Truth About It» John Wall Plays The Waiting Game

John Wall is so fast, but he’s always waiting.

He breezes past defenders with more than quickness, aided by long strides and big steps. Still, he often waits.

In attacking the rim with an offensive mind, Wall plays the waiting game. Waiting for the defending arms to clear out of the way. Waiting, and bracing, for a potential hit… a foul call if he’s lucky. Waiting for the last possible second to release his shot, a layup attempt at his final destination. Waiting until the coast is clear. Waiting to finish with points.

Some haven’t considered the exciting, scary thought— those two emotions coming from two different angles. You didn’t see an NBA-ready John Wall this season. His rookie eating habits were horrible, but expected for a teenager. His mentality fought to adjust to League-caliber athletes, and in many instances made them adjust to him. His body was not always fully healthy, and he admittedly rushed back beforefully healed (yet one day he’ll have to play hurt like Kobe Bryant). His semi-suspect Reebok shoes went through some “adjustments” to make them “firmer” after Wizards officials and training staff met with the shoe company,according to theWashington Post’sMichael Lee. If these things were holding Wall back to even the slightest degree, Wizards fans should be the excited ones, and the rest of the League should be scared.

Wall was introduced to the District with police escorts, red carpets and a section of a city unknown to himdraped with marketing efforts featuring his name. He scored 1,131 points, tallied 574 assists, 317 rebounds and 121 steals in 69 games. No other NBA rookie has reached those milestones in less than 70 games; Chris Paul, Mark Jackson and Tim Hardaway are the only other rookies who have done it period,according to Basketball-Reference.com. Wall also won the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award in January, February, March and April. All of the meaningless pizazz, surface accolades and numbers are there, but the best has yet to come. Just you wait.

Wall’s strength is the combination of being a pass-first point guard who can finish at the rim and run one-man fast-breaks fueled by great size and excellent athleticism, with the ability to wait. According toHoopData.com, he finished fifth among point guards who appeared in 40 or more games in makes at the rim per game.

1. Russell Westbrook- 4.1 FGM at the rim per game; 60.4 FG%
2. Tony Parker- 3.9; 65.4
3. Derrick Rose– 3.8; 60.0
4. Tyreke Evans- 3.7; 59.0
5. John Wall- 3.2; 59.9

The numbers and percentages will improve, especially if the franchise builds players around Wall who can shoot from the corners and beyond, and who can chase the rim with Wall, on both offense and defense.

But despite all that did go well, Wall had a more frustrating rookie season than he expected… than we all expected. By February, the Wizards had as many losses, 35, as Wall’s Kentucky team had wins in the previous season; while Washington was only able to tally 13 victories in the same time period to three losses for the Wildcats during all of 2009-10. The Wizards finished the season 23-59. But the frustration is a good thing. Because in everything overly evident from his arrival in Washington to the winding down conclusion, Wall was a sponge soaking up all the knowledge he could. He literally bugged the crap out of Kirk Hinrich with questions. Well, not literally. There were no bugs.

On April 22, Ted Leonsisblogged about his exit interviews with several Wizards players, John Wall was the only one he mentioned by name. Leonsis outlined, as he has done before, that the Wizards are rebuilding around Wall, and the owner all but said that the rebuild involves direct input from the young 20-year old star. It’s an essential, and additional, contract between the two parties, but this one has nothing to do with exchanged money.

The franchise will construct a team around Wall that will mesh with him both basketball-wise and effort-level-wise— because they certainly heard his frustrations regarding theeffort of teammatesduring the season. And Wall will improve his body and eating habits. He will prove that he can further apply the basketball intelligence he so readily received. All is currently copacetic with this hypothetical agreement, with more of an onus on Leonsis and Ernie Grunfeld to produce the surrounding results while Wall keeps doing what he does.

But the anticipated warmth of Wall’s sunny day future is unfortunately clouded by a collective-bargaining dispute between the league and it’s players that will likely mean a lockout for an extended period of time. Slightly unfair to Wizards fans who have waited long enough for a winner, but not beyond the horizon where they can’t wait some more.

Either way, bet that Wall already can’t wait to get back on that court. Bet that he can’t wait to make himself better. Bet that he can’t wait to zoom down the floor past a blur of flesh and limbs, only to wait some more for a blink of the eye before releasing a timely fast-break bucket as only a Game Changer can.

John Wall Flying, Pictures:

The Slide Show:

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Truth About It» Bittersweet Lew: A Half-Year In Review

When news of the Gilbert Arenas-Rashard Lewis trade broke, it was received with a groan. The less-than-enthusiastic reception of the 31-year-old Lewis wasn’t so much a public damnation of his basketball abilities, nor an uninterested dismissal of his more intangible, clichéd qualities – veteran leadership, for instance. No, it was the result of a city, of a fanbase, coming to grips with the end of an era.

The Washington Wizards traded away their (cult) hero, and all they got in return was a “lousy”stretch four.

Just a week before Christmas, Lewis arrived in the nation’s capital with his long frame, his long contract, and hislong face.Rough. Nick Young—by way of Gilbert Arenas’interview with ESPN’s Michael Wallace—made Lewis’ first impressions public:

“He was telling me about Rashard Lewis. Nick was like,‘I don’t know if he’s going to make it two weeks here. He feels like the world just ended.’“

From a professional standpoint, getting traded to the Washington was one of the worst things that could have happened to Lewis. In the time it takes to pen a bit of chicken scratch on a trade agreement, he went from championship contender to NBA doormat. But for the Wizards, the acquisition of the former All-Star was the best thing that could have happened to team—luck of the lottery draw notwithstanding.

The fact of the matter is that somewhere between the halfway house and the 2010-2011 media day, Gilbert Arenas had morphed into a roundball zombie. He showed no emotion. He looked slow, overweight, even lost on the court. He couldn’t buy a bucket with what was left of that $100 million contract. His only redeeming quality—amidst a rotten temperament and spoiled skills—was that he could grow a beard that would make James Harden proud.

The Wizards were fortunate. Orlando Magic president Otis Smith believed that the Arenas could bring“a little bit more punch”to central Florida. Not so. During the 2010-2011, Arenas started just 2 games out of a possible 49 for the Magic and averaged less than 22 minutes per game.

Player Comparison viaBasketball-Reference.com

{Click to expand}

By their numbers spanning the entire 2010-11 season, there is little question that the Wizards‘won’ that trade, but that isn’t to say that Lewis was, nor ever will be the Wizards’ knight in shining armor. The man is past his prime. He’s not snapping the team’s dreadful three-year slump… especially when you could make a convincing argumentthat the Wizards have become all too comfortable with losing. Was his year memorable? Not at all. Was he great? No. Reliable (before his season was cut short due to injury)? Productive?Professional? Those earmarks would most certainly apply. He is an asset the Wizards have at their disposal, to keep them competitive, and to help them mature.

But what about the money?

I don’t buy that his contract is big, bad, and bloated. The Wizards owe Lewis$43.8 million (just over $21 million guaranteed)over the next two years. That’s not cheap. But for the Wizards, it’s not a raw deal. What would they even spend that cap room on? The Wizards roster is young and inexpensive, plus there is money coming off the books.

Both Nick Young and Yi Jianlian are restricted free agents. While the Wizards should extend a qualifying offer to Young ($3.7 million), telling Yi to kick rocks would save the team $5.4 million. Mustafa Shakur, Othyus Jeffers, and Larry Owens are also restricted free agents, worth a combined $3 million. (Keep Jeffers, cut the fat.) Finally, Josh Howard’s expiring contract frees up an additional $3 million.

Bynotextending qualifying offers for the players listed above, the Wizardscouldopen up over $15 million—which would be extra cushion for a team already expected to be well-under a to-be-determined-by-a-new-CBA salary cap.

The way I see it, Lewis will help the Wizards rebuild by fulfilling his veteran responsibilities both on and off the court. When his tour of duty in D.C. comes to a close in 2013 (or perhaps even in the summer of 2012), the Wizards will be a focused, hungry, and battle-hardened bunch. The reassembled roster will have the pieces in place to be “a very good team for a long, long time.”That is the plan, right?

And if they miss in the draft, whiff in free agency, and Leonsis’ plan falls apart? Well, hey, at least the Wizards aren’t paying Gilbert Arenas.

Twitter:@JohnCTownsend

—

Sweet Lew drops veteran knowledge through a trying experience:

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Truth About It» Dissecting John Wall’s Rookie Quotes

The highlights and good times from John Wall’s rookie year represent the icing on the big ol’ cookie (or cake) that vested hype-machine types gladly diddle themselves to while resting assured on pillows encased with media& PR mints at night. Fodder for rainbows, puppy dogs and ice cream, but relatively useless to Wall himself. He doesn’t seem to take comfort in digits and puffery. Rather, he’s the sort wired to be driven toward success by frustration and failure,i.e., he’s a non-believer in the injury/rebuilding excuses readily applied by some around him. Nor does he appear to possess a complacency or apathy toward loving the game of basketball as some of his teammates have so often conveyed. He actually appears to despise such attitudes. At least this is what dime-store pessimists such as myself optimistically believe.

No, it’snot‘John Wall Wednesday’ here at Truth About It.net, although there could be a subsequent related post coming this evening that would make it three in a row about the 2010 No. 1 NBA Draft pick. But, you see, no biggie when it comes to the franchise pillar. Wall’s inaugural season has barely been put to rest as his NBA future looks to gainfully go from embryonic to full-on fetus mode. And then who knows… a crawl, walk or sprint into the postseason seems inevitable. Rookie year perspective is a prerequisite, yet no one will know how to properly assess Wall’s 2010-11 until a couple/several years from now. In the meantime, let’s take a videographic look at the experience of the rookie’s emotions through his carefully considered and well-trained quotes to the media covering his team, the Washington Wizards. Dissect this one way now and be ready to reconsider down the road.

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Truth About It» Two For The Road, Few For The Bench: Mustafa, Othyus, Hamady, Kevin and Cartier

Mustafa Shakur, Othyus Jeffers, Hamady N’diaye, Kevin Seraphin and Cartier Martin.

Those were all of the players available for the Wizards off the bench last night in Utah. Shakur didn’t play (coach’s decision being the given reason), and N’diaye tallied just three minutes in thebox score, nothing else. Jeffers, Seraphin and Martin combined for 18 points on 6-14 from the field and 17 rebounds, five offensive thanks to the bruising workmanship of Jeffers. The numbers of the bench squad with the most unique set of names ever weren’t astounding, but the Wizards made it work in their somewhat shocking 100-95 overtime win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Sure, Utah was missing Devin Harris and Andrei Kirilenko from their starting lineup, instead putting out a unit of Earl Watson, C.J. Miles, Raja Bell, Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson. But a Wizards starting five of John Wall, Jordan Crawford, Mo Evans, Yi Jianlian and JaVale McGee didn’t have a chance of feeling sorry for the Jazz, or themselves.

Jazz fans, however, may be feeling sorry for themselves… enough to boo their team at intermittent times throughout the game as Washington fought to gain control early, and then tried their best to relinquish it late, despite Utah’s best effort to not take advantage. It was odd to hear the Wizards television team of Steve Buckhantz and Phil Chenier recount just how far the Utah franchise has fallen in the year 2011. The Jazz were 27-13 when they made an east coast trip in mid-January, beginning with a game in Washingtonon the 17th.

Jerry Sloan’s team proceeded to lose to the Wizards on Martin Luther King Day, and then they lost five more in a row. Barely a month later, Sloanresignedafter a 23-year run with the team and star point guard Deron Williams was traded to New Jersey. Now the Jazz are left in a vastly uncertain rebuilding mode with Tyrone Corbin as their coach, a six game losing streak (including last night’s take down by the Wizards), and a 36-39 record that looks to keep them out of the playoffs for just the fifth time in the last 28 years (also the fifth time in the last eight years, to be fair).

Yesterday was Jerry Sloan’s 69th birthday. Yesterday was also the first time Washington completed a season sweep of Utah since 1997. Yesterday things were a bit different for all.

The Wizards prevailed for just their second road win of the season, guaranteeing themselves to not match the 1990-91 Sacramento Kings with the worst road record in NBA history at 1-40.Let’s break for some video action…

John Walldid it with his size and moxie to get to the rim. As seen, Utah’s Earl Watson was relentless with his pressure on the ball, but physically he didn’t stand a chance. Wall scored 24 first-half points and finished with 28 on 10-20 shooting and 8-10 from the free-throw line to go with his seven assists, two turnovers and six rebounds.

Jordan Crawfordcouldn’t buy a bucket from deep, going 1-10 from three-point land, but the inefficient manner in which he scored his 25 points on 25 shots could be deemed more than acceptable on the night. When the Wizards were desperate for offense, Crawford was there. When Utah fans were propelled alive by their team’s attempt to steal the game back from Washington late in regulation, Crawford was pouring ice water down his veins and hitting a tough baseline jumper in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 85. When extra basketball came calling, Crawford was there for two steals that led to four points in the first minute of overtime.

Yi Jianlianfouled out with just six points and five rebounds in 23 minutes, but his presence as an option on offense was just as key as the two huge blocks he had on Utah penetrating the lane.Mo Evansalso dealt with foul trouble, but always made himself present for loose balls, key offensive rebounds and huge buckets, scoring seven of the Wizards’ 15 points in overtime. AndJaVale McGeefought late-game fatigue and once again secured long-armed rebounds, 17 of them total, five offensive, while playing within himself more than fans are used to seeing.

There are several team and individual factors one can point toward in talking about the Wizards’ win over Utah. Jazz fans are certainly licking their wounds over a 10-21 performance from the free-throw line. Or maybe they’re upset thatAl Jefferson is poutingand didn’t see action in the fourth quarter. Or their frustration might stem from the fact that when the Wizards were simply missing shots, opening the door for Corbin’s team, the Jazz were busy fumbling away opportunity by dribbling off their foot or turning the ball over in a number of exasperating ways— Utah had 18 team turnovers that relinquished 21 Wizards points while Washington had 13 turnovers that led to 14 Jazz points.

But most importantly, even more important than Washington limiting stupid, unforced mistakes (credit due to McGee again, who has really stepped up his game as of late), was that Flip Saunders’ Wizards played through their mistakes. They didn’t get down, they just kept pushing… with a bench crew named Mustafa, Othyus, Hamady, Kevin and Cartier and a starting crew named John, Jordan, Mo, Yi and JaVale. And that’s progress that the remaining faithful fans of the team can be proud of… at least for one road game on one night.

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Truth About It» Jordan Crawford as an oasis

Monday night the Wizards competed without Nick Young, Rashard Lewis, Josh Howard and Andray Blatche—roughly $32 million, 55-percent of the team’s payroll.  It felt great. I haven’t had this much fun watching a Wiz game in months.

Yes, John Wall was spectacular in the first half, asKyle points out in video form. But my excitement and interest can be traced to exactly one player, Jordan Crawford.

Crawford, a skinny combo-guard out of a mid major conference; the kid with the slightly hunched posture, a wide, loose handle and a perpetual look of %$@! the world on his face. You may know Crawford for banging on LeBron James or for his eye-popping pull-ups in the NCAA tournament.  He’s also the one who ditched Indiana after his freshman year when Kelvin Sampson was fired, deciding to rebuild his reputation in the A-10. The one who came with character questions—would he focus? was he mature enough?—but also an unquestioned hunger. The one who’s made a name for himself gambling on his own guts and repeatedly come up cash.

Crawford isn’t a very good player yet. He’s a streak shooter (the positive parlance for inconsistent) who turns the ball over too much and takes other foolish risks.

But oh, does he want it. He plays with a fire that also smolders in his rookie backcourt mate, John Wall. With an energy that borders on fury, the same emotion Wall has expressed inbarely veiled statementsabout his teammates’ lack of effort.

Perhaps it comes from always being a top Detroit prospect’s too short little brother. It’s the kind of enthusiasm so blatantly lacking in the play of Andray Blatche. It’s the kind of spark that gives a fan slogging through a hopeless season hope for next year, or even next game. The kind of reckless love of competition that one wishes would infect JaVale McGee’s body language like a reverse Monstar talent drain. Because Crawford, like Wall, is an irrepressible bundle of potential energy—his passion wills forth excitement, interest, and affection from the crowd.

Of course, those Wizards absent from Monday’s dysfunctional thriller will eventually all return. Jordan Crawford and his rookie brethren will see far less of the court, and the team will likely be no worse for their absence. After all, these youngsters really aren’t all that good, in the final analysis. In Monday’s heart-stopper, Crawford played 44 minutes, scored 25 points on 25 shots (1-10 on 3-pointers) and had a minus 3 plus/minus rating.

But he makes plays. Forget the cool as a sea cucumber baseline pull-up that forced overtime, when is the last time you saw someone make two clean steals on consecutive OT possessions to rescue a sickeningly stagnant offense?

I know they won’t win many games, but I’ll take my chances with Wall, Crawford, Booker, Seraphin and McGee.

Because you know what? Even with all the veterans healthy, what’s the Wizard’s ceiling? I certainly don’t see them in next year’s playoffs.

Stop talking about a soon to be realized bright future. Guys like Crawford give Wizards fans a reason to believe they should care about the Wizards right now.

Twitter:@BeckleyMason

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Truth About It» Who is Othyus Jeffers?

There were times last night when it seemed like the torso and arms of recent Wizards D-League call up Othyus Jeffers formed into a mouth to gobble up missed shots in mid-flight. I imagined the ball clenched by massive teeth, unable to be relinquished, but somehow spit out cleanly to continue play, Wizards possession. I wasn’t hallucinating.

My mind was curious about the perception. How exactly was the unassuming stature of Jeffers— listed at a very generous 6’5” and weighing in at a 200 lbs. that unfairly masks his strength— able to gulp down rebounds so commandingly against the juggernaut Miami Heat?

DVR has made me selfish against real-life action. I wished I was at home watching the Wizards play the Heat on television and not sitting baseline taking photographs. No, I wouldn’treallygive up one of the best seats in the house, but that didn’t keep me from wanting to quench instant gratification with a film study in the art of rebounding.

Jeffers finished with 15 points on 6-7 shooting and eight rebounds, both career highs, in 29 minutes off the bench against Miami. The bad guys, or bandwagon drivers, beat the Wizards 123-107, but the game was much more competitive than the score indicates.

“O. Jeffers,” Flip Saunders called him in his post-game media session. “Just by playing hard, the success that you can have,” the coach trailed off, likely thinking like a mad scientist with plans to transplant the heart and will of Jeffers to another player with more size and natural talent.

Saunders shed high praise on his stop-gap player, saying he possessed a similar trait that all great rebounders have. Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley were cited by Saunders. He mentioned today’s great rebounders, but not great leapers, in Kevin Love and Zach Randolph as well.

“They’re guys that pursue the ball,” Saunders said, making the unifying connection. “That’s what ‘O’ does, ‘O’ really pursues the ball.”

Ask Othyus himself about rebounding and he’s rather nonchalant.

“It’s basketball. It’s nothing hard, I’ve been doing it my whole life,” Jeffers simply said after the game. “I’ve always played against taller people, that has nothing to do with it. Get in the right position, beat ‘em to the spot, jump and grab.”

It seems rather elementary.

Jeffers has appeared in eight games with the Wizards and has averaged 7.7 rebounds per 36 minutes while on the court. That rebound rate won’t put him on par with conventional big men, but it’s certainly better than the 5.3 rebounds per 36 minutes that the 6’8″ Al Thornton pulled when he was with the Wizards. Plus, often being assigned to guard LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, Jeffers is counted on as a much better defender, not a wild cowboy of unconventional shot attempts.

After receiving a couple 10-day contracts from the Utah Jazz last season, and one with the San Antonio Spurs earlier this season, Jeffers was called up from the Iowa Energy for a 10-day spell with the Wizards on March 17, and was then re-upped for 10 more days on the 27th. Now the D-League wants him back.

Saunders said that three days ago, Jeffers’ D-League coach was calling Washington, wondering if he was going to be released by the Wizards, wanting help for the Energy’s playoff run.

Sorry, D-League, the Wizards need him. As bad as they are, I think they’re the bigger deal, especially when they provide a chance to suit up and guard the all-stars of the Heat.

Jeffers isn’t just a warm body to fill in for the tired, poor, hungry and injured. Well, he is, but he’s bounding through a small, opportunistic window nonetheless. Othyus is getting rebounds. He’s doing the little things. He’s setting an example.

I asked Jeffers about his D-League coach calling, wanting him back from the playoffs.

“See, that’s the first time I’ve heard that,” he said with a big grin. “Now I gotta call him and ask, ‘What’cu doing coach?’”

Later, Jeffers was asked if he missed being on the team that clinched the top seed heading into the D-League playoffs (while the contrast of being on the Wizards goes without saying).

“Do I miss it?,” he rhetorically repeated the question. “I miss the faces,” he replied, followed by surrounding laughter from the media. “I’m in the best place in the world right now, they’ll forgive me.”

>>>

In the video below, the conversation with Jeffers continues as he talks about going from the D-League to the big time, about where he gets his rebounding prowess, and about just who is Othyus Jeffers.

Othyus and D-Wade, both Chicago boys who have trained together at Tim Grover’s famed gym, exchange a couple of post-game words.

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Truth About It» ShareBullets: LeBron’s Dunk On Jeffers& The Grunfeld Pot Stirs

Links, pictures and commentary… (Worth noting: I’m not into April Fools’ Day jokes, in case you were wondering.)

Sure, newmedia darling Othyus Jeffersgot dunked on by LeBron James on Wednesday, but…

…Othyus took it like a good sport, getting a good smile out of it before LeBron even landed on the ground. Ask Jeffers about it (I didn’t), and I bet he’d honestly say,“It’s just basketball.”

And in that, he is right. Getting dunked on is bound to happen, no biggie (if you’re comfortable with being immortalized on the Internets). Life needs good sports, and Jeffers is just that. Can’t say the same about the perpetually crying and bitching LeBron. Can’t believe Ted Leonsis let him endorse his book with a quote.

And watching the video, the dunk obviously came after LeBron fouled Jordan Crawford. Good one, refs.

LINKS.

The Wizards are like Ewoks? Check out Rashad Mobley’s column.
{DCist}

Unbeknownst to me until it was posted, my Twitter account,@Truth_About_Itis up for best“Washington journalist on Twitter” at TBD.com(shakes fist at Steinberg).
{TBD.com}

Peter Vecsey is back to popping Viagra and boners over Gilbert Arenas, saying he feels sorry for Arenas like he does for stray animals. Vecsey also says that Ted Leonsis“thought about changing leadership {Ernie Grunfeld} but couldn’t find an appealing replacement.”
{New York Post}

Rashad Mobley also took part in a“Who has the most to prove?” panel about the NBA playoffs on the ESPN website.
{ESPN.com}

Sean Fegan on Othyus Jeffers:

“During our time on BF, there have been many lunch pail heroes who have come and gone and briefly won the hearts of the community. Dominic McGuire, Alonzo Gee and James Singleton are some of the more recent examples, and while I have liked all of these players, none has perhaps captivated me as much as Othyus Jeffers. Some people just know how to go and get the basketball and Jeffers is one of those players. It would be a shame that if the Wizards didn’t at least explore giving Jeffers the minimum next year, because he is that glue guy that I think the Wizards have searching for all year. Plus, Jeffers is a really funny dude.”

{Bullets Forever}

John Wall threw a punch thing, Sam Cassell and Eddie House mock started a fight, and Verizon Center fans won free a Chik-Fil-A sandwich… a lot happened in the Wizards-Heat game on Wednesday.
{NBC Washington}

Gilbert Arenas:

“I feel like it’s like I’m scared to go in and jump off my left leg but I know I can. I can see whenever I go for a rebound, I’m at the rim but if I try to make a layup, I don’t even try to explode up for some reason.”

{SLAM Online}

A picture of Antawn Jamison and other NBAers as kids.
{NBA Hoot}

If anyone can tell a good story about Seattle SuperSonics history, it’s Beckley Mason.
{HoopSpeak}

Dan Snyder hates trees.
{Washington City Paper}

Juwan Howard needs to retroactively chill out for pretty much his whole career.
{The Basketball Jones}

Wale is sending some Foamposites back home to Nigeria.
{Nice Kicks}

Cool stuff done to Van Gogh paintings.
{Web Urbanist}

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Truth About It» Ode To Wizard Kirk Hinrich

Countless people, possibly from Iowa, likely a family member or a friend, probably told Kirk Hinrich,“What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger,”in reference to his tenure with the Wizards. It amounted to an eight-month rental, a Nietzschian level of suffering in exchange for a better future, while the depreciation of basketball assets actually made Kirk weaker, ironically. In reality, aside from a potential second round playoff match-up, Atlanta may be no closer to the mindset of sweet home Chicago than Washington was. But in the eye of the beholder, Hinrich carriers on as if left with no other choice. This is an ode to Kirk Hinrich, mostly because he now possesses the forced knowledge of what it’s like to be a Washington Wizard…

An unwilling District arrival after a Bullish flirtation with a puppet King,
The Wizard Kirk Hinrich role-played the reluctant leader with hints of relent,
But with a bounty fit for royalty that would make anyone sing,
The counter-Beltway mentality of balancing patience through lost time and money spent.

A transfer’s exchange of stale talent for a fresh rebuild,
A temporary professor breaking basketball barriers for Walls,
A shoulder shrug compliance to it is what it is.

The unappreciated professional who comes with great skill,
Not necessarily the leader, but a Captain to all,
Don’t worry much for fair Kirk, because it’s all just part of the biz.

Quoting Kirk Hinrich…

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Truth About It» What Happens When Jordan Crawford’s Green Light Ends?

When a key deadline trade goes down between a playoff team needing help and a non-playoff team needing to rebuild, most feel bad for the veteran going to the losing situation— Sasha Vujacic, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Mike Bibby, Maurice“Mo” Evans come to mind from this season. The secondary consideration, partially because he’s going to that losing team, is the young player who would gladly trade riding the bench during a playoff run for a chance to suit up for a team going nowhere. Jordan Crawford got that and more when he went from Atlanta to Washington. He got off to a hot start with a new team that he wouldn’t give up on, even when hindered by a back injury. He got that treasured green light, which is rare, even for a lottery team. But what happens when that green light ends?

Crawford arrived in Washington at February’s trade deadline along with the 18th pick of the 2011 draft and a good veteran influence in Evans. In exchange, the Wizards gave up Kirk Hinrich (owed $8 million next season) and Hilton Armstrong. They also got the unexpected bonus of a money-saving buyout of Mike Bibby, who also came with Crawford and Evans from Atlanta. Because of a knee injury to Nick Young, he suddenly found himself going from the 12th or 13th man on the bench to full-time starter by his seventh game with the Wizards. He ended up starting his final 17 games in Washington, out of 26 total games with the team. The carefree Wizards bunch went a respectable 7-10 in those last 17 games, during which Crawford averaged 20 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists (to 3.1 turnovers), and 1.3 steals. Pretty impressive for the 27th pick of the 2010 draft.

But what’s a constant green light scenario without some wrecks and gridlock? Specifically speaking, Crawford’s intriguingly erratic and promise-filled offense comes with the caveat of him shooting  .394 from the field on 19.5 attempts per game in 40.7 minutes per contest. Volume shooting like that can get you beat. He also shot .280 from three (1.2 makes per game), and .877 from the free-throw line (3.8 attempts per game).

But with his emergence through clutch shots and big performances, Wizards fans have wondered if the duo of Crawford and John Wall will make the past combo of Gilbert Arenas and Larry Hughes fondly irrelevant. Or if it will at least make Young expendable. Like Wizards guards of the past, hopefully Crawford’s beginnings under a system of offensive freedom doesn’t ultimately get in the way.

When they visited Washington on April 9, not one of Crawford’s former Atlanta Hawks teammates would express surprise that the rookie dropped 39 points on the Miami Heat, or that he tallied a triple double against the Cleveland Cavaliers, amongst Crawford’s other post-trade inflated numbers.

“I’m not surprised at all,” says Hawks center and former Wizard Etan Thomas, who keeps up with Crawford through text message.“I saw what he did at practice, how hard he worked. I told him just to be patient and his time was going to come… Everybody in this room knows how much talent he has, and he’s getting a chance to show it.”

All-Star Joe Johnson exclaimed that Crawford is like a little brother to him, and that it all started in training camp.“He stepped on the court going at everybody, it wasn’t just me. I respected him more for that.”

“He’s just very confident about his game, mentally very strong. And those are aspects that you can’t teach,” said Al Horford, also an All-Star for the Hawks this season.“I didn’t know that he was going to emerge this fast, but that’s what I liked about him when he played with our team, even though he really didn’t get a chance to show much.”

The rave reviews from old teammates continued…

“When you’re talented and can score the way that he can, you know obviously you can live with some of the mistakes that he might make, but I think he’ll learn that as he keeps playing every game. I know he can pass the ball. When we practice and play together you could tell that not only can he score, but he can pass it as well.”-Al Horford

“He’s not only a scorer, but he’s a play-maker as well. He’s one of those players who you can really put him anywhere out there— either at the one or the two. You put him at the one, want him to run the team, he can do that and make plays.”-Joe Johnson

“He’s just talented. He has a knack for scoring. You know what I mean? He has so much upside, so much potential. He works hard and he has a good attitude. You put it all together and that’s what you want.”-Etan Thomas

“He can make any shot, and he’s comfortable shooting any shot. You just hope that he misses. He’ll put it up from anywhere, he doesn’t have a conscious.”-Jeff Teague

Crawford’s first NBA coach, Larry Drew, didn’t paint as rosy of a picture, however.“You put a guy that can score the basketball, give him a green light, hecanscore. Jordan Crawford is not the first scorer I’ve seen go into a situation like this. It’s every scorer’s dream just to go out there and get the green light and just let it go.”

So the dream could actually be a mirage, as obviously alluded by Drew, a rookie head coach himself and a former Wizards assistant who guided the Hawks to a 44-38 record in the regular season.

“You hope that a guy like that can get into a situation where he learns what a good shot is and what a bad shot is. When he learns within the confines of what a team is trying to do, can he incorporate what he does well with what the team does well, particularly when the situation is totally different?,” Drew rhetorically questioned.

“If Washington comes back next season and they get a whole fresh start, will they play that same way where they just kind of let guys… you know, first man gets the ball, looks to break you down, create and make a shot? Or will they play within a system, and can he be successful in a system?,” the coach wondered.“It’s going to be interesting to see what happens after they finish this season out and then they come back and get a while new fresh start, and Flip implements his system.”

All the talk of an offensive system, you’d think Drew’s Hawks would actually run one more often, but not to disgress.

For a relatively irrelevant perspective through historical comparison, using Crawford’s averages in his last 17 starts as baselines for a search using theBasketball-Reference.comstatistical database yields some interesting returns. The entered requirements, looking for players who averaged:

• 19 field-goal attempts or more per game;
• 23 points or less per game;
• 4.5 assists or more per game;
• 3.5 rebounds or more per game;
• Primary position: guard;
• 24 years-old or younger (Crawford turned 22 last October)

Boston Celtics great Jo Jo White in his second season at age 24 (1970-71) and Ron Harper as a 23-year old rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-87) are two of the results, but they shot .464 and .455 from the field respectively in those seasons. The two other results: Bob Cousy and Baron Davis; like Crawford, they both shot below the 40-percent mark.

In his second NBA season at age 23 (1951-52), Cousy averaged 21.7 points, 6.7 assists and 6.4 rebounds on .369 from the field.  Of course, that NBA had no three-point line and was mostly un-athletic white guys. Cousy is a legit Hall-of-Famer and all, but give me a break if you think he’s anything more than Luke Ridnour or less in today’s NBA. In his fifth NBA season at age 24 (2003-04), Davis averaged 20.9 points, 7.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds on .395 from the field. Davis also shot .673 from the free-throw line and is more of a physical guard chucker, as opposed to Crawford being more of a low branch on the Antawn Jamison/Manu Ginobili-type scoring tree.

What does it all mean?Not much. Crawford is himself, not like Cousy or Davis, clearly. And at 22, he’s an older rookie (but not as old as Trevor Booker). He has no fear in scoring, which can be good or bad in jibing with decision-making, but he also puts up other stats like assists and rebounds. Don’t be ready to anoint Crawford as the guy to pair with John Wall for the next several years. Don’t be ready to call it quits with Nick Young.

What makes Crawford potentially more valuable than Young is that he has a knack for scoring to go with a play-making ability. When Nick is displaying his scoring talents, movement amongst his teammates often becomes slow and plodding, which almost makes Nick a perfect fit for the Atlanta Hawks (again, a digression).

Crawford’s 20 points on 19.5 attempts per game are far from ideal… too many empty possessions. Young’s 17.4 points on 14.6 FGAs per game this year was a career-best in scoring efficiency for him. Nick has also just completed his fourth season and will turn 26 in June. He’s obviously had more time to mature his game, but doesn’t seem to be that much more advanced than Crawford when it comes to offensive intelligence.

Why Young is worth the Wizards trying to retain, at an affordable rate to-be-determined by the market and CBA, is because of the promising improvement he’s shown under Flip Saunders and his staff. And if Young can learn to be a more effective scorer, Crawford could flourish from Saunders’ ability to work with guards even more.

But to do so, Crawford must add intelligence to his defensive hustle. He must practice the patience preached to him by the likes of Hawks assistant coach Nick Van Exel, and now Wizards assistant Sam Cassell. He must control the light, not just let it get stuck on green, especially when Saunders tries to pull back thereigns on his team in the pursuit of wins. The best part: Crawford showed more than enough to get Wizards fans excited about watching his young career unfold when the green light sometimes has to turn yellow. The difficult part: they don’t know when that might be.

Let’s hear Crawford talk about a range of topics during his time with the Wizards (including the 2009 summertime dunk on LeBron James):

More pictures:

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Truth About It» Wizards getting after it

It’s an hour and a half before tip off, and six young Wizards have a good lather going. While Flip Saunders gives his perfunctory interview to a cadre of media of diverse status– Michael Lee mingles with the nameless of bloggerdom—Othyus Jeffers, Cartier Martin, Mustafa Shakur, Andray Blatche, Kevin Seraphin and Hamady Ndiaye are engaged in a spirited bout of half court three-on-three. Working mostly on one half of the court, an assistant coach feeds the ball to a player and the offense executes a pick and roll play.

This is not a walkthrough. Bodies are banging, the screens are physical, and on one roll to the basket, Ndiaye collides with Seraphin and is sent tumbling into the basket support.

It’s a game to three, by ones, winners keep the ball. While none of the players besides Blatche and Seraphin have received a major investment from the Wizards, Jeffers and Shakur are battling like they have. When Seraphin is late coming to set a side pick and roll for Jeffers, he barks at the French rookie to hop to it—there’s a meaningless three-on-three scrimmage on the line!

Up close, Jeffers and Mustafa’s duel catches the eye. Shakur, of smooth handle and prototypical point guard size, plays the pick and roll with style. A highly touted player since his high school days in Philadelphia, Shakur plays with uncommon polish for a player just called up from the D-League. Jeffers on the other hand, who is listed at 6-5, one inch taller than Shaker, is actually a couple inches shorter and a ways rougher. His handle isn’t exactly awkward, but it’s about as clean as Cherokee Parks after six days lost in the woods. It’s strange to find these two in the same play for next year’s paysituation– one bred for a stardom that never quite panned out, the other a darling of exceeded expectations.

Yet here they are, getting in some extra work in preparation for their extended tryout with the Wizards. Regardless of where they were supposed to be, they’re both on this court because they stuck with a dream of being in the NBA.

While the Wizards work, assistants circle the action, encouraging and calling out instruction. When they cool down, the coaches speak individually with a couple players, doing some quick drills to reinforce the teaching.

The Wizards started the three-on-threes about six weeks ago. Jeffers says that since he’s been around they’ve used the new ritual to reinforce the pregame pointers. Judging from tonight’s skirmish, the Wizards expect a heavy diet of pick and rolls, “we want to keep them on the side as much as possible, try to slow down their driving guards.”

As we tip off in Washington, who knows if the last minute prep will have much effect. But the Wizards are working, and that’s something in which to take heart.

Twitter:@BeckleyMason

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Truth About It» Ballsiest Wizards Offense Searching For A Defense

{The Wizards' ballsiest offensive players: Sam Cassell, JaVale McGee and Jordan Crawford}

The young Wizards made a valiant effort last night in Boston, that they did.Losing 104-88, they were within four points at 87-83 with seven minutes before the Celtics pulled away. Individual talents and potential flashed nicely, but familiar inefficiencies combined to lead the team down the path of losing. Possession-killing shots form Jordan Crawford, a crucial missed one-handed, wide-open dunk from JaVale McGee that would’ve kept the Wizards within four points with five minutes left, newcomer Larry Owens letting the 35-year old Ray Allen beat him to a transition basket, the seven turnovers of John Wall (which combined with those of McGee and Andray Blatche totaled 17)— they all were there. But nothing unexpected.

The Celtics valued most of their possessions and functioned like coordinated birds in flight on many. Rajon Rondo took ownership of the night with 14 assists. Neither John Wall nor Jordan Crawford could sufficiently keep up with him without worrying about the coordinated movement from the rest of the Celtics and whether the Wizards could depend on each other for a combined effort on defense. Washington does not yet know how to fly together like Boston. They’ll get there as the core grows with time, but that begs the question, who’s part of the core?

Wall, Crawford and McGee? Clearly. Rashard Lewis? There’s not much choice. Andray Blatche? Signs point to yes. Nick Young?Things are more complicated with the free-agent to be. On Friday TedLeonsis gave Young some blog love, touting him for Most Improved Player.

“He will be an integral part of our team,” Leonsis wrote, indicating that Nick can play the two or the three. And in that Leonsis is right. The shininess on Crawford’s run only means an added asset, not an internet argument on which one to keep. With Young going into end-of-rookie-contract qualifying offer free agency, Crawford is a safety to not overpay him, which could only happen if another team offers Young a contract that the Wizards will have to match or decline. Over 2,500 miles from home in Southern California, look for Young to remain in Washington for the next season of basketball that is played. Ernie Grunfeld was carefully cost efficient when negotiating contracts with DeShawn Stevenson, and he will likely do the same with Young

Add brute strength developing off the bench in Trevor Booker and Kevin Seraphin, and the core is up to eight players. Add what will likely be one high first-round draft pick and a nice mid-first-rounder into the mix and you have 10 spots filled. As an aside, this would be a year where Grunfeld might take the Euro Stash option with any other pick. The Wizards would have enough young players (two rookies and four second year players, along with a four, five, seven and 13-year NBA veteran), and take into accounting the hidden gem of drafting: letting a talented foreign player develop overseas. Just ask the San Antonio Spurs.

So, considering who’s contributing to the team now, Grunfeld has a developing list of candidates to fill the final five roster spots— if he uses them all. Hopefully yes, with a spot perhaps used for a D-League assignment. That is, if D-League send-downs must occupy one of the 15 official roster spots under the new CBA. The obvious candidates: Yi Jianlian, Mo Evans, Josh Howard, Othyus Jeffers, Cartier Martin and Hamady N’diaye, in the least.

The first issue: considering all of the mentioned, there would be no one in the normal rotation who would be considered a defensive stopper. JaVale is an intimidator, Wall and Crawford can be harassers, but none on stoppers. Either Evans or Howard could be tone-setting defensive scrappers in their 30s who can also rebound and find ways to score. Evans is slightly older but is not coming off knee trouble. Howard is a better scorer but doesn’t always have offense that can be trusted. Neither could be an option.

Yi Jianlian, another qualifying-offer free agent like Young, has built a nice offensive rapport with Wall, is very coachable and brings Chinese dollars to the team’s bottom line, but he’ll have to develop a lot more toughness to fit with Leonsis’ stated plan. Likely with aDraftExpress.comlisted birth-year of 1984 instead of the official listed year of 1987, Yi is just young enough to take a cheap gamble on, but old enough, turning 27 in October, that time is short. His situation could be a difficult decision.

Jeffers, Martin and N’diaye are“numbers game” candidates. The first two being promising enough to invite to camp, but not to lock into a roster spot. The Wizards would have liked N’diaye to develop overseas for a couple years after taking him 56th overall in last year’s draft, but he didn’t due to his zeal and passion to make his NBA dream come true. Good for him… because the Wizards would’ve looked bad drafting him and then having to relinquish his rights. In any case, N’diaye is the happy-go-lucky hard-worker with a positive attitude that the team needs. Young to the game and ready to learn, N’diaye also has four years of college experience, and a former Big East defensive player of the year under his belt doesn’t hurt. It would be nice to see what develops out of him, but with numbers game candidates, you never know.

All of these considerations bring back the idea that going forward the team still needs a devastating three-point threat (another pair of hands for John Wall to pass to in the corner), and a influential presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. The shooter can be of just about any aged variety, and should come relatively cheap with good defensive skills. The big man could even be a low-cost veteran, someone with the might and will to bang around with the Wizards’ young bigs in practice, teach them a thing or two. Of course, these prized big men don’t fall of trees and are usually more interested in chasing a ring. And taking Zaza Pachulia off the hands of the Atlanta Hawks if they find themselves having to clear salary under a new CBA isn’t the most thrilling idea in the world, even if he is a tough guy.

The Wiz Kids will certainly fly in a more clean pattern next season with the continuance of young core. But they will still be far from having another championship-winning caliber star to develop with Wall (contingent on draft lottery luck), and will be a long way from being a top NBA defensive unit. Again, because most of the current locked-in personnel leave too much to be desired defensively for their own good.

The plan is on a positive path, but the steps to achieving playoff consistency, and not just getting there, are as uncertain as 1-900 psychic hot-line predicting an inevitably unknown future. The Wizards are only in the early stage of rebuilding and time in the form of a couple of seasons is on their side, but that doesn’t make the pressure to succeed mount any less. Folks talk about the D.C. area being a basketball hotbed waiting to be ignited by the local pro team. For now, they continue to wait.

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Truth About It» Washington Wizards Make NBA Playoff Predictions

As the NBA regular season has concluded and the playoffs are now underway, sports pundits peppered the airwaves and series of tubes last week with playoffs prognostications. Storylines were plentiful abound.

Can the Los Angeles Lakers three-peat? Will the Kendrick Perkins trade prevent Boston Celtics from a championship? Do the San Antonio Spurs have another title in them? Will Lebron James finally get a ring now that he’s surrounded himself with more talent? Can the Oklahoma City Thunder or Chicago Bulls parlay their regular season accomplishments into deep playoff runs?

While the opinions of media members and fans do carry some weight (just ask them!), I thought it would be a good idea to ask the players, who actually compete against playoff the participants, what two teams they see making the NBA finals and who will win it all.

I complied the predictions of Washington Wizards John Wall, Jordan Crawford, Mo Evans, Nick Young, Kevin Seraphin, Trevor Booker, JaVale McGee, Othyus Jeffers, and Coach Flip Saunders in the video below. Watch to find out which two players chose to be coy in their responses.

Considering I selected theWizards to win 40 games this season, my foresight credibility is on shaky ground, so I will refrain from making picks. Personally speaking, I would like to see a Thunder-Bulls finals. The Kevin Durant-Russell Westbrook versus Derrick Rose-Joakim Noah matchup would usher fresh faces to the championship stage, which could be nice for the League before it heads into a lengthy labor dispute work stoppage.

Similar to Nick Young, I am also closeted Lakers fan from the Magic Johnson Showtime era, so feel free to slander me for those rooting interests.

Courtesy ofAwful Announcing, hereis the NBA Playoffs television schedule with broadcast teams.

-@adammcginnis

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Truth About It» Wizards and Celtics Get Physical With Blatche and A Big Baby

So I mistakenly published a post before last night’s game that I’d already prepared about Andray Blatche versus Kevin Garnett without first finding out that Garnett was to sit out against the Wizards. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and Shaquille O’Neal also joined Andray’s sort-of rival in not taking the court, a rivalry whichAndray now gladly plays down.

But the game without Boston’s stars and Washington’s“veterans” (Nick Young, Rashard Lewis and Josh Howard) wasn’t exactly meaningless. Combined with a Miami Heat win over the Atlanta Hawks, Boston’s 95-94 overtime loss to the Wizards means they will finish third in the East with a match-up against the New York Knicks awaiting in the playoffs. Miami will face the seven-seed Philadelphia 76ers. On the other hand, all of the teams Washington’s draft lottery combination odds needed to win last night ended up losing. At 23-58 with one game left Wednesday at Cleveland, the Wizards now sit softy with the fourth worst record in the NBA, a game better than the Toronto Raptors and a game worse than each the Sacramento Kings and the New Jersey Nets, who both sit tied for the fifth worst record at 24-57.

“You always have people saying,‘you’re winning games, you’re losing lottery balls,’ but I guess last year we showed it really didn’t matter where you are,” said Flip Saunders last night after the game. The coach relayed that he’d rather see his team learn the lesson of making a six-point comeback with less than a minute left in regulation than worry about down-the-road chances. And with that, I’d have to agree, especially if it means a disappointing departure for the Celtics fans that infiltrated the Verizon Center.

Waiting for Saunders at his post-game press conference, many members of the media scoffed at the idea of Washington’s win being entertaining. Flip himself called it a“grinder.” But if you like big missed dunks (thanks to Von Wafer), rookie No. 1 overall draft picks knocking down three crucial free-throws in a row (thanks to John Wall’s calmness that brought the Wizards within 83-82 with 21 seconds left in regulation), and a lottery-bound team making a six point comeback on playoff-bound reserves, amongst other notable occurrences, then the game was for you. If you like the nuance of a physical affair, played more like a meaningful game rather than with completely careless unfamiliarity, then you might be a basketball fan. All the stars need not be aligned, or around, to form a basketball game worthy of enjoyment in the season’s home finale. Wall and his team came through for the D.C. fans.

And without Kevin Garnett, Andray Blatche found all he could handle in a Glen“Big Baby” Davis. Both players went face-to-face and belly-to-belly in an overall physical match-up that involved the two teams combining to commit 56 fouls and to score 53 of the game’s 189 points from the free-throw line. Let’s go to the pictures from this grind-it-out affair.

Blatche vs. Big Baby

Big Baby after hearing sideline heckling from Miles Rawls.

“If you cry, what are the babies going to do?,”Rawls yelled.

Big Baby vs. Baby McGee.

Jermaine O’Neal clobbers John Wall on a drive to the hoop.

Nenad Kristic draws a predictable charge on JaVale McGee.

O. Jeffers doing his thing.

Jeffers working to frustrate Jeff Green with contact defense.

The angle of John Wall’s speed burst.

Wall sticks his nose in fray in going after a loose ball against Troy Murphy.

Baby stiff-arms Yi.

Yi vs. Jermaine O’Neal.

The Big Baby Point.

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