“Optimistic” isn’t the first word that comes to mind when I think “Wizards fan.” This is a good glass-half-full look at next year, but…I don’t know. It still seems like a lot of “ifs.” I’m also not confident about the Wizards landing the #1 pick at all.

Assuming he takes the bulk of the PG minutes, we only need someone to come in for 10-12 minutes a night…..

JCritt should be able to handle that, no problem.

I’m on board with everything except #7. Chris Paul is a completely different animal.

You telling me that if Arenas comes back, and the Wizards start to win…. and he posts 20-22 points a night, and 12-13 assists – - – you wouldn’t be comfortable comparing him to Chris Paul? You don’t think those would be MVP numbers?

I truly believe that Arenas can score less, and assist more.
1. He doesn’t have to carry the scoring load any more…
2. He’s always been a fabulous passer, it’s just that a lot of his possessions ended in him taking a shot.
3. If he takes 6 fewer shots, but instead turns those possessions into assists…. voila: 20points 11assists

Right now, there’s only one 20-10 guy in the league (20 points, 10 assists) – and that’s Chris Paul…. (actually , 21.9 ppg 11 assists)

I believe Arenas can be a 20-10 player next year.

I’d have to say that to make your first scenario more accurate, someone would have to come punch you in the stomach multiple times during the race…..perhaps it was the old mascot, Hoops, with a Curse O’ Les Boulez t-shirt on.

Can we, as intelligent, responsible adults, agree to never again mention the whole, "The Wizards were in first place for two days two years ago" argument?

No. Why would we not look at the un-injured track record? Sure it’s no promise, but why should we ignore it? It’s not the “leading the conference” that is important, it’s the fact that they were among the best teams in the league and were beating everybody.

Here’s one fact: 19-62.

Irrelevant. If you need a recap of this year’s problems then you haven’t been paying attention (which I know you have). If the injury bug repeats itself then all bets are off, otherwise I don’t think 19-62 has any bearing.

I don’t think that we know yet what impact this year will have on the players and team.

Could go either way. Butler seems to be using it as motivation.

(Bench) is mostly young and inexperienced

There is enough experience among those we need to rely on (Songila, James, Young, Blatche, McGuire)

I haven’t seen anything to indicate that the Wizards players or coaches have made any strides on the defensive end

Really? How about McGuire? How about Flip?

There have been many many posts about Jamison – his age – the type of game he employs – and why his imminent decline is grossly overstated. Jamison does not rely upon athleticism, quickness, jumping ability, strength or anything else that declines with age. His game is all about angles, positioning, guile, smarts, etc… AND the fact that he can shoot from almost any weird, twisted and contorted position.

From what I saw of Gilbert Arenas this year, and granted it was a small sample, but I certainly didn’t see the guy that was dragging his leg (like last year). In addition, I saw the player that almost everyone here wants him to become. A facilitator, rather than a gunner. If Gilbert Arenas it not really 100%, and he can come back this year and put up 10 assists per night in only 31 minutes per game – I think we should all be excited to see him next year for 35-40 minutes a night. I, for one, am hoping that Gil cannot “explode” off that leg as in the past… That we’ll see fewer kamikaze drives to the basket, ending in crazy off-balance shots hoping for AND-1’s. Here’s hoping that he’ll have to adapt his game to be more like a pass-first PG, and use his unbelievable gifts (court sense, passing ability, etc…) to get others easy shots… Certianly, Flip Saunders was able to help Chauncy Billups become that kind of player….

As for the Bench…. Remember, I was comparing the current bench against the 2006-2007 bench. If you don’t think that Nick Young, Andray Blatche, Dominic McGuire, Javaris Crittenton and JaVale McGee aren’t better than Donell Taylor, Jarvis Hayes, Michael Ruffin, Mike Hall, Calvin Booth, and Roger Mason – then there’s no way to convince you of ANYTHING. Oh, and by the way, Nick Young’s per is 13 – and he doesn’t suck. When his is given consistent minutes, he produces. For instance, from March 11th til now, Nick has averaged 28 minutes per game and during that span has averaged 13.8 points per game. The injuries this year have benefited the young guys on the bench by providing opportunities for playing time. That will translate to a very good bench next year.

There are very few teams that bring a big time scorer off the bench like the Lakers do with Odom.

By the way, talk about a bench that sucks, which players on the Rocket’s bench are better than the Wizards? – Carl Landry (at 9.3ppg)? or Von Wafer? or perhaps Brent Barry? Kyle Lowry (reject from the Grizzlies?)? Chuck Hayes , who plays 12 minutes per game and averages 1.3 ppg?

And the Celtics? Eddie House is OK, but Nick Young scores more and is younger. Glen “Big Baby” Davis? He scores about 6.8 ppg and rebounds 3.9 – I’d rather have Blatche’s 10 and 5 and 1 blocks (in roughly the same minutes).. Tony Allen? no thanks!… Leon Powe? Songaila scores the same (7.5ppg). He doesn’t rebound as well as Powe, but Songaila doesn’t turn the ball over as much, and is a better passer. Brian Scalabrine, Mikki Moore – scrubs… I’d much rather have McGee and McGuire…

And the last point…. Blake Griffin will NOT make the Wizards incrementally better in the short term. He does NOT make them a contender… What makes the Wizards contenders next year……… what gets them over the hump…… to the next step………. will be whatever moves Ernie Grunfeld makes over the Summer and at the Trade Deadline…. THAT’s why the Wizards will contend.

I can’t, under any circumstances, get on board with #7.

ut let’s say it like it was. Instead of it being "we were first in the East," it really should be "we were a top team in a very weak Eastern Conferece, leading our division, with Gilbert shooting the lights out, while not having a bench and not having an infusion of young talent."

yet beating a lot of top Western teams too.

The “first” thing is a red herring. Who cares if we were first, second, whatever. The team was one of the top five in the NBA the last time our big 3 were all healthy.

This year, when he came back….. Averaging double digit assists… in only 32 minutes a night.

When he was in, the Offense looked dynamic – almost unstoppable.