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Wizards look to mix experience with youthPerhaps no team in the league worked harder this summer than the Washington Wizards at washing away the residue of last season. And with that done, the team now looks to build toward long-term success. That will be the theme today when the Wizards open training camp. Players with three-years-or-less experience begin two-a-days here at the College of Charleston. "You have to think that you are good enough to make the playoffs," said new point guard Gilbert Arenas, who will be one of 14 players present when workouts begin at 10 a.m. "At the same time we've got a lot of young guys who are going to get better. We're going to have to keep improving." Former coach Doug Collins, fired over the summer and replaced by Eddie Jordan, spent his tenure preaching the importance of cultivating a young nucleus of players. And, at the same time, Collins wanted the Wizards to be a playoff contender, which they were until the last week of the season that ended 37-45. When the veterans — players with four years experience or more — join the younger players Thursday, the aged Michael Jordan and Charles Oakley will not be part of the mix. And neither will Bryon Russell, another 30-something player, who opted out of the final year of his contract. As a result, forward Christian Laettner and point guard Chris Whitney will be the only players in camp older than 30 with guaranteed contracts. Of the players expected to make the roster for the upcoming season, nine are 24 or younger. Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Wizards seeking answers in campThe biggest question, of course, is how many games the Washington Wizards will win this season. But as players begin reporting to training camp at the College of Charleston (S.C.), more pressing questions must be answered first. Is Kwame Brown ready to begin the process of becoming a franchise player, or is he destined to be a flop? Is point guard Gilbert Arenas as good as advertised and on the cusp of superstardom? Is Jerry Stackhouse, an All-Star in Detroit, ready to rejoin the game's elite players? Newcomer Eddie Jordan, the team's seventh coach since 1999, has the daunting task of resolving these questions and others. Considered one of the better teaching coaches while an assistant in New Jersey the last four seasons, Jordan takes over a team with nine players 24 and younger — all of whom could be on the roster when the Wizards open the season in Chicago Oct. 29. Jordan, who coached a horrible Sacramento team to a 33-64 record in the final 15 games of the 1996-97 season and all of 1997-98, is aware of the Wizards' many gray areas. "What's our growth rate?" Jordan said, sounding unsure himself. "Is it going to be really fast? Is it going to be difficult or is it going to be a normal process? We'll have to see." The Wizards' last two seasons differed from the typical only in that Michael Jordan transformed the team into a cash cow that led the NBA in attendance. The on-court results were in line with the franchise's recent history of failure. Washington was 37-45 both seasons, failed to reach the playoffs last spring for the 14th time in 15 years and extended to 21 the number of seasons since it last won a playoff series. "It's a process, and it always was a process," said president of basketball operations Ernie Grunfeld, who replaced Michael Jordan in the front office. "You have to take one step at a time. You can't go from not reaching the playoffs for seven or eight years and not winning a playoff series for 21 years to winning a championship. There are steps to be taken. That's going to take a lot of dedication and a lot of hard work, and we're committed to getting there." Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Magic bidding with Nuggets, Wizards for HarveyThe Orlando Magic likely will wait until after training camp begins to sign a veteran point guard, but they are looking to immediately add another big man with Florida ties. The Magic are trying to sign former Florida Gator Donnell Harvey, a rugged 6-foot-8, 220-pound power forward. They have competition from the Denver Nuggets and the Washington Wizards for his services. Magic General Manager John Gabriel said there's more work to do to land Harvey -- a favorite of Coach Doc Rivers. "But I would think we got a chance," Gabriel said. Harvey would give the Magic something they lack off the bench: a physical defensive presence, Gabriel said. Harvey, a three-year pro, averaged 7.9 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season in Denver. Gabriel said signing Harvey would not preclude the Magic from adding a point guard. The club is looking for a veteran to relieve Tyronn Lue and mentor rookie Reece Gaines. John Crotty and Shammond Williams -- veterans who both played with the Nuggets last season -- are among several guards who have been invited to camp. Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets, Washington Wizards Read the Full Story Discuss Send Feedback Buy Tickets Wizards Sep 2003 Archive
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