What Andray Blatche could be (or rather, should be) and what he is are vastly different things. What Andray Blatche could be, if you took the best things that he’s done over six-plus years in the NBA and strung them together, would be a scary amalgam of inside and outside game with the length to defensively disruptive. What he is, though, is a lazy player with a basketball IQ that has me wondering if he’s been eating paint chips.
So it’s no surprise to hear that not only are the Washington Wizards trying everything they can to trade him… but no one really wants him, either.
The Wizards have aggressively tried to deal Blatche in advance of the March 15 trade deadline, according to multiple league sources, but struggled to find any takers. Blatche is certainly open to a change of scenery, according to a person close to him.
The team discussed dealing Blatche to Charlotte last month for Tyrus Thomas but were rejected, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. Blatche is still owed nearly $23 million after this season, and rival teams have expressed concern about his conditioning and character.
After failing to generate much interest last season, when he averaged 16.8 points and 8.3 rebounds, the Wizards realize they face a more serious challenge trying to deal him now, when he has regressed and struggled to stay healthy.
The report goes on to hint that the Wizards may consider using their Amnesty Clause on Blatche. That’s how bad it’s gotten.
The sad thing is Blatche is in a decent situation in Washington. They’ve got Wall at the point who can penetrate, Nick Young who can spread the floor, and JaVale McGee who can finish feeds at the rim. The ingredients are there for a guy with Andray’s skill set. They’re looking to improve this year, not win a title. There’s not as much pressure in Washington as there would be other places.
But he’s not into it (Though I’m not sure anyone is Washington is into it right now). Blatche’s numbers are way down almost across the board. Right now he’s averaging 10.3 ppg on 38% shooting. His PER is an abysmal 11.48, worse than players like Bismack Biyombo (11.80) and Shelden Williams (12.14). And if you asked him where the weight room was, you’d probably get lost in the bowels of the team’s practice facility.
Of course Blatche is only 25 years old. And he’s only making $6.4 million this year (though he’s under contract for three more years). That means he’s a young kid with “potential” that doesn’t make ton of money. So while no one wants him right now, a team with a couple of expiring deals and some solid veteran leadership might be able to throw a little package together to take a chance on him. They’d, of course, have to ignore all the other stuff, which NBA GM’s are really good at doing when they think they can look like a genius for very little cost. It’s the equivalent of grabbing a beat-up car on Craigslist for not much money and swearing you can fix it up.
If you do, then you got one hell of a bargain. If you don’t, then you’ve got a big piece of junk on your front lawn that no one wants to take off your hands. That’s what Andray Blatche has become. And if he doesn’t like that, then it’s up to him to change it.
