Category: Washington Wizards Blog

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Wizards exercise options on O.Pecherov and N.Young

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has exercised the third-year option on both center/forward Oleksiy Pecherov and guard Nick Young.  Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

“Nick and ‘Pech’ both showed a great deal of potential as rookies and we’re counting on them to continue to progress and contribute,” said Grunfeld.  “We like the fact that we have a group of promising young players behind our established veterans, and we’re excited to retain Nick and ‘Pech’ for their third seasons.”

Under the terms of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, the first two years of a first round draft pick’s contract are guaranteed while the third and fourth year of the contract are the team’s option.  Pecherov was selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, while Young was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

Pecherov averaged 3.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 35 games as a rookie with the Wizards last season.  He was selected by the Wizards in the 2006 Draft (the franchise’s first-ever international first round pick), but played the 2006-07 season overseas before joining the team for the 2007-08 season.

Young averaged 7.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 75 games as rookie with the Wizards last season.  His best game came on March 30 at the L.A. Lakers when he scored 27 points in 31 minutes.

Oct 24: Cavs 107, Wizards 80

The AP reports: LeBron James had a preseason-high 26 points, Mo Williams added 15 and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Washington Wizards 107-80 on Friday night in the exhibition finale for both teams. The Cavaliers (3-5) had their highest scoring total of the preseason and committed only nine turnovers in the game at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. The Wizards were 2-5 in exhibition play… Delonte West earned the start at shooting guard in place of Sasha Pavlovic and had two points before spraining his left ankle with 1:40 remaining in the second quarter… The fourth quarter was delayed for 11 minutes after a member of the Cavaliers’ Scream Team dance squad was injured while performing during a timeout. After being attended to by more than a half-dozen medical workers, he was taken off the court on a stretcher and had movement in all his extremities.

Oct 22: Wizards 100, Spurs 95

The AP reports: Nick Young scored 15 points in his preseason debut to help the Washington Wizards beat the San Antonio Spurs 100-95 on Wednesday night… Washington also got 15 points in 23 minutes from Caron Butler, who has scored in double figures the past two games. The Spurs were led by Tim Duncan’s 20 points in 22 minutes. Duncan, who made 8-of-9 free throws, also grabbed eight rebounds… JaVale McGee, a 7-foot rookie out of Nevada taken with the 18th pick, finished 4-for-6 and hit his three free-throw tries to finish with 11 points.

Quotes from six Wizards

HEAD COACH EDDIE JORDAN

On Nick Young: “He had three really good practices.  He was awesome today.  He was probably the best player in practice today.   I would think that if he recovers tonight and tomorrow we think he’s fine, then he’ll play.”

On DerMarr Johnson and Linton Johnson: “We waived forwards DerMarr Johnson and Linton Johnson – both played very well for us and have been NBA players and will continue to be NBA players.  We really appreciate their efforts and their professionalism.”

FORWARD CARON BUTLER

On finishing up the preseason: “(We need to be) very serious.  We have to be professionals and go out to San Antonio and Cleveland and get some momentum.  We need to get some momentum going into the season.  The last few practices have been exceptional.  The younger guys have been playing great and the veteran leadership has been awesome.  It is what it is now – we made our final cuts to the roster and this is the team, so we know our personnel and what to expect going forward.”

On today’s practice: “I think today was great.  Over the last couple of practices, everything is really coming full circle.  We’re getting into the bulk of our offense and we’re playing against a real intense defense.  Guys are really trying to earn minutes.  Everybody is trying to put their best foot forward, trying to earn quality minutes and show the work that they put in all summer.  We’re anxious to play and I think everybody around the league is too.”

FORWARD ANTAWN JAMISON

On preparing for the regular season: “We still have a ways to go, but I think the sense of urgency is definitely there between the coaches and the players.  We know the amount of improvement that we need and what we have to do to get to that point.  There’s no panic button or anything like that, but it’s just time to turn things around.  It’s time to get focused and be mentally prepared for what we need to do.”

On his health heading into the season: “I feel great.  I’m ready for the season start.  I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing.  We know that we need to go out there and start it off right.”

GUARD/FORWARD NICK YOUNG

On how he’s feeling heading into the season: “I feel good.  I’ve had a lot of rest, so I was energized out there.  My shot was falling, so that’s always a confidence booster.  (I feel the intensity picking up) especially from the veterans like Caron, Antawn and DeShawn – they’ve been going hard.”

GUARD JUAN DIXON

On how his familiarity with the team has been beneficial to him: “Just knowing the system (has helped me).  Coach (Eddie Jordan) has a lot of confidence in me – he knows that I’m going to go out and execute plays and be in the right position on the floor.  My job is to do what they ask of me.  Whatever my role is, that’s what I’m going to go out there and do.”

FORWARD/CENTER ANDRAY BLATCHE

On what he wants to accomplish before the season starts: “It’s time for us to get more serious.  We’ve got to start trying to develop a flow together with the rotation guys.  Even though it’s preseason, (we need to) try and get some wins and compete.  The season is right around the corner – it starts on Wednesday.  It’s time for us to get serious and focus.”

Wizards waive DerMarr Johnson and Linton Johnson

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived forwards DerMarr Johnson and Linton Johnson. DerMarr Johnson appeared in five preseason games for Washington and averaged 8.8 points in 19.6 minutes per game. Linton Johnson appeared in four preseason games as a Wizard and averaged 1.3 points in 12.8 minutes per game. Both players originally signed with Washington on September 22, 2008.

The Wizards roster now stands at 15.

Washington will be without star point guard Gilbert Arenas for a few months and role-playing center Brendan Haywood for most of the season. But fortunately, star forward Antawn Jamison should be healthy soon and OK for the start of the regular season.

Jamison will be OK

The AP reports: Wizards all-star forward Antawn Jamison practised Monday without a protective sleeve on his banged-up right knee and expects to be at 100 per cent for the start of the regular season next week. “No pain at all. No stiffness or anything like that,” Jamison said after practice. “I feel pretty good.” He bruised the knee and left in the first quarter of Washington’s first exhibition game, at Dallas on Oct. 7.

Oct 17: Hornets 102, Wizards 80

The AP reports: Melvin Ely had 19 points and eight rebounds and Chris Paul added 10 points and eight assists to help the Hornets wrap up the NBA’s annual preseason tour of Europe with another strong performance. New Orleans, which cruised to a 96-80 victory over Washington in the first meeting on Tuesday in Berlin, will return home with a 5-0 preseason record… Caron Butler and rookie center JaVale McGee led Washington with 15 points each, while Jamison, who missed Tuesday’s loss, shot just 4-of-14 to finish with nine points.

Brendan Haywood out 4-6 months after surgery

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that center Brendan Haywood had successful surgery to repair a torn dorsal scapho-lunate ligament in his right wrist.  He originally suffered the injury on Thursday, October 2 during the Wizards’ training camp in Richmond, VA.

The procedure was performed by Dr. Michelle Carlson at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.  Haywood is expected to make a full recovery after missing four to six months while recovering from the surgery.  He will spend the next 10 weeks in a cast before he begins the rehabilitation process.

Oct 14: Hornets 96, Wizards 80

The AP reports: Chris Paul had eight assists and scored four points to help the Hornets jump out to an 18-0 lead. He played the entire first and third quarters and sat out the other two, finishing with 11 assists and nine points… The Hornets opened the second half without forward Julian Wright, who had to be carried off the court with a sprained ankle in the second quarter… Washington outscored the Hornets 22-15 in the third quarter, led by guard DeShawn Stevenson’s three 3-pointers. Stevenson hit five 3-pointers and finished with 15 points.