Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Wizards get Jamison, Foye back in lineup

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November 18

Washington Times

"Directing his players at Tuesday's practice session - the first in more than a month with all his core players healthy - coach Flip Saunders had to feel relieved. Antawn Jamison, one of the cornerstones for the Washington Wizards, was back for the second straight day. Randy Foye also was back in his role as the key rotation player after missing the past two games with a sprained ankle. Finally, Saunders & Co. were able to resume building on the foundation they laid during training camp and the first week of the preseason. "We're not a team that you would say has lost six games in a row if you're watching," Saunders said. "I think it's good to have Antawn back in the fold. ... Now you can ..."

Jamison expected to play Wednesday

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November 17

Washington Times

"The Washington Wizards had a completely healthy Antawn Jamison back on the practice court for the first time in five weeks, and he is expected to make his season debut Wednesday when the Cleveland Cavaliers come to town. The two-time All-Star power forward, who in the past two seasons has led the Wizards in both scoring and rebounding, missed the last two weeks of the preseason and all nine of the Wizards' regular-season games with a partially dislocated right shoulder. He was cleared for full-contact practice Thursday, but a virus kept him sidelined another three days, causing him to miss two practices and Saturday's 106-103 loss to Detroit. The Wizards did not practice Sunday, so Jamison ..."

Jamison practices, expected to play

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November 17

Washington Post

"Antawn Jamison's season debut was delayed the first time when he dislocated his right shoulder in Cleveland last month. It was delayed again when he came down with an illness that left him bedridden last weekend. But the two-time all-star forward, who has been sidelined five weeks, is finally expected to return on Wednesday against the Cavaliers. And it couldn't come any sooner for a team that has stumbled to a 2-7 start and is in the midst of a six-game losing streak. Jamison on Monday participated in his first full contact practice since he collided with Cavaliers reserve center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and suffered a shoulder subluxation on Oct. 14. Coach Flip Saunders said "he didn't show ..."

Wizards could receive partial fix

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November 14

Washington Times

"The Washington Wizards, desperate to snap a five-game losing streak, anxiously looked to this weekend for what they anticipated would mark both the season debut of team captain Antawn Jamison and the return of starting shooting guard Mike Miller. Jamison and Miller - as well as backup point guard Randy Foye, who sprained his ankle Tuesday - could be back in uniform for the Wizards on Saturday night when they host the Detroit Pistons, but the team will be far from whole again. And that's if they play. Jamison, who has been sidelined since Oct. 13 with a partially dislocated right shoulder, was cleared for practice Thursday. But his status for Saturday is in doubt because of a virus that ..."

Wizards, Boykins agree to contract

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November 12

Washington Times

"Down to one healthy point guard, the Washington Wizards signed 11th-year veteran Earl Boykins on Wednesday to back up Gilbert Arenas while the club waits for the healthy return of three other players at that position. "Earl is a proven veteran point guard who will provide us with leadership and stability off of the bench," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said. The Wizards, who were playing without power forward Antawn Jamison and shooting guard Mike Miller, did get some good news on the injury front. Jamison, sidelined since Oct. 14 with a partial dislocation to his right shoulder, is expected to make his season debut Saturday against Detroit. Miller, who sprained his left shoulder Nov. ..."

Sources: Wizards to sign Boykins

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November 11

ESPN.com

"The injury-hit Washington Wizards have turned to veteran guard Earl Boykins to bolster their depleted backcourt, sources told ESPN.com. The formal signing of Boykins to a one-year minimum deal for the rest of the season will be announced later Wednesday, according to sources with knowledge of the Wizards' thinking. Sources said that Washington (2-6) targeted Boykins to help them survive an injury crisis that has felled Randy Foye (ankle), Javaris Crittenton (foot) and Mike James (hand) in the backcourt alone. Starting forward Antawn Jamison and swingman Mike Miller are also out with shoulder injuries. And star guard Gilbert Arenas -- still recovering from three surgeries on the same knee ..."

Arenas sets franchise record, Foye helped off court with ankle sprain

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November 11

Washington Times

"Gilbert Arenas gave the Washington Wizards a scare about an hour before Tuesday night's game against the Miami Heat. After running through pregame warmups, the guard and team trainers informed coach Flip Saunders that the sore right calf that had kept Arenas out of Monday's practice was too tight for him to play. Saunders, who already had four other injured players, had to come up with a new starting lineup. But 10 minutes before tipoff, Arenas changed his mind. Not only did Arenas play - and start - he was on the court for a season-high 42 minutes and fell two assists shy of recording a triple-double. But it wasn't the type of triple-double he was looking for, nor the outcome he sought. ..."

Wizards stumble down the stretch; Miller out with sprained left shoulder

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November 5

Washington Post

"The Miami Heat was the Washington Wizards' opponent on Wednesday night, but in many ways, it could also serve as their inspiration. Only a year ago, the Heat bounced back from being the most putrid team in the Eastern Conference to making the playoffs after an all-star guard with a history of knee troubles spent an entire summer with renowned trainer Tim Grover. Dwyane Wade was resurrected last season and he led Miami to a 28-game turnaround. After studying that blueprint, Gilbert Arenas is hoping to lead a similar turnaround in Washington -- both of his career and the Wizards. But before a national television audience, Wade outscored Arenas, 40-32, and the Wizards learned that the road to ..."

Jamison will be out longer than expected

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October 24

Washington Post

"Whenever the Washington Wizards have struggled on the floor or dealt with a string of injuries, Antawn Jamison liked to use the phrase "Groundhog Day," a reference to the Bill Murray comedy in which Murray's character repeats the same day over and over until he gets it right. The Wizards know a little about unpleasant repetition, especially in recent years: They have high expectations in the offseason, a star (or two) gets hurt and the season sputters. They are forced to start yet another season with a sidelined all-star after an MRI exam on Thursday revealed that Jamison would miss an additional three to five weeks after sustaining a shoulder subluxation last week in Cleveland. "The most ..."

Jamison to Miss Remainder of Preseason

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October 16

Washington Post

"Antawn Jamison will miss at least the rest of preseason after an MRI on Thursday revealed that he had a subluxation of his right shoulder, which implies a partial dislocation (his shoulder basically popped out). In a release from the team, President Ernie Grunfeld announced that Jamison would be evaluated again next week after the inflammation in his shoulder subsides. Jamison was injured late in the first quarter of the Washington Wizards' 109-104 preseason win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. His arm fell limp after he attempted to foul Cleveland reserve center Zydrunas Ilgauskas with 4 minutes, 33 seconds remaining in the period. Jamison left the arena with his arm in a protective sling, ..."

Arenas says he's ready to go

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September 17

ESPN.com

"Gilbert Arenas says he's back to his explosive self but is wondering if it's the Wizards' fault that it has taken him so long to get back to normal. Arenas, who worked with trainer Tim Grover in Chicago this summer, told The Washington Times that his injuries are in the past. "Nobody could guard me before, and can't nobody guard me now," Arenas told the newspaper. "If I hadn't come up here, I'd be starting off the season with a 95 percent chance that I'd be sitting out more games. ... [Tim Grover] saved my career." Coming off three knee surgeries in 1½ years, Arenas played in only two games last season. Grover painted a grim picture of Arenas' health when the Washington Wizards guard ..."

The Wizards' inside man?

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July 17

Washington Times

"The Washington Wizards aren't keeping it a secret that they are shopping for an experienced big man. Rumors continue to swirl that the Wizards are targeting anyone from Fabricio Oberto to Chris Wilcox to fill a void at center. JaVale McGee thinks he can put an end to that. Entering his second NBA season, the 7-footer who played at Nevada knows he needs an impressive summer league performance to earn a spot in the Wizards' starting lineup. "That's definitely my main goal right now," McGee said. "Any player wants to be the main guy. I'm just trying to work as hard as I can and be the best at my position." As a rookie, McGee appeared in 75 games, starting 14, and averaged 6.5 points and 3.9 ..."

Wizards offer deal to ex-Spur Oberto

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July 14

San Antonio Express-News

"The Washington Wizards have made a contract offer to former Spurs center Fabricio Oberto, traded to the Detroit Pistons as part of the package that brought Richard Jefferson to the Spurs in a three-team, pre-draft trade with the Milwaukee Bucks last month. Terms of Washington's offer to Oberto aren't known. He was released by the Pistons after the deal was completed. Detroit remains obligated to pay $1.9?million of Oberto's partially guaranteed $3.8 million contract."

Many possibilities for potential Boozer trade

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July 5

Salt Lake Tribune

"Should they explore a Carlos Boozer trade in the wake of the two-time All-Star forward's decision Tuesday to opt against free agency in favor of playing out the final year of his contract, the Jazz can expect to have several options. A Boozer trade is expected in some circles if the Jazz re-sign restricted free agent Paul Millsap, to avoid a lame-duck season in which Boozer would be expected to leave afterward while Millsap possibly would have to continue to come off the bench. To make it happen, though, the Jazz would have to find a team interested in adding a power forward in Boozer or a team trying to save on a long-term salary commitment and/or clear salary-cap space for the ..."

T'Wolves Trade Likely Dashes Knicks' Rubio Hopes

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June 25

New York Post

"The Knicks hopes of trading up in the draft for Ricky Rubio -- always a longshot -- looked to be dashed last night when two NBA GMs told The Post that Minnesota was close to a deal with Washington, and possibly Memphis, to move up to the second slot. Minnesota would gain Washington's fifth pick and would try to package the fifth and sixth to Memphis to move up to No. 2, according to sources. That scenario was similar to the one the Knicks had discussed with Washington, obtaining the Wizards' fifth pick. The Knicks then would have dealt their own eighth pick and fifth to Memphis for the second pick in tomorrow's draft, as reported yesterday by Peter Vecsey. The Knicks offered Larry Hughes ..."

Source: Wizards considering dealing other pick

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June 25

Washington Times

"After using a trade Tuesday to upgrade their perimeter attack, the Washington Wizards enter Thursday's draft contemplating further deals that would strengthen the frontcourt. According to a league source, the Wizards are considering parting with the 32nd overall pick - possibly in a package with aging point guard Mike James, whose contract expires after next season - in an effort to acquire a veteran big man who would add depth to the frontcourt. If they are unable to land a veteran as part of a package deal, the Wizards still might trade the 32nd pick for future considerations. The Wizards traded the No. 5 pick in the draft plus veterans Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov ..."

Deal heats up race for Ricky Rubio

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June 24

The Oklahoman

"Just when it seemed the Thunder had become serious about going all in for Ricky Rubio on Tuesday afternoon, Oklahoma City appeared to lose ground in the race for the Spanish point guard sensation by Tuesday evening. The Washington Wizards have reportedly agreed to trade the fifth overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft and three players to Minnesota in exchange for Randy Foye and Mike Miller. It's a deal that would give Minnesota four first-round picks - Nos. 5, 6, 18 and 28 - or enough to entice Memphis at No. 2 to trade down and allow the Wolves toRubio.The deal, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports, came just hours after The Oklahoman confirmed a Yahoo! Sports report that the Thunder ..."

Wizards snag Foye, Miller

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June 24

Washington Times

"The Washington Wizards agreed in principle Tuesday night to send the No. 5 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, center Etan Thomas and forwards Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov to the Minnesota Timberwolves for guard Randy Foye and veteran swingman Mike Miller, multiple league sources told The Washington Times. The deal is expected to be finalized Wednesday morning after Thomas, who is due a $1.2 million trade bonus, signs an agreement that he won't opt out of his contract - which runs through the 2009-10 season - on July 1 and pursue free agency. Foye, a three-year veteran, started 61 games last season and averaged 16.3 points and 4.3 assists, while Miller has averaged 13.9 points, 5.0 ..."

Cleanup Starts By Throwing Out The Leftovers

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June 24

Washington Post

columnist Mike Wise

"Seeing how the trade is, oh, three minutes old and not yet consummated, let's take stock of what Ernie "Small Ball" Grunfeld hath wrought anyway: Washington's pro basketball team gets two scoring swingmen who like to have the ball in their hands, and gives up a onetime starting center, a banging veteran forward, a young 7-footer and the fifth pick in tomorrow's NBA draft. Hey, at least Brendan Haywood will never have to worry about his minutes in the pivot being cut again. In an apparent ongoing attempt to run, gun and mirror the pre-Shaq Suns, Grunfeld, the Wizards' president, dealt away that depressing No. 5 selection and three contracts to Minnesota for Mike Miller, Mr. Outside, and ..."

Wizards Make Their Move

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June 24

Washington Post

"The Washington Wizards' infatuation with Minnesota continues. The Wizards agreed in principle last night to a deal that would send the No. 5 overall pick, Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for forward Mike Miller and guard Randy Foye, two league sources said. The Wizards had been open to dealing the pick from the moment they slipped to the fifth pick in the draft lottery. Ernie Grunfeld, the Wizards' president of basketball operations, was considering several offers and had spoken with more than a dozen teams, but he jumped on the offer from Minnesota two days before tomorrow's NBA draft. The sources spoke on the condition of ..."

Wizards Rebuffing Inquiries for Butler

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June 23

Washington Post

"The Washington Wizards hold the fifth pick in Thursday's NBA draft and President Ernie Grunfeld has spoken openly about his willingness to move the selection, opening the door for numerous inquiries and trade discussions in the past few weeks. About half of the teams in the league have spoken with the Wizards, according to a league source, and most of those discussions have revolved around the draft choice. Some teams, though, have also asked about the availability of the Wizards' top players, with most focusing on Caron Butler. Multiple sources have confirmed that the Wizards engaged in conversations with the Phoenix Suns about acquiring all-star forward Amare Stoudemire last month, but ..."

Healthy Wizards hold enviable spot in draft

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June 22

Washington Times

"In an NBA Draft that - like many before it - features one perceived franchise savior and only a handful of elite prospects followed by many question marks, the forecast for Thursday is anything but predictable, and many trades are expected. In 2006, there were 15 draft-day trades, and this year's draft is expected to rival or surpass that. Some teams low in the draft - or without a first-round pick - badly want to move up to upgrade their rosters. Some teams higher in the draft would prefer to move down to get more picks and bolster their rebuilding projects. In the middle of it all is the Washington Wizards, who hold the fifth pick but are in one of the more favorable positions in the ..."

Seven for Five

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June 20

Washington Post

"The Washington Wizards will have another workout on Monday, but they have concluded workouts with the players they are considering for the No. 5 pick in the NBA draft on Thursday. Coach Flip Saunders told season ticket holders this week that the team is considering seven players for the spot, and it should be pretty obvious which players are in the mix. Someone within the organization told me that I would be able to tell which players they are considering based on the players they bring in. Since Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet and Ricky Rubio haven't/won't work out for the Wizards, we can eliminate them from that equation. That is, unless one of them slips. So I thought it would be a good ..."

Wizards work out Evans and Harden

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June 13

Washington Times

"A day after hosting North Carolina's Ty Lawson and Southern Cal's DeMar DeRozan, the Washington Wizards worked out four more prospects Friday, hoping to find the right fit for their No. 5 and No. 32 picks in the NBA Draft. The group included lottery projections Tyreke Evans of Memphis and James Harden of Arizona State. Evans, whose ability to play point guard and shooting guard makes him attractive to the Wizards, spent about 30 minutes after the workout talking to team president Ernie Grunfeld. "[Grunfeld was just telling me] a lot of things about the league, what I can do well with the ball, where I can create for other players [when I] play the point guard position," said Evans, who has ..."

Washington Trade Rumors: Ginobili

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June 13

Washington Post

"As I've stated before, this time of year, there are several rumors that get floated around, names get mentioned, people start to get in a tizzy. One minute it's Ricky Rubio, then it's Amare Stoudemire, then it's Josh Howard. Now, the latest is talk about the Washington Wizards having a deal on the table for Manu Ginobili for a package involving the No. 5 pick. The website, Hoopsworld, has a purely speculative story about it and now it's all over the Internet. I still don't know what the big deal is. Until I see something meaty, there really is no need to overreact. From what I hear, this is what went down: The San Antonio Spurs contacted the Wizards to inquire about what it what it would ..."

Wizards Look at Harden, Evans

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June 13

Washington Post

"With the NBA draft less than two weeks away and rumors flying about whether the Washington Wizards will keep or deal the fifth pick, the past three days at Verizon Center have featured pre-draft workouts for a wide spectrum of players, the majority of whom are not considered lottery selections. However, if the Wizards don't make a move before June 25, and if the team's brass decides to select a back-court mate for Gilbert Arenas, the decision could come down to two players who worked out individually yesterday: Arizona State sophomore James Harden and Memphis freshman Tyreke Evans. Both players are considered potential top-five picks, and on paper, they have some similarities. They are ..."

Two potential plans for No. 5

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June 5

Washington Examiner

"Since the ill-fatedin the NBA Draft Lottery two weeks ago, falling two spots to land the fifth overall pick in the June 25 draft, the Washington Wizards have become one of the most talked about teams in pre-draft trade rumor circles. Two significant trade rumors have emerged courtesy of various NBA Web sites. Both are worth exploring. Rumor No. 1 Washington gets Amare Stoudemire from Phoenix in exchange for the No. 5 pick, [a Wizards star] and [a Wizards expiring contract].* Financial pressures on the Suns, as well as other teams in the NBA, make this less surprising than you might think. In this case, if the Wizards superstar is aging Antawn Jamison, the deal is lopsided in favor of ..."

If the Wizards Draft Big, Hill Could Loom Large

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May 30

Washington Post

"On the night of the NBA draft lottery, Blake Griffin's older brother Taylor told him that he thought Blake was going to wind up in Washington. "He felt like it would be a good place for me," Blake Griffin, the consensus choice to go No. 1 overall in the June NBA draft, said this week at the draft combine in Chicago. Unfortunately for fans of the Wizards, Taylor Griffin was not in charge of deciding where his brother would start his NBA career. Ping-Pong balls established the numerical combination that resulted in the Los Angeles Clippers winning the top pick, and the Wizards were forced to make do with No. 5. Wizards Coach Flip Saunders joked that he would be okay with the fifth pick, so ..."

James picks up option

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May 28

Washington Examiner

"Washington Wizards guard Mike James has picked up his player option for the 2009-10 season, agent Bernie Lee just informed me. James averaged 9.6 points and 3.6 assists in 53 games (50 starts) for the Wizards last season after being acquired eight games into the year from New Orleans in a three-team deal that also garnered Washington Javaris Crittenton from Memphis while sending New Orleans guard Antonio Daniels and a second-round draft pick. The Grizzlies picked up a conditional draft pick that the Wizards had originally acquired in the deal that gave Memphis Juan Carlos Navarro. James will earn $6.7 million this season. Because it is the final year of his contract, he could very well be ..."

Working out for Wizards, Vasquez declares: not Europe

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May 22

Washington Examiner

"It's the NBA or College Park for Greivis Vasquez next season, of that you can be sure. "Let's make that clear," the Maryland junior said Thursday after working out for the Washington Wizards. "Greivis Vasquez is not going overseas. He's not playing in Europe. I would rather get my education and get my degree if it comes to me going overseas." Vasquez stood out among the third and best foursome yet to audition for the Wizards ahead of the June 25 draft, which also included Kentucky junior Jodie Meeks, Ole Miss junior David Huertas and LSU senior Marcus Thornton. Thursday also marked the first appearances for Sam Cassell and Randy Wittman, who were both named assistant coaches to Flip ..."

Former Wizards Coach Jordan Interviewing for Kings Job

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May 12

Washington Post

"Since he was dismissed as coach of the Washington Wizards in November, Eddie Jordan's daily schedule involved three things: Dropping off his children, Jackson and Skylar, at the bus stop in the morning; picking them up from the bus stop in the afternoon and watching NBA basketball on television at night. But that easygoing lifestyle -- which also included the occasional lunch date with his wife, Charrisse -- could soon come to an end. Jordan is set to meet today and tomorrow with Sacramento Kings co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof and President of Basketball Operations Geoff Petrie in Las Vegas about their coaching vacancy. He is eager to get back to the stresses of late-night film sessions, ..."

Wizards reportedly will hire former Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders

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April 15

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Former Minnesota Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders has agreed to become the coach of the Washington Wizards, with an announcement expected next week, according to an NBA executive. Owner Abe Pollin has approved the hiring of Saunders, the choice of president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld to succeed interim coach Ed Tapscott, the executive told the Associated Press. The executive spoke on condition of anonymity because the season has not ended and the Wizards are not yet prepared to make a formal announcement. Saunders will be taking over the worst team in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards are 19-62 after Monday night's home loss to Toronto and need to win tonight's season finale ..."

While Waiting on Saunders, Wizards Focus on 20th Win

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April 15

Washington Post

"Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld said through a team spokesman yesterday that no agreement has been reached for Flip Saunders to coach the team, despite two media reports that a deal has been finalized. Saunders has been offered the job and is expected to become coach of the Wizards, possibly early next week, according to league sources. One source called Saunders's hiring "inevitable." Another said the two sides are still ironing out some minor details on the deal. Regardless of who the next coach is, the Wizards (19-62) will finish the season last in the Eastern Conference and need to defeat the Boston Celtics tonight at TD Banknorth Garden to avoid tying the 2000-01 team for the worst ..."

No Saunders Deal Yet

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April 14

Washington Post

"Like a lot of you, we saw the Yahoo report that Flip Saunders has agreed to a four-year, $18 million deal to coach the Wizards. Michael Lee had a couple chances to go straight to the source(s) tonight, even as the Wizards were letting a fourth-quarter lead against the Raptors slip away, and he got a clear message: "Nothing done or agreed upon. Someone jumping the gun." He asked the questions. You can interpret that answer however you want to interpret it. Michael updates the whole Saunders situation here. The later versions of the story include a quote from inside the organization saying the hiring is "invevitable.""

Wizards want Saunders, but no deal in place, says source

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April 13

Washington Examiner

"The Wizards plan to return to the playoffs next season. So who better to chart the course than a man who's been there in every one of his 11 full seasons as an NBA head coach? The Wizards appear close to hiring Flip Saunders to replace interim head coach Ed Tapscott. According to a league source, the Wizards are targeting Saunders, but no deal is in place. Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld is unlikely to make anything official until after the season finale Wednesday at Boston. Saunders, 54, has a 587-396 career record, taking the Minnesota Timberwolves to the playoffs eight straight times (1997-2004) and the Detroit Pistons to three postseason appearances ..."

Wizards, Saunders 'done deal'

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April 13

Washington Times

"The Washington Wizards have zeroed in on Flip Saunders as their top choice to be the team's next head coach, and a league source said an agreement between the parties is imminent. Multiple league sources confirmed that Saunders is the Wizards' top choice and that team officials and the coach have been in talks about the position that became available when Washington fired Eddie Jordan on Nov. 24. "It's a done deal," said one high-ranking league source, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "He's definitely [Washington's] top choice," another Eastern Conference executive said. "He's the top candidate out there, so in this shrinking job market, I imagine that he and his agent will want to ..."

Saunders In Line To Coach Wizards

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April 13

Washington Post

"As one of the Washington Wizards' worst regular seasons in franchise history slogs to a close, all signs are pointing to Flip Saunders being named the team's head coach as early as next week. A league official and a Western Conference team official both have said on condition of anonymity that Saunders is the top choice of General Manager Ernie Grunfeld. The team official added that Saunders, the former coach of the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves, already has tabbed former NBA player Sam Cassell as an assistant. The officials requested anonymity because they are not at liberty to speak on behalf of the Wizards. No deal has been finalized, but Saunders is among at least five ..."

Wizards will hire Saunders, reports say

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April 13

Detroit Free Press

"Flip Saunders is on the verge of being hired as the next coach of the Wizards, Washington papers are reporting. The former Pistons coach reportedly will replace Ed Tapscott -- who took over after the firing of Eddie Jordan and will be offered a job in the front office, according to the Washington Post -- as early as this week. But nothing's official yet. "Those decisions will be made at the appropriate time," Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld told the Post. "We still have two games left." Saunders -- who had previously coached the Minnesota Timberwolves -- took over the Pistons in 2005-06, the season after their last NBA finals appearance. He guided them to a 176-70 record and a .715 ..."

Sources: Saunders talking to Wizards

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April 12

ESPN.com

"Flip Saunders appears to be at the top of the Washington Wizards' coaching wish list, according to league sources. While no deal has been struck, one source said the two sides have had preliminary discussions. Approaching Saunders makes it clear that the Wizards do not plan to remove the interim tag on Ed Tapscott, their director of player development who coached the team for most of the season. Tapscott replaced the incumbent, Eddie Jordan, three weeks into this season after an injury-plagued 1-10 start. Jordan, 54, helped the Wizards reach the playoffs in four of his five full seasons as coach but made it out of the first round only once. Both Saunders and Jordan are expected to be part ..."

NBA interim coaches still on bubble

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April 5

The Oklahoman

"NBA teams fired eight coaches this season. Six before Christmas. How many interim guys will be back next season?Lionel Hollins was given the job full-time in Memphis. But even Hollins' job security is tenuous since he was given only a one-year deal through the 2009-10 season.Of the seven interim coaches, Philadelphia's Tony DiLeo and Oklahoma City's Scott Brooks are expected to return.DiLeo hadn't coached in nearly two decades. His last coaching job was leading West Germany's men's and women's national teams in the 1980s. Implementing old-fashioned ideas that helped him win nine titles in his country's top division during an 11-year run in West Germany, DiLeo has done a stellar job with ..."

Arenas Likely to Start

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March 27

Washington Post

"Gilbert Arenas remains on schedule to make his debut Saturday night against Detroit and will likely start, according to interim coach Ed Tapscott. Officially, Arenas is called a "game-time decision" but as long as all goes well in shootaround Saturday morning, he's going. Tapscott didn't say how many minutes he'll play Arenas but did say it wouldn't be anything outlandish like in the 36 to 38 minute range. The word he used as "intelligent." -Caron Butler practiced and will be a game-time decision on that hamstring, Darius Songaila did some work and will be a game-time decision with pinched nerve in his neck. Juan Dixon is officially a game-time decision but the achilles continues to bother ..."

Will he or won't he?

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March 25

Washington Examiner

"The long, lost features of a Wizards practice were in place Tuesday - cameras, microphones, TV reporters, bloggers, a buzz. In short, all the elements Gilbert Arenas needed to be Greta Garbo. Leaving Verizon Center without a word, Arenas extended the suspense over his imminent return from October knee surgery. Ah, the elusive Agent Zero is back. The Wizards guard has been practicing on and off since the All-Star break. But when he fired off a text message to Comcast's Chris Miller on Monday, revealing his intention to come back Saturday against the Detroit Pistons, the Washington press was mobilized. Can it really be true? It's never safe to assume anything with Arenas. So don't rule out ..."

Arenas Says He'll Play on Saturday

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March 24

Washington Post

"Gilbert Arenas said yesterday that he has tentatively scheduled Saturday night's home game against the Detroit Pistons for his long-awaited comeback. Arenas, who has yet to play this season and played only 13 regular season games last season on a left knee that has been surgically repaired three times, has waffled about whether he would play at all this season, but appeared to make up his mind yesterday while leaving a little wiggle room. "First, I have to see how I feel in practice this week," Arenas said. "Then, I have to be totally cleared with the medical staff and then, I have to talk to [interim coach Ed Tapscott] about a plan for how I'm going to play." Prior to last night's game ..."

Ewing Would Listen To Grunfeld's Pitch

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March 14

Washington Post

"According to a blog post on the Orlando Sentinel Web site on Friday, former Georgetown star and current Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing would be interested in interviewing for the Wizards' head coaching job after the season. Citing people close to Ewing, who served as an assistant with the Wizards during the 2002-03 season, Ewing would be "receptive" if President Ernie Grunfeld has interest in interviewing him. According to the Sentinel, Ewing will not publicly comment about specific jobs that might open after the season out of respect for those interim coaches currently coaching the teams. The Wizards are not expected to retain interim coach Ed Tapscott, who took over for Eddie ..."

Arenas, Haywood Unlikely to Return

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March 10

Washington Post

"With each passing day, it's becoming increasingly unlikely that Wizards fans are going to see Gilbert Arenas and/or Brendan Haywood in uniform before the regular season ends April 15 at Boston. Following Monday's game at Minnesota, the Wizards have 18 games left and there is no indication that either Arenas, who has missed the entire season because of a left knee injury that has plagued him since April 2007, or Haywood, who has been out since injuring his right wrist during the last week of training camp, is close to seeing game action. Arenas has practiced some since the all-star break concluded Feb. 17, but has not made recent road trips, including the four-gamer that concluded Monday ..."

Wizards' Next Coach A Subject to Ponder

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March 2

Washington Post

"The Washington Wizards have 23 games remaining in what has been a brutal season. That final stretch continues with a home game against the Atlanta Hawks tonight, but speculation is already swirling about the team's future and one of the biggest decisions team president Ernie Grunfeld has to make is this: Who will be the next head coach? Ed Tapscott replaced Eddie Jordan on an interim basis on Nov. 24 after the team got off to a 1-10 start under Jordan, who had led the team to four straight playoff appearances and ranks as one of the most successful coaches in franchise history. Grunfeld has not openly said that Tapscott will not be back but that's pretty much a foregone conclusion, ..."

For Wizards, All's Quiet at Trade Deadline

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February 20

Washington Post

"The NBA trade deadline came and went yesterday afternoon without the Washington Wizards making a move. Numerous rumors linked the Wizards to several possible trades, but ultimately President Ernie Grunfeld didn't find a deal to his liking or couldn't make one work, so the Wizards (12-42) will go into tonight's game at New Jersey with the same roster. The lack of activity was not a major surprise given Grunfeld's reluctance to part with his two most sought-after players: forwards Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. Also, the fact that many teams were looking to shed players while precious few wanted to take on anything other than expiring contracts led to far fewer deals consummated than ..."

Cavs free to spend if they choose

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February 18

Yahoo! Sports

"As NBA front-office trade discussions centered on teams desperately trying to shed payroll Tuesday, the Cleveland Cavaliers are one of the few franchises willing to bring on bigger talent and more salary, league executives said. After thus far failing to make a deal for Phoenix’s Amare Stoudemire, the Cavaliers are trying to pry forward Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards, league sources said. The Cavaliers are offering Wally Szczerbiak and his $13 million expiring contract, sources said. The Wizards would have to add another player into the trade – possibly center Etan Thomas – to make the deal possible. So far, Washington wants no part of such a deal. Wizards executives aren’t ..."

A Plan Gone Awry

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February 18

Washington Post

"Ernie Grunfeld's plan was to sprinkle talented youngsters and veteran role players around a core of three star players. Then he would watch the team progress deep into the playoffs, perhaps to a long-awaited second NBA championship. Instead, the Washington Wizards are coming out of the all-star break with an 11-42 record, and Grunfeld, the team president, is facing major questions about the direction of the team he built. After four straight playoff appearances and a string of all-star game appearances by Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, the team's descent this season has been dizzying. The team is on pace for its worst record in franchise history, and Wizards fans are ..."

Wizards Trade Rumors