With the start of free agency rapidly approaching, now is a good time to break down Washington’s roster and see where the Wizards could improve (and trust me, there’s a lot of room for improvement). This will be part one of a three part “series,” and today’s focus is the guards. Tomorrow is forwards, and Wednesday is the center position.
I’ll separate guards into point guards, shooting guards, and combo guards to make things simpler.
Let’s start off with point guard…
Point guards in 2009-2010–
Gilbert Arenas
GP: 32 (50 game suspension) PPG: 22.6 APG: 7.2 SPG: 1.3
Earl Boykins
GP: 67 PPG: 6.6 APG: 2.6
Shaun Livingston
GP: 36 PPG: 6.9 APG: 3.6
Javaris Crittenton
Didn’t play and got suspended for his role in the gun incident, so no picture for you, Javaris.
Analysis: Obviously, Agent Zero’s return to the court following a series of knee surgeries wasn’t what fans expected. He was suspended for 50 games following the now infamous gun incident with Javaris Crittenton, and has gone from most popular Wizard in D.C. to most wanted out of town.
Earl Boykins stepped in and gave some stability to the point guard position. He was a nice one-year addition, but won’t be brought back this season.
Shaun Livingston surprised everyone by returning to the NBA following his horrific “Gumby”-like injury (video below) and played well down the stretch. The Wizards would love to bring Livingston back, but with John Wall and Kirk Hinrich on board, it’s very unlikely he’d want to stick around and get limited minutes. Expect Livingston to bolt town.
Projected Point Guards in 2010-2011
John Wall
Statistics at Kentucky–PPG: 16.6 APG: 6.5 RPG: 4.3 SPG: 1.8
Kirk Hinrich
GP: 74 PPG: 10.9 APG: 4.5
Analysis: John Wall is the future of this team, and the future starts now. Wall will log major minutes, run the point, and should put up nice numbers. In fact, I’d say he’s a front runner (along with Evan Turner) to win Rookie of the Year.
Hinrich will have a major role on the Wizards. I still don’t think Ernie Grunfeld should have ever traded for him, but now he’s very likely coming, so it’s time to embrace one of the few nice bench pieces we have. Hinrich can mentor Wall, play some tough, hard-nosed defense, and also knock down three point shots.
Shooting Guards in 2009-2010–
Mike Miller
GP: 54 PPG: 10.9 APG: 3.9 3P%: 48
Nick Young
GP: 74 PPG: 8.6
Analysis: Washington’s shooting guards were a main source of fans’ headaches all year long. Mike Miller shot an incredible 48% on his three pointers–problem is, he was afraid to shoot when it mattered. Nick Young, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. He jacked up any jumper he saw fit, and while he is capable of scoring in bunches, he also plays lackadaisical defense and isn’t big on dishing to teammates.
Projected Shooting Guards in 2010-2011–
Gilbert Arenas
GP: 32 (50 game suspension) PPG: 22.6 APG: 7.2 SPG: 1.3
Nick Young GP: 74 PPG: 8.6
Analysis: The big issue here is Gilbert Arenas’s transition from point guard to shooting guard. I don’t think there’s any question Arenas can play the two position–he’s more of a shoot first player anyway. The real problem is his willingness to share the ball with John Wall. As a point guard, Gil wanted the ball in his hands all the time, and often wasted down shot clocks setting up jumpers or drives for himself. Now, he’s got to make quicker decisions, and will need to let Wall run offensive sets. I’d expect a bumpy start to the season as Agent Zero adjusts to a new role, but as David Aldridge has been pointing out, Arenas has no choice but to change. It’s no longer his team, and he needs to allow himself to become second-fiddle. Nick Young will continue to come off the bench and take tons of shots. At least the Wizards have another scoring option to work with, but I’d say they’ve grown tired of Young’s me-first attitude. If he doesn’t play tougher defense and pass more often, this will certainly be his last season on the team.
Combo Guards in 2009-2010–
Randy Foye GP: 70 PPG: 10.1 APG: 3.3
Cedric Jackson
GP: 12 PPG: 1.7 APG: 1.2
Analysis: Randy Foye was a major disappointment, especially in the eyes of coach Flip Saunders. Foye fell out of the coach’s favor, and finished the year with his lowest minutes per game since his rookie season. There’s no chance he returns to D.C. Cedric Jackson won’t be back either.
Looking Forward: What’s Next?
John Wall is what’s next. He’ll have to play with the hopes of an entire city resting upon his shoulders. And he’s only 19.
Here’s my very, very early predicted statline for Wall’s rookie campaign: 17 PPG, 7 APG, 2 SPG.
I know I listed Hinrich as point guard, but his role will probably be closer to a combo guard. He’s the only source of stability the Wizards have off the bench as of this moment.
Washington’s backcourt will have to be its strength. The Wizards have more depth at guard than at any other position. Still, they need to add one more combo guard to play spotty minutes in case an injury occurs. Potential free agents who will sign for cheap include:
- Marquis Daniels (UFA)
- Acie Law (UFA)
- Jannero Pargo (UFA)
- Anthony Carter (UFA)
- Luther Head (UFA)
- Carlos Arroyo (UFA)
- Jerry Stackhouse (UFA)
- Eddie House (UFA)
- Anthony Johnson (UFA)
Out of that list, Eddie House seems like the most appealing option. He’s a good locker room presence, can play both guard positions, and will knock down three-point shots. I’m guessing he will try to sign with a contender though.
To sum it all up, here’s the projected depth chart for guards:
Point Guard
Starter: John Wall
First Backup: Kirk Hinrich
Second Backup: Veteran free agent from list above
Shooting Guard
Starter: Gilbert Arenas
First Backup: Kirk Hinrich
Second Backup: Nick Young
Third Backup: Veteran free agent from list above