Brendan

Haywood

“He’s starting to understand that he’s a big boy and it’s time to start using that big body he has,” teammate Antawn Jamison said. Haywood is averaging career highs with 10.7 points and 8.2 rebounds this season, and is seventh in overall Efficiency rating among true centers.

There doesn’t seem to be much chance of Jahidi White or Etan Thomas passing Haywood on the depth chart. It appears that the Wizards would like to see Haywood play about 30 minutes per game, allowing them to keep Kwame Brown and Christian Laettner at power forward.

The Wizards used Christian Laettner for Haywood in against the Mavs earlier this season because Dallas plays a hybrid, sans-center lineup. They won that game, so Laettner could get another start.

Big Brendan has actually scored in double-figures in two straight, the first time that’s happened since the 2009-10 season. His improved play of late has made Ian Mahinmi a DNP-CD in two of the last five games. There’s going to be wild inconsistency here thanks to Haywood’s below-average talent level, but he’s a deep-league option for those in need of blocks.

Haywood was coming off an ankle injury, too, so needless to say he’s got his hands full with injuries. He left the game with six points, eight boards, and two blocks against a struggling Bobcats squad in 15 minutes, while backup Ian Mahinmi has eight points with five boards and no steals or blocks in 18 minutes off the bench. Should Haywood miss any time, then Mahinmi starts as a low-end spot play for deeper formats.

Just like Delonte West, Rick Carlisle said that he’d like to get Haywood minutes on Thursday against the Heat. It might take some time for Haywood to find his groove after six games off, but he’s progressing in the right direction and appears very close to a return.

Haywood has missed six straight games with the injury. The big man will return to his starting role when healthy with averages of 5.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks.

Haywood has missed his last seven games, but will return to the court for the Mavs against the Magic. Dallas may work him back slowly, and it would be prudent to wait a game or two to see how he responds before plugging him back into your deep-league lineups if possible.

Mahinmi will return to his backup center role, hampering the value of Brandan Wright in the process. Brendan Haywood’s minutes stay relatively consistent, regardless of what is going on around him.

Collins started Jahidi White at center but played him just seven minutes. Instead, Collins used Kwame Brown and Christian Laettner at center most of the game against Boston.