Evans back with Wizards. Coaching. For the summer (CSNwashington)

Even if injuries and a youth movement curtailed his playing time, Mo Evans proved valuable to the Wizards last season. The veteran small forward ostensibly served as a coach on the floor and in the locker room, a pro’s pro on a youthful roster prone at times to amateurish acts.

This summer, the 33-year-old Evans will do more than just play the role of a de facto assistant coach. He will be an actual assistant coach on the Wizards Las Vegas Summer League team next month.

The true oddity is Evans will do so while remaining an NBA free agent.

The idea came about during Evans’ exit interview with Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld and other members of the organization. The situation became clearer when Randy Wittman was retained as the Wizards head coach.

“I think it matched well with my skill set,” Evans said during a telephone interview. “The opportunity was there. Coach Wittman got his contract renewed. Having played a big role, kind of being a player-coach last year, playing and also assisting with some of our guys, it just made perfect sense to try and help out with that role.”

The Wizards will begin play on June 13, the summer league’s opening day. This will not be Evans’ first venture with the Sin City hoops event, but the first where the sidelines will be his true home. His current hybrid status makes for an ideal situation.

“I’ve had my fair share of Vegas and I’ve had my fair share of playing in the summer league,” said Evans, first acquired by the Wizards in a trade late in the 2010-11 season. “It will be great to go back and really help out some of the young guys with things that can sometimes get lost in translation between coaches and players.”

Just to be clear, this is not a whim for Evans, some way to pass the time. Within the last few days, the swingman completed his third pilgrimage to the annual NBPA Top 100 camp in Charlottesville, participating in the coaching component of the high school basketball showcase.

Current and retired players take classes plus have the opportunity to “actually coach a team, call plays, call timeouts, go over strategy and really help these guys,” said, Evans, who will assist Sam Cassell, the Wizards summer league head coach, next month.

Roger Mason Jr., Evans’ teammate with the Wizards and himself a free agent, will also serve as an assistant as first reported by Alex Kennedy from Hoopsworld.com.

“Not to say that I’ve mastered it in any way shape or form, but I think I have enough tools in the bag to be an assistant to Sam,” Evans said.

Evans, who averaged 4.9 in 24 games last season, also believes he still has enough tools in the bag to remain an NBA player.

Wizards - breaking down the Okafor, Ariza Lewis deal

Well, that was surprising.

The Wizards jumped into the trading waters on Wednesday, acquiring veterans Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza from the New Orleans Hornets.

Forget a singular focus on rebuilding: With this move, the Wizards have put themselves into the Eastern Conference playoff mix, maybe.

The cost?

Technically, Rashard Lewis’ buyout worthy contract and the No. 46 pick in the 2012 draft. Realistically, the team’s salary cap flexibility for the next two seasons and possible playing time for several recent first round picks.

As an NBA scout described the deal to CSNwashington upon learning about the trade, “You went from a youth movement trying to build from the draft to taking on money and thinking you can get to the eighth spot and next year get into the playoffs."

Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld downplayed the trade’s impact on plans for the June 28 NBA Draft (“It doesn’t affect the draft at all."). We'll see, but Florida wing guard Bradley Beal - myprediction with the third overall pick before the trade - is now the logical front-runner. Washington retained its other second-round selection, No. 32 overall.

Certainly, from a talent standpoint, the Wizards helped themselves with the deal, though hardly in a "Big 3" sort of way. The newcomers each bring a defensive mentality and are all by accounts solid citizens. The 6-foot-10 Okafor, who turns 30 this season, remains a viable interior presence eight years into his career though injuries (sore left knee) limited him to 27 games in 2011-12 (on his post-trade conference call, Grunfeld said the players still must pass their physical exams).

Though he averages a double-double for his career, Okafor's numbers last season – 9.9 points, 7.9 rebounds, 1.0 block – all represent career lows. With his $13.49 million salary next season, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft moves past Nene ($13 million) as the highest paid player on the team.

Despite his time in the spotlight with the trophy-raising Los Angeles Lakers a few seasons back, Ariza is only 26 and coming off a bit of a rebound season. His athletic presence on the wing will help John Wall in the open court. His career 31.7 percent from beyond the arc does not address the team’s perimeter shooting woes. This deal overall does arguably more harm than good offensivel

Though Lewis remains a solid locker room presence, injuries sapped his onetime potent abilities. His days with the organization were numbered. We knew this. The question was simply how he would, entering the final year of his deal, receive his walking papers; as part of a trade, a hefty buyout (approximately $13.7 million) or by way of the NBA’s one-time only amnesty clause.

By doing the deal and not writing Lewis a check, the Wizards instead:

Fantasy Football/NFL podcast (FFToolbox)

Part two of pre-preseason takes on an intriguing fantasy players with fellow FFToolbox writer George Bissell. Click here for this week's podcast which touched on teams and players including:
Giants (Victor Cruz, David Wilson)

Lions (Jahvid Best)

Vikings (Percy Harvin)

Cardinals (Michael Floyd)

Rams (Danny Amendola)

Bills (C.J. Spiller)

Steelers (Antonio Brown)

Jaguars (Laurent Robinson, Justin Blackmon)

Chiefs (Jammal Charles)

Broncos (Eric Decker)

Click here for part one of the look at intriguing fantasy players (Michael Vick, Cam Newton, Roy Helu Jr., Ravens, Redskins, NFC South, etc.)

(In case you were wondering, the upcoming part three will include players on the Cowboys, Packers, Seahawks, Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, Browns, Colts, Texans, Chargers - and more Broncos)

Podcast also includes talk about Roddy White and the Falcons passing game, Santana Moss and the Redskins receiving corps.


 list includes Victor Cruz, Jammal Charles, Demaryius Thomas plus players on the Steelers, Bills, Lions and Cardinals. Plus the latest news from around the league and Ben's shares the 411 he learned covering the Redskins OTA. Any questions for the crew, send them to

Free Agency watch, Redskins style (CSN)

Now that salary cap-gate is over, what's next for the Redskins 53-man roster. There is around $3.8 million of salary cap space left, though some of that coin goes toward signing the remaining draft picks. The rest...

Considering the remaining free agent options are largely backup types, there are few must-have players. Regardless, you never know what happens between now and the start of training camp and the regular season. That is why I've been compiling a list of the viable and rainy day options among remaining NFL free agents.

Offensive tackle/line
Running back
Defensive back
Wide receiver
Tight end

Fantasy Footballing - Podcasts and Profiles

Over the last week I hosted two podcasts and profiled fantasy footballers on four teams. Proof exists below...

Podcasts: First things first. Click here and then subscribe to the podcast via ITunes, Zune or Google Listen. Thay way, whenever I post the latest edition of the handy dandy FFToolbox podcast (always hosted by yours truly), the download happens on your end automatically. Helps me, helps you. Good? Good.

*The first of two episodes. NY Times and CBS Sports NFL writer Andy Benoit talks about the transactional offseason and Dallas Cowboys blogger K.D. Drummond analyzes the fantasy battles in Big D.

* Next up, I called my FFToolbox colleague George Bissell for some pre-preseason takes on an intriguing fantasy players. We talke Michael Vick, Cam Newton, Roy Helu and other notables from 12 NFL teams including the Ravens, Bears, Raiders and the entire NFC South.

Rankings: Click on each team name for the full monty of profiles, which for each includes at least quarterbacks (2), running backs (4), wide receivers (4), tight ends (2), kicker and defense/special teams. Since we all love a good sampler course, I served up one profile for each team below...

Washington Redskins - RB Roy Helu Jr.: Following Tim Hightower's injury, Helu went from deep sleeper to electric fantasy star before his own late season ailments sidelined him. The dual threat topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage and finished with four 100-yard games, one coming as a receiver. Best suited as a situational option. If overworked with 20+ touches, could break down. If used appropriately, could be explosive RB2.

Dallas Cowboys - RB Felix Jones: Bad news for anyone who typically avoids the Felix Jones hype train: many more people are now on your side. After laboring through the Cowboys' first five games last season, injuries slowed Jones (shocker!) and DeMarco Murray happened. Both are training room regulars so a depth chart is possible, but for now Jones is the other guy – and a fantasy reserve.



Philadelphia Eagles - WR Jeremy Maclin: Entered 2011 battling a mystery illness. Ended the season leading the Eagles in receptions. Missed three games or likely would have topped 1,000 yards for the first time as a pro. The safer of the Philly starting receivers and yet his skill set pops. Entering camp healthy should boost Maclin's numbers. Strong second fantasy receiver.

Baltimore Ravens - WR Torrey Smith: The true definition of a home run hitting receiver. Smith blazed onto the scene in Week 3 with five receptions for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Topped the catches and yardage total in Week 10 later. In all other games, went over 80 yards just once. Tremendous potential, especially once he learns how to run routes. Certainly a fun pick and fine as a low-end WR2, better as an all-upside WR3.