It has recently come to the attention of the free world that Andray Blatche ain't no joke. The perennially sigh-causing Garnett avatar, a former second-round preps-to-pros pick of the Wizards, finally broke the shackles of his past after Washington traded Antawn Jamison to the Cavaliers. Given an opportunity and a team with nothing to play for, Blatche excelled. In Match, he's averaged 19/7. Shoals took notice of the greater narrative following Blatche and other slow bloomers, while Chris Tomasson talked to Andray about his status as underpaid capo. But it's not all shamrocks and sugar. There's a less shimmery side to Blatche, one which isn't terribly prone to "maturity" or "context." That side came out Tuesday. Gene Wang of the Washington Post reports Wizards coach Flip Saunders yanked Blatche out after seven minutes of play during Tuesday's game against Charlotte because Andray didn't get back on defense. The coaching staff addressed the issue with Blatche ... who apparently told the coaches "he just didn't want to play." So he didn't, for the rest of the overtime loss.
Saunders told the media he has never been more disappointed with a player in his 15 years as an NBA head coach. That's sayin' something. Saunders has coached Stephon Marbury. Saunders has coached (and clashed with) Rasheed Wallace. Latrell Sprewell. Heck, I'm pretty sure he coached Gilbert Arenas for a few games this season. And Blatche, Blatche has left him atop Mt. Disappointment. Again, that's sayin' something.
I don't pretend to know what going on in Dray's head, but this is not an opportunity you want to mess up. Blatche will be a young free agent soon enough, and the "bad attitude" moniker isn't easily forgotten. Never mind the (usually unfair) "best player on a crummy team" label, which can sink value like an anchor made of plutonium.
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