- Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington explores how the Wizards could navigate a much deeper Eastern Conference, which features several teams that have legitimate title hopes this season. Washington finished with a 35-47 record and seems committed to competing around Bradley Beal. Eastern Conference teams won more games against Western teams this season (226-224) for the first time since 2008/09.
- Injuries were a year-long concern for the Wizards, but coach Wes Unseld Jr. believes the team has a solid foundation in place, per Bijan Todd of NBC Sports Washington. “Obviously the health factor is something that we can’t necessarily control, but if we come back healthy…I think we’re setting ourselves up for a pretty bright future,” Unseld Jr. said.
After evaluating which point guards had the most success and fit in best this season with the Wizards, general manager Tommy Sheppard said this week that he has a good sense of what sort of player the team will be targeting this offseason to fortify the position, according to Jackson Filyo of WashingtonWizards.com.
“I think we need somebody that is a pass-first point guard; somebody that will be able to contain the dribble on the defensive end and help us keep people out of the paint,” Sheppard said. “Those are some of the prerequisites we are going to be looking for.”
It remains to be seen whether the Wizards’ optimal path for acquiring a starting-caliber point guard will come via free agency, the trade market, or even the draft. Sheppard left the door open to all three possibilities, noting that one of the biggest keys of the offseason will be exercising patience and waiting for various markets to develop.
“There is going to be buyer frenzy once you get to the draft,” the GM said, per Filyo. “There is so little money this summer in the marketplace for free agents. There are going to be a lot of teams that want to shuffle. There are going to be some teams that do a little bit on the side and there are going to be teams that do complete restructuring. To know ahead of time what our needs are going to be, where we can fill those needs and then being patient to get the best possible deal – that’s not a challenge like I am worried about, that’s just something we embrace.”
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- In his end-of-season press conference, Sheppard expressed enthusiasm about the idea of Deni Avdija playing for Israel in EuroBasket this offseason, referring to those contests as “high-level” games. “I believe he will get more out of that,” Sheppard said. “Being one of the key players for Israel will give him the kind of pressure we want him to have that probably doesn’t exist in Summer League.”
- Sheppard also expressed confidence that Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis, who have yet to play together, will complement each other well. “One of the easiest problems I have to solve is talent playing with talent,” Sheppard said, according to Filyo. “That works itself out. I think Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis will be great in the two-man game. I think both of them are creative with the ball. Both of them know how to score, both of them have great court vision. “
- The Wizards showed improvement on defense near the end of the 2020/21 season and at the start of ’21/22, but ultimately ended up with only the NBA’s 25th-best defensive rating this season. Personnel changes and strategy tweaks could help upgrade the club’s performance on that side of the ball in ’22/23, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, noting that Sheppard referred to the defense as something that will be a “focus” this offseason.
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic takes a look at why the Wizards couldn’t maintain their momentum after getting off to a 10-3 start and what’s next for the club.
- Outside of re-signing Bradley Beal, the Wizards‘ top priority this summer will likely be finding a point guard. However, as Ava Wallace of The Washington Post details, president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard said on Tuesday that the team doesn’t feel like it needs to bring in a “high-profile name or high-profile performer,” since Beal, Deni Avdija, and Kristaps Porzingis are also capable of play-making. Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. agreed: “I don’t think you need a guy that’s tasked with having to orchestrate everything. I think that’s a lot to ask for. … You try to find the best talent, the best complementary player for this group.”
- Porzingis also shared his thoughts on what the Wizards should be looking for in a point guard, suggesting that the team doesn’t need a ton of scoring from the position, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “I think somebody that can run the offense really well and that is aggressive on the offensive end, but is looking to create for his teammates and to open the game up for everybody else,” Porzingis said.
Wizards star shooting guard Bradley Beal will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, should he decide not to pick up his $36.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season. Washington president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard appears to be optimistic that Beal will stick around long-term with the team that drafted him, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.
“I feel every indication he’s given me is that he wants to be here moving forward,” Sheppard said of Beal’s future with the Wizards. “I stick to the 10 years of confidence I have in the relationship we’ve had. It’s a lot of time, a lot of equity and a lot of conversations. I feel that we’ve shown this is a place we can build around him. I think he’s shown to the community here that when he’s healthy he’s one of the best players at his position. Those are hard to come by.”
The 28-year-old Beal, a three-time All-Star, was limited to just 40 games this year due largely to a left wrist injury that ultimately required surgery. He averaged 23.2 PPG, 6.6 APG and 4.7 RPG this year.
There’s more out of D.C.:
- Wizards swingman Deni Avdija expressed excitement for being able to hone his game during the first normal, healthy offseason of his NBA career, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. There was no training camp or summer league due to the pandemic during the 2020 offseason, and the 21-year-old was recovering from an ankle fracture in the 2021 offseason. “I know what I need to do better,” Avdija said. “Just finishing the season like that gives you motivation and energy. You know you can make plays, you know you can help the team win. I feel like just taking the next step.” Hughes notes that Avidja closed out the year with an uptick in his output. He averaged 12.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.6 APG across his last 16 contests of the year.
- Following a disappointing 2021/22 season in which they missed the playoffs and play-in tournament, the Wizards must deal with a variety of personnel issues in the offseason, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes in a separate piece. Hughes identifies the free agent fate of Beal as the biggest hurdle confronting Washington in the offseason. The next priority, should Beal return, will be finding a long-term solution as the team’s starting point guard. Hughes expects the Wizards front office to consider trade and free agency options over drafting a point guard. Hughes also anticipates that Washington will look to shore up its defense and long-range shooting.
- New Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis expects the team to compete for the playoffs next year, writes Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. Porzingis also posits that he himself has only reached 60-65% of his ceiling, and hopes to boost that level next year. After shooting guard Bradley Beal went down with a wrist injury in February, the team ultimately finished with a 35-47 record and missed the play-in tournament. “This summer is a long one, and also I’m fresh,” the 26-year-old big man said of his offseason health. “I’m feeling great. I could play right now. That’s an exciting thing for me, and I’m really looking forward to doing some work, getting some tan and coming back next season with batteries fully charged.”
- The Wizards defeated Dallas on Friday, the first time Kristaps Porzingis played against his former team. Porzingis was grateful for the intensity his new teammates showed, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “What I liked is everybody had my back (Friday),” Porzingis said. “They knew it was, I don’t want to say a personal game, but it’s always fun to compete against your former team. Everybody had my back.”
With the Wizards set to face the Mavericks on Friday night for the first time since the trade deadline, Tim Cato and Josh Robbins of The Athletic reassessed the deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis and a protected 2022 second-round pick to Washington in exchange for Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.
Cato and Robbins agree that it was a win-win trade for the two teams. Porzingis’ time in Dallas had clearly run its course, but he has been productive with Washington, averaging 21.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 1.6 BPG on .472/.305/.866 shooting in 13 games. He has been a willing passer and aggressive in the post, averaging 7.5 free throw attempts.
In addition to his production, Robbins writes that the Wizards are happy with Porzingis’ approach and toughness — the 7’3″ big man played through a couple of ankle sprains in recent games.
Dinwiddie, meanwhile, has thrived in a complementary role in Dallas, where his role is more clearly defined. Through 18 games with his new club, he is averaging 17.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 4.2 APG on .498/.386/.720 shooting.
Dinwiddie has been able to spot-up for threes and drive-and-kick as a secondary or tertiary ball-handler next to Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson. Bertans is still struggling to convert shots, but the team is holding out hope that might change over time.
Here’s more on the Wizards:
- Porzingis doesn’t expect the game against the Mavs to be as wild as when he played the Knicks for the first time after being dealt to Dallas, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “I think it’s going to be a good game. It’s not going to be like my first game with Dallas in New York. That one was just crazy. This one is going to be a bit more just me competing against my old team. We’ll see,” he said.
- Tomas Satoransky had a uniquely historic night on Wednesday, as Hughes relays in a separate story. Satoransky had a double-double without scoring a point, becoming just the third player in league history to accomplish the feat. The unselfish guard finished with 10 rebounds and 13 assists against just two turnovers, while shooting 0-of-2 from the field in the team’s 127-110 win over Orlando. “I don’t know if it’s good or bad, you know? I don’t know,” Satoransky joked. “I just let the game come to be a little bit. I was trying to be aggressive, but every time I would drive or was aggressive to the basket, it opened up space for my teammates. So, I tried to push the tempo from the beginning and I got some rebounds.” The 30-year-old veteran will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- The Wizards lack a “special someone” to set the team on the path to becoming a consistently winning franchise, according to David Aldridge of The Athletic. Washington definitely has some talented players, but no clear leader or catalyst.
Wizards star Bradley Beal isn’t opposed to receiving interest from rival teams, he said on Draymond Green‘s podcast, as relayed by James Herbert of CBS Sports. Beal will be eligible to sign a five-year, $245MM contract with Washington this summer if he turns down a $36.4MM player option and becomes a free agent.
“I’m kind of embracing everything,” Beal explained, “so I’m not upset about the rumors, I’m not upset about, you know, teams wanting me. I feel like that’s a good thing, right? We put in the work and we’re wanted by a lot of people, not just where we’re at.”
Beal has seen his name surface in trade rumors, but the 28-year-old hasn’t requested a trade and Washington hasn’t appeared willing to deal him. Beal’s production dipped this season, but he still managed to average 23.2 points and 6.6 assists per game on 45% shooting from the floor.
“It’s kind of funny. I’ve never been a free agent,” he said. “It’s kind of reminding me of college recruiting. Like I hear every single game somebody’s recruiting me. Someone’s like tagging on me, whether it’s another player or whether it may be a coach or whoever it may be, somebody’s chit-chatting: ‘B, what you want to do this summer? What you doing this summer?'”
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference:
- In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Kirk Goldsberry considers what Kyrie Irving‘s full-time availability will mean for the Nets and their title chances. As Goldsberry notes, while Irving certainly makes Brooklyn’s offensive attack more dangerous, the team’s defense remains a question mark.
- Magic guard Markelle Fultz is starting to feel more comfortable just one month after his return, Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Fultz missed more than a year due to a torn ACL, making his debut on February 28 against the Pacers. He most recently finished with 16 points, three assists and three steals in 19 minutes against the Kings on Saturday, showing potential on both sides of the ball.
- Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is offended by claims that he’s stunted Obi Toppin‘s growth by not giving him enough minutes, plus that he mistreated Kemba Walker, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Thibodeau also lashed out at some social media critics and writers. “It’s a team, not an individual thing,” he exclaimed. “Can’t pick up a box score after and say, ‘How many people are watching to the end of the game’ to really know exactly what happened in the game. I see a lot of opinions, but I don’t see guys doing the work to actually study it.’’
Kristaps Porzingis is showing that he can be a dominant scorer late in games, which makes the prospect of a future pairing with Bradley Beal very intriguing, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The Wizards only have two wins in the past 19 days, but Porzingis took over both of them, scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter against the Lakers last week and 11 in the fourth quarter against the Pistons Friday night.
“I enjoy those clutch moments, those last possessions,” Porzingis said. “There’s more on the line. I think every basketball player enjoys those shots more.”
Beal hasn’t played since Porzingis was acquired from the Mavericks in February, so the Wizards haven’t gotten to see how their games fit together. They are hoping to keep Beal this summer and use them as the basis to build a contending team. For now, coach Wes Unseld Jr. is experimenting with the advantages that having the tallest player on the court can offer.
“He’s kind of a steadying presence. You can play through him,” Unseld Jr. said. “With his size and stature, you know he can get a shot off. Get him to a spot and let him do his thing. He made some big plays late.”
There’s more from Washington:
- Beal, who has a decision to make on his $36.4MM player option for next season, talked about his situation on Draymond Green‘s podcast this week (hat tip to James Herbert of CBS Sports). Beal appreciates that the Wizards front office has refused to include him in trade talks, but he’s still planning to keep his options open. “It’s kind of funny. I’ve never been a free agent,” he said. “It’s kind of reminding me of college recruiting. Like I hear every single game somebody’s recruiting me. Someone’s like tagging on me, whether it’s another player or whether it may be a coach or whoever it may be, somebody’s chit-chatting: ‘B, what you want to do this summer? What you doing this summer?'”
- Tomas Satoransky made his first start on Friday since signing with the Wizards at the end of February, per Josh Robbins of The Athletic. It may be a sign of hope for Satoransky, who has been through three trades, a buyout and an injury over the past seven months.
- After fighting to earn minutes early in the season, rookie Corey Kispert is now a regular part of the starting lineup, Robbins notes in a separate story. Beal’s absence created an opening, and Kispert seized the opportunity. “There’s no substitute for NBA minutes, no matter how many you get,” he said. “So I’m just really happy that I have a chance to play through mistakes and play through all those things. It’s made me a better player and then consequently I make less of them.”
Hornets All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball has developed a good relationship with reserve point guard Isaiah Thomas, writes Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer.
Earlier today, it was officially announced that Thomas signed a rest-of-season deal with Charlotte. The 33-year-old Thomas, a former two-time All-Star, has already served as a mentor to Ball.
“I feel like on the court, he’s just helped Melo slow down,” forward Miles Bridges said. “It’s certain plays, Melo, he makes the flashy plays or he tries to force something. But I.T., he’s been talking to Melo, making sure he makes the right play at all times. And off the court, just staying professional.”
Thomas addressed his Hornets role in relation to Ball. The duo occasionally share time on the floor together.
“Just knowing how important the possession is … obviously we want him to push the pace,” Thomas said, “but there are times where we don’t get things three or four possessions. We’ve got to slow it down. Get us in a set that’s going to get the ball moving side-to-side, then attack downhill. So I think it’s easier for him to relate to me because I’ve been in those situations.”
In seven games for Charlotte, the 5’9″ veteran guard is averaging 9.9 PPG, 2.0 APG and 1.3 APG in 13.4 MPG. As a shooter, Thomas’s output has reached an efficiency level unseen since his Boston days. He boasts shooting splits of .462/.480/1.000 with the Hornets.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- The 36-36 Hawks appear in desperate need of a defensive upgrade next season, as was evinced in a 117-112 loss to the Pelicans on Sunday, writes Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. What New Orleans exhibited in perimeter defensive effort, the Hawks lacked, per Kirschner. “They have a lot of guys who have size and length on the wing,” Atlanta All-Star point guard Trae Young said. “They made some good reads. They were really pulling in to help on the roller, and the guy who had to guard two did a good job of picking the right one. I made a couple of turnovers picking the wrong one. You have to tip your hat to them in making the right reads.”
- Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal recently discussed what he thinks Washington requires to return to contention in the East, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Beal expressed his enthusiasm for new Wizards addition Kristaps Porzingis, added at the trade deadline, but there are areas where he sees particular room for improvement. “I think we need bigger guards,” Beal said. “We need more guys that can get in the paint for us, more ball-handlers, more guys that can really create and get two feet in the paint, but also who can knock down threes.” Beal also wants additional two-way perimeter help: “Just some dog wings, some 3-and-D guys who can get after it and accept those challenges come playoff time when we play the Jayson Tatums, all the elite primetime wings.”
- As the 47-25 Heat gear up for the playoffs, the top-seeded team in the East continues to tinker with its rotation. That decision-making extends to how Miami opts to dole out minutes to its reserve big men Markieff Morris and Dewayne Dedmon, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Chiang explains that Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is letting opponent matchups dictate whether he decides to use Morris or Dedmon on any given night.