For some reason, it always feels like there's a ton of news out on Fridays, so it makes sense to put them all in a link dump. So, without further ado, today's links:
- Michael Lee checks in with Tim Grover about Gilbert Arenas - Grover guesses that it'll be a two-month process, and the Wizards are cool with this, though they are sending someone there to "check up" on Arenas. This is similar to what happened with Dwyane Wade last summer.
- Chad Ford goes crazy with a Cavs/Wizards/Suns three-way trade proposal - In it, the Wizards get Amare Stoudamire and Zydrunas Ilgauskas for Jamison, JaVale McGee, the fifth pick and both expiring contracts. Uhh, yeah, that's way too much. And Ilgauskas? Really? Chad's argument is that it would finally give the Wizards "a legit big man in the middle." Again, did Brendan Haywood retire without letting the public know? Yuck.
- Wizards Insider: Seven for Five - Michael Lee puts together his best guess of the seven players the Wizards are considering for the fifth pick, based on Flip Saunders' comments in the season-ticket holder meeting. The seven: James Harden, Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, DeMar Derozan, Jordan Hill, Jonny Flynn and Brandon Jennings. The last of the seven is the surprising one to me.
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Peter Vescey's latest column for the New York Post - Two Wizards references in there. First, Vescey shoots down the Jamison to Cleveland talk, writing "Yeah, that makes sense, give up a 23-point, 10-rebound All-Star for a retread and a reject. Ernie Grunfeld wouldn't have made that trade the first day he arrived in America from Romania." Second interesting tidbit: Vescey says that Gene Banks will likely be hired as an assistant coach because he made a "strong impression," whatever that means. Whatever. The worst part, to me, is that Vescey said he beat out the recently fired Kevin McHale, who was also very much in the mix. I'd much prefer McHale, a big man with a good reputation for individual teaching, than Gene Banks. Our young bigs desperately need a teacher and there are few who could teach better than McHale.
- Hoops Analyst evaluates this year's shooting guard and combo guards in the draft - One of the most underrated and underappreciated NBA websites on the Internet comes through with its evaluation of the SG and combo guard prospects in the draft. Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry and James Harden all get high marks here.
- Washington Post: Center Jordan Hill Makes His Case for Wizards - Michael Lee's print edition report of Jordan Hill's workout yesterday. Not sure which headline writer thought Hill was a center. As an aside, say what you want about Lee's reporting and player evaluation skills, but I love the way he writes, sprinking in little anecdotes to show the story rather than telling it. That's how sportswriting should be.
- Chad Ford's annual Tiers article - Nothing too surprising here, except that Harden is in Tier 2 while Evans and Curry are in Tier 3.
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Hoops Addict: In the Scrum with Stephen Curry - Hoops Addict has audio of Stephen Curry talking to media members after his workout with the Wizards.
- Truth About It: Absurd Wizards Trade Possibilities and Rumors - Our new ESPN/True Hoop network colleague shoots down the Jamison-to-Cleveland and Butler-to-Atlanta "rumors."
- Fanhouse: NBA Draft Predictions, Southeast Division - Tim Potvak says the Big Three "could use a big man to defend in the paint." Apparently, Brendan Haywood doesn't exist.
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Fanhouse: Busting on Hasheem Thabeet - Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm and Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty discuss the one guy who could potentially fill Tim Potvak's recommendation. Neither of the two are fans of Thabeet.
- Truth About It reports from the Flip Saunders season-ticket holder meeting earlier this week - Part 1 is here, part 2 is here. Very comprehensive, to go along with ooba's report here.
- Brendan Haywood's blog on Yardbarker: Balling in BLue Heaven and Another League Legal Injustice - Brendan Haywood talks about his pick up games at UNC and rails on the light sentence received by Donte Stallworth for DUI manslaughter.
- Celtics Blog: Offseason SWAGs (Silly Wild Amusing Guesses) and Reasonable Predictions - Jeff's list includes the Wizards trading Antawn Jamison and our two expiring contracts for Ray and Tony Allen. Why? "The Wizards are looking to shed future salary and stay competitive." Uhh, yeah, I don't think so. The shedding salary thing is so overblown, Jeff.
- SB Nation's Draft Hub - Everything you wanted to read about the NBA Draft on the SB Nation network is here. Check it out.
- Washington Times beat reporter Mike Jones is now on Twitter. Follow him if you can.