Tank Alert: Wizards

[indeedproceed]

"Though he says he does not know whether he will return to game action this season, three-time all-star guard Gilbert Arenas acknowledged yesterday that he has been practicing at full speed with his Wizards teammates since Feb. 16 and that his left knee, which has undergone three surgical procedures since April 2007, is nearly at full strength. 'I'm out there feeling like the old Gilbert Arenas again,' Arenas said, shortly after Washington practiced at Verizon Center. 'I'm running, jumping, dunking, feeling good. No pain, no swelling. My balance is back, my speed is back. The only thing I have to get used to again is being around other bodies out there on the court. I'm working on getting my timing back. The only thing I'm not doing is playing in games.'"

Can Washington still make the playoffs? Well as of today (the 25th), they're 13.5 games out of 8th place, so no, probably not.

Can Washington catch any of the awful teams on the bottom (aka Toronto or Charlotte or Indiana or NY or New Jersey...wow. Pretty thick little stack of mediocre)? Probably not. If Gilbert is practicing full strength and getting his timing back would no playing him sometime soon be considered tanking? To this guy it is.

[Fafnir]

Remember he was quoted soon after his surgery as saying that he wouldn't rush back. Especially if they weren't in position to make the playoffs because a higher pick would be good for the team.

[celticmaestro]

I don't think they're tanking, just being careful with Gilbert. I think teams realise that tanking is pointless, no one is guaranteed anything in the lottery, we should know that better than anyone.

[Fafnir]

I don't think they're tanking, just being careful with Gilbert. I think teams realise that tanking is pointless, no one is guaranteed anything in the lottery, we should know that better than anyone.

I doubt that very much. When the stretch games come down at the end of the season you'll see a lot of questionable roster moves until the lottery percentages are locked in. At least among the last few teams. Once you are that bad the incentive to win just is not there.

[Roy Hobbs]

One team that might not want to tank is Washington.  They have major, major financial concerns, and the higher the draft pick, the larger the guaranteed salary.

[celticmaestro]

I don't think they're tanking, just being careful with Gilbert. I think teams realise that tanking is pointless, no one is guaranteed anything in the lottery, we should know that better than anyone.

I doubt that very much. When the stretch games come down at the end of the season you'll see a lot of questionable roster moves until the lottery percentages are locked in. At least among the last few teams. Once you are that bad the incentive to win just is not there.

True, but look at it from the Wizards perspective. The consensus #1 is Ricky Rubio, if they get him what do they do with either him or Gilbert? Tanking would be silly for the Wizards.

[indeedproceed]

I don't think they're tanking, just being careful with Gilbert. I think teams realise that tanking is pointless, no one is guaranteed anything in the lottery, we should know that better than anyone.

I doubt that very much. When the stretch games come down at the end of the season you'll see a lot of questionable roster moves until the lottery percentages are locked in. At least among the last few teams. Once you are that bad the incentive to win just is not there.

True, but look at it from the Wizards perspective. The consensus #1 is Ricky Rubio, if they get him what do they do with either him or Gilbert? Tanking would be silly for the Wizards.

How is Ricky Rubio the consensus #1? You, my friend, need to meet Blake Griffin.

[RAcker]

One team that might not want to tank is Washington.  They have major, major financial concerns, and the higher the draft pick, the larger the guaranteed salary.

It's amazing that an NBA team would be looking at the offseason in this way, but we all know it happens.  Imagine the discussions going on within that organization right now.

[celticmaestro]

I don't think they're tanking, just being careful with Gilbert. I think teams realise that tanking is pointless, no one is guaranteed anything in the lottery, we should know that better than anyone.

I doubt that very much. When the stretch games come down at the end of the season you'll see a lot of questionable roster moves until the lottery percentages are locked in. At least among the last few teams. Once you are that bad the incentive to win just is not there.

True, but look at it from the Wizards perspective. The consensus #1 is Ricky Rubio, if they get him what do they do with either him or Gilbert? Tanking would be silly for the Wizards.

How is Ricky Rubio the consensus #1? You, my friend, need to meet Blake Griffin.

Fair point. Although from what I've seen I would go with Rubio, and from what I've been reading a lot of people agree.

[indeedproceed]

I don't think they're tanking, just being careful with Gilbert. I think teams realise that tanking is pointless, no one is guaranteed anything in the lottery, we should know that better than anyone.

I doubt that very much. When the stretch games come down at the end of the season you'll see a lot of questionable roster moves until the lottery percentages are locked in. At least among the last few teams. Once you are that bad the incentive to win just is not there.

True, but look at it from the Wizards perspective. The consensus #1 is Ricky Rubio, if they get him what do they do with either him or Gilbert? Tanking would be silly for the Wizards.

How is Ricky Rubio the consensus #1? You, my friend, need to meet Blake Griffin.

Fair point. Although from what I've seen I would go with Rubio, and from what I've been reading a lot of people agree.

Out of curiosity, where are you reading? Draftexpress, nbadraft.net, and espn.com all have rubio either #1 in 2010, or 3 or lower this year.

[Chris]

I sure hope they don't completely tank.  I have been counting on Arenas coming back to take my fantasy team to the next level come playoff time.

[the_Bird]

One team that might not want to tank is Washington.  They have major, major financial concerns, and the higher the draft pick, the larger the guaranteed salary.

I'm sure Danny would be willing to take it off their hands for, oh, $3M. 

What's the over/under on number of draft picks sold this year?  Twelve?

[Roy Hobbs]

One team that might not want to tank is Washington.  They have major, major financial concerns, and the higher the draft pick, the larger the guaranteed salary.

I'm sure Danny would be willing to take it off their hands for, oh, $3M. 

What's the over/under on number of draft picks sold this year?  Twelve?

The rumor is that Washington, at least, may try to package its lottery pick with a bad contract.  I think you'll see a lot of teams doing that.

In terms of the second half of the first round, I think if the Celtics want a pick, one will be available.  There could be a lot of picks moving.

[MetroGlobe]

I don't think they're tanking, just being careful with Gilbert. I think teams realise that tanking is pointless, no one is guaranteed anything in the lottery, we should know that better than anyone.

I doubt that very much. When the stretch games come down at the end of the season you'll see a lot of questionable roster moves until the lottery percentages are locked in. At least among the last few teams. Once you are that bad the incentive to win just is not there.

True, but look at it from the Wizards perspective. The consensus #1 is Ricky Rubio, if they get him what do they do with either him or Gilbert? Tanking would be silly for the Wizards.

How is Ricky Rubio the consensus #1? You, my friend, need to meet Blake Griffin.

Co-signed.  Someone has been not reading Chad Ford's column.  Rubio is safely in the top 5, but that's about all you can be sure about with him.

[hpantazo]

One team that might not want to tank is Washington.  They have major, major financial concerns, and the higher the draft pick, the larger the guaranteed salary.

I'm sure Danny would be willing to take it off their hands for, oh, $3M. 

What's the over/under on number of draft picks sold this year?  Twelve?

The rumor is that Washington, at least, may try to package its lottery pick with a bad contract.  I think you'll see a lot of teams doing that.

In terms of the second half of the first round, I think if the Celtics want a pick, one will be available.  There could be a lot of picks moving.

Isn't that how we got Rondo? The suns were selling off picks for $$? This could be a good offseason for us!