The Wizards are going to be without starting power forward Andray Blatche for the next 3-5 weeks due to a left calf strain. Blatche has played in 17 games (13 starts) for the Wizards so far this year and he is averaging 28.5 minutes, 10.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. 21-year old rookie Jan Vesely and 24-year old Trevor Booker are going to split time until Blatche is ready to return to action. Vesely has played in 13 games (2 starts) for the Wizards so far this year and he is averaging 14.8 minutes, 2.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Booker has played in 20 games (5 starts) for the Wizards so far this year and he is averaging 17.6 minutes, 5.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Booker is shooting 55.3% from the floor so far this year. The Wizards are hoping that Vesely and Booker can hold the fort until Blatche is ready to return to action.

The Wizards have fired 56-year old head coach Flip Saunders. The Wizards were 2-15 on the year when Saunders got the axe as they averaged 88.6 points while giving up 99.3 points per game so far this year. Saunders compiled a 51-130 (28.2%) record in his three years in charge for the Wizards. He now has a career record of 638-526 (54.8%) during the regular season in his first 16 years on the job. He is also 47-51 (48%) in the playoffs. The Wizards are going to replace Saunders with 50-year old Randy Wittman for the rest of this season. He last was a head coach with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2008-09. He has a 100-207 (32.6%) record during his first five years as a NBA head coach. Don’t expect miracles out of Wittman as this is going to be a very long season for the Wizards.

The Washington Wizards have acquired 28-year old PF/C Ronny Turiaf, a 2013 second round pick and cash from the Knicks. They are also getting a 2012 second round pick from the Dallas Mavericks in this deal. All the Wizards are giving up is a protected 2012 second round pick, which they are sending to the Mavericks. The Mavericks dealt center Tyson Chandler and the draft rights to 24-year old power forward Ahmad Nivins and 26-year old forward Giorgos Printezis to the Knicks as part of this deal. The Mavericks are getting 25-year old shooting guard Andy Rautins and a huge trade exception from the Knicks.

Ronny Turiaf played in 64 games (21 starts) for the Knicks and he averaged 17.8 minutes, 4.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game. He has now played in 358 games (90 starts) in his first six years in the NBA and he is averaging 17.9 minutes, 5.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game. Turiaf should be able to provide defense and rebounding off the bench for the Wizards going forward. I really like this move for the Wizards as they essentially are getting something for nothing by getting involved in this deal with the Knicks & Mavericks.

The Wizards took 21-year old, 6′3″, 215 pound guard Shelvin Mack out of Butler with the 34th overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. Mack played in 38 games for Butler last year and he averaged 32.1 minutes, 16.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Mack played in 108 games in his three years in college and he averaged 31.2 minutes, 14.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. This was another solid pick for the Wizards as Mack can play either guard slot.

The Wizards took 21-year old, 6′9″, 220 pound forward Chris Singleton with the 18th overall pick in the NBA Draft last night. Singleton played in 28 games for Florida State last year and he averaged 29.1 minutes, 13.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game. Singleton played in 95 games in his three years in college and he averaged 29.1 minutes, 10.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocked shots per game. Singleton is a outstanding defensive player and he plays with a high motor. This was another very solid pick for the Wizards.