Washington Wizards Blog – Page 64 – NBA Blog

Andray Blatche scores 36 on Nets

The AP reports:

Andray Blatche is starting to give Washington Wizards’ fans something to be excited about in a season of turmoil highlighted by the gun-related suspension of Gilbert Arenas and a couple of high-profile trades.

The 23-year Blatche continued to thrive being the new leader of the Wizards, scoring a career-high 36 points and adding 15 rebounds in an 89-85 comeback victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night.

Newark native Randy Foye provided the winning margin with two jumpers in the final 44 seconds but Blatche, who has averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds over his last seven games, almost single-handedly carried Washington in this one.

Wizards sign Shaun Livingston to 10-day contract

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard Shaun Livingston to a ten-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

A former “Mr. Basketball” in Illinois (2003-04), Livingston led Peoria Central High (Peoria, IL) to Class AA state titles in 2003 and 2004 before jumping straight to the NBA as the L.A. Clippers’ first-round pick (fourth overall) in the 2004 NBA Draft. Livingston has appeared in 167 games (61 starts) in parts of five seasons in the NBA, compiling career averages of 6.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He most recently appeared in 10 games this season for the Oklahoma City Thunder and also played briefly for the NBA D-League’s Tulsa 66ers in 2008-09. Livingston was enjoying his best professional season as a member of the Clippers in 2006-07 (9.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 5.1 apg, .463 fg% in 29.8 mpg) before sustaining a season-ending knee injury on February 26 that kept him out of action for the duration of the 2007-08 season.

Wizards waive Zydrunas Ilgauskas after buyout

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived center Zydrunas Ilgauskas after coming to a mutual agreement on a contract buyout.

According to the Washington Post, “according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations, the 7-foot-3 agreed to surrender $1.5 million in a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards. The two sides agreed on the terms late Wednesday night, the paperwork was finalized this morning and now Ilguaskas is free to go where he pleases. Ilgauskas was acquired from Cleveland as part of a three-team trade that sent Antawn Jamison to the Cavaliers. The Wizards owed Ilgauskas nearly $3.5 million on the remainder of his $11.5 million contract and Ilgauskas also received a $600,000 trade kicker as part of the deal. But Ilgauskas spent more than one-third of that money in order to play for the team of his choice.”

“We agreed to terms with Zydrunas on a contract buyout, giving us further financial flexibility and allowing our young big men to continue to develop over the remainder of the season,” said Grunfeld.

It is widely expected that Ilgauskas may wind up re-signing with his former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, in the coming weeks.

Ilgauskas was originally acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers along with a 2010 first round pick and the rights to Emir Preldzic as part of a three-team deal in which they also acquired Al Thornton from the Los Angeles Clippers while sending Antawn Jamison to Cleveland and Drew Gooden to Los Angeles (the Clippers sent Sebastian Telfair to Cleveland to complete the trade).

Wizards sign Mike Harris to 10-day contract

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Mike Harris to a ten-day contract. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

Harris (6-6, 235 lbs.) averaged 26.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game in 28 games (25 starts) for the NBA D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers prior to becoming the 15th call-up this season. This is Harris’ second call-up of 2009-10, as he previously averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in two games played with the Houston Rockets. Harris has averaged 3.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game in 19 career NBA games (all with Houston).

After leaving Rice University as the school’s all-time leading scorer (2,014 points) and rebounder (1,111 rebounds), Harris has also played professionally for BC Kyiv of the Ukrainian Super League (2005-06), the Colorado 14ers of the NBA D-League (2006-07), and the Dongguan New Century Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association (2007-08).

Harris’ signing brings Washington’s roster to 16.

Josh Howard out for season with torn ACL

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that guard/forward Josh Howard has a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the 2010-11 season.

Howard suffered the injury in last night’s game vs. Chicago at the 4:23 mark of the first quarter.

In four games (three starts) for Washington this season, Howard averaged 14.5 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

No timetable has been announced for Howard’s recovery.

Josh Howard wants to stick it to Mavs

Eddie Sefko, special to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, reports:

Josh Howard’s exit from the Dallas Mavericks went from amicable to a bit testy after he made his debut in Washington on Wednesday night.

Howard said after his first game as a Wizard — he was 5-of-14 from the field with 14 points and one rebound in 27 minutes — that he looks forward to being able to “stick it to the Mavs” regarding the trade after six-plus seasons in Dallas.

The Mavericks took the high road, with owner Mark Cuban saying only, “I wish Josh nothing but the best.”

The juicy piece of irony is that Howard ended up in Washington, which may well have been the site where he had the beginning of the end, according to several Maverick sources.

They say Howard had a long night of partying on Jan. 19, the night after the Mavericks had won in Boston and less than 24 hours before playing the Wizards.

Wizards trade Dominic McGuire to Kings

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired a protected 2010 second-round draft pick from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for guard/forward Dominic McGuire and cash considerations.

“This trade continues the process of putting us in a more positive financial position,” said Grunfeld.

McGuire was initially acquired by Washington with the 47th overall pick in the second round of the 2007 NBA Draft. In 190 career games (58 starts) with Washington, McGuire has averaged 2.5 points and 3.3 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game.

Wizards, Mavericks trade Josh Howard, Caron Butler

Wizards, Mavericks to trade Caron Butler, Josh Howard in 7-player deal

Forward Caron Butler is having a rough year on the struggling Washington Wizards. And forward Josh Howard is having an even rougher year on the very solid Dallas Mavericks. Both players could use a change of scenery, and that’s reportedly going to happen tonight.

UPDATE: The trade is official. Click here.

According to at least four media outlets, including the Washington Post (Michael Lee), the Mavericks will trade Howard, forward/center Drew Gooden, guard Quinton Ross and forward James Singleton to the Wizards for Butler, center Brendan Haywood and guard DeShawn Stevenson.

Howard this season is averaging just 12.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists on 40.1% shooting in 26.7 minutes per game. His role on the Mavs has been in decline.

Butler averages 16.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.45 steals on 42.2% shooting in 39.4 minutes per game.

In the view of InsideHoops.com, this seems like a good deal for both teams. Butler gets to join a winning team he can contribute to, though he’ll be asked to be more of a role player than he may be used to. And Howard gains more responsibility, something that may do him good.

The most important player in this trade other than those two guys is Haywood, a solid center having a good season. He should definitely help Dallas.

More coming tonight when the deal actually becomes official.

Caron Butler is popular

Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports (via blog):

Caron Butler’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors for almost a year, and the talk has only intensified with the Feb. 18 trade deadline less than two weeks away. He’s been rumored to be headed to Dallas, to Houston, to the Los Angeles Clippers, to New Jersey, to Portland, to Phoenix.

“I’m popular,” Butler said with a smile after scoring a season-high 31 points, including the game-winning jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining, against the Orlando Magic on Friday. “I’ve always been a popular kid, since middle school, I’ve been bigger than everybody. I’m very popular right now.”

Butler has had a disappointing season, with him struggling to develop chemistry with Gilbert Arenas, looking uncomfortable in Flip Saunders’s offense and upset over his role within it. Throw in Arenas’s season-ending suspension and his continued troubles to adjust and it was easy to see that he was unhappy and this season couldn’t end soon enough for him. He never complained publicly, but the worn expression on his face said it all.

February 6 Hawks at Wizards game postponed

The National Basketball Association game scheduled for this evening between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards at Verizon Center has been postponed due to severe weather conditions in the Washington, D.C. area.

As a result of those conditions, neither the Hawks nor Wizards were able to fly to Washington after their respective games last night. The date for the rescheduled game will be announced at a later time.

FEB. 8 UPDATE: THE GAME IS RESCHEDULED FOR MARCH 11

The National Basketball Association announced today the rescheduling of the Atlanta Hawks at Washington Wizards game that was postponed on Saturday, Feb. 6. The Hawks and Wizards will make up that game on Thursday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Verizon Center in Washington D.C.

WIZARDS TICKET EXCHANGE PROCEDURE:

Patrons holding tickets for tonight’s postponed game vs. the Hawks can hold onto those tickets and use them for the rescheduled game, which has yet to be scheduled by the NBA. Details of that game will be announced at a later date.

Patrons can also take their tickets for the Wizards vs. Atlanta game (2/6/10) to the Verizon Center Box Office and redeem their ticket for a ticket to the Wizards vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game on Wednesday, February 17th at 7:00 pm. There will be no service charges added.

Wizards planholders can also exchange their tickets at the Verizon Center Box Office for the Minnesota game on February 17th, or redeem their tickets for one of the pre-selected planholder exchange games listed in their planholder on-line guide. No service charges will be added.

Patrons still holding unused tickets for the game vs. the New York Knicks that was played on January 30th, who were unable to attend that game due to the inclement weather, can also turn in their unused tickets for the game vs. Minnesota on February 17th. No service charges will be added.