Bringing back Antonio Daniels was an option for the Wizards to get through their ongoing injury...

Bringing back Antonio Daniels was an option for the Wizards to get through their ongoing injury crisis, but Earl Boykins was always Washington's front-runner to pick up some of the guard minutes vacated by injuries to Randy Foye (ankle), Mike James (hand) and Javaris Crittenton (foot) and with Gilbert Arenas playing through calf soreness this week.

The Wiz wanted a good vet and someone who could push the ball and apply full-court pressure if needed. The guy who now ranks as the second-shortest player in team history -- Boykins is 5-foot-5 to Muggsy Bogues' 5-3 -- qualifies on all fronts.

Boykins actually blipped onto the Wizards' radar last season, when Wiz president Ernie Grunfeld was in Italy on a scouting mission to see current Milwaukee rookie sensation Brandon Jennings. Boykins rung up 24 points and 11 rebounds for Virtus Bologna against Jennings' Lottomatica Roma squad.

Marc Stein, ESPN. I'd much rather have AD than Earl the Squirm.

about 2 years ago Mike Prada 12 comments 0 recs |

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AD look old and slow

when he left. I can’t imagine that he has gotten any better.

Oh and a little off topic we got slammed by the Nor’easter in SE VA. The first website after I checked the fam into a hotel after being w/o power for over a day……BulletsForever.

by ccrun1800 on Nov 13, 2009 5:46 PM EST reply actions

Wow, that's probably the biggest endorsement I've read for BF

Is everything okay for you down there?

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

by Mike Prada on Nov 13, 2009 5:51 PM EST up reply actions

I thought there was a game today

and our $120 hotel cable is out as well. Just can’t win. Hopefully our Wiz have better luck tomorrow.

Yeah everything is cool just wet with power.

by ccrun1800 on Nov 13, 2009 7:49 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I'm not sure he's a "push the ball upcourt" guy anymore

His legs have looked dead for two years. That, plus wanting a guaranteed deal made me wary of AD, even if I don’t think Boykins is a great option either.

Ridiculous Upside, where developing talent and winning are not mutually exclusive.

by Jon L on Nov 13, 2009 6:05 PM EST up reply actions

I prefer Earl The Squirrel

If anything, for the entertainment of watching that lil’ guy on the court.

I loved me some AD, but there’s only so many precarious drives to the basket and horrendous jump shooting that one can take.

Representing DC with Wizards & Stuff - Truth About It.net and Bullets Forever.

by Kyle Weidie on Nov 13, 2009 5:57 PM EST reply actions

In previous years I would have said lets look at someone with upside, but there is zero room for development on this team. We need a veteran NBA player and has no internal questions about if he can compete at this level and we have enough instability with injuries.

AD doesn’t have much in the tank and in a new system with so many changes familiarity doesn’t take him far enough.

Brevin Knight was interesting, but he always seemed to miss a ton of games with injury and we obviously have enough injury concerns.

Boykins has played with two of our big three, granted that was a long time ago, but trust goes a long way. The comparison’s to Dee Brown don’t really jive. Brown was a guy who was/is a young fringe NBA player. Boykins has produced at this level for a long time in a lot of different situations.

Of all the options only Boykins and Knight have a chance of getting picked up for the season and adding something to the team. I think Ernie made the right decision to take a shot with Earl.

by forthepeople on Nov 13, 2009 6:38 PM EST up reply actions

AD was washed up with us

and was putrid after getting traded to NO. He can’t run, defend or shoot. I think Boykins is pretty crappy but AD is just done and should not have been an option IMO.

by BayAreaBullet on Nov 13, 2009 6:36 PM EST reply actions

I'm not sure AD was Washed up but

Javaris ended up a worthwhile project at his age (who knows if he will stay with the Wiz next season though) … Mike James I felt was questionable, but last year Washington had to get something going I guess …

by GvP on Dec 2, 2009 9:41 PM EST up reply actions

I think

I’ll side with Grunfeld on this one. Grunfeld has of course seen AD play, and according to the article, he saw Boykins play. Grunfeld must have saw something from Boykins to make him prefer Boykins over AD and every other available free agent. I think that Boykins might bring more to the table than AD would have been able to at this point.

On a sidenote:

And how in the hell did Boykins snag 11 rebounds? Was he playing against midgets?

by bigrm18 on Nov 13, 2009 6:44 PM EST reply actions

yeah i was nuetral about boykins

until i saw the video truthaboutit has up.
dude’s a freaking all-star, from what i can tell!
i think it’s a good thing – worst case is lets arenas rest a little more and deshawn doesn’t have to handle the ball. best case, he gives us a little different dimension offensively that catches other teams off-guard.
maybe get him and javale on the court together, like muggesy and manute. except boinkins and javale can actually play.

"a crab dribble is when you travel" - caron butler

by little stevie colter on Nov 13, 2009 7:20 PM EST reply actions