John Wall Hanging Out With Nick Young & JaVale McGee This Weekend

John, Nick, and JaVale. Together Again! What could go wrong?

So a while ago, JaVale McGee (who I used to play call of Duty with) started drinking a gallon jug of water each day to stay hydrated and healthy. He kept saying he was living the "Jug Life" and people kept sending him pictures of themselves with gallon jugs of water under the hashtag #juglife. And now, jug life is a softball game, and John Wall is playing...Lets get back to Jug Life...

No Brotherly Love for the Wiz

 Written By Jeremy Batka @EastCoastAssn

The Wizards played what may have been their sloppiest game since John Wall's return losing in Philadelphia Wednesday night 92-84.

Washington was without rookie Bradley Beal who was seeing a wrist specialist after taking an awkward fall in Denver last week. Randy Wittman decided to start Garrett Temple for Beal instead of Jordan Crawford. Temple scored two points.

For the second straight game turnovers and overall sloppy offense cost Washington a winnable game. The Wizards had 18 turnovers tonight after turning the ball over 20 times in Monday night's loss to Sacramento. 

The Wizards did manage to cut the Philly lead to just four with over a minute left but a Jrue Holiday jumper sealed the deal in the final minute. Holiday led all scorers with 21, he also had 6 assists and four steals.

The Wizards relied heavily on their big men on the offensive end. Emeka Okafor had another double double with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Okafor is still inconsistent with his jump shot but every other facet of his game is currently at an all-star level.

Nene led the Wizards in scoring with 16 on a night where the offensive game plan was catered to feed the post. Nene continues to impress with his combination of size and speed.

Former Wizards knucklehead Nick Young had a big night against his former club. Young had 18 points and four assists and looked much more impressive then nearly every current Wizard.

Goodbye Rashard, Hello Ernie

Well, Ernie Grunfeld had a heck of a run as an awful GM.  But I don't know what hit him in the head towards the end of the season that has caused him to start making decent basketball moves.  (Notice I said "decent" and not "tough" or "good")  It was announced that the Wizards traded Rashard Lewis to the Hornets for Emeka Okafor & Trevor Ariza.

Now don't get me wrong, this isn't the greatest move in the history of sports.  But it does get a guy who is WAY past his prime in Rashard Lewis out of town.  And most importantly, it sets up the move to amnesty Andray Blatche (Don't f**k around Ted) and get him far away from DC.  Win-Win!  Oh I guess they got some players too.

All that for a guy I wanted the team to just amnesty or cut outright!  I honestly have no idea who in their right mind would want Rashard Lewis.

Ernie started the housework by clearing out Nick Young & JaVale McGee towards the end of last season.  He even got a decent piece in Nene in the deal.  Although if he got a bag of peanuts for those 2 guys I'd still love the trade.  (But only if they were Planters sillies)  Rashard was next, and all that remains is 7 Day Dray...

So today you can call me Art Vandalay.  I am going to quit the importing and focus on the exporting.  Tommorow I'll get the line right and talk about Okafor & Ariza.

Wizards Playing Better After Trade Despite Lack Of Wins

In the final game of the Nick Young/JaVale McGee era, the Washington Wizards lost to the Dallas Mavericks by a score of 107-98.  It was the teams third loss in a row and in the days following we learned that the Wizards were getting rid of Nick Young and JaVale McGee.

With Young & McGee on the roster this season for 41 games the Wizards only won 9 games which is a 22% winning percentage.  In the six games without them, the Wizards won 2, a 33% win percentage. While the winning hasn't skyrocketed, the "almost" winning has.

Since the trade, the Wizards have led 5 out of 6 games at the half.  Aside from the Hawks game where the team gave up in the 4th quarter, the Wizards have had a chance to win every single game. Especially the last two which were lost after huge leads.  Still the Wiz missed 2 game-tying attempts at the buzzer.

If John Wall could step up as a leader, if Jordan Crawford could pass the ball in the closing minutes, and if the Wizards could improve their confidence, they could end up closing games out in the second half.

So while Nick Young may have his 4th head coach of the season, and while JaVale McGee is tipping in game winners in Denver, the Washington Wizards are doing just fine without them.

Nick Young Cancels His Offseason Plans

Nick Young has been traded to the Clippers and the L.A. Times had a piece on Nicky about how he is coming back home, how he really loves L.A., and how he will be a "savior" for the Clips (their words, not mine).  All the quotes come from that article.

"(Though, because he is joining one, Young said he had to cancel some off-season plans he had made knowing Washington's season had a time-stamped expiration date.) "

That is the kind of attitude the players on the Wizards have.  I bet he made those plans after game 1.

"Young is a scorer, Billups said, but he can score within the flow of a play..."

Incorrect Chauncy.

"He's also a versatile defender, Clippers Coach Vinny Del Negro said..." 

Not the Nick Young you traded for.

Young said he would have used his no trade clause to veto any trade except for the two L.A. teams.  Obviously that is garbage, although I'm sure he wouldn't want to go to a Kings or other non-playoff team.

And Stay Out! JaVale McGee & Nick Young Traded

Some amazing news comes a few minutes following the NBA trade deadline.  According to some sources, JaVale McGee is headed to the Nuggets, Nick Young is headed to the Clippers, and the Wizards are getting...IT DOESN'T MATTER what they're getting.

But really, they are getting Nene?

While Andray Blatche was not traded due to "total lack of interest", the fact that these two bums are leaving DC is music to my ears.  It was really fun hearing Tony Kornheiser make fun of Young/McGee on PTI every day, and watching those YouTube clips of McGee made me smile, but for the good of the team, they have gotten rid of these cancers.

Oh, The Wizards got a player too.  NeNe.  A guy who is injured often and probably won't be a part of the Wizards championship roster in 2015.  However hopefully he brings some energy and excitement for the rest of this season.

Welcome To Nick Young

Nick Young is a great example of a player the Wizards could get rid of and still win the 20 games they are going to win this season.  On Friday night against the Bucks,  Young shot 1-10 (10%) and scored 3 points.  The team scored 80+ points and lost.  Against the Hawks last week he shot 50% and scored 21 points, the team scored 80+ points and lost.

This guy does NOT help a team win basketball games.  He just fills in missing points.  Sometimes spectacularly.  But take NY out of the game the Wiz will score around 80.  Put him in and have him score 30 and the Wiz will score around 80.

Many fans were quite happy when the shooting guard was signed because Wizards fans know that Nick Young can score.  They see him play amazing games and it makes him look like a great player.

However, the thing that fans do not seem to notice is that NY can't do anything but shoot.  He basically offers nothing to the team except for hitting shots if he is on and missing shots if he is off.  Nothing else.  This was never more evident than it was on Friday night against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Everyone knows the saying "Good shooters keep on shooting"  Nick Young seems to misunderstand that concept.  If you are a good shooter and you are missing some shots, you create easier shots for yourself so you can get closer to the basket or get some foul shots. You do not just fire up shots.

However as I already said, NY does not have anything else to offer.  He can't create better shots for himself.  He can't drive to the basket.  He can't get to the foul line.  He can't do anything except shoot, and even that is streaky, unpredictable, and you can't trust it.

Front Office

The front office should have let Nick Young continue to sit on the open market.  Nick Young would have sat home waiting for calls from other teams.  He would keep checking to make sure the phone was plugged in.  He would test his home phone by calling his cell phone and vice versa.  However, the phones would not have been broken.  That silence would have been the sound that sums up the "interest" for Nick Young.  Nothing.

Nick would have had to come back begging for the Wizards to sign him for any amount of money, let alone the 9 million he wanted or the 3 million the Wizards gave him.

If this guy is on the roster again next season, I'm out...

Nick Young Headed Back To DC

Nick Young has accepted the Wizards contract offer and will step into the role of 3rd string SG (not really) with more than $5 million less than what he held out for.  With a little over a week before the regular season starts, NY missed the entire training camp of an already shortened preseason.

Add that to the fact that the season is shorter and Flip Saunders was not liking that Young was missing practices.  Nick is going to have to adjust quickly and play very well even before the ink dries on the contract if he wants to see the floor more.  Although he is on the Wizards, so he will get his minutes...

Kim Jong-Il heard the news, was so happy he went nuts...and you know the rest...

Wiz Insider:  NY Article

Enter The 36 Chambers...Of Nick Young & The Wiz-Tang Clan

Cash rules everything around Nick, C.R.E.A.N. get the money, dolla dolla bill y'all...

According to a report from Michael Lee from the New York Times side Washington Post side, Nick Young is looking to Triumph as a free agent and get $9 Million Dollars from the Wizards.

Who does he think he is, Kwame Brown.  Does he think he can just get paid for doing nothing?  NY must think he is one of the 9 Milli Bros.  Maybe Nickky Digital, NZA, or Young Dirty Bastard.  I think that request made Ernie Grunfeld jump like Rod Strickland because nine million dollars definitely ain't nothin' to f' with.




Right now the Wizards have Jordan Crawford who played well last year and a solid veteran in Roger Mason. I don't think they are going to go overboard on the NY signing.  Why CAN'T it be all so simple...

Eventually I think that NY will be Reunited with his Wiz teammates for well below his $9 Million asking price.  And when he does he will come back with the following:
================
What y'all thought y'all wasn't gon' see me? 
I'm the Bean Burrito of this ish
Wiz-Tang is here forever, motherf**ker
It's like this, six foot seven
Aight my teammates and my teammate-ettes
Let's do it like this, I'm a rub your ass in the foul line
Let's take it back to 23-59...
===========

Making Nick Young An All Star

"You never saw Michael Jordan smile. The only time he smiled was when he was kicking your butt." --Flip Saunders
According to Flip Saunders, Nick Young smiles too much. It is obviously keeping him away from his full basketball potential. So how does Nick stop something that he has been doing his whole life...stop something that is just second nature? Easy.

• Shave off his eyebrows, glue on some Groucho Marx eyebrows slanting down. It will make anyone look meaner, despite what the mouth is doing.
  
• Draw on a fake devil mustache with a sharpie. The doodler devil mustache is very creepy. Combined with the eyebrows and you've got a mean dude.
  
• Glue his bottom lip to the back of his front teeth. Go look in the mirror, bite down on your bottom lips and smile. Creepy? Scary? At least its not a big smile. It causes the corners of your mouth to slant down more.

I'm sure that will change his game, help him knock down jumpers, and automatically change his personality to one of someone with a killer instinct...

I wonder how Flip Saunders feels about NY listening Bobby McFerrin, Vitamin C or Shanice...

Gotcha! Gilbert Arenas Edition

This is the new game for the super awesome video game system called the Nintendo Entertainment System. It has sweet 8 bit graphics and even comes with an orange gun that you can shoot the TV with to play.

Play as rogue paintball warrior Gilbert Arenas as he tries to defend his homeland. Encounter enemies like real NBA Rookies Dominic McGuire and Nick Young. If you have the shooting skills necessary to paint them up you will be set up for a final showdown vs the Cleveland Paint Ball Team and boss of the game King James.

The Odd Couple Rookies

Nick Young & Dominic McGuire are apparently living together in Gilbert Arenas' house

Two friends away from their girlfriends try sharing Gilbert Arenas' House. But their ideas of housekeeping and basketball are as different as night and day. Nick is quick, fast, stylish and plays with explosiveness. Dom is strong & physical. Hilarity ensues as these two polar opposites are forced to share a house together...It's the Odd Couple...

• DC Sports Bog: Rookie House
• YouTube: The Odd Couple Intro
• The Odd Couple Real Movie Poster

You know that there is more awesome (stupid) Wizards stuff on the main page!

Nick Young Blog?

I was checking out the Wizards web page (dancer page) and came across this blog from a new dancer named Melissa. It sounded very Wizard like, so after a few madlibs word changes (4 to be exact) we have a new Nick Young blog entry. (clearly fake)

We have been practicing for a few weeks now and have already learned a lot of plays we will be performing during the season. With the season right around the corner, it’s important for us to keep up with our workouts and practice hard. I really enjoy being at practice because the plays we learn are a lot of fun to perform, but most importantly I get to play with my teammates who are truly a talented group of men. The veterans have also been really helpful and have done a great job of welcoming the rookies on the team. Our practices are very productive, but we always find time to joke around and have fun too! I can’t wait to kick the season off and perform for the fans, and I know that my rookie season will be full of great memories.

Nick Y.

My feelings on the dance team

Wizards Summer League Player Wrap Up

I just watched all of the Wizard's summer league games. This is my assessment of the roster. But in reality, who cares...I ordered them by where they should be at the start of the season.

8. Kyle "Not Cool Enough For A Positive Nickname" Visser (Wake Forest, 6'11", Center)

This guy was possibly the worst player on the entire team. He defiantly would have tied with "Bart Simpson" and "School Sucks". They gave him so much playing time to prove himself but he was just awful. Missed dunk followed by missed lay-up followed by missed pass. He hustled, but all that will get you is a Mugsy Bogues poster & wristband (Or at least that's what I got when I took home the honors at Laranega GMU Basketball camp 1997)

PREDICTION: Gym Teacher

7. The Rest of The Team (Various, 70'9", Various)
They had some guys that made a few good plays. The big white redneck looking fat guy looked OK, but not NBA. Pinnock wasn't too good. They had Humphrey from Florida, but he played 14 minutes total. I was excited after seeing his name on the roster thinking he could be a (insert white small shooter here) type player.

PREDICTION: I hope you took your degree seriously?

6. Brian "Chevy" Chase (V-Tech, 5'7", Guard)

Look Kids, Big Ben...I usually like the smaller players. They play with excitement & a lot of heart. However, Chase is not that great. He shot 22% and that is his strong point. He showed 0 defensive ability and was overmatched by everyone he guarded. RUSTY!!!!

PREDICTION: Back to the D-League (how was he an all-star?)

5. Aaron "Don't Call Me Darius" Miles (Kansas, 6'1", Guard)

I see potential, but not "The Perfect Score" potential. He is a good ball handler & floor leader. Looks like a backup NBA caliber guard.

PREDICTION: Just like Caron was the new Larry, Miles could be the new Donell Taylor. But I like Donell Taylor. So…D-League!

4. Mike Hall "Without the Oates" (GW, 6'8", Forward)
He is the definition of Blah. He does a lot of things pretty well, but not exceptionally. He was better than the other rookies at times, but just boring. I thought he was possibly the best player out there for the Wizards, but for some reason I have no faith in his improving or game changing potential.
PREDICTION: No Room For Him, 10 Day Contracts when the season falls apart again, May see him at Froggy Bottom Bar.

3. Oleksiy Pecherov "Not a Catcherov?" (Eurasia, 7'0", Forward/Center)

Looked like a Songalia but with more range and less post moves. He had pretty good numbers and looked like an NBA player. He rebounds & hits 3's. Too many fouls, not enough blocks. He had pretty good numbers but they won't translate to real games. At least he doesn't prance down court with his arms up high like a big goofy oaf.
PREDICTION: The Ukrane Is Weak! Not a lot Of PT

2. Nick "I like em" Young (USC, 6'6", Guard)
Hmmmm. Exciting at times, looks like a rookie. Coming off the bench he will be a guy that you anticipate dunking over a crowd, and hopefully can knock down some shots. He plays worse defense than Gilbert and looks more like a college player than an NBA player. Luckily the Wiz already have a big 3, so he should fit in well if he knows his role (pass to Gilbert). Future Potential. Gives me a reason to wear the "I Heart NY" shirt I got 10 years ago.
PREDICTION: Excitement & Disappointment, Inconsistency. I'd rather have Reggie Bush, or even a 30 back of Busch.

1. Dominic "Bird On A" McGuire (Fresno State, 6'8", Forward)
I wouldn't go as far to say a steal yet. Kwame Brown had better stats in his summer league year. But its defiantly a great pick. He has an all around game, including some nice shot blocking. He has good size and should make a quick jump to the NBA style. His "Go-To Move" (damn you NBA Live) is a spin, which while works well in Madden & NBA Live, will not work so well in the NBA. If he does it 3 times in a row, it could even result in a fumble.
PREDICTION: DM is to Goldie Hawn as the rest of the Wizards are to Mel Gibson? He should contribute the most out of anyone. Maybe a 6th man (marlon waynes) by the end of the year. At least some PT.