HOOPLOG: Jared Jeffries

Butler is Inserted Into Starting Lineup

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 16:23:46 -0800

"Washington Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan shook up his starting lineup and reserve rotation Wednesday night by making Caron Butler a starter along with Gilbert Arenas, Jared Jeffries, Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood," writes Ivan Carter of THE WASHINGTON POST.

Head On

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 10:53:10 -0800

So the popular pickup in leagues across the country last night was surely Luther Head. I must give credit to the guy in my league who snagged him a few hours before last night’s tip off. Good thinking. Head started, played 43 minutes and poured in 28 points, grabbed 7 boards, hit 5 3s, made 9-of-17 from the field, all 5 free throws, and added 3 assists. Quite a game. Still, color me skeptical that Head will be able to keep this up, or even come close. First off, the Rockets just don’t score enough so that anyone but Yao will have consistent value when Tracy McGrady is out. Yao is clearly the team’s first option, and they slow the game down to a crawl to get him involved. Usually there’s one player that manages to have a fantasy-worthy game in addition to Yao (who it should be noted is shooting 36-for-89 – 40% -- with T-Mac out compared to 44-for-76 – 58% with him in there). Maybe it will be David Wesley, maybe Derek Anderson, maybe Head. It’s risky to be counting on any of them. The more intriguing development is that if Head does manage to have a few more games close to this level, Rafer Alston might have a really, really hard time finding those 35 mpg he needs when he comes back. It’s looking worse and worse for Rafer everyday.

Some other recently won starting jobs and thoughts on them…

Jarvis Hayes – It’s well known that we’re Wizards fanatics around here, so it’s quite rare that I’ll miss a minute of any Wizards game. Over the past week this has caused me much frustration. In an effort to shake things up, Eddie Jordan replaced the struggling (putting it quite mildly) Antonio Daniels in the starting lineup with Jarvis Hayes. I’ll say this about Hayes – he is clearly the most improved player on the Wizards this year. He was drafted as a jump shooting specialist, but the thing was, over this first two years he could not shoot. He hit 40% and 39% of his shots in his first two seasons, and also had trouble staying healthy. But something has clicked this year. His jumper has always looked smooth and now it’s actually starting to fall, as Jarvis is connecting on 46% of his shots. His ideal range is out to 20 feet or so, he’s not a great three-point shooter, but he’s taking more than ever this year, and could connect on just over 1 per game if he keeps his starting job. He’s a good rebounder when he wants to, and the Wizards could really use him crashing the boards more, but he’ll never be much of a plus there. And that’s the rub with Jarvis’s fantasy game. He’ll never hit a ton of 3s, get many steals or blocks or score all that much. He got 31 minutes in his first start last night, and if he stays around that number he’ll be a very borderline fantasy play, because he’ll need to shoot a high percentage to have much value. Also, he’s no better than the fourth option on this team. Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler will all get their production. Butler didn’t play as much last night, but it’s hard to see Eddie Jordan leaving him on the bench in favor of Jared Jeffries for too much longer. Hayes is worth a look if you have a roster spot to play with, but it’s hard to see him helping you out too much.

Jim Jackson – It’s hard to imagine anyone picked up JJ after his 0-for-7 stinker last night. Jackson entered the starting lineup with Leandro Barbosa out of action for a couple of weeks, but didn’t take advantage of the opportunity at all. But take a look at the minutes column – in his first game as a starter, JJ saw 35 minutes of action. Only Steve Nash and Shawn Marion, who played 42 minutes each, saw more time on the court. So if Mike D’Antoni was willing to keep JJ out there for 35 when he couldn’t hit a shot to save his life, it will be interesting to see what happens when the shot does start to fall. But that might be wishful thinking. JJ is shooting an almost impossibly bad 27% on the season, which is why he hadn’t seen more than 18 minute since the season opener before last night. Still, he’s a proven vet, and he did connect on 3 or more 3s in 18 games last season. He’s likely completely off most people’s radar right now, but there’s a slight chance he could erupt for a boat load of 3s in the next game or two. He’s worth keeping an eye on at least.

Josh Smith – So he’s making his way back into the starting lineup tonight, mercifully putting Josh Childress on the bench. Young guys coming off a strong second half, never trust ‘em. Wait, so that means Smith too, right? Eh, maybe. Anyway, Smith will move back into the starting lineup, but will that mean a big boost in his value? He played 27 and 28 minutes as a starter in the first two games of the season. Since he moved to the bench his PT has been very inconsistent, but he’s still managed to at least 30 minutes in four of those games. In those four contests that he’s seen at least 30 minutes his numbers are 11.3/5/1.8 with 1.3 steals and – here it is – 3 blocks. OK, the dude has a worse looking jump shot than your sister, as his 34% FG will attest, and every time I see him launch a jumper I cringe. If there is anyone who ¾ of his FGA should be dunks, layups, follows, alley-oops, it’s Smith. The point is, moving into the starting lineup is always a good thing. Even if he doesn’t see much more than the 30 minutes he was often getting off the bench, there is a much better chance he won’t see those killer 15 minute outings. Everything’s obviously up in the air in Atlanta, but Smith still has the potential to slot as the team’s #3 option on offense, behind Joe Johnson and Al Harrington. Smith’s blocks make him and obvious fantasy dream, but he’s a borderline play until he gets his rebounds and FG% back to where they were last year. If he can manage consistent time as a starter, I’d bet on both of those happening. I might still wait a game or two before plugging him back in there, but soon it will be time.

We’ll try to have something up on Friday, but we make no promises. Happy Thanksgiving.

Wiz don't extend Jeffries

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:42:10 -0800

The Wizards did not reach a deal with forward Jared Jeffries. As a result, the 6-foot-11 forward, who will start ahead of Caron Butler at small forward in tomorrow night's season opener in Toronto, will become a restricted free agent...

Wiz have decisions on Butler on Jeffries

Mon, 31 Oct 2005 09:37:03 -0800

The Wizards have until midnight tonight to sign forwards Caron Butler and Jared Jeffries to contract extensions. Both players are entering the final seasons of their contracts and would become restricted free agents this next summer if their contracts are...

Kwame flips coasts

Fri, 15 Jul 2005 12:49:52 -0800

Forum Blue and Gold: Kwame Comes To Town

There are doubts about his work ethic, but will a change of scenery and a new coach change that? Last season Brown shot 64% inside but just 32.8% from outside jumpers, but according to those that have watched him, many of those were fade aways that started on the block (this is not from Pincus, but from a couple of people who know the Wizards well). He has a nice jump hook, but because his first step is great but his jumper iffy, defenders play off him. If the jumper becomes consistent is scoring threat goes up.

His rebounding has never been good for a power forward (a career 13.8% rebound rate [percent of available rebounds grabbed]), can Phil get him to focus on that? The scouting report on him is that when he wants to be, he is a good rebounder.

That scouting report I got also said he is a good man defender but not a great help defender. For his career, he averages just 1.4 blocks per 48 minutes (for comparison, Chris Mihm is 2.5), can Phil get him to improve this part of his game?

The Kwame who defied expectations:

Fantasy Impact (Lakers)

Obviously, the Lakers needed a stronger prescence in the middle. Not sure that I would have gone after Kwame myself… but they did, so what can I do? Nothing. Besides, if he continues to struggle, so will the Lakers. And I don’t have a problem with that. That’s right, I’m as biased as you can get.

Chris Mihm got 25 minutes last year. His numbers per 48 are a lot better than Kwame’s. The Lakers also picked up Andrew Bynum and Ronny Turiaf. I think Turiaf is probably ready to play PF in the NBA (from the, like, 2 games I saw Gonzaga play last season). Bynum will obviously be backing up Brown and Mihm (and Medvedenko for that matter). Brown is probably good enough to work within the Triangle Offense, especially with Lamar and Kobe around him.

Personally, I think the Lakers should have traded down from #10 and taken Jarrett Jack or Luther Head to help them out at the PG position. Or they could have stayed small with Sean May and Mihm at PF and C, Odom at SF, and Kobe and Chucky in the backcourt. But, I digress. I guess it’s because I still have yet to fully digest the draft that I had to indulge myself in that tangent.

The Kwame who looks like he’s defying expectations in this picture:

So, if Kwame picks up the other 24 minutes not filled by Mihm (who’s minutes would not decrease if I were Phil Jackson), he’s going to give you every bit of that 7 and 5 he had last season, and maybe a little more. What about the 0.4 blocks? Don’t fret, those’ll be there. If I was 6′11″ I do believe I could get 0.4 block in my sleep. And I’m white. Kwame was taken 101st last year in ESPN drafts and owned in 6.1% of leagues (which I guess isn’t that bad since Lamar was only owned in 70% of all leagues). The only people who’s numbers are going to go down on the Lakers are the ones you don’t want anyway.

Fantasy Impact (Wizards)

The Wizards aren’t doing so bad considering they lost out on Larry Hughes (but at least they didn’t overpay for him, like I would argue that other team probably did… but then, I can’t even imagine being paid $13 million a year, so I guess my perspective might be skewed). The additions of Caron Butler, Chucky Atkins, and The Next Kevin Garnett. Atkins will be a good backup for Gilbert Arenas, and they’ll probably end up sharing some time together in the backcourt. That said, Dude ain’t gone play no 35 minutes next year. (Speaking of which, who the hell are the Lakers going to play for 35 minutes at the PG position?? Comments please!) Atkins is this: 10 points, 3 assists (maybe more if Arenas and the other Wizards are hitting shots), and 1 three-pointer a game.

Butler will be starting over Jeffries unless he gets moved to SG (not alltogether unlikely). No matter what, though, he’s going to get at least as much time as he had last year since he played 35 minutes and Hughes was putting in 38. I can see Caron going to 38 and giving 17/18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists (4 if he plays more at shooting guard), and 1.5 steals.

I believe that Etan Thomas and Jared Jeffries will step up to fill in the couple extra points the Wizards lost with the departure of Hughes. I know Thomas is capable of it because he was backing up Emeka Okeafor on my EA Live team and when Chuke went down with an ankle sprain for 4 weeks, Etan stepped it up and was putting up double-doubles. He’s the real deal. I think he’s definitely a GiveMeTheRockian Candidate.

Count it.

Kwame flips coasts

Fri, 15 Jul 2005 12:49:52 -0800

Forum Blue and Gold: Kwame Comes To Town

There are doubts about his work ethic, but will a change of scenery and a new coach change that? Last season Brown shot 64% inside but just 32.8% from outside jumpers, but according to those that have watched him, many of those were fade aways that started on the block (this is not from Pincus, but from a couple of people who know the Wizards well). He has a nice jump hook, but because his first step is great but his jumper iffy, defenders play off him. If the jumper becomes consistent is scoring threat goes up.

His rebounding has never been good for a power forward (a career 13.8% rebound rate [percent of available rebounds grabbed]), can Phil get him to focus on that? The scouting report on him is that when he wants to be, he is a good rebounder.

That scouting report I got also said he is a good man defender but not a great help defender. For his career, he averages just 1.4 blocks per 48 minutes (for comparison, Chris Mihm is 2.5), can Phil get him to improve this part of his game?

The Kwame who defied expectations:

Fantasy Impact (Lakers)

The Kwame who looks like he’s defying expectations in this picture:

Fantasy Impact (Wizards)

Count it.

Preview: Spurs vs. Wizards

Thu, 07 Apr 2005 12:29:45 -0800

from Foxsports.com

STANDINGS:
Spurs - 1st place, Southwest Division.
Wizards - 2nd place, 6{ GB, Southeast Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Spurs - F Bruce Bowen, F Nesterovic, C Tony Massenburg, G Ginobili, G Parker.
Wizards - F Jamison, F Jared Jeffries, C Brendan Haywood, G Jarvis Hayes, G Arenas.

TEAM LEADERS:
Spurs - Duncan, 21.3 ppg and 11.8 rpg; Parker, 6.2 apg.
Wizards - Arenas, 24.7 ppg; Jamison, 8.1 rpg; Larry Hughes, 5.3 apg.

SEASON SERIES:
Spurs, 1-0.

LAST MEETING:
Jan. 17; Spurs, 101-73. At San Antonio, the Spurs shot 52 percent (39-for-75), including 75 percent (12-of-16) from 3-point range, and limited the Wizards to season lows for points and shooting percentage (31.8 percent). Reserve Devin Brown led the Spurs with a career high-tying 24 points. Hayes, in a reserve role, was 10-of-20 and scored a career-best 27 points for Washington.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS:
Spurs - 16-9 on the road.
Wizards - 18-7 at home.

INJURIES:
Spurs - G Mike Wilks (knee); F Linton Johnson (ankle); G Romain Sato (knee).
Wizards - G Hughes (thumb); F-C Kwame Brown (ankle); C Peter Ramos (shoulder).