though that depends on whether Rubio’s in the draft. If he’s not, and most indications are that he won’t be, then I don’t think any of the non-Griffin players mentioned as possible high picks are worth it, frankly. I like Harden and Rook is swaying me a little on Jordan Hill, but I think a different year those players go towards the bottom of the lottery. The Wizards are also stuck in this limbo where we have enough veterans that the pick probably won’t play a lot for a few years (especially if he’s a forward) as well as a number of young guys who need/should see time on the court so the team can evaluate them. I’m a little afraid that a non-Griffin, non-Rubio pick in the top five will throw off the team’s balance in that regard without giving the Wizards enough value in return.

A top-five pick is pretty nice, but I thinks it helps to look at it this way – If Javale McGee had stayed in college, beasted at Nevada this past year, and had the same reputation as a decent guy with good fundamentals, where would he go in this year’s draft? Personally, I think he would be taken somewhere in the upper-top ten, which isn’t that far from where we’d be drafting, so I wouldn’t really mind dumping the Thomas contract if it means losing the pick. Still, it’d be a pretty big letdown to know that the only benefit to sitting through this horrible season is cap relief.

I agree with just about everything you said. The only thing I’m not sure about is whether or not they’ll trade Etan Thomas and Mike James, rather than just let their contracts come off the books, since Gilbert and Antawn’s deals most likely increase each year, Nick Young, Taser, and Crittenton, and they’re going to have to resign Caron Butler after the 2010-2011 season, plus they’ll have to give McGee an extension at some point. Some of this will be taken care of as some of our veterans expire, but it’ll still be easier if we’re not within one million dollars of the luxury tax every year for the next half decade.

I know Rubio has hype in his favor and a lot in camp are anti-Young this year (his defense and nature to turn the ball over while smiling can get on the nerves of anyone), but what does Rubio really give other than potential and offensive up-swing that Young doesn’t give? I mean, Rubio is still a project on the defensive end, right? Why not look at established point guards like Johnny Flynn out of Syracuse (should he decide to put himself up)?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36581

I’m commenting on the Rubio I saw after watching him play as a 17-year-old in the Olympics over the summer, and I was not impressed by his game. Has he matured since then?