Gilbert took time during the unveiling of his wax figure at Madame Tussauds to share his vision for the future:

“I don’t want to see them struggle, but if this is one of those years where we don’t make the playoffs or we finish in last place ... that’s what happened to San Antonio and that’s how they got Tim Duncan and look at them now ... and that’s for the better.”

In the same conversation, it became clear that Hibachi is busting his ass to make sure his team continues to be really really miserably terrible:

“I definitely want to wait until after New Year’s.”

That sounds like a man with a plan. And Gil is a smart dude. Afterall, he is collecting on a gargantuant new contract by wearing a nice suit a few nights a week, so I’m on board with “Operation Doormat”. First of all, making New Year’s plans can be extremely time consuming. Also, there is no reason for him to come back before he is completely sure his knee will last at least 4 months before blowing out again. However, Gilbert must be watching more college hoops than I am if he has identified the next Tim Duncan in the 2009 draft class because I have no idea who that might be. If the Wiz were going to tank, 07-08 probably would have been better timing.

Although, I wouldn’t trade the Lebron/Jay-Z v. DeShawn/Soldier Boy series for all the Derrick Rose’s in the world