Andray Blatche? (Getty Images) |
Anybody want Andray Blatche?
Seriously. Does anybody want Andray Blatche? C'mon, anyone?
After being amnestied by the Wizards and clearing waivers going unclaimed, Blatche remains a free agent. And he's drawing virtually no interest from anyone.
According to the Washington Post, Blatche's agent Andy Miller said his client hasn't received any "significant overtures" as of now. I think "significant overtures" is just the nicest way Miller can say, "Nobody at all has called."
Blatche is considered damaged goods as of now as last season was a complete disaster for him. He was out of shape to the point the Wizards shut him down. His character has always been a question mark and he's been tagged as a problem player. The Wizards have a little frontcourt depth with Nene, Emeka Okafor, Jan Vesely and Kevin Seraphin, but dumping Blatche was a necessary move just to cleanse the Wizard locker room of past knuckleheads.
But Blatche remains an interesting available player. Yes, he's got the scarlett letter on him right now and general managers are scared to go near him for a lot of reasons, but don't forget, he averaged 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in the 2010-11 season. And his numbers were closer to 20-10 after Antawn Jamison was traded away.
He's only 26 and has clear talent. He's a versatile power forward that can shoot, pass and rebound. It's his drive and desire people question, as well as the head on his shoulders. After he got a solid $30 million extension from the Wizards following his breakout season, he basically turned to unproductive fat dust.
Surely there's some team out there that feels they can fit Blatche into their locker room. He'll likely come pretty cheap and it could be a moderate risk, high reward move for a team. He's got to stay away from a team like the Kings where he'd likely compound a problem and look more to a team like the Bulls, Heat or Spurs where he wouldn't have a choice. Either get it together, or prepare to move down the line.
Seriously though, does Blatche not seem like an absolutely perfect fit with the Spurs and the type of move they'd totally do that works out wonderfully?
Blatche will eventually draw interest from somewhere. He has too much talent not too and talent always trumps the negatives. It's the way the NBA works. The Pacers, the Magic, the Clippers, the Hawks, the Lakers, the 76ers -- it seems like there are a number of decent fits out there.
But Blatche is still waiting on that first phone call. Maybe it'll be of the wake up variety too.