Washington Wizards Mailbag Monday: Randy Wittman’s Replacement, Trade Targets, and More

We’re back for the January 26th edition of Washington Wizards Mailbag Monday.

Today’s questions come from Twitter and Reddit.

I’m honestly not too concerned about Andre Miller‘s production, or lack thereof.

Professor Dre is the oldest active player in the NBA, and he’s going to have ups and downs throughout an 82 game season. Heck, we’ve seen John Wall struggle during certain points in the season.

Would it be nice to have another point guard available? Absolutely.

Garrett Temple is more of a shooting guard, and while he has played backup point guard for the Washington Wizards in the past, I don’t think he’s an ideal option.

As players get bought out of their contracts, expect the Wizards to look around.

They were reportedly interested in Jameer Nelson, but he ended up getting traded to the Denver Nuggets. Players like Jose Calderon, Pablo Prigioni, and Nate Robinson could become available after the trade deadline.

Still, I wouldn’t be too worried about Andre Miller. He’s had ups and downs, but he should turn it around soon. The bench as a whole has been struggling lately, but I don’t expect that to become a trend.

Well, as of right now, I think Ray Allen is the only player the Washington Wizards are “targeting.” They’ve reportedly been in constant contact with his representatives, and he’s probably their number one option in terms of free agents they’d like to acquire.

But, with that said, Allen has been targeted by a number of other teams. The Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are also reportedly interested in the future Hall-of-Famer.

I agree with you, though. The Washington Wizards could use another backup guard or forward – specifically an athletic one.

Gerald Green, who’s contract expires after this season, could become available if the Phoenix Suns decide to part ways with him.

His ability to defend, shoot, and obviously run the floor would make him a tremendous fit along side John Wall and Co. It’s been a long time since the Wizards have paired Wall up with another elite-athlete, so it would be fun to watch them run fast breaks together. I mean, just imagine Wall sprinting up the court after stealing the ball, eventually finding Green cutting to the basket for an alley-oop jam.

As for point guards, well, the Wizards could go a number of ways.

Jordan Farmar is still available, and I’ve always liked his game. Washington could also opt to wait until the Chinese Basketball Association season is over to sign a player like Will Bynum. Those are all options they should consider.

If the Wizards were to part ways with Randy Wittman, who would be an ideal replacement? -via Boymankid

Let me preface this by saying, Randy Wittman isn’t going anywhere.

I might get some backlash, but I’ve always thought Mike D’Antoni would be an awesome coach for John Wall. Although he’s not a great defensive coach, I don’t think he’s as bad as people make him out to be.

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D’Antoni is the mastermind behind Linsanity. In his offense, Jeremy Lin looked like an All-Star caliber player.

If that’s not enough, just look what he did with Kendall Marshall, who was previously out of the NBA before getting picked up by the Los Angeles Lakers. Marshall led the league in assists and looked like a serviceable starting guard.

It’s no secret that Wittman’s team struggles on the offensive end of the floor. D’Antoni’s run-and-gun style would suit Wall, Bradley Beal, and even Marcin Gortat perfectly. Steve Nash won two MVP awards under D’Antoni. Just imagine what Wall could do in his system.

As bad as the Lakers were with D’Antoni, they were still a dangerous offensive team. Washington has the personnel to be successful on both ends of the floor. I just think they’d excel offensively with D’Antoni.

As we approach the trade deadline, who will the Wizards pursue as a backup pg, possibly replacing Andre Miller? -via madlate

Unless someone wants to get rid of a solid backup guard for a future pick or trade exception, I don’t think the Washington Wizards will end up making a trade.

They could, however, sign a player after the trade deadline.

Jameer Nelson and Beno Udrih both became available after their respective teams failed to find a new home for them this past season. The same could happen to the likes of Calderon or Prigioni, who could help the Wizards off the bench.

How likely does 6thMOY look for Hump? -via ChiantiAndFavaBeans

He might be in the conversation, but Kris Humphries won’t win the Sixth Man of the Year Award.

As of right now, Louis Williams (Toronto Raptors), Jamal Crawford (Los Angeles Clippers), Isaiah Thomas (Phoenix Suns), and Marreese Speights (Golden State Warriors) are all the top candidates for the award.

That shouldn’t take away from how good Humphries has been this season, though. He’s been one of the most consistent players on the roster and has done a terrific job replacing Trevor Booker. But Sixth Man of the Year? That award will likely go to a guard.