With Brendan Haywood off to the Mavericks in tonight’s trade it appears as if 23-year old Andray Blatche will be the new starting center for the Wizards. He has played in 49 games (4 starts) for the Wizards this season and he is averaging 21.9 minutes, 8.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Blatche has now played in 287 games (68 starts) for the Wizards in his career and he is averaging 18.5 minutes, 7.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. I’m anxious to see how well Blatche plays because he has a boatload of talent.

Veteran point guard Mike James is buried on the Washington Wizards’ bench and he is not happy about it right now. He has played in 3 games (0 starts) for the Wizards this season and he is averaging 14.3 minutes, 6.0 points, 1.0 rebound, 1.7 assists and 1.0 steal per game. James is buried on the depth chart for the Wizards but with the trade deadline approaching the Wizards could make a team wanting to trade of one of their betters players take him also.

Washington Wizards’ SF Caron Butler has not been shooting the ball well at all this month for the Washington Wizardsn and he is a big reason why they are 4-9 in the month of January.  Butler has scored over 20 points in only 4 of those games, and is hitting only 40% of his shots this month.  On the season Butler is averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists but he has seen his scoring average and shooting percentage dwindle this month.  He has hit only 5-20 threes this month (25%) and is hitting only 28% of his threes for the season.  Butler has never been a strong three-point shooter, with only a 31% career three point percentage, yet he continues to keep the three point shot a part of his game.  With his size and athleticism, I would like to see Butler be more aggressive and take the ball to the rack more often.  With Gilbert Arenas out, the Wizards have really needed Butler to pick it up on the offensive end.  He has done the opposite though and is really struggling ever since Arenas was suspended.  Besides the very pathetic New Jersey Nets (3-40), the Wizards have the worst record in the Eastern Conference.  With Butler playing so poorly on offense, it doesn’t look like things are going to get much better anytime soon.  He really needs to step his game up.

24-year old SG/SF Nick Young is stuck in a rut. He is softer than a roll of Charmin and all he likes to do on the basketball court is shoot the ball. Young has played in 30 games (12 starts) for the Wizards this season and he is averaging 19.8 minutes, 8.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. He has played in 187 games (19 starts) so far in his career with the Wizards and he is averaging 19.2 minutes, 9.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. The Wizards are likely going to be trading a lot of players in the near future which will open up some playing time for Young so he won’t have any excuses left.

DeShawn Stevenson has been so awful this season that the Wizards should just keep him on the very end of the bench as he is not helping the team. Stevenson has played in 27 games (6 starts) for the Wizards this season and he is averaging 15.0 minutes, 1.9 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Stevenson’s shooting has really sucked this season from everywhere on the floor as he is hitting only 25.4% from the floor, 13.5% from three point range and 68.2% from the free throw line. The Wizards just shouldn’t let him play anymore until he starts showing something.