Is Nick Young A Long Term Building Block for the Wizards?

The Washington Wizards are trying to win a championship. No, not this year, but maybe three years down the road. To that end, the only thing that matters this season is evaluating the current talent on hand and putting the pieces together for this dreamy future championship run.

My personal opinion is that this current roster has 3 guys  possibly worth keeping for the long-term: John Wall, JaVale McGee, and Nick Young. I can now hear you singing, "one of these things is not like the other, not like the other one...." Young Sushi is more than a DCLS favorite though, and his improvement this year has been more than enough to convince me that he is a keeper.

This post was triggered by an article from Kevin Broom the WaPo's Box Seats that calls Sushi "Fool's Gold." I was going to write a long rebuttal with tons of incredible research and witticisms, but Rook from Bullets Forever beat me to the punch.

The basic argument revolves around the following:

1. Whether his style of play could fit on a good team
2. Does he contribute anything outside of scoring, such as rebounds and assists and does he need to?
3. Defense
4. Whether Nick will still improve

1. Rook nails this on the head: Nick's current game is very similar to that of Rip Hamilton and Reggie Miller. He is scoring efficiently enough right now, and if Rip and Reggie could play on great teams as catch and shoot players, then so can Nick. As a matter of fact, Sushi's numbers since becoming a starter compare favorably to those of Rip's career, and do not look out of place next to Miller's.

2. With that in mind, Nick is clearly not a great rebounder or playmaker, but those facets of his game are improving. However, he is currently a slightly below average rebounder, but not an atrocious one, and recent evidence indicates that he may improve enough to be at least an average rebounder. He may never be elite, but he is at least acceptable. Although Nick is a historically bad passer, playmaking is a similar story to rebounding. He will never even be an 'average' passer, but his assist rate has risen recently to over 2 per game, which is not far behind the 3 apg of Reggie Miller and 3.5 apg of Rip Hamilton.

I actually think Nick's catch and shoot style is a good fit for him, because it removes playmaking responsibilities from him.

3. Nick's defense is great and while gaining some recognition, is still underrated. Everyone needs to stop being colored by his facial expression and demeanor and watch him play 1-on-1....he is excellent. Sure, his team defense is not amazing, but his defensive impact for every season of his career has been measured as excellent by metrics. To continue the comparison to Rip and Reggie, this one is no contest....Nick is the far superior defender to either of those guys.

4. Nick will definitely still improve. Rook astutely makes the point that Nick has only had a decent coach for about 2 years, and now has only gotten consistent minutes for about 20 games. I will go even further and say that Nick remolded his game from a slashing to catch and shoot, and is really only in his 2nd season of playing this new way. The jump from last season has been incredible, and it hard to see him not getting better when he is still young, and has only 20 starts under his belt. The only counterargument I can see is that he is taking bad shots but making them at what appears to be an unsustainable level. Even though he has kept this pace up for 20 or so games, Nick may revert back to making fewer of these tough shots. On the other hand, Nick may also learn to pick and choose his spots better, and take more efficient shots.....

The bottom line is then whether Nick is worth keeping, and I say yes. I think we have a rich man's Rip Hamilton on our hands, and although Rip won a title on an oddly constructed team, it is pretty clear that a player approximating Rip is a keeper and building block. Coming into this season I thought an improvement in Nick's ability to catch and shoot, coupled with his already great defense, would make him an excellent 6th man. It is safe to say that Nick has now surpassed those expectations and shown he can indeed be a starter on a very good team.

(Image courtesy of truthaboutit.net)

15 Losses in a Row Stinks, Unless You're Trying to Get John Wall

I just quickly spoke to Nick Young as he was cleaning his house this evening. A) Shouldn't he be able to hire someone to do that? B) They're just like us! Some quick tidbits from our talk:

On the losing streak: "We're going to get one soon."
I hope so, there are only 10 games left and we get the 9-win Nets in a week.

On the locker room: "We're doing fine, it's still upbeat now."
I'm a little surprised at this, as 15 losses and Andray Blatche going salty against Flip leads me to believe there would be a lot of tension. Young Sushi seemed completely honest and said it without me really prying, though, so I believe him.

On the Andray Blatche-Flip Saunders situation: "I dunno, I dunno."
This sounded like he was clearly avoiding giving me any information, which leads me to believe there is a lot of action going on behind the scenes and that Andray and Flip are still not getting along.

On John Wall: "I haven't watched a lot of (the NCAA tournament), but Wall's good, Wall's good."
Oh, he is better than good...Nick was surprised when I said I think Wall is better than Derrick Rose, but look at these high school highlights (there are plenty of highlights from Kentucky, but these are far more entertaining):

Oh sweet Jesus please yes.

(Image courtesy of www.truthaboutit.net)

Nick Young Interview: "You See What We Did in the Super Bowl?"

Here is the 4th and final installment of my All-Star break interview with DCLS 'Wizards correspondant' Nick Young. Part 1 was posted on Sunday, part 2 on Monday, and part 3 on Tuesday. This installment covers Nick's thoughts on his USC Trojans and my Georgetown Hoyas.

DCLS: So what did you do for New Years?
NY: Javaris had a birthday party in DC. It was his birthday the same day or before I think.

DCLS: Too bad for you he wasn't a USC guy, maybe you would have had an excuse to party it up in LA.
NY: Naw, naw, naw, he went to Georgia Tech. You can't just be throwin' everyone on the Trojans. You see what we did in the Super Bowl right? Reggie Bush!

DCLS: But USC paid him when he went there, so I don't think you should be associating yourself with him. In the NBA, I know you went, Pruitt went, Taj Gibson, but there's not too many of you....
NY: There's not too many, but we got a couple, OJ (Mayo), and we got DeMar Derozan.

DCLS: The one's who've made it have done alright though. There are some overachievers relative to draft position on that list.
NY: Yeah, it's starting to get out. But this year started messing it up, we've been on probation.

DCLS: Because of your boy OJ Mayo!
NY: Man, I can't go against my Trojans. And we got Tim Floyd back into the NBA now as an assistant coach.

DCLS: How is the feeling in the locker room with the trade deadline approaching and rumors running rampant?
NY: I dunno, man, NBA, I seen a lot in my 3 years. That's just part of the business, a real business.

DCLS: Whatever, you're just rooting for some of your USC guys to get traded for.
NY: Yeah, pick Pruitt back up, we'll get a whole USC lineup.

DCLS: So I'm a Georgetown dan, and they just whipped Duke.
NY: Yeah, Georgetown's been doing pretty good I heard. These days, they make the arena look like a really known place when they play there. They got a freshman from LA, don't they?

DCLS: Yeah, Hollis Thompson. He's a really skinny shooting guard.
NY: Yeah, a real skinny shooting guard, I was working out with him this summer. I was supposed to come to a game to see him play.

DCLS: The Hoyas play Syracuse on Thursday, you should go and take some notes from a team that's actually good.
NY: I might come check 'em out. So I'm at home right now, next practice is not 'till Tuesday. I'm on vacation, I have to get away, I have to get rejuvenated.......comeback, I gotta get the mind right and get me in the dunk contest. Get my mind right, come back, and I'll be rejuvenated.

(Image courtesy of farm1.static.flickr.com)

Nick Young Interview: Groupies and Meeting Women

Here is the 3rd helping of Young Sushi in my All-Star break interview with DCLS 'Wizards correspondant' Nick Young. Part 1 was posted on Sunday, and part 2 on Monday. This installment covers Nick's thoughts on meeting women.

DCLS: How often do you go out during the season? Once a week?
NY: It depends, it depends really.

DCLS: How often do you think the biggest partiers in the league go out, like your idol "Get Buckets' Ricky Davis?
NY: Get Buckets! He probably went out a lot, you know. He got buckets though, so he's doin' something right.

DCLS: So what are the groupies like in the NBA? I know a girl who was basically an NBA groupie, she was like 5'8" or 5'9" and dated some guys in the league for a bit.
NY: For real? Man where's she at? 5'9"?!? You gotta hook me up man, what's up baby?

DCLS: That's the type of girl you need Nick, a girl who can settle down.
NY: Get me one man! You supposed to throw me some lines. If I sign-up for the dunk contest, you gotta throw me some lines.

DCLS: Uhuh, so now all you have to do is sign-up for the dunk contest? But seriously, you are a 6'6" professional basketball player, you shouldn't need any help. You should be helping me, I'm 5'9", no tan......
NY: That's cool though, you can still get 'em. What about the the blog? Don't you just gotta say you can be on my blog?

DCLS: I definitely do not tell any girls about the blog, that will kill my chances. A girl could be at my place and would immediately leave if I mentioned the blog. That would be just as bad as saying I live with my parents. That is why if you get into the dunk contest, I could slip into a bar and say 'oh, there's Nick, I know Nick', and then you could shoot me a text message midway through saying something like 'That was really great what you did for the homeless the other day' and I could show it to all the ladies, that would work.
NY: I got you, I got you, aight.

(Image courtesy of http://www.aolcdn.com/aolpolltool/nick-young-dc)

Nick Young Interview: "Sometimes.....Nobody Likes Me"

Everyone needs their full portion of Young Sushi, so here is the 2nd installment of my All-Star break interview with DCLS 'Wizards correspondant' Nick Young. Part 1 was posted on Sunday, with more to come later this week. This installment covers Nick's thoughts on the Wizards season and what it has been like to be benched and then get back into the rotation.

DCLS: Why do the Wizards stink this year?
NY: I think it's just a chemistry thing, that's about it. We gotta work on chemistry, (and if we do), it'll flow better

DCLS: So what are your goals now that the Wizards season has gone down thie tubes?
NY: One game at a time, that's what we gotta do. Some games hurt, like the Atlanta game we lost, and Charlotte. Man, if we do it one game at a time, and we get on a roll, if we get it going and we can win some games, we can probably make it cuz the East, you know. It ain't like the West, if we're in the West with this record, we'd be packin' up and getting ready for summertime. But if we get a winning streak going, I think we have a chance.

DCLS: What was it like when you were benched at the beginning of the season?
NY: Aw man, it's hard man, It's been back and forth for me, it's hard. It was crazy. I don't even know what to say, it's been up and down really. Sometimes he (Flip Saunders) likes me, sometimes......nobody likes me....

DCLS: I must say though that you were the happiest bench-warmer I have ever seen on the sideline.
NY: Aw yeah, I can't show it. You know, I can't let everyone see it's getting me down. I gotta keep a good attitude and hopefully we win. And if I'm not playing and we're losin', that's just cold. I don't mean to be complainin', I just gotta role with the punches.

DCLS: You're gonna hate this question, but since you weren't playing for a bit, would you ever consider playing in Europe?
NY: Probably, I dunno, maybe if I just wanted to experiment. But some people just forget about them once they're over there. You don't see nothing, no highlights of 'em. I'm a person that at least needs to see myself a little bit.

DCLS: It's good money though, and you'd sneak onto some European highlights, but they also probably play in like high school gyms.
NY: Yeah, people be smokin' cigarettes at the game and stuff, but it is good money though.

DCLS: So how does it feel getting back into the rotation?
NY: It feels better, it gets better with time. The more I play, the better it feels for me.

DCLS: But you're still getting like 15 minutes one game and then 5 minutes the next.....
NY: Yeah, that's crazy. To me, it depends on if I make a shot or two. I gotta come in with the J.R. Smith mentality.

DCLS: Well I have to let you know that I'm a big stats guy and J.R. is not a very good shooter by True Shooting %, so maybe he's not the best model, but do you know what the metrics say about you? They actually have you as an excellent defender.
NY: I mean I'm better, you see the critics don't know what they're sayin'!

DCLS: Got better? Actually, the metrics from last season, on a scale from 1 to 10, ranked you as a 9. Watching you closely, I have to agree that your biggest asset right now is your defense over your offense.
NY: Thank you, yeah see! I been tellin' Coach that!

DCLS: Yeah right, if I hadn't just told you that, you probably would have told me the biggest thing you need to work on in your game is your defense.
NY: Naw, I need to work on getting my handles back. I been getting used to being a coming off screens and shoot type of player, I need to get some of my handlebars back.

(Image courtesy of trojannyc.com)

Nick Young Interview: Talking to Agent Zero, Andray Blatche's Braces, and Wizards Dunk Contest Competition

In lieu of analysis on yesterday's miserable trade, and with the All-Star break upon us, I thought it was high time to check-in with DCLS 'Wizards Correspondent' Nick Young. As before, this interview has been broken into installments, with the other 3 parts being posted later this week. This first installment covers Nick's thoughts on some of his teammates.

DCLS: So your boy Andray Blatche has braces, please tell me you have some great names or a great story about him.
NY: Aww...yeah, yeah...We don't have no particular names, we just talk about 'em. At the beginning, he was a little sensitive about 'em, then he kinda warmed up as we kept going on him, you know, can't get mad at everybody.

DCLS: I mean he wears them on national TV, what's he gonna do? You can't hide those things. Don't they have invisible ones? He didn't even get the invisible ones.
NY: Haha, they probably couldn't get a fit for his teeth.

DCLS: So you really can't give me any good nicknames to put out there for Andray and his braces?
NY: I can't, that's my dog, that's my dog. Can't get mad at him, I can't go all national on the blog.

DCLS: Do you guys talk about Gil in the locker room? What's the feeling about whether he's coming back? Anyone talk to him?
NY: Yeah, I talk to him all the time. Gil was surprised (by the issues stemming from the gun incident), but didn't want to surprise people when the day comes (about a decision to stay with or leave the team).

DCLS: We need a new nickname for your buddy Javale McGee. The one out there now is Epic Vale, and that sucks. The City is way better than Epic Vale, and I'm not a big fan of The City.
NY: I dunno, what can you call him? Javale is a tough name in itself. You (the DCLS) need to come out with somethin' for him, come up with somethin' for him. It's hard to come up with names for a big man though.

DCLS: We'll work on that, but you don't have any good names for Javale?
NY: His username and stuff on like Twitter is like Big Daddy Wookie, but I can't be callin' nobody Big Daddy.

DCLS: Those are 3 words I don't wanna call him, so he's not getting that. Speaking of Javale, he did that Axe commercial, how come he didn't get in the dunk contest?
NY: Just because of the situation he was in, it didn't take off.



DCLS: You should've made a video like that to get yourself into the dunk contest, maybe dunking over Earl Boykins would do it.
NY: Javale was kinda sneaky and did that video behind my back cuz he didn't want me to know as his competition.

DCLS: So what are you gonna do next year to get into the dunk contest? You gotta do something new, because whatever you are doing now is not working. You didn't even sniff the dunk contest. You didn't even get into the dunk-off for the dunk contest.
NY: Man, I didn't even get a look. I dunno, I gotta do something.

DCLS: That's what I'm saying, you and Javale need to put a video together of you 2 doing some crazy dunks.
NY: Man, I don't wanna hate on him and be in competition. I just want a clear path for me to this dunk contest. Actually, I want us both to get in, cuz I think I can beat Javale, I definitely think I can beat him, I'm positive. He can jump, but I don't think he can do no moves.

DCLS: You were a lot more confident about beating him before the season, but don't tell me the 'double pits to chesty' dunk didn't worry you? Did he just do that on his own? There is no way Axe paid him for that; no one is going out and buying Axe deodorant because Javale McGee used it in a dunk.
NY: He just did that on his own! Maybe they'd pay Lebron, Wade, Kobe or somebody else, even Nate Robinson!

(Image courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

The Wizards nearing the Quarter Pole: A Pattern I Don't Like

The Wiz season is following a depressing pattern. I projected the Wiz to win 45 games, that is until we outplayed a 50-win team from last year, on the road, in the season opener. 50 wins definitely looked like a distinct possibility. Eh, not so much..........we then won only 1 of our next 8, and that 1 win was over the Nets, who may end up as the worst team in history. Those 9 games were the ones where we were without Cybertawn.

The Cybertawn portion of the season commenced with a win over the Cavs in game #10, so all is good again right? As in the season opener, it turned out to just be a tease, because since that win, we have gone 4-5 and currently stand at 7-12. So what's the problem and what does the rest of the season hold?

Bullets Forever beat me to it with this nice article, but the problem is that the star players aren't performing. Jamison has been good, so has Haywood, Blatche, Miller, but Agent-0 and Tough Juice have not been good enough. Yeah, they've been good, but we need them to be All-Stars. As I wrote in my season preview, "As much as I'd like to talk about X-factors and other improvements, this team will only go as far as Agent Zero will take it." There have been a lot of positives this season, but the poor performance is on the shoulder of Gil and Caron, that's the end of the discussion as to what the problem is. How to fix it or why this problem exists is a different story.

I think the reason for the struggle is the new coach/system and that these guys have not played together for awhile (remember, Gil has missed almost 2 full seasons). Caron is clearly struggling to find his role in this offense; he understood his job as the #1 guy the past couple years, but is having trouble being as efficient and productive as a #2. Gil, meanwhile, seems to be lacking some of his aggressiveness. I understand that Flip Saunders wants him to be more of a pure PG, and Gil is making an effort to curtail his boyish personality, but I don't like it. A hobo in Chinatown once told me, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Who cares if he is a fun-loving guy with a big mouth? I don't know who told Gil that 'acting mature' would make him a more valuable player, but right now that advice is looking terrible. I want the blogging, aggressive, Hibachi-calling locker room prankster back, and the Wiz are probably thinking the same thing too.

Gil and Caron have never been great defenders, but it is actually on the offensive end where they are struggling. John Hollinger has us ranked 20th in defensive efficiency, and 24th in offensive efficiency. Although the 20th best defense is nothing to brag about, we are certainly improved on that end of the floor, and enough so that if we had the offensive efficiency of the healthy Hibachi years, we'd be looking at a dangerously good team. As a comparison, Atlanta is ranked 4th in offensive and 17th in defensive efficiency and have been one of the top-5 teams in the league thus far.

As for the bright spots other than the defense, let's start and end with Young Sushi. After writing him off early in the season, he was given a 2nd chance and has clearly thrust himself back into the rotation. The Wiz are 4-3 with him as a starter, although I will say that the good record probably has more to do with Jamison being back than Young Sushi in the starting lineup. The highlights of these 7 games include 3 20-point performances and, more importantly, great defensive performances. He's held Andre Iguadala to 2-10 from the field, D-Wade to 6-19, and Stephen Jackson to 4-12. The defense is particularly interesting because his metrics have indicated that Nick is an above-average defender, but the 'eyeball test' has said otherwise. Well, maybe our eyeballs are deceiving us; just because he doesn't have a mean streak and isn't pesky like Bruce Bowen does not mean he is not performing at a high level. Nick isn't a defensive stopper by any means, but is proving that the metrics are right.

Nick still needs to learn to pass a little more often, holding a 10:11 assist to turnover ratio in these 7 games, but Deshawn Stevenson should not leave the bench for anything other than garbage time at this point. I don't think Nick's a versatile defender, but against perimeter shooters and slashers, he can be effective enough to take some of Mike Miller's minutes. The interesting thing now is that with the Wiz needing offensive help more than defensive, Miller may actually be the better fit. Even if Nick does lose some minutes in the near future, he can still provide moments like this:

So where is this team headed? John Hollinger thinks we will be shedding salary at the trade deadline, but I'm not so sure. After the top-4 teams in the East, the 5th seed in the East is a mere 3.5 games ahead of us, standing at 11-9, and may never be that far ahead of us. That said, we will need to win at least 43 games to get that 5th seed, and we are already 2.5 games under .500. With 63 games left, that means we will need to win at least 36 of those (36-27) to be .500. Even though we look like a .500 team since Jamison's return, and certainly have room for improvement, going 36-27 the rest of the way is not realistic at this point. A more realistic 40-41 wins will likely get us into the playoffs, but just make us first-round cannon fodder for the Celtics, Magic, or Cavs. Ummmm, I'll just pretend I didn't do that math and replay the belt slap video a few times........

(Image courtesy of media.nowpublic.net/)

Nick Young Exclusive Interview: His Standup Comedy and Rap Careers, Rookie Hazing, and Chicken and Waffles

Before writing my Wizards preview, I spoke with DCLS favorite Nick "Young Sushi" Young, 48 hours before the opening tipoff, about several topics, including the upcoming season, his entourage, DC late night food, and rookie hazing. Part 1 is posted here, about Nick's prediction for the team, and thoughts about his role in the rotation. This portion covers all the fun stuff.....

DCLS: So Young Sushi won our nickname contest, what do you think?
Nick Young: I've been saying Young Sushi all summer, so I'm not too surprised. It's a kitchy little name............everyone likes sushi.

DCLS: Please tell me you asked Gil about you wanting your nickname to be Agent-Double-0.
NY: Aw, naw, I haven't had a chance to talk about it. Did you put it out there yet? Yeah I forgot, I got to tell him that.

DCLS: Just don't get your clothes cut up or whatever, but do tell us what he says about the nickname. Staying on the subject of Gil, I think his lack of media interaction is opening the door for you to the be the biggest personality on the Wizards.
NY: Yeah, you know, he always funny. Gil been Gil, he hasn't been talking since ya know.

DCLS: Not even any good locker room pranks?
NY: I dunno, I don't wanna give out his secret. I dunno what he got up his sleeve..........I dunno, I don’t want Gil mad at me right now. He always saying he’s not gonna pass me the ball, so I want him on my side.

DCLS: Don't let him lull you into a sense of security. So we saw how you got hypnotized this summer at training camp and galloped around the stage and did a James Brown impersonation.
NY: It was crazy, I dunno, I was going along with it because I didn’t want him to feel bad onstage, but I think it worked a little bit........

DCLS: And you did a standup routine that went so-so….
NY: We had the rookies sing their school song and stuff, and I never got a chance to do all that. They didn’t take us like that to go somewhere and make us sing happy birthday or something.

DCLS: What about picking up the check for the vets?
NY: Oh I had to do that, I had to do that. But I never had a chance to sing and do all that, so I did the standup instead of singing this year. They gave me a choice (between singing and standup). It was little jokes here and there. Everybody was laughing, but I was kinda nervous, there was more than just our team in there, there were a lot of people in there and I knew they’d try to boo me real quick just to be funny.

DCLS: So you're nervous doing the standup but have no problem playing basketball in front of 20,000 people live and 1,000s more watching on tv?
NY: No problem, no problem. I got other people out there messing up too (in basketball).

DCLS: Any jokes you can tell us from the standup?
NY: All of it was in-person, I gotta re-act it out. I had ‘em going, I killed it, I killed it. You know I think that might be my next, my calling, standup.

DCLS: So tell us a bit about your entourage.
NY: I have a decent entourage. In DC, I have 2 or 3 people including my brother John and Adrian “Fat Boy”, people may know him as “Fat Daddy”. But I can’ t have them living with me here. In LA, I have everyone I grew up with really, you know it’s cool, it’s like a circus act when I come out man. I got my circus crew with me.

DCLS: I probably met that crew when we initially met at a late night food place in LA; have you ever been DC ‘s Ben’s Chili Bowl?
NY: That’s a big thing out here in DC, it’s like our Roscoe’s in LA, that’s your Ben’s Chili Bowl. I haven’t been yet, but I wanna go, where’s it at?

DCLS: It’s near Adams Morgan and Dupont, and nowhere near where you live in Upper Marlboro.
NY: How far is it from the arena?

DCLS: Like 3 metro stops..
NY: What time it close? I’ll go tonight!

DCLS: I’m gonna guess you’ve never heard of the like 1 chicken and waffle place around here, called Marvin, it’s right near Ben’s Chili Bowl.
NY: Marvin? Aw man, yeah you gotta text me the address or something. Let’s go there. I think I need a chef or something. I was barbecuing today, but I miss having Dom(inic McGuire) as my chef cooking for me and all that.

DCLS: Anything else you wanna say to the world?
NY: Look out for my CD coming out, I gotta CD coming out, I’m about to be a rapper......

DCLS: Wait, seriously? You have a CD coming out? Are you going Artest on us?
NY: Yeah look out for my mixtape, Javale’s gonna be my producer, he adds a fire, haha................................................................................naw I’m just playing!

(Image courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

Exclusive Nick Young Interview: On His Role Before Being Benched

Before writing my Wizards preview, I spoke with DCLS favorite Nick "Young Sushi" Young, 48 hours before the opening tipoff, about several topics, including the upcoming season, his entourage, DC late night food, and rookie hazing. I will post the interview in segments, mostly because I am taking my sweet-ass time transcribing the conversation, but wanted to get this portion online, which covers Nick's prediction for the team, and what he thought his role on the team would be.

As Wizard fans know, Young Sushi was a surprise exclusion from the rotation, being benched in the season opener, and receiving limited minutes in the past 2 games. This interview was conducted 48 hours before the opening tipoff, and 24 hours before Nick was told by Flip Saunders that he would not feature in the rotation. I have not spoken to Nick since the season opener, and he has managed to avoid 'normal' media interviews about the subject of his playing time.

DCLS: So what do you know about your role in the team now that the season is about to start? It looks like Mike Miller will be the starter at shooting guard, but any idea where you fit in the rotation, starting, 6th man…?
Nick Young: Yeah something like that. Mike Miller is a great player, I didn’t know he was that good until playing with him, like everything he can do here............You know, it’s up and down (where I fit in the rotation). I gotta bring a little consistency and be a spark, that energy, that young guy that they need. It’s time to get buckets son, time to get buckets.

DCLS: Oh, don’t say that, you know Ricky Davis's motto is “Get Buckets” and you don't want to be anything like him.
NY: For real? Aw, now I can’t say that, I didn’t know that.

DCLS: It sounds like Deshawn and Foye are gonna play in the rotation, but don’t get jealous when I say that.
NY: Aw, naw, naw, we should be good though. Gilbert is playing great.

DCLS: Is Mike Miller going to change his shoes?
NY: Naw, I think they're too comfortable. He's heard it all so far, so I don't think he's gonna change it.

DCLS: How are you feeling going into the first game?
NY: Excited, you know it’s a new system, new everything. I think we go a chance of doing good this year. We can be that spark DC needs. DC needs somebody now, it was hard for us last year, and it’s hard for the Redskins this year, so you need something. The Caps are pretty good.

DCLS: How do you feel about Antawn’s injury? 10 games is not a short amount of time and he's not exactly a young guy.
NY: Oh, he’s out for 10 games, I thought it was sooner than that, but he’s been looking good. But he’s still Antawn, you know he’s Cyber-Tawn, so he can get it done. He’s vintage, Cyber-Tawn and Vintage-Tawn (are nicknames for him). Yeah, he’s an old man, you know.

DCLS: Most predictions have you as the 5th or 6th seed in the East and 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs.
NY: I can see that, but I think we can do better, we can do better. It depends how we’re playing, but I think we can do better. Definitely not the 1st round, we’re going past the 1st round.

***

Young Sushi's comments about his playing time indicate he was a bit concerned about his spot in the rotation before learning his fate, but I can assure you that he had no idea he was about to be benched.

Another part that concerns me is Nick still seems to think 'getting buckets' is his key to success in the NBA. He notes consistency as an issue, which is true, but Nick's problem is that he is just a scorer, and not a great rebounder, defender, or passer. He even likes being called "Young Sushi" because he is raw, which is exactly his problem; 3 years into his career, raw talent is not enough, he needs to become a complete player. Even if Flip Saunders' message has been heeded, Nick's limited playing time means that he will have limited opportunities to improve his game and is fighting an uphill battle.

That said, we at the DCLS are ecstatic that Nick will be back with the Wiz next season. He is a great guy with personality, and despite his tough situation and early struggles, we have faith that he will come through and be the spark the Wiz may need.

(Image courtesy of nba.com)

What I Learned From One Glorious Wizards Game

We have a long season ahead of us, but I am having trouble containing my woody after watching the Wiz beatup a 50-win team from last year, on the road no less! With the team undergoing so many changes from last season, there were a lot of questions going into this opener, but I think we already have a few answers. It is never too early to pass judgment, so I will go through my list of 10 burning questions and see where we already stand.

10) Will Gilbert Arenas return to his All-Star form?

Agent Zero is back, and close to fully healthy. The only reservation I have after one game is that he did this against a geriatric defender in Jason Kidd and a midget in JJ Barea. His burst looked pretty good, and more importantly, his passing and distribution looked great. Gil is clearly going to play at an all-star level, but how great he plays will determine how far we go.

9) Can Gilbert Arenas change his ways and be a leader in more than name?

As stated, his distribution and passing were great, indicating that he has become a more true PG. Floor leadership will only be a small part of the battle though and the off-the-court leadership will be hard to determine for a while.

8) Can Flip Saunders get this team to play defense?

I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but the answer in game one was a resounding, "yes'. We held a team below 40% from the field that averaged over 46% last season. Maybe Dallas was a bit rusty, but so far so good here.


7) Can Caron Butler fit in with Arenas after being the alpha-dog for 2 years?

Still not sure on this one. Tough Juice had a 'quiet' 16-8 while shooting 6-17. I kept looking for the offense to run through him whenever Agent Zero was on the bench, but it seems that Flip is set on having his guards initiate. Despite the change in offense, if a few more shots had fallen for Caron, he would have been over his averages from a year ago of 20.8 ppg and 6.2 rpg.


6) Are Mike Miller and Randy Foye what the Wizards really need?


Both had great games, with Miller extremely efficient and fitting in nicely with his teammates. Foye was a pleasant surprise, shooting 8-14 and finishing with 19 points. I wouldn't fire up the Foye bandwagon just yet though, as he had a hot shooting night and only managed 1 assist in 30 minutes despite doing a lot of ball handling. Yes, Foye was good, but I don't think he'll be this good in every game. Miller, however, can clearly be the glue guy that this team desperately needs.

5) Who will be the odd men out in Saunders' rotation?

Flip seems to already have his 8-man rotation set, with Arenas, Miller, Butler, Haywood, Blatche, Foye, Stevenson, and Oberto soaking up all but 3 minutes of PT. It is unclear what will happen when Jamison returns - will this be a 9-man rotation, or will Oberto sit? I like that Oberto brought some grit amongst our offensive talent, so would like to see him in the rotation when Jamison is back.

As assumed, Mike James, Javaris Crittendon, Dominic McGuire, and Javale McGee saw limited or no action. The big surprise here was DCLS friend Nick Young (aka Young Sushi), who did not leave the bench after averaging over 22 minutes a game last season. I expected Young Sushi to get 10-15 mins per game and split or even take the role being played by Deshawn Stevenson. I spoke with Nick on Sunday night and he didn't mention any health issues or problems going into Dallas, so this looks like Flip's decision. I was not impressed with Stevenson though, and would like to see Young Sushi get a shot given that he has some upside.


4) Will the Wizards make another big trade?

With Mike James' expiring contract and a collection of young talent riding the pine last night, it appears that the Wiz definitely have pieces of value they would be willing to deal. Maybe Grunfeld wants to hold onto some of the young guys, but last night should only give ammunition to any trade rumors.

3) Can the team stay injury-free this season?

So far so good.......bang head on wood....


2) Will any of the team's young players step-up?

The only one given a chance last night was Blatche, and he was great. On athletic talent alone, he could average 16-7 with 30+ minutes (after an efficient 20-7 last night). I also thought he moved well off the ball, which, combined with his athleticism, will make for a lot of easy buckets. Once Jamison returns, his minutes will drop, but he should be playing ahead of Oberto.

1) What is the ceiling for this team?

I think I undershot this with a 45-win prediction. I heard Mark Cuban on 106.7 yesterday say that he thinks the Wiz can win 50 games this year. Well, after beating Cuban's 50-win team convincingly, I think he's right. The game at Atlanta on Friday night will be a big indicator about the race for the 4th spot in the East.

(Image courtesy of the AP via espn.com)

Ten Burning Questions for the Wizards in 2009-10

April 4th, 2007.

That was the date when Agent-0 injured his knee in a first-quarter collision with Gerald Wallace. With that knee went the Wizards chances of being anything more than 1st round cannon fodder for the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.

2 years, 6 months, 3 weeks, 2 days.

Ever since that fateful night, the Wizards have been stuck in mediocorty. You can do worse than a core of Tough Juice and Antwan Jamison, but they alone will never be enough to take a team further than the 1st round of the playoffs. If a team isn't gunning for a title or rebuilding, then what exactly is there to pique our interest? We needed Gil, and we still need him.

This is not just any season opener for the Wizards, this is a return to relevance. I would not say that I feel excitement as much as relief that Agent Zero, and the Wizards, are back.

With opening tipoff about 24 hours away in Dallas, here are the 10 burning questions for the Wizards this season.

10) Will Gilbert Arenas return to his All-Star form?

The answer is looking like "yes". By all accounts, the knee is back to what it was and the bigger issue is looking like rust and adapting to a new role. I hate to put a lot of stock in the preseason, and a knee injury for a guy whose game revolves around quickness is particularly concerning, but it looks like we still have a superstar on our hands. Maybe the better question now is whether Gil will be able to become a more valuable player and carry this team beyond the first round of the playoffs, which is something he could not do before the injuries. As much I'd like to talk about X-factors and other improvements, this team will only go as far as Agent Zero will take it.

9) Can Gilbert Arenas change his ways and be a leader in more than name?

We may never learn the answer to this question. Stopping his blog and avoiding the media look like steps in the right direction, but what he does behind the scenes will be what matters. I would like to say that Gil should be himself while taking a leadership role, but look at the best leaders around the league: Lebron, Garnett, Kobe, Duncan, and D-Wade, all of those guys have achieved a level of maturity that Agent Zero has not. Lebron looks like he was at the same point last year as Gil is this year. Lebron still has a playful side, but clearly made the decision to be the leader of that team, which comes with being the dominant player on a team.

8) Can Flip Saunders get this team to play defense?

This Wizards group will likely always be offense first, but tightening-up the defense could be the difference between another first-round playoff exit, and having some hope of going deep in the playoffs. Arenas, Jamison, and Butler are great offensive talents who have never been great defenders, so Saunders is fighting an uphill battle and surely realizes that this group is best suited to playing a fast-paced system. I realize that if Rip Hamilton became an okay defender in Detroit, then there is hope for everyone, but that was while surrounded by great defenders on a slow-paced team. The Wizards have one guy and one guy only who is a great NBA defender: Brendan Haywood. You want to know the difference between winning 19 games last year and 43 in 07-08? Brendan Haywood. He has quietly been one of the better defensive players in the NBA for awhile, and partly covered for the deficiencies of the big name players on this team. With Deshawn Stevenson losing playing time, Saunders' job will begin with Arenas, Butler, and Jamison, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the starting SG spot eventually be determined by Mike Miller, Randy Foye, or Young Sushi becoming a good defensive player.

7) Can Caron Butler fit-in with Arenas after being the alpha-dog for 2 years?

Gil is making every effort to be more of a pure PG by passing more often, which should help him integrate back into the team, but who knows what will happen once the regular season starts and the competitive juices get going. Would it shock anyone to see Gil go back to being a shoot-first guy once he feels confident in his knee? Meanwhile, Butler will have to take a slight step back to a co-starring role regardless of what Arenas does. Tough Juice was better when the offense ran through him, so his effectiveness may be diminished. The awesomeness of his nickname, however, remains intact.

6) Are Mike Miller and Randy Foye what the Wizards really need?

(Image courtesy of reclinergm.com)

I posted about this when the trade happened, but clearly these two improve the Wizards. The question is how much do they improve the Wizards, and is that improvement worth the price we paid? The issue for me is that this trade moved the Wizards upside from 2nd round of the playoffs to.....the Eastern Conference finals? With the Big Three signed to big deals, rebuilding would have been difficult to achieve, but if you are going for a championship, swing for the fences, don't settle for hitting a double. Vince Carter was had for a similar/lesser package, and T-Mac would have been available for less. Do either of those guys make me excited? No, but at least the upside of the team with another all-star would have given us some kind of hope to win a championship. I just think this move wasn't enough.

5) Who will be the odd men out in Saunders' rotation?

The starting lineup will likely be Arenas, Miller, Butler, Jamison, and Haywood. After that, it gets very foggy. Saunders is known for using an 8-man rotation, but given the depth of this team, I would not put money on 8 being a magic number. The preseason didn't provide much in the way of clues, as the starters rotated every game. In the front-court, Blatche, McGee, and Oberto appear to be fighting for two spots. In the back-court, Foye, Young Sushi, and Deshawn Stevenson look to be fighting for two spots. Right now it looks like Blatche, Oberto, Foye, and Stevenson will all be in the rotation.

4) Will the Wizards make another big trade?

Let's see, lots of depth, established players likely to be underutilized in a short rotation, young players, one veteran with an expiring contract, obvious holes in the front court and at SG............this sounds like a team in need of a trade. Except, we just made one, so what gives? The big trade brought depth to our deepest position, which begs the question of whether this was the first of more than one trade. The team sorely lacks front-court grit and still lacks the upside to compete with the Celtics, Cavs, and Magic, so should be looking to make a move. If we could somehow package Foye, Miller, and something else into a star SG, then this trade would make a lot more sense. Grunfeld's history shows that he is great at turning around teams, but not great at getting them to make the final step to championship contender. I can assure everyone that I will be mercilessly pounding the refresh key on hoopshype rumors, hoping that a big move is coming.

3) Can the team stay injury-free this season?

(Image courtesy of washingtonpost.com)

That picture is definitely worth 1,000 words, and with Jamison already out for 10 games or more, the answer already appears to be "no". The team is the deepest it has been in recent memory, but the four guys who have to stay healthy are Agent Zero, Tough Juice, Jamison, and Haywood. Everyone else is relatively replaceable, but those four need to stay on the floor, something they have never accomplished for a full season. If Jamison missing 10-15 games is the worst of our injuries, then we will be in for a great season.

2) Will any of the team's young players step-up?

The Wizards have spent the offseason adding veterans to compete immediately, but this has come at the expense of developing our young players. Some of the honus is on the players, but the biggest problem this year will be playing time. Fortunately for Javale McGee and Andray Blatche, almost all of the offseason additions were in the backcourt, so those two are guaranteed at least some playing time in the rotation. McGee, however, does not appear to be a favorite of Saunders, and may only be a bit player this season. Javaris Crittenton and Dominic McGuire are not in the rotation right now either. The one guy who has made a leap forward and claimed some playing time is DCLS friend and favorite, Young Sushi. Coming into the offseason, it looked like he had zero chance to beat-out either Foye or Stevenson to earn almost any PT. Well, Young Sushi became a different player this offseason and in addition to making us look smart and outgrowing his new nickname, has forced Saunders to include him in the rotation. In the meantime, regardless of how much they play, enjoy the personalities of Epic Vale and Young Sushi, who have together taken the mantle of best personality from Agent Zero.

1) What is the ceiling for this team?

I've said it already, but the ceiling for this team currently looks like the 2nd round of the playoffs. I think the Magic will win our division, which leaves us battling for the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference. With the Cavs, Celtics, and Magic looking head and shoulders above the rest of the conference, getting the 5th seed or better is crucial if the Wiz are to have a chance of getting out of the 1st round. Chicago, Philly, and Atlanta will compete with us, but I think we can get a top-5 seed. Vegas has our over/under at 41.5 wins, and as the 8th most likely team to win the East, both of which indicate the Wiz are being underrated. I believe we will eclipse those projections with 45 wins earning us the 5th seed in the East, but getting beyond the 2nd round would likely require an injury to Lebron, Dwight Howard, or one of the key Celtics, while we stay healthy. This Wizard team may well be the best we've had in awhile, the problem is that the competition is also the best it's been.

Despite these competitive hurdles, the Wizards are back both literally and figuratively, and not a moment too soon.

DCLS Readers have spoken!

Via our latest poll, Nick Young's new nickname is, by an 11 vote margin over "Young Eazy"...

Young Sushi. Because he's raw. Amen.

DCLS Exclusive Interview with Washington Wizard Nick Young: Nicknames, The Dunk Contest, and Locker Room Pranks

Finally, here is the final installment of The DCLS exclusive interview with Nick Young, who we will be checking-in with throughout the season. For those of you who missed part 1, and part 2, the interview has been broken into 3 installments, with this being the final portion. This part is my favorite, as Nick and I covered locker room pranks, his nickname, and the dunk contest.

(Note: edited to add a couple questions after a brief conversation with Nick tonight)

DC Landing Strip: Your nickname is The City, but it took me awhile to figure out that that came from your initials, because you’re not from New York. Who came up with that nickname? Do you even like it?
Nick Young: The City, yeah, yeah, it’s a cool nickname. You know I think the Post or someone (came up with it). I grew up in LA, from LA, born in LA. I’ve just got the NY initials.

DCLS: Do you have one of those I Love New York shirts? Because that would be awesome.
NY: Hell yeah (that would be awesome), and even make some of those with my picture in it. We gotta sell those.

1st Product of the DCLS T-Shirt Store?

DCLS: So what do you think of the DC Landing Strip nickname we created for you, Young Eazy, versus The City, which one is better?
NY: Aw, I dunno. I like Young Eazy, you know it’s kinda got that Weazy kind Eazy feel to it.

DCLS: How are we gonna spell it?
NY: I dunno, I like the ZY, I’m gonna go ZY, gonna make it look funky.

DCLS: Done and done. How about Agent Double-0, cuz you're twice the man Gil is?
NY: Yeah it's cool, it's cool, I wanna let Gil think about it, I'd do that just to be funny with him, cuz I'm the bigger man. It's up there, I like Double-Zero because I wanna get a response from everybody, but I still like Young Eazy too.

DCLS: Any other nicknames we should consider?
NY: Young Sushi, because I'm raw. Sometimes people say that when I'm in the gym.

DCLS: What's the best locker room prank you’ve ever seen?
NY: Probably Gil, he gotta do it all the way. Tearing people’s clothes up, and having nothing to wear home but your uniform. Oh man, jumping us and throwin’ us in the cold pool. It’s a lot you know, all I have to say is probably ripping your clothes up and having to go home in your uniform.

DCLS: He rips them up? He doesn’t just steal, he rips them?
NY: Yeah yeah, just cuts ‘em up. You know you have a nice suit, and he just cut it up.

DCLS: Speaking of Gil, what do you think of what he said last week about the team not holding him back from training?
NY: Wait, what'd he say? I seriously dunno, I didn't have the internet. What'd he say?

DCLS: Either you just sit and read a book all day, or the Wiz PR staff has trained you well. Who would win a Wizards team dunk contest? You gotta be the heavy favorite, but who do you think would at least compete with you?
NY: Probably gonna say McGee. The (tall guys) don’t look so good when they compete. So I’d come out on top, probably Dominic, and depending on how Gil feels, he got a little sneaky bounce to him. Oh and Javaris, Javaris can jump a little bit.

DCLS: So you would be first and who would be 2nd?
NY: I have to go McGee.

DCLS: McGee? I woulda gone Andray. He’s a good athlete, and I feel like he can throw some between the legs kinda thing.
NY: Who, Andray?!? Naw, naw, naw, naw. He can (jump), but he ain’t that creative. He can jump though.

DCLS: You know what you need to do, you guys should have a team dunk contest and put it on youtube and get you in the dunk contest when you win.
NY: That’d be good. I’m down, I’m down, I wanna get in.

DCLS: Do you have any personal goals for the season, stats?
NY: Just winnin’ the dunk contest!

Ed. Note: Feel free to leave any nickname ideas in the comments section.

(Image courtesy of awfulannouncing.blogspot.com)

DCLS Exclusive Interview with Washington Wizard Nick Young: Part 2 of 3

I apologize for keeping everyone waiting, but here is part 2 of The DCLS exclusive interview with Nick Young, who we will be checking-in with throughout the season. For those of you who missed part 1, the interview has been broken into 3 installments. In this portion, we discussed Nick's thoughts on the upcoming season.

DC Landing Strip: Who is the X-Factor for the Wizards this season? And let’s pretend that the DCLS didn’t already bestow this honor upon you….
Nick Young: Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m gonna say I have to be the X-Factor, cuz I think they need me right now. If I’m doing my shine on, everything’s flowin’, we lookin’ good right now, you know, I’m gonna be that little sparkplug, I should be alright........I come with a highlight dunk that get the whole gym going, it should be good you know.

DCLS: I like that, calling Verizon Center “The Gym”, they usually save that for high school and college courts. So after summer league, who do you think the most improved or surprising player on the team is going to be this season?
NY: Probably just Gil coming back 100%. He’s been looking great (this summer). So I think he’d be the most improved and what everybody's been looking for.

DCLS: Does Gil still talk as much smack?
NY: Yeah, he’s still Gil. He got even worse now in the summer. He’s calling me every day and telling me about a move he did on somebody and how they feel and all that, so it sounds like he’s back.

DCLS: What is your prediction for the Wizards this year or what is your goal?
NY: Playoffs you know, its gonna be a big turnaround from last year you know. I see us going deep in the playoffs if not making it to the finals. It depends on how well we jell, if everyone jell together, we gonna be great. In the finals, anything can happen in there….If we jellin’, if we jellin’. If we playing like everybody getting long and no complexes, we gonna be good.

DCLS: Any thoughts on Flip Saunders?
NY: He was out there on summer league with us, so we practiced and all that stuff. He’s lookin’ like a great coach, just working with us and trying to get everybody better. Being in everybody’s mind, same mind, you know, makes a big difference. Every other week he’s texting us, motivating us, there’s a lot of good ones on the playoffs.

DCLS: What is your career highlight? College, pro…..
NY: I’d probably have to say the 33 back-to-back. Also, in college, just making it to the tournament, the whole atmosphere was fun for me. You know, probably getting drafted, getting drafted was like a dream.

DCLS: So what is your career goal?
NY: Just to be remembered really. You know, I just wanna get in there, get my name out there. Small kids be like “I’m doin the Nick Young” you know. Just probably being remembered.

Ed. note: Check back later this week for the conclusive Part 3 of the interview. Locker room hijinks, Nick's preferred nickname, and of course his thoughts on the dunk contest.

(Image courtesy of MisterIrrelevant.com)

DC Landing Strip Takes Over Mr. Irrelevant's DMV!

For those loyal readers who haven't already checked it out, we were given the honor of posting the DMV links for Mr. Irrelevant yesterday and today. Our Nick Young interview being the headline of DMV on Thursday may or may not have been a coincidence..........



Mr Irrelevant does a great job for the DC sports blogging community (which is probably about the size of the 'Kanye West isn't a jackass' community), so you should be checking them out already, but give them some extra love for the DCLS DMVs.

DCLS Exclusive Interview with Washington Wizard SG Nick Young: Part I of III

I ventured out to LA about a month ago for vacation, doing the tourist thing, and indulged in some Friday LA nightlife. After about twenty gin and tonics, countless bad jokes about all the LA guys wearing Ed Hardy shirts, and a $40 cab ride, my friends and I found ourselves at famed LA late night eating establishment, Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. When we arrived, however, we were subjected to two staples of LA nightlife: a line and a bouncer. But oh my lucky stars, who else was waiting outside but the DCLS Wizards X-Factor himself, LA native Nick Young. We started chatting and Nick agreed to an interview. He'll be checking in periodically throughout the season. And yes, Roscoe's was literally gravy on the evening.....

This exclusive interview has been broken into 3 parts, with the first part being about Nick off the court.

DC Landing Strip: The number one thing everyone wants to know……what’s the haircut plan for the year?
Nick Young: Haha, I dunno, I might keep it simple this year you know. I might go straight Mohawk, every now and then throwin in a couple designs on the side. I might let it grow out a little bit, put some spice on it just to be funny.

DCLS: Staying on the style topic, the Wizards gold 3rd uniforms are absolutely hideous, how do you guys feel about those unis?
NY: Oh they need to change those. I think they should go to the red and white ones, I wanna wear those.....those would be nice if we had those.

DCLS: On to more serious stuff……..I know you’re an LA boy, but DC or LA women?
NY: DC ladies, you know they aight, you know, but, out here (LA), you get the sunshine and you get to see the whole body, not just the face. DC is so cold that you can’t really see everything about a girl, so I’m gonna have to go with LA.

DCLS: What are some of your favorite spots for DC nightlife?
NY: You know, pretty much anywhere. I like Love, when I first got here someone took me to Love the club. I dunno, I like Park and a couple little chill spots, I like to chill, dress up a little, but not too much. It don’t really matter, I just go with the flow.

DCLS: What’s on your iPod?
NY: I got Kanye, Lil’ Wayne, and then I got all West Coast after that, all West Coast. E-40…I try everything man, I listen to everything really, I like Coldplay and all that.

DCLS: I was gonna say “they’re just like us,” but I suddenly feel a lot worse about the Wizards chances this year……
NY: Yeah, yeah, yeah. My teammates get on me for listenin’ to all that. I like Maroon 5 too you know.

DCLS: Ehhhhh…..let’s try this again, favorite TV show?
NY: The Game right now, it’s like a little show about athletes. It came on I think UPN, the show is (literally) called The Game. It kinda went off the air though, it was good, it was good.....it was really good, you know, I wish they bring it back. I also watch Entourage and like this new show called Hung or something like that. Yeah, I seen the first one, it started being like a male prostitute, it was kinda, kinda threw me off a little bit. I haven’t seen the new Entourage yet though, I gotta get back on it.

DCLS: Favorite recent movie?
NY: Favorite movie of the year has to be Hangover, hands down. I’ve seen it 2 times, you know, it was a good movie. I wasn’t expecting it to be that funny to me, you know, I got talked into it. And I just seen GI Joe, it was pretty good.

DCLS: I feel slightly better now about the Wizards playoff hopes.

Check back for Part 2 of Nick's interview, which will be posted soon...

(Image courtesy of misterirrelevant.com)

Love This Commercial

The Wizard XXX Factor Is.......

We already bashed the Wizards' offseason moves, but the roster is close to being set so it's high time for some analysis. Everyone is talking about Arenas's rebound and the fit of Mike Miller as the determining factors in this team's success, but the DCLS has a different guy pinned.

Nick Young?!..........that's right, Nick Young! Amidst the mass of all-offense/no-defense (apologies to Brendan Haywood) I see a guy who generally fits that mold, but has the athleticism and upside to fill the perimeter stopper role that has been void in our lineup for several years. Conveniently disregarding a ton of variables, Young allowed the 2nd fewest ppg by his opponent last season and, more importantly, had the lowest team defensive ppg on the Wiz. I am not saying he is an elite defender, but there are some statistical signs to go with the physical/scouting evidence. He also has a sweet mohawk and a personality that is easy to support.

The Wiz have put a giant roadblock in front of him in the form of Mike Miller, but I think Young can step-up and take that position. As Matt Wilson (the bully) in the incredibly rewatchable Encino Man says, "Some of us pump, and some of us slump. (what?)" Young is at a turning point in his career and needs to "pump"; the Wiz season may hinge on it.

Say it with me now............Nick Young!