A number of teams around the NBA are holding out hope that the Wizards will make Davis Bertans available before the trade deadline, writes Chris Mannix of SI.com. However, for the time being, general manager Tommy Sheppard and the front office appear to be sticking to their stance that they intend to retain Bertans and try to re-sign him this summer.
According to Mannix, inquiries on Bertans have “gone nowhere.” Multiple executives tell Mannix that the Wizards are unwilling to even discuss a potential deal.
This is Sheppard’s first trade deadline since he became the Wizards’ head of basketball operations, so it will be interesting to see whether this ends up being a leverage play or if he sticks to his guns and declines to discuss Bertans all the way through February 6.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic explores some potential trade scenarios for the Magic, expressing skepticism that the club will pursue veterans for a playoff push. Robbins also suggests, as he did earlier this season, that Jonathan Isaac and Markelle Fultz look like the only Orlando players who are essentially untouchable in trade talks.
- Chandler Parsons, who was injured in a car accident, remains in the first stage of the NBA’s concussion protocol and continues to be treated for whiplash and his cervical disc injury, the Hawks announced on Thursday in a press release. According to the team, Parsons has returned home to California to continue his recovery and rehab process. He remains out indefinitely.
- Hawks two-way player Brandon Goodwin is making a strong case to be promoted to the club’s 15-man roster, as Chris Kirschner of The Athletic details. Goodwin’s teammates are among his biggest advocates for a promotion and a guaranteed standard contract. “Hell yeah,” John Collins said. “B.G. has been around here and done everything the team has asked him to do and (then) some. If he keeps continuing to play like this, there is no reason to say he shouldn’t (get a 15-man roster spot).”
Leonsis is under less financial pressure to deal Bertans than he was when he broke his assurance to not deal Otto Porter. I predict Sheppard will try to make up for that and look to please the boss and not deal Bertans even though it may take $20MM a year to keep him next year.
Since Wall is untradable and Beal has complaints, they may prefer to pair Wall with Bertans.
Bertans is more intense than Beal, as is Wall, and has an exciting way of releasing those long shots. I doubt all 3 can thrive together.
I always love it when a party says definitively that their counter party “won’t even discuss …” (meaning the subject was discussed, their offer just wasn’t worth discussing).
If I were in Sheppard’s position, with a rising UFA on my team that I like a lot and want to resign, I’m not engaging other teams in a discussion of the player (so I, and the player, can read for 2 weeks that I’m trying to deal him), unless it’s clear that the other team is seriously willing to pay a price well above (if not irrationally above) where I value the guy. Otherwise, it’s not worth it.