General manager Tommy Sheppard said this week that the Wizards plan to re-sign Davis Bertans, but Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington believes they may rethink their position before the trade deadline. Bertans has emerged as one of the league’s top 3-point shooters, hitting a career-best 44.7% through the season’s first 27 games. But his eventual price tag could be a concern to a franchise that has already made expensive long-term commitments to Bradley Beal and John Wall.
A league executive predicts Bertans will command a deal somewhere in the neighborhood of $51MM over three seasons. Hughes states that the Wizards can easily afford to give Bertans around $15MM per season, especially with Ian Mahinmi‘s $15.5MM salary coming off the books after this season. However, if the price gets closer to $20MM annually, Washington might have to reconsider to avoid a repeat of the salary cap crunch it escaped at last year’s deadline.
Hughes hears that the Sixers, Hawks and Lakers would be the most interested teams if the Wizards opt to shop Bertans. Washington will want at least a first-round pick in return, but any contender would be offering a choice very late in the draft. Unless someone comes through with a sweeter offer, Washington may opt to keep Bertans and take its chances in free agency.
There’s more from D.C.:
- Ish Smith is excelling off the bench and making a strong case for a full-time starting job, observes Mike DePrisco of NBC Sports Washington. Last night in Toronto, Smith became the first reserve in franchise history with a perfect shooting night on at least nine shot attempts since the stat started being kept in 1971.
- Gary Payton II, who is reportedly close to re-signing with the Wizards, got a strong endorsement from his coach this week at the G League Showcase, relays Sam Gordon of The Las Vegas Review-Journal. “It’s dependent on fit and timing. He has the skills. He has the talent. He has the mentality,” said Coby Karl of the South Bay Lakers. “He’s an elite athlete at the NBA level. He can do so many different things on the court.”
- Chris Chiozza, who was released earlier this week, has joined Washington’s G League affiliate in Capital City after clearing waivers, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Sixers really need to get a shooter to possibly compete for and win a championship Bertans would be great.
Get it done Elton. They need this guy bad!
A smart team that needs a backup point guard should swoop in and get Chiozza now that Washington freed him from the two-way contract. Very few have his vision and ability to make the play in a tight space. A true point guard is very hard to find these days. He’s the real.
If he was really that good then he wouldn’t have cleared waivers.
Right, because NBA teams never overlook talented players. Kendrick Nunn was in the G League all last season without an NBA contract. But you are right, NBA teams are infallible.
Remember your comment about Chiozza? Brooklyn is signing him. Just took awhile. NBA teams – the smart ones – know what is going on in the G League.
I’d question giving Bertans over 15mil. Yes he has shot really well this year and had shot well with the spurs but at 15mil your wanting someone who is most likely going to be your third option of offence and who’s not a liability on defence. For example Eric Bledsoe signed a new deal not so long ago for 15 mil, Danny Green signed a deal in that area too, Capela did a deal for slightly more, Kelly Oubre, Jusiv Nurkic, Thad Young and Eric Gordon all signed deals around this area too.
If your trying to win which most teams are trying to do, then I wouldn’t want to pay Bertans quite that much. I do see value in him as a shooter but is he much of a defender? He’s only just turned a starter this year.. I’d say Bertans should get about 12/13mil but I wouldn’t want to give him much more
He’s a great defender. Watch some games
Can’t be bothered to watch every team play. Was just asking.. even if he plays d he’s not in the Capela, Nurkic, Bledsoe, Gordon type category anyways and not worth more than 15 mil
Bertans is an all around player. The spurs may sign him back.