July 8, 2005
Hughes Bolts to Cleveland
The first rule of the NBA offseason? Resign your own free agents.
Dealing a major blow to the team's playoff aspirations for 2006, today Jeff Wechsler, agent for Wizards guard Larry Hughes, told ESPN.com that Hughes will not return to Washington next season, opting to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers instead. Hughes, a free agent, was expected to return to Washington to build upon the team's first appearance in the 2nd round of the playoffs since the 80's, but instead decided to join NBA wunderkind LeBron James in Cleveland.
Internet buzz had the Wizards offering Hughes a contract beginning at roughly $8 million a year, which apparently insulted Hughes. After his breakout season last year (22 ppg, 4.7 apg, 2.89 steals), he felt he was in line for a pay raise along the lines of what Gilbert Arenas($10.2 million) and Antawn Jamison($13.8 million) were making. The Wizards eventually upped their offer to a five year deal worth about $70 million, but by then it was too late. Hughes opted to sign in Cleveland for similar money.
What now for the Wiz? Hughes obviously leaves a big hole in the backcourt, and they still have Kwame Brown to deal with. The market for free agent shooting guards is dwindling (and getting more expensive) daily and time is running short. Look for them to dangle Brown in a trade in order to bring back a new running mate for Gilbert Arenas. Maybe that Brown for Bonzi Wells deal we proposed a while back makes a bit more sense now.
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bring back bobby simmomns, sign-and-trade kwame for mike sweetney. then you've got gilbert/simmons/antawn/sweetney/haywood. not bad. maybe throw some cash at stromile swift. slasher types like larry are always available. $14 million/year was far too much for him.
That sucks. good thing they keep drafting big dudes like Peter John Ramos or whatever his name is. Apparently Michael Finley and Allan Houston might be free agents because of the new amnesty clause rule thing, and either one would be good to have, assuming the Wiz want to spend money.
That was a TERRIBLE decision by the front office--and here I thought they were of a serious mind. We can't go back to the days where our rep was that we would never pay a guy enough to play. Hughes is going to be tough to replace.
Kwame, on the other hand, won't be.
Damn. I'm going to miss Larry.
Dear Ernie:
No biggie. Just get Bobby Simmons back, everything will be fine, if not better.
Regards,
Me
Bobby Simmons signed with Milwaukee yesterday. The curse of Elgin Baylor strikes again.
larry hughes, you've broken my heart.
I was lamenting this last night at the Black Cat when DCist Kyle vbery wisely interjected: "Dont forget about Jarvis Hayes." Hayes will have an opportunity to step up next year. I've always salivated at the thought of his potential--I still think he can develop into a pretty reliable scorer. Wonder about his D, though.
Wilbon had a good column about this. He said Hughes wasn't worth near-max money, especially since the 'zards still need a big man.
As a native Northeast Ohioan who grew up watching Brad Daugherty, Mark Price, and Larry Nance, this is very exciting.
According to David Aldridge of the Philly Inquirer, the Wiz are in talks with the Lakers about a potential that will send Prince Kwame to LA for guard Caron Butler (to fill the guard spot vacated by Larry or compete with Jarvis Hayes for it). Not a bad deal and anything we can get for that headcase would be good since he'll never prosper in DC. Butler was incredible in college playing for UConn and I think he is on his way in becoming a very good starter in the NBA.