Some quickies for the afternoon:
-Wizards Insider - Andray Blatche may return by training camp, but Wizards won't return to Richmond
Michael Lee talks to Ernie Grunfeld about Andray Blatche's injury, and reveals this new nugget:
He added that Blatche was unsure when the injury actually occurred since he had been working out, walking around and playing at Barry Farm with some pain in his foot. When the pain became unbearable after an awkward landing at Verizon Center, the fracture in his fifth metatarsal was discovered.
Sigh. I'm not really concerned about Dray playing pickup ball - Kevin Durant does it, for crying out loud - but if he was in pain, the trainers should have known about it right away.
Also, Lee reports that training camp will be coming back to D.C. next summer after being in Richmond for several years.
-Wizards Trade Is About Them, Not You -- NBA FanHouse
Bethlehem Shoals on the Kirk Hinrich trade:
But guess what? There are players involved here, and for teams with a different set of priorities (like, say, the Wizards), infinite cap space only means so much.
Their front office really liked Kevin Seraphin, as did many others, and the young French player could turn out to be Serge Ibaka-lite. And while Hinrich may be overpaid, he is an excellent defender who can take on off-guards and would work well next to John Wall, or as part of a rotation with Gilbert Arenas. The Wizards had a lot of space this summer, but they weren't making a run at James or Dwyane Wade.
So why should it matter if this trade opens things up for Chicago?
-Hoops Addict: Arenas and Wall Need Each Other
Rashad Mobley on why the Wizards shouldn't move Gilbert Arenas.
Based on Wall's talent and his Kentucky highlight reel, he can run an offense and mix in his own just fine, but he is still a rookie. As good as Rajon Rondo played in the playoffs this year, when he first played with Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, he struggled with gaining their confidence as well as his own. Luckily for Rondo, the three All-Stars were able to carry the team until he was fully ready. In Arenas (and Andray Blatche once he recovers from foot surgery), Wall will have players who can bail him out while Coach Saunders, Assistant Coach Sam Cassell (and maybe Kirk Hinrich) teach him how to efficiently play point guard. Once Wall learns that, Blatche, Arenas and others will only continue to compliment him and make him better.
Off the court, it would be nice if Wall had a mentor and/or a big brother figure in Arenas, but that may not be realistic. But again, on those days when Wall has to meet with the media and answer tough question after tough question, the mere presence of Arenas will lessen the mounting pressure that's being placed on him daily.
-Celtics Interested In Mike Miller - BostonHerald.com
Good. Take him. He'll love that place.
-D.C. Sports Bog - John Wall on Eric Prisbell's story
Wall says he has no problems with how it turned out.
"You can't really be upset or mad," Wall said. "I really didn't think of it too much. They've got to do their job, they've got to ask questions. You can say no in a mean way, or a nice way. It was a story, so I felt like people should know what it was. I wasn't too upset about it, but it seemed like a lot of fans or other people was kind of upset, but it was all right with me."
Also via Steinberg today: the Wizards are putting Arenas' jersey on sale again, and Kevin Durant isn't coming to D.C.
Dear Ted Leonsis: Ernie Grunfeld Needs To Go - SBNation.com
This is a couple days old, but here's Andrew Sharp's argument:
It's no longer acceptable to be the idiots in the room. We have John Wall now. The NBA is a superstar league, and we just lucked out and landed one. What exactly does that mean, you ask?
Put it this way: If you're playing poker, it's okay to be bad at the game. But when fate deals you a winning hand-like a once-in-a-lifetime, best at the table, winner-it's kind of disgraceful to sit there at the table puttering around like a fool. It's insulting to everyone else. When you get a winning hand like we've been dealt... If anything, do nothing.
Instead, the good 'ole Wizards are once again the idiots at the table. Taking on Hinrich's massive deal, keeping Arenas, likely letting Shaun Livingston walk, and trading two late draft picks for Trevor Booker, a poor man's DeJuan Blair (who the Wizards could have taken with their second round pick in 2009.)
NBA Summer League Rosters - Vegas - Ridiculous Upside
Here's the Wizards' roster, per Scott Schroeder.
Washington Wizards Summer League Roster
PG - John Wall, Jon Scheyer, Jerome Randle, Sun Yue
SG - Eric Hayes, Cartier Martin
SF - Raymar Morgan, Kevin Palmer
PF - Trevor Booker, Boo Jackson, Michael Sweetney
C - JaVale McGee, Hamady NDiaye
John Wall asks for advice on his new number
Thoughts?