Wizards' Roster Set at 15 After Team Cuts Two
DerMarr Johnson averaged 8.8 points in the preseason, but he couldn't beat out any player with a guaranteed contract.
(By Glenn James -- Nbae/getty Images)
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Washington Wizards have two preseason games remaining, including tonight's contest at San Antonio, but any intrigue regarding the regular season roster was cleared up yesterday when the team released shooting guard DerMarr Johnson and small forward Linton Johnson.
The moves left the Wizards with 15 players, the maximum allowable for the regular season.
"They both played very well for us, have been NBA players and will continue to be NBA players," Coach Eddie Jordan said. "We appreciate their efforts and professionalism but at the same time we like what we have and this is pretty much our team."
DerMarr Johnson, a Washington native, made a case for himself with a solid showing in the preseason. Taking advantage of injuries to shooting guards Juan Dixon and Nick Young, DerMarr Johnson averaged 8.8 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 39.5 percent from the field in five games.
Linton Johnson averaged 1.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in four games.
Both players were hurt by the fact that the team already had 15 players under contract, including Dixon and reserve point guard Dee Brown, who hold partially guaranteed deals.
After missing the first four games with a calf injury, Dixon played 18 minutes during Friday's loss to the New Orleans Hornets in Barcelona.
The decision to release the Johnsons leaves the team with a balanced roster that includes three point guards (Brown, Antonio Daniels and Gilbert Arenas, who is expected to miss at least the first month of the season with a knee injury), three shooting guards (Dixon, Young and starter DeShawn Stevenson), five forwards (Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Darius Songaila, Dominic McGuire and Oleksiy Pecherov) and four centers (Etan Thomas, Andray Blatche, rookie JaVale McGee and Brendan Haywood, who is expected to miss four to six months with a wrist injury).
The only starting position yet to be decided is at center, where Thomas has opened four of the five preseason contests but is being pushed by McGee, who started Friday night and played well, scoring 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting with two rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes.
The 6-foot-11 Blatche is another option and leads the team in preseason scoring at 10.8 points per game, but he has been challenged by Jordan and the team's veterans to ramp up his intensity and focus.
It's a message Blatche said he has taken to heart.
"I think it's time for us to get more serious," Blatche said. "We have to start developing a flow together with the rotation guys and we need to develop some chemistry. The season's right around the corner. Me myself, I'm going to start taking things a lot more seriously."
