August 9, 2005 -- After making its first splash in the playoffs in eight years, the Washington Wizards weren't about to go quietly into the night on July 1 -- when negotiations could begin with free agents.

When the free agency period got underway, the Wizards were hoping to re-sign shooting guard Larry Hughes -- one of three Wizards to average better than 20 points per game. Hughes was said to be seeking a similar deal to the one Gilbert Arenas inked two summers earlier. The deal presented by the Wizards, however, was apparently less than Hughes was hoping for and less than those offered up from other teams -- namely Cleveland, where Hughes will suit up this season.

Daniels is already warming up to his new threads. Mitchell Layton/NBAE/Getty Images

2004-05 ROSTER STATUS UNDER CONTRACT Gilbert Arenas, Jarvis Hayes, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison, Jared Jeffries, Peter Ramos, Etan Thomas FREE AGENTS Steve Blake (restricted), Damone Brown, Anthony Peeler PLAYERS ADDED NBA DRAFT Andray Blatche (49) FREE AGENTS Antonio Daniels (Seattle), Michael Ruffin (Re-signed) TRADES Chucky Atkins (L.A. Lakers), Caron Butler (L.A. Lakers) PLAYERS LOST FREE AGENTS Juan Dixon (Portland), Larry Hughes (Cleveland) TRADES Kwame Brown (L.A. Lakers), Laron Profit (L.A. Lakers) WAIVED 2005-06 PROJECTED STARTERS GUARDS Gilbert Arenas, Antonio Daniels FORWARDS Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison CENTER Brendan Haywood

So, the question for the Wizards was how to replace one of their top three players who was often mentioned in All-Star discussions last January and February? Well, the team assembled a committee of players to address the void left by Hughes as well as the team's needs at other positions.

Taking his place are Antonio Daniels, Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins in a backcourt already featuring Arenas and Jarvis Hayes.

Daniels, who signed with the Wizards as a free agent after two years in Seattle, has the ability to hold down time at either guard position and his 6-4 frame allows him to defend both ones and twos.

In all likelihood, Daniels will start at shooting guard and fill in at the point in those rare instances when Arenas needs a breather. Daniels anticipates no problems getting accustomed to the Wizards offense.

"The biggest thing that attracted me to Washington was the team’s style of play," Daniels said when introduced at a press conference last week, "which is very similar to the way we played in Seattle - very spread, wide-open and a lot of pick and rolls."

Butler, who was a key piece in the trade involving Kwame Brown, likely will be slotted into the starting lineup at small forward come opening day. The fourth-year swingman bounced back after a disappointing sophomore season -- which was cut short by a knee injury -- to average 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in his first year in L.A. He saved his best for last, averaging nearly 20 points per game over the final 20 games of the season.

Butler's strengths lie in his ability to move well up and down the floor, attack the basket, and also use his 6-7, 217-pound, frame to post up smaller defenders.

"Caron is a versatile player who can play both the guard and forward positions for us," Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld said. "Over his career, Caron has been a very productive player, a physical defender and a very unselfish player."

Atkins also came in the deal for Brown and provides depth in the backcourt. The 5-11 point guard started all 82 games for the Lakers last season, averaging a career-best 13.6 points, but will find himself in a reserve capacity in Washington.

"In Chucky, we get a point [guard] with a great shooting ability," Grunfeld said. "He can really stretch the defense. And I’m finding out he’s a basketball junkie, which I love. He loves to watch the game, he loves to talk the game, and he’s extremely competitive."

While the Wizards backcourt appears set, the frontcourt seems a little light. Brendan Haywood will man the middle, as he has for the past three seasons. Next to him will be All-Star Antawn Jamison at the power forward spot. Jamison, whose game is better suited to that of a small forward, can establish position in the post but is not really a back-to-the-basket type player.

To provide toughness up front, the team re-signed power forward Michael Ruffin, whose impact can't be measured by a box score alone. Despite his rather pedestrian averages of 1.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season, Ruffin is a player the Wizards were eager to tie up because of the energy he brings to the team.

Notably missing from the team that gave the city its first playoff series since 1997 are Juan Dixon and the previously-mentioned Brown. Dixon put up the best numbers of his career during Washington's playoff run this past spring, however, his services were not required this season after the additions of Daniels, Butler and Atkins.

Brown's services, meanwhile, were put on hold during those same playoffs when the team suspended him for the remainder of the postseason, fueling talk that his days in Washington were drawing near an end.

While losing Hughes was a major blow to the team, the moves the team made to counter his absence are likely to put it right back where it was in April and May this past spring -- the Eastern Conference Playoffs.