“I like to spend a little bit. I like to buy shoes and clothes, so that kind of hurt. But everything is good. I’m still doing the same things, just not as bad as I used to,” said Young, the restricted free agent who finished as the team's leading scorer last season. “With this lockout now, it’s going to be crazy, but hopefully things work out and we get back to playing basketball.”
The lockout didn’t come as a surprise to anyone affiliated with the NBA, as players were told by their agents and representatives from the players’ union to save and spend wisely in case of a protracted labor dispute. But its ramifications could be especially hard for a Wizards team that might have at least eight players with less than two years’ experience on its roster when next season commences.
Second-round pick Shelvin Mack was drafted last week and barely had enough time to get in a few workouts with Coach Flip Saunders and his staff at Verizon Center before he was barred from the practice facility. John Wall wanted to spend more time in Washington during the offseason — and purposely bought an apartment near the arena so that he could train whenever he liked — but now will have to find other locales to get better for next season, whenever that may be.
The first visible signs of the lockout were spotted Friday on the Wizards’ Web site, where photo galleries of the dance team and team mascot have replaced all images and content regarding players. Trevor Booker made light of the situation on his Twitter account by writing, “Any jobs available for me?”
Summer league has already been canceled, eliminating a possible time for the young players to get familiar with one another and the system. And, with coaches, trainers and other team personnel prohibited from contact with players, it basically leaves the players all on their own.
Veteran free agent swingman Josh Howard had been in contact with the Wizards training staff as he rehabilitates from his left knee injury but will have to continue his strength and conditioning workouts on his own in Dallas. “I’m hoping this lockout won’t last long, but if it do, take full advantage of the time,” he said recently. “I think with basketball, I want to cruise around 80, 90 percent until I hear it’s time and we’re going to start playing, then wrap it up [rehabilitation], basketball wise.”
Mack said he thought about the lockout when he decided to enter the draft after his junior season at Butler, but now that it has arrived, he plans to use the opportunity to continue pursuing his degree while working out with his college coaches in Indianapolis. “I planned all along to take summer classes, because I didn’t graduate. I’ll take it day by day, to get in the best shape possible. The season can start at any moment. I want to make sure I come in and be ready to play.”
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