Merged: Andray Blatche anyone?

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I'd give him a one year minimal deal. He'll still get paid through the Wizards, so money wouldn't be a problem for him and he would be the 8th or 9th guy on the bench. We need someone to back up Horford, assuming of course that Horf is playing the 4 next season...

[AHF]

And one of the biggest cancer's in the league right now is one that everyone wants....D12.

Blatche is a cancer because his basketball IQ is off-the-charts bad. Dwight's basketball IQ is great. Dwight's problem is he told his team he wants out and his team hasn't trade him despite having a year to do it (and he agreed to extend for this season which was well-intentioned but moronic). Not a good comparison, IMO. From a talent perspective, this guy is an absolute no-brainer. The question is can Larry Drew reach him and reign in his selfish/stupid tendencies. If not, don't think about it.

[Vol4ever]

I would take a chance, it's not like anybody has claimed him and he is a lot better than our backup stiffs, I mean bigs

[thecampster]

Anyone not willing to add Blatche to the roster based on "IQ" or "Cancer", hasn't coached much basketball. Last year, Blatche was limited to 24 minutes a game. So to get a real pulse on Blatche, you need to go back one year to the 10-11 season.16.8 ppg8.2 rpg2.3 apg.8 blocks2.7 to33 minutesIt's the turnovers you should focus on. How the heck does a center get 2.7 turnovers a game? He's being asked to be a primary focus. Enter John Wall. In 9 less minutes a game, Blatche's t/o are cut in half due to the addition of John Wall and Blatche being phased out.Honestly, I don't want 16 and 8 from Blatche. He's too involved in my offense if he's getting 16/8. But 10/8, play center, take up space allowing Al to get 20/10 at the PF position. Yep....I'll take that from a not yet 26 year old. I'll take Blatche as the number 5 option here as opposed to the number 1/2 option in Washington. That is how good teams get great. They take other people's problems and turn them into their asset.

Edited July 27, 2012 by thecampster

[AHF]

If Washington thought he was a 25 year old center, they wouldn't be paying him to play somewhere else. I'd take a cheap shot at him if I thought Drew could control him on the floor. Washington stopped playing him because he was a defensive sieve with poor offensive instincts who wasn't even keeping himself in condition to play. On talent alone, he is a no-brainer. The question is whether his head is on straight or can be straightened out.

Wizards waive Blatche as amnesty player

Posted Jul 17 2012 7:52PM

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Wizards waived Andray Blatche on Tuesday, designating him as the team's amnesty player.

The 25-year-old forward averaged 9.9 points and 5.4 rebounds over seven seasons with the Wizards, who drafted him out of high school in the second round in 2005. The move enables the Wizards to remove the $23 million remaining on Blatche's contract from their salary cap after he failed to live up to expectations and dealt with a series of off-court incidents. "Andray did not figure into our future plans, and using the amnesty provision is a mutually beneficial opportunity for us to part ways," Wizards team president Ernie Grunfeld said.

Blatche was shot during a carjacking attempt in September 2005, was arrested in 2007 for soliciting sex from an undercover police officer and suspended for a game in December 2010 for brawling with teammate JaVale McGee outside a Washington nightclub. He also clashed with coaches. In January 2010, then-coach Flip Saunders suspended him for a game after he was belligerent with the coaching staff.

At last season's home opener, Blatche addressed the crowd by saying: "This is your captain, Andray Blatche," and after the game complained there weren't enough plays being run for him.

In 2011-12, he played in just 26 games, averaging 8.5 points. Wizards coach Randy Wittman banished him from the team in March to work on his conditioning. Earlier in the season, Blatche missed time with a calf injury.

http://www.nba.com/2012/news/07/17/wizards-blatche.ap/index.html

The question is whether a new environment will bring different results.

[DrReality]

With all our new guys team chemistry will be evvi g and don't need someone to disrupt it. Don't think drew can manage him

[frosgrim]

If we had a coach like Popovich who can manage strong personalities, then i would say absolutely. However, we have Larry Drew who can't even get his best player to play to his strengths. Thus, I have to say pass on Blatche, dispite the obvious talent.Right now the Hawks need smart guys who play ball the right way (defense first, pass, move on offense, and don't have to be the GUY every night). Get that culture built before you take on problem guys.

[Watchman]

If Washington thought he was a 25 year old center, they wouldn't be paying him to play somewhere else. I'd take a cheap shot at him if I thought Drew could control him on the floor. Washington stopped playing him because he was a defensive sieve with poor offensive instincts who wasn't even keeping himself in condition to play. On talent alone, he is a no-brainer. The question is whether his head is on straight or can be straightened out. http://www.nba.com/2...e.ap/index.html The question is whether a new environment will bring different results.

Sounds like an oversized J.R. Rider. I'm thinking, just say, "No."

[Sothron]

If I could literally give him a brain transplant that would make him work out, stay in shape, not refuse to enter games, not pick up hookers, not give 30% effort almost 100% of the time then maybe I would consider signing him.

[Ruckus]

I say take the chance. If he messes up, cut him. I had him on a fantasy team a couple of years back and he beasted.

[Sothron]

I say take the chance. If he messes up, cut him. I had him on a fantasy team a couple of years back and he beasted.

lol I won my fantasy league that year he exploded in the second half and I also picked up Darren Collison that year when he was a rookie and took over for Paul. Those guys helped me win my title as well.

[Vol4ever]

Its kinda funny to me guys getting on here bashing Blatche but screaming for the Hawks to extend Ivan? WTH, Ivan got into some big trouble last year near seasons end that the Hawks kept quite and he missed some games. Remember that?

[Watchman]

Its kinda funny to me guys getting on here bashing Blatche but screaming for the Hawks to extend Ivan? WTH, Ivan got into some big trouble last year near seasons end that the Hawks kept quite and he missed some games. Remember that?

Interesting. You're saying that the same people that don't want Blatche were OK with Ivan? Got any names, or are you generalizing? I didn't particularly care if we got Ivan back or not, but at least his list of infractions seems considerably smaller than Blatche's list.

[niremetal]

Blatche plays soft on both ends and really doesn't play defense at all. He's a distraction and a cancer in the locker room and elsewhere off the court.So, no.

[AHF]

Its kinda funny to me guys getting on here bashing Blatche but screaming for the Hawks to extend Ivan? WTH, Ivan got into some big trouble last year near seasons end that the Hawks kept quite and he missed some games. Remember that?

Put me in that category. Ivan doesn't refuse to enter games, plays hard and trains hard all the time, plays solid defense, and plays for a minimum contract. Ivan has anger issues but on the court takes nothing away from the team and is willing to play his role. Blatche refused to enter games, didn't play or train hard, doesn't play any defense, and wants to be a star (and paid like one). Blatche has numerous issues off the court and is disruptive to the team in the locker room and on the court and complains that he isn't the central focus of his team. Put say Tim Duncan's brain in each of them and I want Blatche for sure, but I'll take angry and hard over spoiled and soft.

[Admin]

Its kinda funny to me guys getting on here bashing Blatche but screaming for the Hawks to extend Ivan? WTH, Ivan got into some big trouble last year near seasons end that the Hawks kept quite and he missed some games. Remember that?

Someone else posted that what he got sent home for was for calling Josh out. I believe he missed one game and I could certainly see that being a plausible reason for it.

[iamOC]

Its kinda funny to me guys getting on here bashing Blatche but screaming for the Hawks to extend Ivan? WTH, Ivan got into some big trouble last year near seasons end that the Hawks kept quite and he missed some games. Remember that?

Put me in that camp too. If it's Baltche or Ivan, I'll take Ivan every time. for a couple reasons: 1) every crew/group has that one person that's a little bit crazy. you need that. trust me. it's science. 2) Ivan is a hard worker was suspended for allegedly "getting into the entire team about effort." If that's true, it was either directed at the now-shaken core because, well, they deserved it or the bench that had the tendency to let teams back in. Either way, it was a needed message, which brings me to... 3) Larry Drew. Even though there are lots of details missing, if it happened as reported, this incident shows that LD isn't the manager of personalities that he needs to be in order for someone like Andray to fit in and contribute as he should.