Stet Sports Blog

Here’s the list of thing Avery Johnson would not be able to do as head coach of the Washington Wizards.

1. Calm down Gilbert Arenas.

That’s about it. Because everything else you could hope for the Wizards to be defensively, and everything you could offensively desire, Johnson can bring it.

So you can imagine why its a little suspicious that Ed Tapscott will be running the Wizards into the dirt into the draft for the remainder of the season. Perhaps its because Johnson hasn’t heard an offer he’s liked, or maybe its because Ernie Grunfeld doesn’t know his head from Andray Blatche’s hind parts.

In either case, there’s no reason Johnson shouldn’t be here at the start of the next Washington Wizards training camp. He’s been into this kind of situation before. His first head coaching gig was taking over a Dallas Mavericks team that couldn’t get over the hump with Don Nelson, charged with the task of reaching the NBA Finals.

And how did he respond? By reaching the NBA Finals.

That’s right, an NBA Finals appearance. If Johsnon could do that with a jumpshooting power forward, a raw point guard, a former Wizards swingman and a no-name center, imagine what wonders he could work in Washington.

Imagine Gilbert Arenas flourishing in a free flowing offense, while being nuanced in the art of floor management. Imagine Nick Young coming into his own as a second scoring option, with Caron Butler being the match up nightmare on the weak side. And imagine the entire Wizards roster taking pride in the success defense can bring.

That’s what Avery Johnson did with a Dallas Mavericks that had nowhere near the youth or athleticism that this Wizards team has. Where Eddie Jordan couldn’t get through, Avery Johnson would surely break through.

But all of this is conjecture. Suppose he does not want to deal with the rigors and headaches of coaching in the NBA. Perhaps someone gave him the scoop that Diamond City is the blog capital of the sporting world, and being nicknamed “Little General” probably would bring about more posted innuendo than he cares to hear about via Steinz.

Conjecture or not, Avery Johnson is the injection of energy and affability the Wizards desperately need. They need a leader who can demand respect and admiration, and a coach who has the energy to convince them of the the great possibility of tenacity and fearlessness every night.

But first, the Wizards have to get serious about what it will take to bring the General to Washington, and it starts with acknowledging that Ed Tapscott is not the long term answer.

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