl Boykins was great with Denver, and was very effective at distributing the ball. You can be sure that the Wizards chose him for a reason.

by satchmore on Nov 11, 2009 6:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

eh, we have bigger issues

than a 10-day contract backup pg.

by mogoman on Nov 11, 2009 8:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But nothing else to talk about

that isnt super depressing

by ccrun1800 on Nov 11, 2009 9:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I envy the Suns

I’m sorry, but I do. They are so fun to watch.

My swag was phenomenal.

by se7en on Nov 11, 2009 11:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Watching the game now

Damn, they are exciting. Hopefully we can get a little of this feeling soon!

by whippb on Nov 11, 2009 11:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I envy their ability to make crappy shooters into great shooters

It feels like ANYONE who plays there suddenly invents a jump shot. Its really uncanny.

The wiz are more talented than the Suns top to bottom (compare Amare, Nash, Hill, Richardson, Frye, Barbosa + former scrubs to Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Miller, Haywood, Foye, Blatche, McGee etc.), but somehow that team is magic.

I think Pech could score 30 points a night on that team and he might even get an entire assist per game as well.

by Manimal Smith on Nov 12, 2009 2:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

A real PG

a true PG makes everyone on there team better. He can grossly enhance the stats of all those around him. Look at Q-Rich who has never come close to reproducing the numbers he had playing next to nash.

by ccrun1800 on Nov 12, 2009 12:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Not just that

Many other teams run with quote-unquote true point guards, but they don’t have as much success. It’s the system, but also they have some great offensive guys. Look at the Hornets. You won’t find a better skilled “true” point guard, and they stink. They really do. Watch them struggle against mediocre teams.

I’m sure many would say Deron Williams is a “true” point guard – and the Jazz have been struggling quite a bit the last couple years… even with a healthy boozer.

You have to give the most credit to Nash, but it’s great how their guys are hitting open shots. Channing Frye even spreads defense.

My swag was phenomenal.

by se7en on Nov 12, 2009 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

by RamVA on Nov 14, 2009 9:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We’re dying for a guard who can play some defense.

And, like Pryme said, who would’ve thought we needed more backcourt help over the summer? That damn injury bug. Maybe we should’ve kept the draft pick and pulled a David Kahn or something.

by AlexPham on Nov 12, 2009 4:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs