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.

With Gilbert Arenas likely done for the season the Wizards need someone to step up at point guard. The thinking here is that Earl Boykins and Randy Foye will both get big bumps in playing time. Boykins has played in 24 games (0 starts) for the Wizards this season and he is averaging 19.0 minutes, 8.1 points, 1.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He got the start tonight at the point. Randy Foye has played in 31 games (7 starts) for the Wizards this season and he is averaging 17.3 minutes, 7.3 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Foye is much more talented than he has shown the Wizards so far this season so they need him to step up. If Foye can’t beat out Boykins for the starting job at some point this season the Wizards will have a huge bust on their hands.

The Wizards expected so much more than they are getting from Randy Foye this season. He has played in 21 games (2 starts) for the Wizards this season and he is averaging 6.8 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. Foye is only shooting 37.6% from the floor and if he keeps heaving up bricks the Wizards will have no choice but to keep him on the bench. The Wizards need Foye to step up and play like he did in Minnesota because they were depending on him to produce when they traded for him.