Speeding Bullets: ‘A change in the starting lineup’ edition

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By Spence | December 23, 2008

It’s been a rough, agonizing season for the Washington Wizards so far. The team is 4-21 and has almost no chance of recovering in time to make the playoffs, even if PG Gilbert Arenas does return healthy in January. Co-Captain Caron Butler is upset :

“There are no Cleos around here. Even [Miss] Cleo couldn’t dictate this. It’s just one of those situations where it’s ‘Man, this is not okay.’ Somebody has to say something. This is not okay. It’s not okay to continue to lose games like this. And I know that everyone feels that way on the inside. I just expressed it, and I expressed all the way out from deep in my tummy. I just put it out there.”

So it is time for a change. Readers of this website know I have been calling for Coach Ed Tapscott to bench struggling SG Deshean Stevenson and start SG Nick Young in his place. Deshean, who is shooting under 32% from the field, heads to the bench tonight as the Wizards travel to Charlotte to play the Bobcats. Not only is Stevenson okay with the change, he suggested it.

“In a real team gesture he basically told me: ‘Hey Tap, I’m struggling a bit, why don’t you let me come off the bench and see if I can’t get my swag back going against some second-line guys,’ ” Tapscott said. “I thought that an enormously gracious thing to say. And so, we’re looking at different combinations with the lineup whether big or small and let DeShawn go with the second unit for awhile. He’s the ultimate team guy and that’s why I have so much respect for him.”

Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince is the only player in the league with a longer active starting streak than Stevenson.

So it is Nick Young to the starting lineup? Well, not necessarily.

Caron Butler could shift to shooting guard in a lineup that would also include Dominic McGuire at small forward. Or Nick Young could simply replace Stevenson.

Interesting. McGuire is a good defender and a helluva shot-blocker. Putting him in the game improves Washington’s rebounding, shot-blocking and front court defense. It’s not a big improvement in offense, as McGuire is no more of a scorer than Stevenson is. However, McGuire has more discipline on offense than Stevenson and is far less likely to take as many shots. The team’s overall shooting percentage should improve with McGuire on the court instead of Stevenson. One could argue that the team loses an outside shooting threat, but Stevenson has hardly been a threat from anywhere on the court this year.

If Butler is shifted to shooting guard, it would likely represent a major opportunity for McGuire, the second-year forward who has recently seen a larger role. Tapscott likes McGuire’s defensive versatility and it was on display during Sunday’s loss when McGuire at different points was assigned to Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Devean George and Jason Terry.

McGuire’s offense remains a work in progress, but he did finish Sunday’s game with seven points (on 2-of-5 shooting) with five rebounds, three steals and an assist in 24 minutes.

Butler has made two all-star appearances as a small forward, but he’s periodically played shooting guard during his career and said he’d be comfortable starting there tonight.

“I do, because it does give me opportunities to post up against smaller guards,” Butler said. “Obviously, you know then that a double team is going to come so guys are going to get quality looks and touches and they’ve got to take those shots. So yes, it’s something that I’m comfortable with.”

I don’t know if Butler or Young will work better as a shooting guard or if the team is better off with Young or McGuire in the starting lineup. I guess we’ll find out. I’m intrigued by going with the taller lineup, though, particularly as the Wizards have had a lot of problems on the glass this season.

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