McGee, Young are on new coach’s radar
With the opening of Washington Wizards minicamp last weekend — and the team’s participation in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas this week — so begins the first official work for the franchise since hiring new head coach Flip Saunders.
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But make no mistake, his initial study of the team, in particular Washington’s quartet of Vegas veterans — Javaris Crittenton, JaVale McGee, Dominic McGuire and Nick Young — is already complete, and Saunders is itching to move things forward.
“We actually put together a mini-playbook, which probably not too many people have done before,” said Saunders on Saturday. “Guys understand the importance.”
Crittenton said he heard a lot about Saunders but didn’t know a whole lot about him.
“Great first impression,” said Crittenton. “The guy comes in, he works us hard, makes sure we’re on top of our game. He’s not working us crazy, just making sure that we’re listening to him, doing the things we’re supposed to do.”
Tactically, Crittenton’s task may be the toughest: earning minutes in a crowded backcourt emphasized in Saunders’ offense. But Young, who missed Saturday due to illness, represents the mentality the coach is aiming to re-mold into his own image.
“Nick is a very happy-go-lucky guy, and he smiles a lot,” said Saunders. “I think as a young player, you don’t always need to smile. You’re better off having a little bit of that nastiness and understanding. I never saw Michael Jordan smile too much. Whenever he smiled, it was when he was kicking your butt.”
Saunders is seeking the same kind of balance and consistency from McGee.
“You don’t have to be more physical to have an impact on the floor,” said Saunders of his second-year seven-footer. “You look at a guy like Chris Andersen from Denver. He might not be the most physical guy, but he plays at a high energy level and so it looks like he’s almost more physical. [McGee] has to play at that high energy level consistently.”
The analysis is specific, but there are hints of a larger philosophy, expectations of restoring a higher level of professionalism, intensity and maturity to last year’s oft-criticized Wizards locker room.
“I like players that are cerebral,” said Saunders, “and become very cerebral through repetition and asking questions, not being afraid to ask a question, not hiding in the background, not wanting to get on the court for fear of making a mistake. I think because they understand those things, I thought today they’ve come out and they put themselves out on the line a little bit. Sometimes you have to do that.”
