Report: Wizards Trade for Randy Foye and Mike Miller

I would have liked it if if the Wizards had gotten one more draft pick in this trade. Still, dumping those contracts was a nice move. Should put us in good position to make a move in summer 2010 for one of the big time free agents expected to be available-Bosh, Nowitzki, Chandler?

I figure they'll get some sort of mid-level exception to give them some more depth in the front court, but I wouldn't make another major trade (unless they can get Amare); I'd be inclined to ride out this season and go for a top flight big man next summer. Of course, any opportunity to unload Blatche and Nick Young and I'm all for that (I think both are big time underachievers with lack of focus, personally).

As for Jamison, I think you only trade him if as the trade deadline approaches and we aren't in serious contention you can trade him to a contender for some value (maybe draft picks). It would almost be like a favor to him I guess.

As for the backcourt, Dixon and James are gone (I'd assume). So take those two guys out of the equation. Arenas is the starting point guard, and Crittenton I think is his back up. So that leaves DeShawn, Miller, Young, and Foye. If those four guys all stay on the team it's a toss up between DS or Miller. I guess it depends on what you're looking for in a starter. Foye's value is probably best off the bench. They don't call him Fourth Quarter Foye for nothing. So he won't start but he'll get key minutes. He'll always get a bad rap because he's the guy the T-Wolves gave away Brandon Roy for, but that shouldn't diminish Foye's abilities.

Haywood likes the move

Wizards on the Right Track - Yardbarker (http://brendanhaywood.yardbarker.com/blog/BrendanHaywood/Wizards_on_the_Right_Track/735065)

Agree with SS... dumping contracts helps us (re-signing Haywood in a few offseasons too)...

Pretty weak draft and while I liked Harden, there's no guarantee he would have been there at 5. This draft is all over the place and if it's between taking Jordan Hill or trading with the Knicks for the 8 and Hughes, I'll take Foye/Miller 10 out of 10 times.

Miller instantly upgrades the outside shooting... dude's nearly a 40 percent shooter from beyond the arc. He'll spread the floor when the big three are tied up. He's got a decent glass game and can pass. Foye's been steadily improving each season, unfortunately cut by injuries. I think he's had such low FG percentage b/c he's had to be the number 1 or 2 option for the Wolves offensively... start him as a Wiz and he's the third or fourth option and he'll flourish. Have him off the bench with Young and McGee and you've got a deadly second unit.

The FO added two guys that make this an extremely deadly team that kinda looks like Orlando's recipe. The difference, of course, is that we don't have Howard- but Wood's return anchors the D. I also think our guys have the ability to drive inside, moreso than Orlando.

The moves can't be finished yet... we're definitely hurting down low a bit.

Well, the East just got a lot more interesting

Sources: Shaquille O'Neal sent to Cleveland Cavaliers in 3-player deal - ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4285489)

For Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. Clearly a financial move for the Suns. Good move for the Cavs. Shaq isn't the Shaq he once was, but still very effective.

Haywood likes the move

Wizards on the Right Track - Yardbarker (http://brendanhaywood.yardbarker.com/blog/BrendanHaywood/Wizards_on_the_Right_Track/735065)

No surprise. Haywood and Etan Thomas aren't exactly pals.

This draft class is pretty weak. I think we made the right move.

I like our trade, since none of the guys we lost were going to help much, although I'll miss Stewie's antics. Only Songaila provided anything last year, and a C/F with 20 min. per game has to average more than 2.9 rebounds per game. Period. Etan's contract, with its trade kicker, was weighing us down, so exchanging it for a year of Mike Miller is a nice move. I like Foye's upside and I think he's already as good as Deshawn was when healthy and a step above Young.

Given our imbalance with so many guards, we'll be making anohter move to pick up a defense-minded and rebounding PF/C. This was already necessary going against Dwight Howard in our Division, and even moreso now with Shaq in the East. My guess is we'll trade James (he still has one year on his contract, so we can't just cut him) and another player (hopefully Deshawn, although I could see us letting go of Young) for another PF/C, maybe throwing in our 2nd rounder as well. Ideally, I'd like to see us get Camby from the Clippers, who need to get rid of a big with Griffin coming in. I think Camby's still got another good year in him and he'd be a great player for McGee to learn from with their similar body types and the fact that Camby's consistently been from one of the best defender's in the league.

It turns out that we tried to include Deshawn in the Foye/Miller trade, but Minnesota wouldn't take him and insisted on Songaila.

Not really sure why we drafted another guard. I like the kid from UCF, but after just trading for Foye, we've got a logjam at guard. I would have liked to see us nab DeJuan Blair. A big body to add some beef in the low post, and we passed on him. I think he'll be a lot like Big Baby Davis as an NBA player.

Hell, DaJuan Summers would have been a solid pick too. 6-9 240.

We just traded that pick to the Rockets for cash

We just traded that pick to the Rockets for cash

What does that mean exactly? Do they literally cut us a check? There were a few players available who could have been possible contributors for us. DeJuan Blair is a beast on the glass. I'm scratching my head a bit on this one, although I have faith in Ernie.

Yeah, we are literally given cash for the player.

I would have preferred taking DeJuan Blair, since as a second rounder he'd have had a contract starting at less than $1 million and he would have filled a need with his rebounding. Selling the pick either means Abe is cheap, or, they are saving some money now for when they get a vet big (James's contract or the MLE). It's probably is a little of both, and in this economy it is tough to turn down $2.5 million. I don't see us going more than a month without picking up a solid vet C/PF.