Cavaliers 97, Wizards 90

by Mike Prada on May 1, 2007 5:47 AM EDT in Recaps

Well, I can't say this was an unpredictable way to go out, considering the events of the last two months.

I'm too tired to write the season obituary at this point, but tonight wasn't surprising at all, right down to DeShawn's 0-8, 0 point line.

While the season may be over, Bullets Forever isn't going anywhere. Jake and I will continue to update the site as regularly as usual, and at times, perhaps even more regularly. This is the season for rumors and speculation, after all. The playoff contest will continue, and I promise update the standings when I wake up tomorrow (which might be like 4 PM). Posting might get a bit sporadic over the next couple days, just because Jake and I are burned out and preparing for our finals, but we'll still be here, and I hope you guys will be too.

For now though, this is the official end of the season thread. Post away.

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Stephenson

So do we keep Deshawn Stephenson or not? After his disappointing playoff run, I'm inclined to let him walk. I think we need more of a pure shooter at that position. The guard playing beside Gilbert will get a lot of open jump shots, so I'd like to see someone with a more reliable shot. Playing some good D would also help.

by hotplate on May 1, 2007 7:58 AM EDT reply actions

next year

i think he was a great 4th option behind gil/caron/twan. but he wasnt a 2nd option. hopefully his market value wont be too high and they can split their midlevel exception between him and Blatche. But i'm sure he will run for the $$ and could price himself out of abe's budget.

I'd kind of like seeing if Daniels can run the offense as a starter next year.. but your right the guard opposite of Gilbert needs to knock down jumpers...

I was looking at the FA list on espn this morning..no one really jumps out as a big men..but.. Mutombo is a FA... i could see him gettin Brenda's minutes and more if he keeps playing...

all in all i loved the effort in the series. Finally EJ let the bench play and they stepped up. But is was painfully obvious Cleveland and Lebron were not trying..anytime they needed to score or keep the Wiz close they did it...

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by jackpitt on May 1, 2007 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions

What can we get for Brendan?

Personally, I think this draft is deep enough that if a non-lottery team is willing to trade the 20-somethingth pick for an established backup center, I'd jump at it.

Gotta agree with jackpitt about Daniels. I don't think it'll work -- I think Gil needs the ball in his hands to be effective -- but averaging 11 assists/game on a team with almost no shooters is impressive. And crafty older point guards who get a lot better in their 30s are definitely in style these days. If AD could do that and sync well with Caron and Gilbert... I'm not sure this team would need a dominant inside presence to contend.

As for DeShawn, I say keep him. He looked ragged in the playoffs, no doubt, but he was able to hit that j consistently when he wasn't wearing himself out doing everything else. I don't think we're going to find any better than him while staying under the salary cap and resigning Blatche.

by sierradave on May 1, 2007 9:47 AM EDT reply actions

The end and Brendan

I was actually at the game last night in the extra cheap seats. Late in the game we were about to inbound the ball and I said to myself "We're do a little good luck - come on." That's when Jamison bounced the ball off his foot and I knew the basketball gods had a sense of humor.

Heard on the news last night that after the game, Brendan's locker was cleaned out and his was the only nameplate gone.

by thebigc1982 on May 1, 2007 10:34 AM EDT reply actions

"brenda's gonna cry in the car"

yeah i def watched him roll out into the tunnel before the clock hit 0:00.... jamison's comments in the Wilbon's column today basically sealed it.

"It's something we'll handle in-house. . . . I can understand his frustration from not getting to play. . . . It definitely won't be a distraction next year."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/01/AR2007050100056.html?hpid=artslot

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by jackpitt on May 1, 2007 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions

My ex-Wiazrd list for 2007-08 season

See Ya
D Taylor-No way he should be in the NBA, period
C Booth-12th-15th man at Best
M Ruffin- He sucked before Raptors game.
J Hayes-Shoot first SF should at least make 40% from 3 and 50% from the field. He does neither. If EG resigns him I expect Prada to lose it.
B Haywood-I would keep Haywood over Etan but obviously his attitude problem has sent him packing.

Maybe Keep
R. Mason- He is OK and can have a role for low $. I can find 50 players in the Dleague and Europe just as good though, maybe more.
D. Stevenson-maybe worth 10 mil, 3 years, nothing more.
M. Hall- Nothing to go by at all.

This roster needs seriously overhauled. I think everyone can agree on that.

What? They don't have TV in the D-League? Don't watch me, watch TV.

by Mac G on May 1, 2007 12:14 PM EDT reply actions

I'd keep

Booth if they can keep him for cheap, which I assume they can.

Same with Mason Jr. the kid has some potential and won't command much salary.

Gotta keep in mind that this squad has very little cap space. We don't have quality trade bait if you assume Gil, Caron, Antawn, and Blatche are off-limits. Deshawn gels well with this team when they're healthy, and nobody's going to break the bank over him after he just spent a month proving he's no second scoring option (well, maybe the Knicks will...). I don't think we're going to be able to find much of an upgrade over him.

by sierradave on May 1, 2007 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Nah, I'm not with you there

This roster doesn't need to be blown up. It just needs to be tweaked.

They're very close to being an upper-eschelon team. All it takes is some light upgrading of the bench, and frankly, that's all they can afford anyway.

Also, it's a remarkable accomplishment for anyone to make 50 percent of his shots and 40 percent of his threes. 45-35 is much more reasonable.

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

by Mike Prada on May 2, 2007 2:46 AM EDT up reply actions

not so fast

If we resign Stevenson for cheap and Blatche who still should be relatively cheap, we have a core of Gil, Caron, AJ, AD, Deshaun with Etan, Songaila (who regardless of his obvious limitations exposed from the CLE series is still affordable), and Mason who is cheap. That core should stick us in the top 4-5 of the conference and we should be able to win the SE Conference with Miami dropping off.
I would really like to figure out a way to trade up to draft Roy Hibbert but am afraid we do not have enough in terms of expiring contracts and future draft picks to be able to pull that off. If not, I think we are in the league to draft either a guy like Thaddeus Young who should play as a stronger, more polished offensively version of Jared Jeffries.
We need a big guy and I'm very worried we are going to fall in the range of Josh McRoberts of Duke. Just gonna be an awful NBA player. Any other draft thoughts?

by finkad01 on May 1, 2007 3:17 PM EDT reply actions

just dont take

i agree w/ mcroberts

but as a pitt alum...please please do NOT take Aaron Gray....ha ha

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by jackpitt on May 1, 2007 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm personally

Not a Roy Hibbert fan...he plays smaller than his 7-2 frame, and won't be so effective until he develops a jumper. It seems like he succeeded in college because he was taller.

Nbadraft.net has the Wizards taking Nick Young, with Thaddeus going two picks earlier. I'm pretty cool with that, but I also think it might be worthwhile to package Haywood and the 16th pick to bring in an established wing.

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

by Mike Prada on May 2, 2007 2:48 AM EDT up reply actions

trade

I would not disagree with you that we should package Haywood away with the pick for a swingman. That clearly was our undoing in the playoffs with Stevenson and Hayes going ice cold.

Desmond Mason is one name who comes to mind. He will be a free agent and he could possibly sign for the mid-level. He shoots a relatively high percentage but I suspect thats because he drives and is not a shooter and probably would not be a good fit with Arenas and Caron.

Anthony Parker from Toronto is another name but I don't think that an offer of Haywood and 16 will do it for them. He's had a very productive year and is a very good shooter, but Toronto likely won't give him up.

by finkad01 on May 2, 2007 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Mason is an awful perimeter shooter

I think the percentage is high because Chris Paul is really good at setting him up. Personally, I wouldn't touch him with a ten-foot poll.

Parker would honestly be the perfect fit on this team, with his defense and shooting, but like you said, Toronto isn't giving him up.

I'll throw out my proposal in the Haywood thread once some other ideas start coming out.

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

by Mike Prada on May 2, 2007 3:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree

I wouldn't touch Desmond Mason with a ten foot pole, either.

A couple of quick thoughts since I don't have the time or energy for anything long or drawn out:

-Just to restate the obvious, but Brendan is gone.

-I'd love to see Deshawn come back but I think other teams will offer more than the Wizards will.

-With that said about Deshawn, if JC Navarro doesn't pan out, I think Daniels has earned at least the chance to start. If you put him at PG and have Gilbert play SG it just might work. I know Arenas is a little undersized for the two but, it might just be crazy enough to work.

-There are far more questions than answers going into the offseason.

-I was watching post-series interviews with some of the players and I definitely saw Eddie Jordan's son wearing an "I can't feel my face" T-Shirt. No kidding.

-My last final is today so hopefully the madness is almost over.

No siento mi cara.

by Jake Whitacre on May 2, 2007 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Good Job....

I just want to say how impressed I am with the effort of the Wizards during the series. There were many times during the series the Wiz could have packed it in, and several reasons why to do it. They didn't, and no matter what you think of Eddie Jordan, it is a testament to the head coach and the guys in that locker room that they played so hard until the end...

Check out FearTheSword
and
MileHighReport

by FearTheSword on May 2, 2007 10:30 AM EDT reply actions

Free Agents

Just took a look a John Hollinger's top 25 Free Agents and a few names jumped out at me, specifically Jason Kapono.

He could play the same role he played with the Heat with Gil driving and playing similarly to D-Wade. Kapono probably won't even require all of our mid-level exception and could start at the 2 or 3 or just come off the bench.

by finkad01 on May 2, 2007 12:57 PM EDT reply actions