The lore of Rod Strickland and hot dogs is well-known. He used to eat all sorts of junk food before, during, and after games, especially hot dogs. And often times, all that hot dog water jiggling around in Rod’s stomach during the course of NBA action would cause him to puke.

Let’s get a quick recap of past pixels. Michael Wilbon, via a 2006 WashingtonPost.com chat:

Yes, and that would often happen on the bench, after Rod ate hot dogs from the press room, sometimes with reporters. This is an actual conversation from a Rod Strickland hot dog grab one night.

Reporter: Rod, you can’t eat that. You’ll get sick and throw up!

Rod: I know. Won’t be the first time…or the last…Can you slide me that mustard?

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Editor’s Note: It depends on how the summer shapes out from a variety of directions—the draft, potential pre-draft trades, and the free agency of Martell Webster (among others, such as A.J. Price)—but 2012 second round pick Tomas Satoranksy could become a legitimate option for the Wizards. Washington currently has just three guards/wings under contract next season—John Wall, Bradley Beal, and Trevor Ariza. Even if Ernie Grunfeld were to re-sign both Webster and Price at affordable market rates, the Wizards’ backcourt off the bench would be extremely limited. Plus, the team might have a greater need of adding a defensive “stretch 4″ per the request of Wall, the franchise point guard.

Filling an end-of-the-bench backcourt spot with Satoransky could be akin to filling it with any other second round pick in 2013—something the Wizards seem hesitant to do—even with considering the improvements Tomas made last season playing for his Spanish club, Cajasol. Then again, if the other option is Ernie Grunfeld pulling the next Earl Boykins or Jannero Pargo out from under his chair… No thanks. Satoransky could use another year of seasoning in Spain, but he could also be a cheap option for Washington, bringing future value worth integrating into the team sooner rather than later. Satoransky is just the type of third-string player who can handle a number of guard duties with decent results while still being young enough to have promise (he turns 22 in October).

The Spanish outlet, laopiniondemalaga.es, reported last week that Spanish club Unicaja Málaga was considering going after Satoransky but balked at his 500,000 Euro buy-out from the last season of a four-year contract with Cajasol. Another Spanish club, Saski Baskonia, has also apparently showed interest in acquiring his services. Cajasol, after a disappointing season, is evidently looking to cut salary, and getting a team to pay Satoransky’s buyout could provide a reprieve from financial strain, even if he was one of their best players last season. Under the previous NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Wizards could contribute up to $500,000 USD to the buyout of an overseas player, which does not count toward the team’s salary cap. Under the new CBA, that amount increases by $25,000 each season and would be $575,000 in 2013-14 (still above Cajasol’s current asking price, which is also certainly negotiable). Washington, looking to save money in a number of creative ways under Ted Leonsis, would investigate asking Satoransky to pay for his own buyout.

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Nick Young turned 28 years old last Saturday. I know, where did all the time go? When Gilbert Arenas turned 28, he was suspended indefinitely by David Stern. Young, on the other hand, had a birthday party at a chic Hollywood club called Lure. The bash ended up being a hot gathering spot for celebs and NBA players. I’ll let “AllHipHop.com” tell it:

This past Saturday LA’s Toxic Day Party, seemingly the place to be every Saturday in LA, was more turnt than ever. From Draya and her “Fine Ass Girls” crew to Fabolous, Hit Boy, The Game and NBA ballers James Harden, Nick Young and Brandon Jennings, Toxic Day Party at Lure Patio was Hollywood’s hottest summer hang out this past week.

DJ Drama had the crowd going wild as he had LA native Problem perform his smash hit, “Like What,” while Nick Young popped endless bottles of Ace of Spades Rose’ to celebrate his birthday. On any given Saturday you can find Karrueche and Christina Milian sitting pretty, as Teyana Taylor dances and toasts with friends. NFL player DeSean Jackson, Justin Combs, Too Short, Eva Marcelle, and Kevin McCall were also amongst the celebs who joined in on the fun.

Kenyon Martin and Dorrell Wright also partied it up with Swaggy P. Photographer Cassy Athena documented the good times with money shots.

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[Ed. Note: Below you will find A) a video from Wednesday's pre-draft workouts produced by Sholape Oriola for TAI; and B) brief capsules on who worked out for the Wizards today, June 6, by TAI's Conor Dirks. —KW]

June 5 Wizards Pre-Draft Workout Video

(featuring these guys)

[video via Sholape Oriola]

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For the third time in three days, the Washington Wizards yesterday brought in six prospects for pre-draft workouts. You have certainly asked yourself: ‘Who the eff are some of these dudes and why are the Wizards even working them out?’ Great question.

In addition to their third overall pick, which will almost certainly be Otto Porter (unless Dan Gilbert gets all Comic Sans on us in Cleveland and takes Porter No. 1), the Wizards currently have two second round picks, their own at 38th overall and a pick via the New York Knicks at 54th overall.

But, as we are well aware, the Wizards don’t want any more kids, even if it’s been proven that second round picks can be solid contributors off the bench in their first season. Other franchises have found success; you just have to find the right players. But alas, youth does have a saturation point, but that doesn’t go to usurp the utility of such workouts.

Yes, most of these players aren’t close on Washington’s radar, but pre-draft workouts accomplish much more than trying to fill a roster spot. To workout players you like, you need competition. Workouts also provide exposure to players, and sometimes players catch the eyes of overseas teams. So, the Wizards are doing players (and their agents) a “solid” just by having them in. The final reason I’ll mention, even though there are likely more, is due diligence. Every window of observation counts, and if not this summer, the Wizards don’t know when they might cross paths with one of these players again.

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This afternoon the Washington Wizards will conduct pre-NBA draft workouts with the following players:

• Will Clyburn, 6-foot-7 guard from Iowa State;
• Elijah Johnson, 6-foot-4 guard from Kansas;
• Nick Minnerath, 6-foot-9 forward from Detroit;
• Peyton Siva, 6-0 guard from Louisville;
• Adonis Thomas, 6-foot-7 forward from Memphis; and
• Christian Watford, 6-foot-9 forward from Indiana.

On Tuesday the Wizards brought in:

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So what does Rotnei Clarke have to do with the Wizards, Wale and the Redskins?

Well, for one, the sharp-shooting Clarke worked out for the Washington Wizards on Monday, along with five other players—Tyler Brown, Miguel Paul, Angelo Sharpless, Gregory Echenique, and Ehimen Orukpe. It was the first pre-NBA Draft workout the Wizards conducted this year at the Verizon Center.

Clarke, a 6-foot guard from Butler, said the workout “went really well,” his humble demeanor being sure to mention that he appreciated the opportunity. He doesn’t have any other workouts scheduled at the moment, but indicated that the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks were interested in taking a look. ESPN.com’s Chad Ford (Insider) ranks Clarke, who will turn 24 in July, 98 on his list of Top 100 2013 NBA Draft prospects.

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[The Washington Wizards are working out WHO? The dirt on the six players that the Wizards are bringing to the Verizon Center on Monday, June 3, for pre-2013 NBA Draft workouts.] 

>> Tyler Brown                          

G – Illinois State
6’4″, 185 lbs.

The 23-year-old hails from Owensboro, KY. He is listed at 6’4″, but his height without shoes is listed at 6’1″ and his wingspan at 6’5″ (per DraftExpress).

He signed with Morehead State out of high school, red-shirted in 2008-09, then transferred at Marshalltown Community College in Normal, Illinois. At Marshalltown, he was named an NJCAA All-American twice, honorable mention in 2010 and second-team in 2011.

On January 9, Brown was suspended indefinitely by Illinois State Redbirds coach Dan Muller for conduct detrimental to the team. He only missed one game before returning to the court. Last season, Brown led the Redbirds in scoring with 18.1 points per game (third in the Missouri Valley Conference), shooting 44 percent from the field, 39 percent from the 3-point line, and 80.6 percent from the free throw line.

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The Washington Wizards have a long way until they establish a clear, universal brand that fans and media can identify. After all, the ill-conceived color-change wizard logo is still prevalent when the team is mentioned nationally, most recently evidenced by the Jason Collins coming out story and the 2013 NBA Draft Lottery. The franchise has seemingly pushed the “D.C.” logo as ranking of the three options since the redesign launch in the summer of 2011, but the old wizard still isn’t completely buried.

On top of the lacking national brand recognition, fans in Washington just don’t seem that dedicated, either. The Verizon Center, in what is said to be the seventh-largest U.S. television market, finished 22nd in total attendance amongst NBA franchises this past season, only slightly ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Cleveland Cavaliers but also better than three playoff teams: the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. Downtrodden franchises like the Orlando Magic (18th), Toronto Raptors (16th), and Portland Trail Blazers (10th) out-paced the Wizards in total attendance.

When Michael Jordan donned Wizards blue from 2001 to 2003 (sometimes inaccurately, or perhaps facetiously, called Wizards “teal”), Washington finished second and third in total attendance over each of his two seasons¹. In the decade since, the franchise hasn’t finished better than 12th in the NBA in total attendance. And since last making the playoffs in 2007-08, Washington hasn’t finished better than 17th (in John Wall’s rookie season, 2010-11). Over the last five seasons, the Wizards have averaged a ranking of 20th in total attendance, which isn’t terribly bad considering that during the same time span they have fielded the NBA’s third-worst winning percentage.

[¹Over 1.6 million walked through the turnstiles in Chinatown over the two seasons Jordan was making money for Abe Pollin as a player. In the past three seasons (one of them being a lockout-shortened 66 games), the arena has received 1.9 million total entries. —Attendance numbers via Basketball-Reference.com]

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When John Wall was set to enter the NBA, knowing he’d be the No. 1 overall pick in 2010, and knowing that he’d likely be selected by the Washington Wizards, the conversation was all about his image.

He was the kid who burst on the scene out of nowhere after his sophomore year in high school (well, after this “third” year, as he had to repeat his sophomore year). Wall was also the kid previously known for attitude problems—defiance against coaches, arrested for breaking-and-entering an abandoned house, and issues with male authority figures in general.

But as his game caught the attention of those such as Kentucky head coach John Calipari and future agent Dan Fegan, Wall matured. He realized, as the Andre Agassi commercial for Canon used to go, “image is everything.” Wall, via handlers and brand-awareness coaching, became more image conscious. He thought more about his words, and he thought more about his look. Read more »