Davis Bertans

Wizards’ GM: We “Intend To Keep” Davis Bertans

December 16th, 2019 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

Wizards power forward Davis Bertans checks all the boxes as a potential trade candidate. He’s on an affordable expiring contract, plays for a lottery-bound team, and is enjoying a career year, 15.4 PPG on .466/.456/.889 shooting through 24 games.

However, as we reported last week, the Wizards don’t intend to actively shop Bertans, since they’ll retain his Bird rights after this season and are in position to re-sign him. General manager Tommy Sheppard confirmed this week in an appearance on the team’s “Off the Bench” podcast that trading Bertans isn’t currently in the team’s plans.

“We have every intention of retaining him. He’s the exact type of player we want to have in our organization. I think he wants to be here. Business will take care of itself,” Sheppard said, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “There’s so much chit-chat in this league that gets out there. Most of it is contrived by the teams that would love to have Davis. Well, guess what? One of the teams that would have to have him, has him. We intend to keep him. We’re excited about his growth.”

The Wizards are currently 7-17 and seem unlikely to turn things around this season, so Bertans won’t help much in the short term. Still, there are a number of reasons why Washington would want to keep him beyond this season. He just turned 27 years old last month, and with John Wall expected to return from his Achilles tear in 2020/21, the Wizards are hopeful that their rebuilding process can move quickly. The club figures to be seeking win-now pieces like Bertans as early as next summer.

Still, just because the Wizards are talking about keeping Bertans now doesn’t mean they can’t reconsider their stance over the next couple months. As Fred Katz of The Athletic observes, team owner Ted Leonsis spoke last season about not trading Otto Porter, but Washington went ahead and did just that at the deadline.

Additionally, with so much money already invested in their backcourt, the Wizards may have second thoughts about how significantly they want to invest in Bertans’ next contract. One former front office person estimated last week that the sharpshooter would command $15-20MM on the open market. Even the least optimistic projection for Bertans would probably still mean a deal in the neighborhood of $10MM per year, per Katz.

For those reasons, contending teams figure to at least call the Wizards about Bertans this winter. For now though, Sheppard’s group is insisting the Latvian big man isn’t going anywhere.

Eastern Notes: Bertans, Free Agency, Parker

December 12th, 2019 at 11:10pm CST by ChrisCrouse

As we reported earlier this week, it may be difficult for the rival teams to pry Davis Bertans from Washington, as the Wizards are strongly considering keeping the big man through the season and re-signing him this summer.

GM Tommy Sheppard believed that Bertans was “one of the top 3-point shooters in the league last season” when he dealt for the big man this past offseason, Jackson Filyo of NBA.com relays. The team thought that Bertans was someone who would add depth to the frontcourt with his “shooting ability, basketball IQ and work ethic.”

It’s turned out to be one of better under-the-radar moves as Bertans has been pacing the NBA in threes. Over his past six games, the Latvian Laser has 36 triples, which tops the league over that stretch. Washington doesn’t play again until Saturday. Perhaps time away is the only thing that can cool Bertans off.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

One executive tells David Aldridge of The Athletic that the Wizards‘ game plan has increased Bertans’ stock as a trade chip and a 2020 free agent. “The way Washington is using him will certainly increase his value,” a longtime NBA front office executive, currently unaffiliated, said via text. “The [3-pointer] in today’s game is a huge commodity now. I think he is a mix between [Kyle Korver and [Ryan Anderson].”
One former front office executive (in that same piece) tells Aldridge that Bertans could make a substantial raise on his current $7MM salary in free agency this summer. “He will get between $15M and $20M (per year) this summer.” the former executive said. “Most likely for a two-year deal. Don’t see him getting a four-year deal.” It’s worth noting that one current GM thought that valuation was high, given how few teams will have cap space this summer.
Hawks forward Jabari Parker has no hard feelings toward the Bulls despite his tenure in Chicago not working out as planned. “I just had to move on, but that never changed about how I feel about my city because I have more street cred than that organization period,” Parker said this week, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel wonders if Bam Adebayo is the second star the Heat have been looking for. The center is having his most efficient season as a professional and is a top contender for the Most Improved Player award.

Wizards Interested In Keeping Davis Bertans Long-Term

December 10th, 2019 at 8:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Wizards will certainly receive numerous calls on Davis Bertans before the trade deadline, but rival teams will have a tough time prying Bertans from Washington, a source tells Hoops Rumors. Many within the team’s front office are huge fans of Bertans and with the franchise looking to improve sooner than later, the Wizards could opt to keep the 27-year-old power forward with the intention of re-signing him this offseason and having him available for a more competitive 2020/21 campaign.

Bertans is making $7MM in the final season of his contract, though he’s likely to see a sizable raise on that figure this offseason given his improved play and the lack of major talent on the market. The big man’s projected market will likely play a role in what direction the team goes at the deadline, though it’s worth noting that the Wizards own Bertans’ Bird rights, so they could go above the salary cap to keep him on the roster.

Washington has a few sizeable contracts coming off its books this offseason (Ian Mahinmi at $15.4MM; C.J. Miles at $8.7MM) but still has roughly $96MM in guaranteed money allocated to just eight players for the 2020/21 campaign. Next summer’s salary cap is expected to come in around $116MM, though that is simply a projection and may not include potential ramifications from the Chinese market.

What could the Wizards net if they traded the Latvian Laser? ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported last month that a first-rounder in return isn’t out of the question. Bertans’ recent run (no player has made more 3-pointers over the last 10 games), as well as his ability to fit seamlessly on nearly any roster, makes it difficult to envision a mere protected first-round pick getting him out of Washington.

Which team would make sense for Bertans if the club dealt him away? Philadelphia could certainly use outside shooting and as I mentioned on NBAMath.com, GM Elton Brand was just one of several Sixers executives in Washington for the team’s recent tilt with the Wizards.

Bertans came to the Wizards via the Spurs’ three-way trade for DeMarre Carroll. San Antonio selected the big man with the No. 42 overall pick back in the 2011 draft, though he didn’t come stateside until the 2016/17 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

O’Connor’s Latest: Thunder, Blazers, Love, Iguodala, More

December 10th, 2019 at 8:23am CST by Luke Adams

As we relayed earlier this morning, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer reported that the Rockets have “serious interest” in Timberwolves wing Robert Covington. That tidbit was just one of many in a longer article jam-packed with notes and observations on the NBA’s trade market, so let’s round up some of the other highlights from O’Connor’s piece…

As expected, Thunder veterans Chris Paul, Steven Adams, and Danilo Gallinari are all available, league sources tell O’Connor. However, as Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Monday, Oklahoma City also seems willing to take on bad contracts and unwanted money, according to O’Connor, who hears that getting out of tax territory isn’t necessarily a priority for the club. The Thunder don’t anticipate a major tax bill this season and know they won’t be back over that line in future years, so they’re willing to live with a slightly bigger penalty this season if it means acquiring extra assets.
Speaking of Gallinari, the Trail Blazers are expected to pursue the Thunder forward, league sources tell The Ringer. O’Connor also hears that Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love would like to play for his hometown team in Portland.
O’Connor identifies the following teams as ones that appear most open to trading late first-round or early second-round draft picks: The Bucks, Raptors, Clippers, Celtics, Sixers, and Mavericks. Some of those clubs hold other teams’ picks and could dangle those in trade talks. For instance, Milwaukee owns Indiana’s lottery-protected first-rounder; Philadelphia has New York’s and Atlanta’s second-rounders; and Dallas controls Golden State’s second-rounder.
League sources tell O’Connor that Davis Bertans (Wizards), Marvin Williams (Hornets), J.J. Redick (Pelicans), and Marcus Morris (Knicks) are among the veterans who are candidates to be dealt before the deadline. Redick likely won’t be moved, but multiple execs believe New Orleans could strongly consider the idea if the right offer comes along.
O’Connor hears that there’s “no world” in which the Grizzlies buy out Andre Iguodala. Memphis will trade him — it’s just a matter of when and where, says O’Connor. A source tells The Ringer that the Grizzlies are open to any type of trade package, even if it means taking back a multiyear contract.

Southeast Notes: Young, Heat, Bertans, Robinson

December 8th, 2019 at 10:12pm CST by JD Shaw

Hawks guard Trae Young is expressing frustration over the 2019/20 season despite putting up remarkable numbers on a consistent basis, Sarah Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes.

Naturally, Young isn’t satisfied with the campaign due to his team’s poor start at 6-17. Young has raised his scoring average from 19.1 last season to 28.7 this season, also averaging 8.4 assists per game while shooting 46% from the floor and 39% from 3-point territory.

“Even back at Oklahoma, I led the country in points and assists, and I was frustrated, almost after every game, whenever we’d lose,” Young said, as relayed by Spencer. “I had (48) at Oklahoma State and I couldn’t enjoy it because we lost. Those losses, when I play good, stick with me. Because I hate that feeling when I play good individually, numbers-wise, but we don’t win. Because you can’t enjoy it, especially if you’re a competitor like me.”

The Hawks had lost 11 of 12 games leading up to Sunday’s contest against Charlotte. Although Atlanta won that game, the team’s 6-17 record is the third-worst mark in the Eastern Conference and tied for the fourth-worst in the NBA.

“You can do a lot more,” Young said. “It’s crazy to say, it’s crazy to hear, but that’s just the realness. I think I can do a lot more. And whether it’s sliding over and taking charges on big men while they’re rolling, doing something. I can do more. I’ve just got to figure it out and find a way. I’ve got to figure it out and our team has to do a better job of figuring it out, too. We’ll get it right.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:

The Heat are in a comfort zone and likely won’t be going anywhere in terms of where they stand in the Eastern Conference, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. Miami will have a 17-6 record entering Tuesday’s game against Atlanta, where they’ll look to extend their home record to 11-0. The team is in the midst of a four-game homestand, which is followed by a three-game road trip that begins on December 14 and another four-game homestand that starts on December 20. “We certainly have been on the road often,” Meyers Leonard said. “Simple things such as sleeping in your own bed and being in your own bed and being in your home arena, being in your own locker room, those kinds of things matter.” To date, 13 of the team’s 23 games have come on the road.
Wizards forward Davis Bertans is on track for a historic season shooting the ball from 3-point range, Fred Katz of The Athletic writes. Bertans has connected on 78 threes through 21 games, making a remarkable 45% of his attempts. Katz also examines the possibility of Bertans being traded before the February deadline, with the team looking to prep for the future and the UFA-to-be looking like a potentially valuable trade chip.
Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe examines the journey of Heat forward Duncan Robinson, who started in New Hampshire and has continued his path to become an NBA starter with Miami. Robinson has started in 18 of 23 games with Miami this season, scoring 11 points per contest on 43% shooting from downtown.

Wizards Notes: Centers, Miles, Schofield, Ratings

December 4th, 2019 at 3:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Wizards are trying to survive with no healthy centers on their roster, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The foot injury that sidelined Thomas Bryant for at least three weeks was terrible news for a team that is already missing Ian Mahinmi because of an Achilles injury and Moritz Wagner with a sprained left ankle.

Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans both started in the frontcourt in Tuesday’s loss to the Magic, while 6’5″ Admiral Schofield was called up from the G League for reinforcement. Katz notes that Wagner should return soon, but he’s averaging more than seven fouls per 36 minutes, so he may have a problem staying on the court.

The Wizards aren’t likely to make a roster move to address the predicament, Katz adds. Jordan McRae and Justin Robinson have partially guaranteed contracts, but management likes both players and isn’t likely to cut them for short-term help. The same holds true for two-way players Chris Chiozza and Garrison Mathews. After a 6-13 start, the focus of this season will remain on player development rather than wins and losses.

There’s more from Washington, D.C.:

C.J. Miles had successful surgery today to fix damaged ligaments in his left wrist, the Wizards announced on Twitter. No timeline has been set for Miles’ return, and there were concerns that surgery might keep him out of action for the rest of the season.
Before Schofield joined the Wizards last night, he played 38 minutes in a G League game for the Capital City Go-Go, relays Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. He became the first player in franchise history and one of only a handful throughout the league who have appeared in two games in one day. “This is one of those days where you get to fall in love with the game again because it’s so much basketball,” said Schofield, who played 7:19 against Orlando. Robinson was also called up after playing in the early game, but wasn’t used.
The Wizards have suffered the largest decline in local television ratings of any NBA team, tweets John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. Washington’s games are drawing a 57% smaller audience than they did last season.

NBA Trade Candidate Watch: Southeast Division

November 29th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Over the course of the 2019/20 NBA season, up until February’s trade deadline, we’re keeping an eye on potential trade candidates from around the NBA, monitoring their value and exploring the likelihood that they’ll be moved. Each of these looks at possible trade candidates focuses on a specific division, as we zero in on three players from that division.

We’re still more than two weeks away from December 15, the date when most of this past offseason’s free agent signees become trade-eligible, so the NBA’s 2019/20 trade season hasn’t really begun yet. But with the regular season nearing the one-quarter mark, we’re getting a better sense of which teams might be buyers and which non-contenders will end up being sellers.

Having gone through all six divisions once as we examine potential trade candidates, we’re starting our second go-round today. Here are three more possible trade candidates from out of the Southeast:

Davis Bertans, PF
Washington Wizards
$7MM cap hit; UFA in 2020

Bertans, who would likely still be a Spur if Marcus Morris had never agreed to sign with San Antonio over the summer, has played a crucial role in helping the Wizards post some of the NBA’s best offensive numbers. One of the most dangerous frontcourt shooters in the league, Bertans is making a career-high 44.3% of his three-pointers on 7.6 attempts per game and has increased his scoring average off the bench to 13.3 PPG.

The Wizards might try to lock up Bertans long-term, but the 27-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end, giving the club little leverage in contract talks. If Washington falls out of the playoff hunt in the East, Bertans will be one of the team’s best trade chips, based on his affordable cap hit ($7MM), his expiring contract, and his ability to provide instant offense.

One scout who spoke to ESPN’s Bobby Marks earlier this month suggested that it wouldn’t be a surprise if there’s a team willing to surrender a late first-round pick for Bertans at the trade deadline.

Jabari Parker, PF
Atlanta Hawks
$6.5MM cap hit; $6.5MM player option for 2020/21

Like the Wizards, the Hawks probably won’t shift into selling mode until their playoff hopes are all but extinguished. And it may take a while for that to happen in an Eastern Conference where the 8-12 Hornets currently hold onto the No. 8 seed.

Still, at 4-15, the Hawks are already 3.5 games out of the postseason picture, so unless they start winning some games soon, they’ll have to consider shopping some veteran players. Although Parker is only 24, the sixth-year forward qualifies as one such veteran.

With 17.8 PPG on 51.8% shooting through 18 games (28.1 MPG), Parker has been the Hawks’ best scorer not named Trae Young this season. And it’s not as if he’s been putting up numbers against second-stringers — he has been a starter since John Collins was hit with a 25-game suspension early in the season.

With a $6.5MM player option for the 2020/21 season, Parker could be a one-and-done in Atlanta, so if a team in need of frontcourt scoring wants to make a play for him before the deadline, the Hawks would be wise to listen.

Aaron Gordon, F
Orlando Magic
$19.9MM cap hit; descending guaranteed salaries through 2021/22

By all accounts, Gordon isn’t a trade candidate right now. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported two weeks ago that teams were monitoring the former No. 4 overall pick in case he becomes available, but said that Orlando has shown no interest in such a move.

Still, the Magic (7-11) have been disappointing so far and their offense has been disastrous. Jonathan Isaac, not exactly a dynamic scorer himself, nonetheless looks like a franchise cornerstone due to his versatility, defensive ability, and upside, and Sean Deveney of Forbes recently suggested there may be some concern within the organization about the long-term fit of an Isaac/Gordon frontcourt.

Gordon is just 24 years old and still has intriguing potential, despite his lack of improvement so far this season. He also has a contract that declines in value each year, eventually dipping to $16.4MM in 2021/22. That makes him a valuable trade chip.

I think the Magic front office will be patient in giving the current group every opportunity to make things work, and a trade for scoring help wouldn’t necessarily have to include Gordon. But moving the young forward is a possibility the team should at least consider if its struggles continue.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Southeast Notes: Fultz, Wizards, Butler, Waiters

November 25th, 2019 at 4:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Markelle Fultz has been aggressive and productive for the Magic in recent games, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes. Fultz, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension next offseason, has scored in double figures the last four games while recording at least 14 drives in three of his past four games, Parry notes. The increased offensive production from the top pick in the 2017 draft comes at a time when top frontcourt players Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon are nursing ankle sprains. “With a couple of our main guys out, I wanted to get guys going and I knew I had to be aggressive to help us make up those points that we were missing,” Fultz said. “It’s just about me getting into the paint and letting my guys know if they are cutting I’ll find them and also scoring when I have to.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Beyond Bradley Beal, there are no players who are guaranteed crunch time minutes with the Wizards, Kevin Brown of NBC Sports Washington notes. During a close win against Charlotte last week, coach Scott Brooks used three reserves down the stretch. “I think we’re a team that doesn’t worry about rotations,” forward Davis Bertans said. “Whoever has their game going, those guys are going to be in the game and…that’s beneficial for the team and I think that’s everyone agrees with that.”
Jimmy Butler was greeted with mostly boos and jeers when the Heat played Philadelphia last week and he was fine with that, Michael Lee of The Athletic relays. Butler chose Miami at the start of free agency and the teams eventually agreed to a multi-team sign-and-trade. “I’m the enemy. I mean, you don’t got to like me ‘cause I’m on the other team. I’m OK with that. I really am,” he said. “They don’t know what’s going on. I love fans. I love my fans. But you don’t know what happened.”
Dion Waiters‘ appeal of his 10-game suspension could drag on for quite awhile, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes. Waiters was suspended by the Heat for conduct detrimental to the team. Often a compromise is worked out behind the scenes in such cases and the arbitrator’s ruling might happen during the offseason, when all parties are available to participate in the process, Winderman adds.

Wizards Notes: Wagner, Beal, Offense

November 22nd, 2019 at 1:47pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Wizards are second in the league in offensive rating and much of their success is a result of the Moritz Wagner–Davis Bertans pairing, as I wrote for NBAMath.com.

“It’s fun, fun as hell, excuse my language,” Wagner told Hoops Rumors and other media in attendance of playing within the second unit. “When the ball moves like that … it’s when in doubt, pass it to Davis. It’s ridiculous. It’s obviously a lot of fun, and when you play the game with that type of joy, good things happen to you. You’re locked in defensively, and you’re able to make runs.”

While the bench mob is pacing the league (only the Clippers are scoring more off the bench than the Wizards), it may not be here for long. Scott Brooks has left Bertans and Wagner on the floor to close out games recently, so a move to the starting lineup is possible for one player or both. Additionally, it was recently reported that Bertans may fetch a first-round pick in a trade. Enjoy the high-scoring bench-unit in the nation’s capital while you can.

Here’s more from Washington:

A source tells Hoops Rumors that the Wizards contemplated moving up from the No. 44 pick to select Wagner in the 2018 draft. Los Angeles nabbed the big man with the No. 25 pick, though Washington remained admirers from afar and the team was thrilled to acquire him as part of the Anthony Davis deal.
Travis Thomas and Quinton Mayo of NBC Sports wonder whether Bradley Beal will finally make an All-NBA team this season (video link). Beal was in the conversation for the honor last season, though missed out on being named to the list.
Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington examines past teams that have had as high of a rating on offense (114.6) and defense (116.0) as the Wizards this season and finds that many of the squads have had success. 38 teams in NBA history have finished a season with ratings on both sides of the court above 110, and 24 of them made the postseason.

Wizards Rumors: Bertans, Rebuild, Ujiri, Grant

November 21st, 2019 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Spurs traded Davis Bertans to the Wizards this offseason, they viewed it as a necessary step to open up their mid-level exception to sign Marcus Morris. However, after Morris reneged on his agreement with San Antonio, Gregg Popovich was upset to have lost Bertans in the process.

As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington relays, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks acknowledged that Popovich praised the Latvian forward when the two coaches talked over the summer. While Bertans was known for his shooting ability, Popovich believed the former Spur could take on a more dynamic role.

“[Popovich] is a good scout,” Brooks said on Wednesday, per Hughes. “He nailed it on [Bertans] when I talked to him over the summer. He said, ‘[Davis] is more than a shooter.'”

Bertans is making good on Popovich’s scouting report so far, exhibiting an ability to handle the ball and create his own shot. The 27-year-old may also be turning into a valuable trade chip for the Wizards, writes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link).

“Bertans is a difference-maker when it comes to his play on the court,” a scout told Marks. “Don’t be surprised if teams are willing to give up a first-rounder for him closer to the deadline.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis doesn’t necessarily believe that the team needs to endure a long, painful rebuilding process before returning to contention, as Candace Buckner of The Washington Post writes. “Next year, we’ll have John Wall back. We’ll have a little bit of space under the salary cap,” Leonsis said. “I think the NBA is very different this year than it’s been in the past, and I stick with, I think, our turnaround can be quick and fast, but we don’t have any expectations about wins and losses. It’s more about culture, identity and what players will be with us on a long-term basis.”
In an in-depth profile of Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, Trevor Cole of Toronto Life says the Wizards “unofficially” conveyed to Ujiri this past offseason that they’d be willing to give him whatever he wanted – including a stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns the Wizards – to run their front office. The Wizards denied reports of their interest in Ujiri in June.
The Capital City Go-Go – Washington’s G League affiliate – claimed Jerian Grant off waivers earlier this week, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Grant, a former first-round pick with four years of NBA experience under his belt, recently signed a G League contract following a brief stint in China.

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