Wizards guard Will Barton expressed excitement about playing with his new teammates next season, including 23-year-old center Daniel Gafford, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. Barton and Monte Morris were recently traded to Washington after playing with Denver last season.
“Big Gaff, I want to get out there with him, man,” Barton said. “I’m a guy that likes to get to the rim and when I get to the rim, if I can’t score it myself, I want to put that lob up there and I know he’s a guy who can go get it. So, he’s definitely a guy I’m looking forward to playing with.”
Barton also mentioned Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma, who combined to score 40.3 points per game last season. Gafford will likely come off the bench behind Kristaps Porzingis in 2022/23, but it’s possible head coach Wes Unseld Jr. will test bigger lineups featuring both players at some point.
Here are some other notes from the Southeast Division:
- New Wizards big man Taj Gibson plans to be a mentor and help the team’s younger players this year, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post writes. Gibson recently joined the club after playing with New York for the past three seasons. He holds 13 years of NBA experience, which includes several playoff runs with the Bulls earlier in his career.
- In his latest “Ask Ira” mailbag, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether the Heat should consider trading for Harrison Barnes. Barnes averaged 16.4 points per game for the Kings last season, shooting 39% from three-point range. Aside from Miami needing a power forward, Barnes would also fit in the team’s switch-heavy defensive scheme.
- In a separate story for the Sun Sentinel, Winderman explores whether the Heat truly need a power forward. The short answer is yes. Miami lost P.J. Tucker to Philadelphia this month and hasn’t re-signed Markieff Morris, leaving a gaping hole in the starting lineup. The team did re-sign undersized forward Caleb Martin and has a budding two-way player in Haywood Highsmith, but starting Jimmy Butler at the four would likely be difficult against bigger teams in the East such as Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia. Assuming Tyler Herro and Max Strus start, the team would have to commit to playing in transition and likely blitz more defensively.
Kyle Kuzma, Kristaps Porzingis, Rui Hachimura, Corey Kispert, DC’s 2025 & 2027 1sts (unprotected) & pick swaps in 2024 & 2026 to Brooklyn for KD, Joe Harris & Day’Ron Sharpe is the deal that’s gonna lift the Wizards back into title contention for the 1st time since Elvin Hayes was still dominant… Wizards would have Delon Wright/Brad Beal/Joe Harris/Kevin Durant/Daniel Gafford starting with Monte Morris, Johnny Davis, Will Barton, Deni Avdija, Isaiah Todd, Day’Ron Sharpe & Taj off the bench. If Brooklyn insists they could even put Johnny Davis in the deal instead of Kispert, either way they got 1 of the strongest teams in the East with Brad & KD locked up for yrs to come. And as much as I love Unseld Jr, I’d love even more to see Sam Cassell coach that team
Looks lite on the player side but 4 unprotected picks (assuming swaps unprotected ) from Wizards certainly hold a huge value on the market
Can’t see Kd signing off on this tho and Wiz would need those insurances
Why not? KD may want to try to win one for the hometown before he retires.
I think KD would love to come home & win 1 for the DMV. In fact ik he would. Only thing is whether he feels like he could win there. I def think they could with that roster, esp now that Brad is signed up… if Brooklyn thinks it’s light player-wise then you sub Davis for Kispert & that isn’t as much of an issue. Nets get a ready to play top10pick with 4/5yrs of team control plus a borderline all-star 5 in his prime in KP plus a couple of pure scoring big forwards, that’s an extremely strong package
I like Okc better for the whole time is a flat circle angle if we are going there –
I def don’t know anything about KD’s mentals, and I wouldn’t even dare too guess these days
Lousy package for BKN. Certainly of significantly less value than the one BKN sent to HOU in the Harden deal (7 combined 1sts and swaps, J.Allen and LeVert). Harden isn’t KD, wasn’t signed long term and was holding out.
BKN might not take KP-6 regardless, since he and Simmons would project to be 75 mm in street clothes too often for comfort considering they’d still be competing for the luxury tax championship. Maybe a third team takes KP-6 and sends BKN someone who plays basketball.
Also, WSH owes a 2023 1st to the NYK which is protected, but could vest as late as 2026, so they couldn’t make the deal without eliminating the protection on the pick. You’d think the NYK wouldn’t mind, because it means the pick will vest in 2023, but it’s likely to be lower than they pick they would eventually get.
KD has been pretty clear (through his last FA year) that he did not want to play for WSH, and his reasons (didn’t want to play for the hometown, and, especially, live there again).