Wizards Will Try to Build On Winning Foundation

While workers were outside MCI Center yesterday removing banners adorned with photographs of the Wizards' "Big Three" of Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes and Antawn Jamison, President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld was inside, discussing the team's future -- including his most extensive comments about Kwame Brown since the forward was suspended during the first round of the playoffs.

Grunfeld also praised Coach Eddie Jordan and his staff for the job they did in guiding the Wizards to 45 regular season wins and advancing to the second round of the playoffs and said re-signing Hughes, an unrestricted free agent shooting guard, was a priority.

Brown will be a restricted free agent, giving the Wizards the option of matching any offer made to him by another team. Washington also could work a sign-and-trade deal that would allow it to recoup something in return for the former No. 1 overall pick in 2001.

"There's no saying that he won't be back with us," Grunfeld said. "We'll explore all of our options."

Even though Brown appeared to seriously damage his future in Washington, people at every level of the organization -- from owner Abe Pollin to Grunfeld to Jordan to several players -- have kept the door open for his return.

"He's a very talented player," Grunfeld said. "He's 7 feet tall and very athletic and he's shown flashes of doing some significant things out there. Obviously this year was a very frustrating year for him.

"Time can heal a lot of wounds and changes a lot of things. We have a long summer ahead of us and a lot of things will happen in that time frame. Everybody deserves a second chance, a second opportunity. When I was with the Knicks, everybody said Latrell Sprewell definitely shouldn't be in this league, and he's had a great career since then so everybody deserves another opportunity and time will tell what direction we go in."

Neither the Wizards nor any other NBA team will be able to make any official moves until the league and players' union sign a new collective bargaining agreement.

The current CBA expires on June 30, and the sides have been meeting for the past two months negotiating a new deal. If the sides don't come to an agreement, there is a chance that the owners could lock the players out until a deal is signed.

When the Wizards do get down to business this summer, Grunfeld said he and the team will be prepared to handle the increased expectations that come following a breakthrough season.

"I'd much rather have people thinking of us as a playoff team than a team that has no chance of making the playoffs," Grunfeld said. "That's what we're in this business for. It didn't happen by accident. Our players and coaches deserve a lot of credit for working hard last offseason."