Wizards/NBA

Post staff writers Ivan Carter and Michael Lee were online Wednesday, Nov. 14 at 2:30 p.m. ET to discuss the Washington Wizards this season and what stories to follow from around the NBA.

From The Post:

Wizards Coverage

The transcript follows.

Discussion Archive

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Ivan Carter: Let's get to it.

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Baltimore: Low-post Game: Has Eddie considered having Blatche (3), Songaila (4), and Haywood on the floor together so we can more low post play - especially from Blatche and Songaila?

Ivan Carter: I thought that one of the most intriguing pairings during the preseason was Haywood and Blatche together in the front court. That's a lot of length. Eddie used that combo some in Sunday's win over Atlanta. I would look for more of that, particularly if Andray is playing with energy and making things happen on the offensive glass. The only issue is that he has not proven to be a scorer to this point and neither is Brendan so those other three guys had better get buckets.

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Michael Lee: Hey, everybody. It's been a crazy day so far. I was informed before this chat that they were going to diminish my role and restrict us to only Wizards questions, but when I pulled a Stephon Marbury and informed my bosses that I had so much dirt on them that they'd better include me in this chat, they relented. There is so much going on in the NBA right now. The Spurs look awesome. The Heat looks so bad that Pat Riley is threatening to suit up.

Will the Celtics lose a game this month? Will Seattle win a game this season? Will Knicks ever get any attention for what they do ON the court? I'm ready for whatever you've got. So, let's go. . .

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Alexandria, Va.: Hey guys, love your coverage.

Yesterday, the Sports Guy (Bill Simmons) mentioned that Arenas's main problem is that he's trying to be a point guard who happens to score a lot -- something that can't be done. Even though I absolutely love Agent Zero, I have to agree with Simmons on this. What is your take? Is this something that Coach Jordan is working to squash? Or is Arenas trying too hard to make up for his injury last season?

Ivan Carter: I read Simmons piece as well and I think he makes some solid points but basing his opinion off of whether he would like to play with a guy or not is a little off to me. I play a ton of basketball - just got back from playing at the health club this afternoon in fact - and I would like playing with Gilbert. Here's why: he can break the defense down anytime he wants and his shooting range forces teams to cheat off of other guys to help. I'm a spot up shooter so, were I an NBA quality shooter, I'd feast off a guy like Gilbert. The issue right now is that Gilbert isn't 100 percent. That's obvious. However, I think he'll steadily get back to his old self as the season goes along. As I reported into today's, an MRI he had on Monday revealed no further damage. Right now it's mental. He'll come around the question is whether or not this team can bide time until he does. One thing I would give Gilbert credit for is his defensive intensity so far this season. He is really trying to get over/under screens and he's been a problem for other teams because he's always scrapping for deflections, loose balls and steals.

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Boston: Has Gilbert made any more predictions? Who has had more impact on their new team Kevin Garnett or Randy Moss? Do you wish you were a Boston sportswriter?

Michael Lee: I will answer this question since I know that Ivan is extremely upset/bitter seeing two players from Minnesota franchises leading teams from Boston to the top of the standings (and that doesn't even include David "Big Papi" Ortiz, a former Twin who led the supposedly cursed Red Sox to their second title in four seasons). His computer has already exploded, I don't want his head to do the same.

I've always been a fan of Randy Moss, dating back to when he was at Marshall, and he has been awesome for the Patriots, giving Tom Brady his first legit deep ball threat. But if I had to pick the guy who has had the bigger impact, I'd go with Garnett. Why? Because he plays both ends.

Have you seen his stats this season? He's averaging about 22 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Can you say two-week MVP? The Celtics lead the NBA in field goal percentage (50.8 percent) and opponents' field goal percentage (39.7) and that is largely because of Garnett's presence. Garnett is constantly drawing double teams and giving open looks to Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, but he has been more impressive on the defensive end. His energy and intensity on that end has been infectious. He has Pierce and Allen getting low and keeping their men in front of them.

But no, I do not wish I was a Boston reporter right now. I don't mind visiting every now and then though. My wife used to live there and we have great memories in that town.

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D.C.: How do shoe deals work for the non-superstars, or even the non-starters in the NBA? Does everyone have a deal with a shoe company -- and do they all get money or just free shoes? For instance, Caron wears Nikes but is obviously not in any of their ad campaigns. Does he get paid by Nike or just unlimited kicks? And Caron is a borderline star -- how does it work for a Roger Mason? Thanks.

Ivan Carter: Great question and one actually asked Roger the other day (not kidding) As a rookie, he signed with AND 1 because they offered the most money. He says he wears Nike now because they give him free shoes (both hoop and casual), warm-up suits etc. and a small amount of cash. Not a bad deal huh? Obviously guys like Caron Butler get a lot more and guys like Gilbert get a ton more.

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Washington, D.C.: Mike,

Word came out today that Marbury was fined a $180k for missing last nights game against the Suns and since they play tonight against the Clips I assume that he will be fined again if he misses that game. What cause the breakdown in the Isiah/Marbury love fest? In seems like just yesterday when Marbury was Isiah's star witness in the sexual harassment trial.

Michael Lee: Um, no Stephon was anything but Isiah's star witness. He actually helped Anucha Browne Sanders get her settlement in the sexual harassment trial. Marbury's testimony that he had an affair with a MSG employee when she was an intern was arguably the most damaging and melted down the thin ice Thomas was already standing on.

The problem with those two is that they are extremely close, which may make it harder for Marbury to respond to a coach that he views as a friend. You can't have it both ways, and when Thomas tries to treat Marbury like an employee and not a friend, the friction begins. Isiah needs to win games to keep his jobs as coach and team president and unfortunately, Marbury - the player who still stands as his signature move with the Knicks - is hurting the team because of his poor defense and leadership. Thomas has asked more and less out of Marbury, but instead of listening, Marbury is barking/biting back.

In case you haven't noticed, Marbury has had a history of this. Somewhere, Larry Brown is having a belly laugh right now.

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Washington, D.C.: Ivan:

In your article today, you pointed out that the Wizards had 26 assists in the win on Sunday, but were averaging 15 assists prior to that game.

Why? Was Eddie Jordan not telling players to pass the ball? Were players ignoring his instructions? If so, why were the players playing so selfishly, and what did Jordan do when they ignored him?

(I know an easy answer is that the Wizards shot better in Atlanta, causing assist totals to go up, but they still shot a pretty low percentage, so that doesn't account for the dramatic increase in assists.)

Ivan Carter: Three issues: Guys were taking rushed shots and missing them, guys weren't setting good screens so many passes that may have led to a bucket didn't and guys flat out missed wide open shots when they would have led to an assist. There were several occasions Sunday when guys passed on good looks because a teammate had a better one. In the third quarter, Caron drove and could have forced up a tough pull up J from about 15 but instead kicked it back to an open Stevenson, who drilled the three-ball. In the fourth quarter, Gilbert was open from three-point range but zipped a pass to the left baseline where Caron caught it and laid it in. Later, Songaila received a pass about seven feet from the bucket and was ready shoot a little jump hook thing but then flipped a short pass over to Butler for another layup. Those are the kinds of decision/passes they weren't regularly making in the first five games.

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N.Y.: Can we throw Stephon Marbury out of the league so I don't have to hear about him anymore?

Michael Lee: No, we need Stephon. He was the best story going last summer with those bizarre interviews, hilarious comments, dance moves and you have to admit, his testimony in the Isiah/MSG trial was absolutely incredible.

Marbury has said that he'd like to play in Italy after his current contract expires in 2009 and that would be a shame. Marbury has made a lot of mistakes. He's not the most likeable person. The teams that he plays for generally get better when he leaves, but he still has some talent. He probably just needs a fresh start somewhere where it's a given that he isn't the franchise player. The Knicks gave him WAY too much power and he abused it. It's probably best that they go their separate ways. But he can still play in this league. I've never really been a fan, but you have to give him credit for his low cost sneakers and clothing giveaways in his hometown.

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Arlington, Va.: No doubt Haywood has been a beast on the boards, but I'd be interested in his TO numbers. Ever noticed that when anyone drives and dishes to him, he typically bobbles the ball, gets it knocked out of bounds, or stolen? Pretty frustrating to see, and no wonder there are rarely plays for him.

Ivan Carter: Haywood is credited with nine turnovers so far this season. And you have a point: he does not have the best hands I've ever seen. He sometimes seems to be wrestling the ball into his grasp before securing it. As a guy who played football in high school and college, I always felt that time spent on the JUGS machine - you know, that mechanical thing that spits out footballs at you from short distances - helped my hand/eye coordination to the point that it made me better in basketball as well.

Perhaps Brendan should spend some time on one of those bad boys. And he's not alone: I see a lot of big men in this league (Kwame comes to mind) who either have bad hands or simply don't see the ball into their hands and that leads to turnovers.

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?: Wait, you're picking Garnett over Moss because Garnett plays both ends? Are you expecting Moss to play corner or free safety? (Though I guess New England would be the place for him to do it.)

Michael Lee: I know Moss cannot play both ends. And no, I'm not asking him to line up at cornerback. I know the difference between football and basketball. What I'm saying, which really shouldn't be too confusing, is that Garnett has had an obvious affect on both ends of the floor. He has established himself as the leader of the Celtics and is changing the perception of the entire team with his commitment to the defensive end. He is rebounding, blocking shots, directing traffic and I failed to mention earlier that he is also in the top 10 in steals and he is 7-feet tall. All Moss is being asked to do is catch footballs. Garnett is being asked to do everything - and he is doing everything well. Is that clear now?

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Wellsville, Pa.: Which network do you prefer to watch a game on, TNT, ESPN or Comcast?

Michael Lee: Okay, I love listening to the announcing team of Buck and Phil on Comcast. Those guys do a great job. I love the studio show with Ernie, Kenny and Charles. I knew those guys when I lived in Atlanta and I've visited the set a number of times. The chemistry with those guys is genuine and it comes across on the air. As for ESPN, um, they usually have some great games! I really hate that Bill Walton is in the studio. I need him in the booth to make some outlandish comment to make me laugh or throw my shoe at the TV.

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Virginia Beach, VA: While reading "7 Seconds or Less" by Jack McCallum (about the Suns) I have become very interested by how D'Antoni delegated responsibilities within his coaching staff. For example Iavaroni was responsible for all defense, Dan D'Antoni was Diaw's personal coach, etc. Also, each coach was responsible for scouting 4 or 5 NBA teams to go along with the scout's report on each team. Are most NBA coaching staffs set up similar to this? Who is responsible for what on the Wiz staff?

Ivan Carter: I recently read that book as well and it was a very good peak into that world. I do see some similar roles/delegations with the Wiz.

Brendan and Gilbert spend a lot of time with Drew Cleary, the strength and conditioning coach who travels with the team and attends every practice. Mike O'Koren and Phil Hubbard do a lot of work with the younger guys (Nick Young, Dominic McGuire, Andray Blatche and before he got hurt, Pecherov) before games and after practices working on defensive positioning, closing out on shooters and recovering and reading the offensive keys.

Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and other guys come out early before games and go thru a shooting routine with asst. coach Dave Hopla. During games, I've noticed that Randy Ayers handles a lot of defensive issues with both Eddie and the players in the huddle. You hear him shouting out instructions etc during the games as well. Wes Unseld Jr. is in charge of processing the scouting info and putting it to use. For instance, you'll offer hear him shout out the other team's calls on inbounds plays etc. before they do them because he's seen them in the scouting report and on film etc.

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Washington, D.C.: Michael, who's most disappointing so far: The Bulls, the Heat or the Wiz? Obviously, totally different situations by team, but given what they've done so far versus what was expected...

Michael Lee: The Bulls have been the most disappointing team because so many people thought - and still think - that they can win the Eastern Conference this season. They are 1-5 and just suffered a 40-point beatdown at home against the Raptors. You can look up and down that roster and see that nearly every player on the roster is playing below their capabilities. Ben Gordon is shooting 35 percent. Luol Deng, Mr. Untouchable, is averaging just 14 points. Ben Wallace isn't even averaging 5 rebounds. The Bulls look like a distracted team. They have the talent to be much better.

The Heat should be terrible with a declining Shaq and no D-Wade. If the Heat was 1-6 with D-Wade, Miami would be disappointing. Right now, it is appropriately awful.

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Washington, D.C.: Ivan, you mentioned the Simmons column, which makes me think of his prediction today that the Celtics are an all-time great squad. What do you guys think? Yeah, KG's a beast and Pierce/Allen are deadly. But odds are someone's going to go down at some point this year, and the cupboard is pretty bare.

Ivan Carter: I'll say this as a guy who has watched Garnett since he was a skinny rookie out of high school (I grew up in Mpls. and used to have a fool proof way of sneaking into T-Wolves games as a college student/young adult) This Celtics team reminds a lot of the 2003-2004 T-Wolves team that rode KG, Sprewell and Sam Cassell to 58 wins and a spot in the West Finals where they lost in six games because Cassell and Troy Hudson got hurt.

KG averaged 24 and 11 that year while doing what he's doing right now for the C's, which is basically everything. Cassell averaged 19 and finished games with clutch shooting down the stretch and Sprewell averaged 16.8 while filling the slasher/defensive wing player, get-the-crowd-fired-up-because-I'm-potentially-crazy role. Wally S and Hudson were scorers off the bench, Fred Hoiberg spread defenses with his three-point shooting and Trenton Hassell defended the other team's best small forward type. Kandi man just had to score every now and then, block a shot every now and then and otherwise stay out of the way.

That team was a machine and it would have won it all had Cassell and Hudson stayed healthy. I'm convinced of it. That Lakers team was on fumes but the Wolves had to start Derrick Martin at PG in the games 5 and 6 of that series. It's also worth pointing out that the Wolves beat Detroit twice that season and I'm convinced that they would have beaten them in the Finals.

Basically, I'm saying that KG should have a ring right now and if justice is served, he'll get on this year. That said, the big three have to stay healthy, Eddie House has to fill the Wally World/Troy Hudson role, Posey has to fill the Trenton Hassell role (except Posey can shoot) and Rondo needs to get the ball across half court and stay out of the way. They'll win 50-55 games and get to the East finals. That's my call.

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Will from Rockville: What's more important for the Wizards right now? Motivation or teamwork?

Ivan Carter: Making shots. That's the key Will. Make shots.

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DC: The more I watch the Sonics the more I think in a couple of years Durant and Green are going to be an excellent tandem together. What do you think?

Michael Lee: I'll answer this question in conjunction with another.

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Tampa, FL by way of NE DC: Haven't seen much in the way of highlights of the Sonics so far this year because they are winless...other than Durant's erratic shooting and a few good plays. What is the early review of how Jeff Green's doing so far?

Michael Lee: I think Jeff Green has been really solid when he's on the floor. He's averaging 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and shooting 47.5 percent from the floor in just 21.4 minutes per game. That's pretty efficient for a rookie, and it's exactly what the front office folks in Seattle were expecting when they traded Ray Allen to get him.

As for Durant, he is playing okay. The SuperSonics have clearly declared that they will let him learn and fight his way through this early adversity. I hope that doesn't backfire. At some point they will have to rein him in a bit and let him know that he doesn't have to shoot the ball every time he is open. He's learning. But they have to get more creative offensively and give him some easier opportunities. Right now, it's a lot of dribble, dribble, shoot. In time, though, those guys will be a pretty nice tandem.

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Washington, D.C.: Not that this is a problem in the Wiz locker room, but two of the big three (Jamison and Arenas) are pending free agents. As a rule, do you think it's better to have guys on the team hungry for new contracts, or does it detract from morale?

Ivan Carter: In general, I would say that it depends on what kind of guys they are and, whether or not the team is winning. Antawn Jamison is a true pro in every sense of the word, so I don't see him getting all whacked out by being in a contract year. Gilbert's situation is utterly focused around that knee, not the contract. Right now, I don't see the contracts as major issues. But that's where winning comes in. If they can get rolling a little bit, get back to .500 by late January or so and get Gilbert right, everything will fall into place.

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La Crosse, WI: I have a long-standing bet w/an old friend of mine: that A.I. will win a title before he retires. It was a much more appealing bet back then, and I've been ridin' w/Iverson since the Hoya days.

What percentage would you give my side vs. his side?

Michael Lee: If he stays in Denver, I can safely say that he will never win a title. I don't see Iverson winning a title there, no matter how good Carmelo gets.

I can't really give you a percentage because I don't know what Iverson will do in two years when his contract expires. Will he jump on board with a ready-made contender and let some young big man deliver a title for him a la Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? Maybe.

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Austin, Tex.: The Knicks are bizarre. I hear there are already Starbury for Kobe rumors out there. My problem for your problem? Does that make sense? Could that work from a financial/cap standpoint?

Michael Lee: Let me make it simple for you. That will never happen. Why would the Lakers give up the franchise for the franchise killer? C'mon.

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Barno: Ivan,

The Wizards lose the 2nd half of a back to back routinely and collapse in the 2nd half in many games, presumably because the players are overworked and we don't have enough bodies to put on the floor.

Point blank: Is Abe Pollin's refusal to pay for a full roster hurting this team? And do any other teams in the NBA, NHL, NFL, or MLB elect to go with less players than the maximum allowable by their respective leagues in order to save money?

Thanks

Ivan Carter: The Wiz are not the only team carrying fewer than 15 players and I'd speak to the fatigue issue by asking this question: name me a successful team that regularly plays a 10 or 11 man rotation? The answer: no one. Most teams play between seven and nine guys and throw spot duty to another player or two. Right now, I don't see the roster length as being a major issue. Now, if one or two more guys go down, that could change.

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D.C. : Well at least Juan Carlos Navarro isn't doing anything with Memphis...for now.

Ivan Carter: That's funny because I briefly watched Memphis the other night (can't remember which game). JCN checked in and immediately got smoked by his man for consecutive layups. I picked up my phone and called one of his agents (we became pretty good friends this summer while the JCN drama played out) and left a message: "I guess your guy would have been a good Wizard. He's certainly got the defense down pat."

It's six games. Still too early to judge anything. I think the guy is going to help Memphis more than he could have potentially helped the Wizards.

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Oakton, VA: It seems like the Brendan Haywood is playing much better compared to last season since he is getting assured minutes. Even if Etan Thomas came back it seems like the Wizards are better with Haywood starting at Center - why can't Eddie Jordan accept this reality?

Ivan Carter: He sort of has to accept it right now, doesn't he?

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Washington, DC: Is Hopla working with these guys? I know Toronto's FG% sky rocketed after he was there last year. Is this a one step back before two steps forward situation?

Ivan Carter: He's working with them a ton. In fact, he's spent a lot of time with DeShawn Stevenson, who finally knocked down some shots in Atlanta on Sunday. I heard that the Toronto guys loved him and having watched him shoot, I can see why. The guy seriously does not miss. It's amazing to watch.

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Columbus, Ohio: I know the season is young, but Andrew Bynum is quietly averaging close to a double-double a game in around 25min of play. Does it appear that he has turned a corner in terms of his development and if, so what does that mean for the Lakers and what does it do to talk of trading Kobe?

Michael Lee: Andrew Bynum has been playing great and I've been impressed with his progress and production. But no, he has not turned the corner enough to appease Bryant. Ten points and 10 rebounds is nice, but it won't change Kobe's desires to be traded. He wants out, but the Lakers haven't been wowed by any offers.

The problem is that by the time Bynum does turn that corner or at least approaches it, Kobe probably won't be around in Los Angeles to witness it.

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Richmond, Va.: I understand how shortening the bench helped the Wizards win in Atlanta. But Eddie Jordan can still go with an 8-man rotation and limit the Big 3's minutes. And he needs to do that! And will we see more offense/defense subs late in the game?

Ivan Carter: I think he can split the bulk of the minutes between the five starters and Antonio Daniels, Darius Songaila and Andray Blatche. He can then look to use Roger Mason Jr. here and there. (A good example was in New Jersey last Thursday when the Nets went to a zone in the second quarter and Eddie put Roger in. Roger got two wide open looks from three-point range but missed. He has to make those shots. It's tough coming off the bench cold like that but that's going to be the way he can earn minutes and keep himself in this league). He can look to find minutes for the rookies when the matchups provide the chance.

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Duckettown, MD: Any chance to change Arenas's nickname from "Hibachi" to "Clang"?

Michael Lee: Ouch, Duckettown. Or should I call you Duck Down?

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Washington, DC: Ivan:

On Sunday, Haywood's drive into the lane and hook shot was a thing of beauty and looked so easy. Atlanta looked like they had no one who matched up well against him.

BUT, I am pretty sure the Wizards didn't post him up one more time in the entire game after that shot. What gives? I would think that every coach who saw that shot would think, "Oooooh, let's do that some more!" But ... nothing!!

Ivan Carter: That was a thing of beauty and I agree that they need to toss into Brendan from time to time just to keep the defense honest and reward him for rebounding so hard. That said, he has to catch the ball and as noted above, that's not always a thing of beauty.

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Target Center Security Office : Ivan,

What was your sure-fire way of sneaking into Timberwolves' games?

Ivan Carter: Not sharing. I'll take that secret to my grave. But man, was that a great thing for a poor college kid who loved hoops like I do.

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Washington, D.C.: Ivan, you have good seats to these games, right? If so, can you please tackle either Jamison or Songalia the next time Jordan tries to play them at the 5 and 4 positions together.

Ivan Carter: I won't tackle them but that is a funny point.

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Reston: If the team keeps losing and ends up having a terrible season do you think Gilbert would take less money to go somewhere else? Say if Phoenix or Dallas made him an offer

Ivan Carter: I've covered Gilbert for three seasons and I can honestly say that nothing he decided would surprise me. Nothing.

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D.C.: Could you envision a scenario in which Gilbert's play falls so much that he no longer commands a max or even $80+ million contract. If this were to happen and the Wizards were to have a poor season, would Gilbert be out of the team's future plans or vis versa? Also, in the case that Jamison and Arenas don't return next year, who are the big name free agents?

Ivan Carter: Gilbert is going to get paid, either here or somewhere else. Remember, Charlie Bell got paid last summer. Charlie Bell. As for how much and where, all of that will depend upon how this season plays out. I really can't make an educated guess on it other than to say that I think Gilbert will be here. Not sure about Antawn. The key issue for him will be this: very few teams are going to have money to spend. Where is he going to get anything close to the $16 million he's making this season?

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Washington, D.C.: Other than the Post's insider pages/Steinberg's Bog, do you guys read any blogs (are you allowed to?) Any you'd recommend?

Ivan Carter: I read hoopshype.com every day. I go to prosportsdaily.com every day. I also read insidehoops.com. Other than that, I have to write stories, write notebooks, write blogs, go to games and practices and find time to walk my dog every day. I try to squeeze in some hoops from time to time and grab a cold one when I can. That's pretty much my life.

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Washington, DC: Ivan and Michael:

I'm curious if you can tell us about the various ways that you've seen Eddie Jordan discipline his players. Obviously we've seen him discipline Haywood. But I'm most curious about how he disciplines his other players, especially the big 3, after they have made bad decisions or given poor effort on the court. Does he yell? Does he pull them aside and talk to them quietly? Etc.

Ivan Carter: I've seen him get on guys in different ways but seldom have I seen him chew a guy out in front of everyone. I've seen him get plenty heated in a huddle but I think he tends to speak to the team as a whole rather than single a guy out. That said, I've seen him get on guys (Antonio and Caron for sure and that makes sense because they handle it well) and use other tactics with guys like Gilbert. He tends to use positive motivation with Brendan.

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Washington, D.C.: You're GM and can add one mid-level NBA player to the Wizards roster (forget salary cap, trade viability, and so on). Who would it be?

Michael Lee: I'd go with a Raja Bell or James Posey, somebody who can spread the floor by knocking down threes and play tenacious perimeter defense. The Wizards are seriously lacking a perimeter threat off the bench. They really need somebody who can light it up and hit the open threes. Somebody like Morris Peterson or Anthony Parker would be nice.

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Mt Rainier, MD: Love the coverage guys it seems to me that the team has two flaws with it personnel.

1. No Defensive "4" Antwan has to guard other teams scoring 4's and that is a problem.

2.No true back-up PG I think AD is very good but isn't he more of a 2? I personally think the wiz are crazy for giving gil more than about 30 min. a game. But they can't leave AD in a the point that long each game.

what do you guys think?

Ivan Carter: Playing around Antawn defensively is always going to be an issue because he's not bulky enough to check most fours and he's not quick enough to handle most threes. He tends to make it for it by drawing fours away from the bucket with his three point shooting and by outrebounding smaller guys. I call it a wash but yes, it creates unique issues. AD is still effective but he's getting up there and he doesn't handle some of the super quick PGs the way he used to. Also, he's not a threat as a three-point shooter so everything he does has to be off the dribble.

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Ivan Carter: Thanks for stopping in folks. I have to go and get ready for tonight's game. Check out the blog later for a pregame update. Later.

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