Brown, Haywood on the spot

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Washington Wizards big men Kwame Brown and Brendan Haywood, 22- and 25-year-old alumni of the 2001 NBA Draft class, remain unknown quantities heading into their fourth seasons. Unless the Wizards offer them extensions by Oct.31, both could become free agents next summer.

However, both are certain their own situations won't disrupt team unity.

"I don't think it will affect this team at all," Haywood said. "I don't think this is a situation like the Clippers, where guys started to go one-on-one and get their own numbers. Our offense isn't built for that, so if you tried to do that, you'd look crazy. You wouldn't even be effective."

Haywood referred to the 2002-03 Clippers, who had a roster full of players in the final year of their contracts. That team, highly regarded at the start of the season, instead imploded as players eschewed any concept of team play.

"I think guys know that if the team wins and we take care of business, everybody's contract situation will be taken care of," Haywood said. "When you win, your numbers can be lower but you'll look better."

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan will have to watch for any sign of a player trying to do too much because of the pressure that naturally comes with playing under close scrutiny.

"When I was a player, I wanted to play hard every day," Jordan said. "Whatever motivates them, whether it's eating Cream of Wheat in the morning or their thinking about their contract, I don't care. I want them to be motivated to come out to play hard every day and to improve."

The situation, of course, is a little more complicated than that.

Despite the presence of scorers Larry Hughes (also scheduled to become a free agent after the season), Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, Jordan already has said Brown must play a bigger role in the offense when he returns from foot surgery -- most likely by mid-November. Last season Brown averaged a career-best 10.9 points and shot a respectable .489 from the field, but Jordan thought he wasn't selfish enough.

"I'm not a stats guy, but for him to attempt less than eight shots a game, as much as we like to go to him, doesn't make sense to me," Jordan said. "He should get himself in scoring position, look for his cutters and then go to work. In watching a lot of tape over the summer, I thought he passed up a lot of opportunities. For people to recognize his production, as far as numbers are concerned, he's got to get his attempts up. He's our number one post option."

But Brown insists he won't get caught up in chasing big numbers on the court in quest of the even bigger money figures that can come off it.

"You just play ball and don't think about the money," Brown said. "If you chase it, you always lose it, especially in Vegas."