Wizards Sign ... A Guy

According to sources the Washington Wizards have signed a guy.  This free agent guy has played in the NBA for 3 seasons and his scoring and production have decreased each season.

Sketch Of The Guy

The Wizards are hoping this guy will provide them with some depth and veteran leadership at the point guard position.  Shelvin Mack better watch out because this guy averaged 0.3 more points per game and the same amount of assists, 2 per game.

This is probably one of the greatest signings in the history of the Washington Wizards/Bullets.  I mean, this guy, he is a heck of a guy.

Still doing research to find out his name...

Can't you tell how important this signing is from my excitement?

More Free Agent Speculation

Mike Jones from the Washington Times is reporting some updated names in the big man free agent arena. Many names have been eliminated (or signed with other teams) and only a few names remain.

Chris Wilcox, Sean Marks, Jamaal Magloire, Mikki Moore, & Fabricio Oberto.

The only way the Wizards will end up with any of these guys is if another team isn't willing to pay them a small amount more than the Veteran Minimum. So its gonna be some more waiting probably.

I haven't seen Wilcox play since he was at Maryland. He has had a few decent seasons for bad teams in his NBA career. His stats look like he is not veteran minimum, and his previous salary was something like 6 million.

Marks has been in the NBA 9 seasons, including being out of the league 2 seasons early in his career, at an average of only 20 games per season. He did play 60 for the Hornets last season including 16 minutes per game in the playoffs. (Hornets got killed)

Magloire has played for 6 teams in 5 seasons. For a former All-Star, that doesn't look good. Word on the streets is that he doesn't really play hard. Probably not the kind of guy that JaVale McGee and company would learn work ethic from.

I remember seeing a story on TV about Moore talking to the D-League, telling the players his own D-League success story. Playing in the D-League and on 9 different NBA teams means he would probably be available for the veteran minimum. I think he wouldn't be a bad fit, and has shown flashes with the Nets, including the playoffs a few years ago where he averaged over 11 ppg.

Oberto has played in the NBA for 4 seasons. During that time he played in 46 Playoff games! That's more playoff games than the Washington Wizards team has even played in the last 23 years! He has the experience, knows how to win, but would he take the Veteran minimum over returning to Spain? I doubt it.

More Names Entered Into Free Agent Drawing

Michael Lee dropped a few more free agent names yesterday in Wizards Insider. I'm getting bored. How about the Wizards just pick a name out of a hat. This player isn't gonna be a superstar or even get big minutes.

Fabricio Oberto: Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Ring, Playoff Experience, Size, Plays Guitar...Sounds good to me!

Sean Marks: New Zealander. And when he's on the court, depending on the court, I bet he is definitely in the top three white guys on the court, depending on the court...

Brian Skinner: This guy would be great. Whenever he screws up we can all yell SKINNER! just like on the Simpsons. "And you call them steamed hams despite the fact that they are obviously grilled?"

Adonal Foyle: Played for 12 years and in only 8 playoff games. Traded to Grizzlies who cut him after a month. I guess he has a ring with the Magic from last year, playing only 4 total minutes the entire playoffs. Will play for food, or whatever the veteran minimum is.

Pops Mensah-Bonsu: Local college tournament guy. D-League All Star...eh that's a stretch.

Courtney Sims: Triple Double in D-League with 11 blocks. Not much experience. Check how he does in Summer League with the Hornets.

Josh Heytvelt: Wizards Summer League player. He would be a last last last ditch signing if all the other free agents would rather be unemployed than play in DC.

Free Agents: Nesterovic, Collins, Frye, Magloire

The Wiz are reported to have their eye on four big men, according to the Washington Times.

Rasho Nesterovic was on the Spurs, which means he can play the game. Channing Frye was supposed to be good at one point but never panned out. It didn't help that he was on the Knicks most of that time. Jason Collins is another stop gap guy who doesn't really do much but take up space. Magloire was good at one point, but he really dropped off. If I can remember he was at one point in an all star game. Check out this picture of him. Strange.

All of these guys would fill the role that the Wizards are looking for. Since the player won't get major minutes, it is not really a big deal how good of an offensive player they are. I like Magloire, but really they could pick a name out of a hat.

Truth About It will give you more detail than random things off the top of my head...

Wizards Free Agent Choices: Michael Ruffin & The Veteran Minimum

Last night was like Christmas Eve. I was nestled all snug in my bed, while visions of Michael Ruffins danced in my head. I was hoping to wake up in the morning and find a special present under my Wizards tree. A shiny new Wilcox. A brand new Pachulia. Maybe even a good old fashioned Antonio McDyess.

But Ernie Claus didn't come last night. Not even a single lump of coal! (Joe Smith)

The Wizards weren't really expecting to go for broke on the first night of free agency. According to Mike Jones...Who?...Mike Jones...of the Washington Times, the plan is to hang around and pick up the scraps, signing a player for somewhere near the veteran minimum.

Players who play for the veteran minimum are the worst players in the league, but not bad enough (or too old) to go to the D-League. Sadly, in order to succeed & based on salary restrictions, the Wizards have to pick up one of these guys. The Wizards will be pursuing guys like (insert cartoon shaking off being stunned head shake here) Michael Ruffin.

Michael Ruffin is a hustler homie. He is a big body who takes up space. His offensive skills are in the negatives, but he will try hard and play rough. I was expecting someone to push Andray Blatche for minutes, but a fill in guy who can come in every once in the while may be all the Wizards can afford.

While watching a game with Ruffin on the floor is like watching a 52-Car pileup being hit by a train on a sinking ship, he is responsible for the greatest announcing call in the history of the world. Better than "The Giants win the pennant!". Better than "By George the dream is alive!" Better than "The band is on the field". Better even than "Dagger!"

"Noooooooooo! Not Possible!"

• Mike Jones--Wizards Won't Be Buyers At Start

Midnight Moves?

Tonight at Midnight is the start of NBA free agency. Woo Ha! There are a lot of names being talked about around the web by Wiz peoplez.

• Bullets Forever's Look
• Wizards Insider's Look

Will the Wizards make a move tonight? While they do not need a player immediately, they may have to act fast so that they don't lose out when another team makes an offer sooner.

I'm not sure how the salary situation works, but it seems that the big name free agents may be out of the picture. I don't even see how the Wiz can afford anyone.

Michael Lee had a good list of some possibilities

"Some of the top free agent big men include Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Zaza Pachulia, Drew Gooden, Chris Wilcox, Channing Frye, Joe Smith, Stromile Swift, Chris Andersen, Rasho Nesterovic, Mikki Moore and Shelden Williams." Michael Lee, Washington Post

Yes Please! None of these guys are stars. PERFECT. That is exactly what the Wizards need. A big body, scoring optional. Many of these guys seem to have some solid playoff action.

I don't think they can get Gooden, Birdman, or Sheed, and I hope they do not go old skool with Joe Smith. I even think McDyess is too old. Stromile Swift is a bum. Zazu is ayite. Wilcox could fit well, and would be a local favorite coming from Maryland. Frye or Moore could be ok. Shelden Williams would play hard. Rasho was on the Spurs so he knows what is up.

If I was the Wizards, I would go for Shelden, Wilcox, or Rash. If I was a fan, I'd go with Birdman!

Will the Wizards make a move tonight? Not necessarily. Grunfeld will be active, and will try to get good value. If they don't make a deal at midnight, they will have plenty of time to find someone. It may actually be better to avoid the initial rush, to save some cash. All I know is this is looking like a boring week! How about some excitement!

Wizards Potential Free Agent Signings: Kwame Brown!

Guess who has the option to become a free agent this summer! KWAME BROWN!

What would be a better story than Kwame Brown returning to Washington and leading the team to a championship. It would be the comeback story of the century.

The Wizards need a big man. Kwame is a big man. Lets get those 2 ideas in the ring and see what happens. It doesn't take a room full of monkeys on typewriters to figure this story out...it would be an instant classic.

So lets get it done Ernie!

ctrl - s = sarcasm