Kyle Lowry Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Kuzma, Beal, Oladipo, Snyder, Hornets

June 17th, 2023 at 5:01pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bradley Beal trade rumors percolate, Ian Begley of SNY.tv says some people within the Wizards organization “voiced concerns” last season about the fit between Beal and forward Kyle Kuzma. While Begley acknowledges that the team has revamped its front office and may view things differently now, it appears increasingly unlikely that Beal and Kuzma will play together next season, with one on the trade block and one headed for free agency.

Meanwhile, David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic weighed in on the latest Beal trade rumors, taking a closer look at the Wizards’ talks with the Suns and Heat. According to The Athletic’s duo, Washington would have interest in acquiring Tyler Herro in a deal with Miami, but the Heat are instead offering Duncan Robinson (along with Kyle Lowry and multiple first-round picks).

Despite rumors indicating that Chris Paul – and not Deandre Ayton – would need to be included in the Suns’ offer for Beal in order to satisfy all parties, Aldridge and Robbins suggest that Ayton could still be the centerpiece of Phoenix’s offer.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Heat guard Victor Oladipo is accusing his business manager of taking money from his bank accounts to buy a condo in Florida and a strip club in New York City, per Justin Rohrlich of The Daily Beast. Oladipo has filed suit in New York against James B. Henderson for stealing at least $1.3MM. Oladipo filed a separate lawsuit last year in Florida’s Orange County Circuit Court.
While some observers believed that Quin Snyder wouldn’t have joined the Hawks unless he was given ultimate control of the roster, he adamantly denies that’s the case, according to Jeff Schultz of The Athletic. “The only role (general manager) Landry (Fields) and (assistant GM) Kyle (Korver) and I talked about when I agreed to come to Atlanta is me coaching the team,” Snyder said. “That’s what I like and it’s also what I’m passionate about. Any speculation about me having a more significant role than providing input on personnel decisions is just not accurate. I have total confidence in Landry and his group to make those decisions. As I see it, my job is to maximize the potential of the personnel, whatever the personnel is. That’s where my focus lies. That speculation is erroneous.”
A number of draft experts expect the Hornets to select Brandon Miller at No. 2 in next Thursday’s draft, but Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer makes a case for Scoot Henderson to be the pick. The guard’s stock has been on the rise as of late, Boone writes, with rumors circulating that teams want to trade up for Henderson, not Miller.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Stein’s Latest: Beal, Heat, Suns, Zion, Harden, Rosas, Bucks

June 17th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards may be motivated to move Bradley Beal sooner rather than later, Marc Stein writes at Substack, observing that the team’s leverage in trade negotiations could take a hit if Damian Lillard asks the Trail Blazers for a trade while Beal is still in D.C.

As Stein writes, the Heat are currently one of Beal’s prime suitors, but if Lillard were available, Miami would be at the top of his wish list too. The Heat are believed to prefer Lillard to Beal, but may not have the luxury of waiting to see if the Blazers guard will request a trade, says Stein. Miami theoretically has the assets to make a play for both stars, but the Wizards probably don’t want to risk having the Heat pivot to Lillard and away from Beal.

As we noted within our initial story on Beal this afternoon, the Wizards seem to be prioritizing cap relief rather than players on long-term contracts, which means Kyle Lowry and Chris Paul would be at the center of offers put forth by the Heat and Suns, respectively. Stein and Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) confirm that Paul is expected to be part of any Phoenix offer, with Haynes adding that Landry Shamet would likely be included too.

Stein and Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald suggest that Paul’s partially guaranteed contract could appeal to the Wizards, since they could waive him by June 28 and only owe him his $15.8MM partial guarantee instead of his full $30.8MM salary for 2023/24. However, Paul’s outgoing salary for matching purposes in a trade would be equivalent to his guarantee for ’23/24, not his full cap hit, so the Suns may need to increase that guarantee in order to adhere to the NBA’s trade rules.

Here’s more from Stein:

While it remains to be seen whether the Pelicans will seriously consider moving Zion Williamson this offseason, Stein hears that they “quietly” held some exploratory talks a year ago before signing him to a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension. Stein also reiterates a point he made previously, writing that the “rising level of exasperation” within the organization about Williamson’s availability and approach will have to be addressed if Zion remains in New Orleans.
Star guard James Harden is believed to be giving “renewed consideration” to the idea of remaining with the Sixers rather than leaving for the Rockets in free agency, Stein reports.
More than one rival team expects the Knicks to make Gersson Rosas their new general manager under president of basketball operations Leon Rose following Scott Perry‘s exit from the franchise, Stein writes. Rosas is currently a senior basketball advisor for the Knicks.
Before hiring Adrian Griffin as their new head coach, the Bucks expressed “strong” interest in University of Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, along with Monty Williams, according to Stein, who notes that star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo wanted a former NBA player to get the job.

Heat, Suns In Serious Talks For Wizards’ Bradley Beal

June 17th, 2023 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

1:51pm: The Heat are trying to acquire Beal without moving Herro, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link) says the package discussed by Miami would be built around Lowry and draft assets, with Robinson or Oladipo also included for salary matching.

The Wizards appear to be trying to avoid taking back long-term money, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. That suggests that a Suns offer would likely involve Paul rather than Ayton.

12:54pm: The Wizards are engaged in serious talks about a Bradley Beal trade with two separate suitors, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the Heat and Suns are in the mix for the star guard.

Miami has long been viewed as a potential landing spot for Beal if he’s dealt, whereas Phoenix is more of a newcomer to the sweepstakes. Charania refers to the Heat and Suns as “finalists” for Beal, though it’s unclear if the Wizards are fully committed to moving forward on a trade or whether other clubs will still have a chance to get involved.

As first reported on Wednesday, Beal and the Wizards have begun to talk to one another about the possibility of a trade, with the team’s new front office – led by Michael Winger – considering the idea of resetting the roster. Any major changes in D.C. would almost certainly include moving Beal, who is owed nearly $208MM over the next four years.

Because Beal has a full no-trade clause, he has a significant amount of control over not only his eventual landing spot but the return the Wizards receive for him, since he could veto a deal if he thinks his new team is giving up too much. Beal’s camp – including agent Mark Bartelstein – has reportedly been granted permission by the Wizards to speak to potential suitors.

Beal’s current cap hit is $43.3MM and that number will increase to $46.7MM in 2023/24, so substantial outgoing salary will be required to match that figure and meet the NBA’s trade rules.

A Heat trade for Beal would likely start with either Tyler Herro or Kyle Lowry. Herro will make $27MM next season in the first year of his four-year rookie scale extension, while Lowry will be on a $29.7MM expiring contract. Duncan Robinson ($18.2MM), Victor Oladipo ($9.5MM), and Caleb Martin ($6.8MM) are among the other possible trade candidates for the Heat, who have up to three first-round picks available, including this year’s No. 18 selection.

As for the Suns, it’s safe to assume Kevin Durant and Devin Booker wouldn’t be included in an offer for Beal. That means a proposal would have to start with either Chris Paul or Deandre Ayton, depending on whether Washington would prioritize expiring salary (Paul) or a young building block who is under contract for multiple years (Ayton). Paul has a partially guaranteed $30.8MM salary for 2023/24 without any guaranteed money owed to him beyond next season, while Ayton will make $102MM over the next three years.

Landry Shamet ($10.3MM) and Cameron Payne ($6.5MM) are other movable Suns players for matching purposes, though Phoenix doesn’t have much to offer in the way of future draft picks after sending four first-rounders to Brooklyn for Durant in February. The Suns would only be able to sweeten an offer with second-round picks or with a first-round swap in 2024 and/or 2026.

Both the Heat (with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo) and the Suns entered the offseason expected to scour the trade market for impact players capable of complementing their star duos. The two teams project to be taxpayers going forward, so their flexibility to make major moves may be limited after the 2023/24 league year as more rules from the new Collective Bargaining Agreement take effect.

The Heat have also been linked to Damian Lillard, though there’s no indication yet that he’ll be available this summer. The Suns are said to have some interest in Malcolm Brogdon and John Collins, among others.

Bradley Beal Rumors: Bucks, Sixers, Knicks, Heat

June 14th, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Having already reported that the Heat will be among Bradley Beal‘s suitors if the Wizards decide to move forward with a trade of the star guard, Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link) said he has been told the Bucks are “looming” as another team to watch for Beal.

Milwaukee would be a somewhat surprising inclusion in the Beal sweepstakes. Charania doesn’t provide any details on what the Bucks might offer, but we can safely assume Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t going anywhere. In order to match Beal’s maximum-salary cap hit, the Bucks would have to build a package around either Khris Middleton or Jrue Holiday, both of whom were key members of the team that won a title in 2021.

Here’s more on Beal in the wake of a report that he and the Wizards are discussing possible trade scenarios as the team debates whether or not to reset its roster:

Sources who spoke to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com insisted that the Sixers don’t intend to pursue Beal via trade and aren’t interested in him as a long-term cornerstone. As Neubeck explains, Beal’s contract plays a large part in that stance — he’s owed nearly $208MM over the next four seasons, which will be a tricky contract to accommodate under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement for a player who isn’t his team’s first option.
The Knicks had internal discussions during the season about the possibility of pursuing Beal this summer, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. It’s unclear what came of those conversations and how enthusiastic the team might be about the idea.
The Heat have conveyed interest in Beal multiple times over the years, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson also hears from a source close to Beal that Miami would appeal to the three-time All-Star — that’s an important factor, given Beal’s full no-trade clause. Jackson suggests that a Miami offer for Beal would likely start with Tyler Herro and either Duncan Robinson or Kyle Lowry for salary-matching purposes. Miami has three tradable future first-rounders, including this year’s No. 18 overall pick.

Heat Notes: Vincent, Strus, Lowry, Yurtseven, Highsmith, Robinson

June 14th, 2023 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Running it back with the group that got the Heat to the NBA Finals this offseason might be impossible unless the team is willing to pay a massive tax bill, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald details. Guards Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, who earned minimum salaries in 2022/23, are each expected to command an eight-figure salary when they sign new contracts as unrestricted free agents this summer.

The Heat have always intended to become a taxpaying team in 2023/24, Jackson writes, but they project to be over the luxury tax threshold even before accounting for new deals for Vincent and/or Strus. Re-signing both players for starting salaries in the range of $10-12MM per year would push the projected team salary into the neighborhood of $200MM, which would result in a tax bill in excess of $120MM.

According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, rival executives are dubious that the Heat are willing to make that kind of tax payment. As such, it seems unlikely that both Vincent and Strus will be back unless the club can find a way to dump salary in a trade. Kyle Lowry, Tyler Herro, and Duncan Robinson would be the best candidates to be involved in such a deal, and Pincus notes that Herro’s four-year contract probably makes him the best option if the club is seeking additional long-term flexibility.

Here’s more on the Heat:

Lowry restored his value to some extent with a strong playoff run, but his expiring deal (worth nearly $30MM) still has limited value, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. A source tells Deveney that if the Heat don’t end up using Lowry’s expiring contract in a trade, they should be comfortable bringing him back for the final year of that deal. “It’s not a bad option to have, the way he played,” the source said. “It’s not a desperate kind of thing.”
Omer Yurtseven, who is eligible for restricted free agency, was asked on Wednesday what his priorities in free agency will be, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I think my priority is to play,” said Yurtseven, who was limited to nine games in 2022/23 in large part due to ankle surgery in the fall. If the Heat opt not to issue a qualifying offer to Yurtseven, he’d be free to seek out the team willing to give him the biggest role.
Heat wing Haywood Highsmith told reporters on Wednesday that he expects the team to guarantee his $1.9MM salary for next season by hanging onto him beyond July 15, per Winderman (Twitter link). Highsmith added that his goal is to continue to work toward becoming a lock-down defender.
Orlando Robinson‘s two-way contract with the Heat will expire on June 30, but the big man has committed to playing for Miami’s Summer League team, he said today (Twitter link via Winderman). The Heat have the ability to make Robinson a restricted free agent by issuing him a qualifying offer equivalent to another one-year two-way deal.

Heat Notes: Butler, Lowry, Love, Game 5

June 12th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The competitive nature and gruff demeanors of Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry brought them together, first as friends and then as teammates, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. They formed a bond as rivals earlier in their careers, and Butler was heavily involved in recruiting Lowry to Miami when he decided to leave Toronto two years ago.

“It wasn’t a pitch,” Lowry recalled. “(It was:) Bring your ass here.”

Kevin Love compares it to having two versions of Oscar the Grouch on the same team, but their shared approach to the game has fit right into the Heat Culture philosophy. Lowry desperately wants to win a title for his friend, and Butler recognizes Lowry’s role in sparking Miami’s run to the NBA Finals.

“Everything he is about is about winning,” Butler said. “Whenever you get with other guys that they’re only about winning, that’s all that matters. It’s not about stats, and about how many shots you get, not about how many stops you get, whatever you’re asked of to do to help the squad win — that’s why we rock with one another.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Butler’s commitment to leadership includes specialized pre-game handshake routines with all his teammates, Friedell adds in another ESPN story. They range from the complex to the obscene, but each represents a connection that Butler has with another player. “You’re talking about the journeys that I’ve had with so many different guys,” he said. “It’s all about making us smile, keeping it free flowing, no pressure, you’re not worried about nothing. Just two human beings, two brothers, two teammates, two guys that’s in the trenches together and you just come up with something out of nowhere, but it’s us.”
Love will be ready for Monday’s Game 5 after his wife gave birth to their first child over the weekend, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Love didn’t accompany his teammates on their flight to Denver, but he joined them late Saturday night.
A 3-1 deficit hasn’t dulled the Heat’s competitive instincts, Vardon adds. Coach Erik Spoelstra talked about the team’s situation as the “ultimate challenge,” and Butler said the players remain committed to their dreams of winning a title. “All the odds, 8 seed, dadadadada, nah, none of that matters,” he said. “It’s just two really good basketball teams. One has to get one win, and one has to get three.”

Heat Notes: Vincent, Strus, Draft Picks, Herro, Lillard

June 10th, 2023 at 5:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat’s starting backcourt has fallen into a shooting slump at the worst possible time, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Gabe Vincent and Max Strus played vital roles in Miami’s climb from the play-in tournament to the NBA Finals, but they were held to a combined 12 points in the Game 3 and 4 losses while shooting 4-of-27 from the field.

Strus was despondent in the locker room after Friday’s contest, according to Jackson. He missed all four of his shots on a scoreless night and was removed from the game for good with 4:25 left in the third quarter.

“I’m pretty disappointed,” he said. “But sitting here and sulking about it is not going to do anything. Got to toughen up and bounce back. Look forward to the next opportunity and try to stay positive.”

Vincent scored a combined 42 points in the two games at Denver, but has managed just nine since the series shifted back to Miami. He shot 3-of-16 over the last two games and got into early foul trouble both times.

“Gabe’s been unbelievable this whole playoff run,” Kyle Lowry said. “Gabe is a tremendous basketball player. Our league is a make-or-miss league, and you have a guy in Jimmy Butler who is going to continue to pump confidence into him. I’m going to pump confidence into him. He’s going to come out and have a great game in Game 5.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Miami could have up to four first-round picks to trade this summer, which would be the most in several years, Jackson adds. He notes that the Heat could give themselves extra flexibility by working out an agreement with the Thunder to waive the lottery protections on the selection that Miami owes to OKC in 2025 or 2026.
The Heat have shown that they can succeed without Tyler Herro, who has been injured for nearly the entirety of their playoff run, and Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel states that it should be much easier to trade Herro than it was last offseason. The poison pill restriction in Herro’s contract will expire at the end of the month, meaning his salary will be counted as $27MM for trade purposes, rather than the $5.7MM he’s currently earning on his rookie contract. Winderman points out that Herro’s $130MM extension kicks in next season, and any team that trades for him will have him under contract for the next four years.
Team president Pat Riley should be aggressive about trying to acquire Damian Lillard from the Trail Blazers this summer, argues Manny Navarro of The Athletic. Earlier this week, Lillard listed the Heat as one of his preferred destinations if he does get traded.

Heat Notes: Butler, Lowry, Herro, Two-Way Players

June 9th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been unfailingly honest when explaining how important winning his first title would be to him, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.

“That’s why everybody plays this game — I lied, that’s why a lot of people play this game — is to win a championship,” Butler told Friedell. “That’s all we lock in on; that’s all we’re focused on. Like we put so much energy towards winning and playing for one another that if we do this together, we get to celebrate this together, we’re like, I don’t know the word, itched, niched, we made our mark in history together forever, so we’re in that.”

The well-traveled All-Star seems to have a found a long-term home in Miami, and is hoping to finally cement his legacy with his second Finals appearance in his fourth season with the club.

“I’m happy I get to do it [compete for a title] with these guys,” Butler said. “And I’m still very grateful for day one in the Berto Center [with the Bulls] and the Mayo Clinic [facility with the Timberwolves] and whatever the 76ers’ [facility is called]; I’m grateful for all those opportunities that’s getting me here to know what I got to do to get it done.”

There’s more out of Miami:

Heat point guard Kyle Lowry has adjusted well to his new role as a reserve following a return from a knee injury, writes Marc J. Spears of Andscape. “It’s about being a pro,” Lowry said. “It’s about winning, honestly. It’s easy when you have [ground] to get to a starter. I wasn’t always a starter. So, I understand the role, how important that is. And, for me, being a professional and being a guy that only cares about winning, it makes it easy, honestly.” Lowry’s relatively modest statistical output in these playoffs belies the true value of his impact, especially as a defensive pest against Denver’s backcourt.
Heat shooting guard Tyler Herro, the team’s third-leading scorer in the regular season, has missed all but one half of the club’s run to the Finals this year due to a fractured right hand. According to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, Herro has not been cleared for Game 4 on Friday night, and remains listed as out. “Right now he is not cleared to take that next step,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He has checked every box so far, but he is not at that next step yet to clear for an NBA Finals game. But he is doing everything he needs to do to take these next step.” Miami, currently lagging 2-1 behind Denver in the Finals, is certainly missing his skills as a play-maker and as a shooter both off the dribble and off the catch, writes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.
While two-way Heat players Jamal Cain and Orlando Robinson have been ineligible to suit up for the team during the playoffs, the duo is still getting invaluable experience in sharing the postseason moment with the rest of the team, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “It’s been great to see this championship level team and being able to recognize the standard and what it means to win,” Cain said. “This being my first year, being able to see this and experience this is something that’s going to make me better and I think it’s going to raise my standard for each year because having this feeling of being around this type of environment is unbelievable.” Center Robinson played in 31 games for Miami this season, while Cain, a 6’6″ swingman, appeared in 18 contests for the Heat. Both players logged more significant minutes with the Heat’s NBAGL affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Celtics/Heat Notes: Game 6, Brogdon, Vincent, Lowry, White

May 27th, 2023 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

Even if the Celtics don’t end up completing their comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals, they can put the Heat in an unprecedented position by winning Game 6 on Saturday, writes Law Murray of The Athletic.

As Murray details, of the 150 NBA teams to fall behind by a 3-0 margin in a best-of-seven playoff series, only three forced a Game 7, and all three of those clubs had to play Game 7 on the road. If the Celtics can win Game 6 tonight in Miami, they’ll head back to Boston for Game 7 and become the first team in league history to attempt to win a series at home after losing the first three games.

The Heat have shown an ability to win playoff games away from home, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic, noting that Jimmy Butler scored 47 points to lead Miami to a victory in Boston in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. Still, Butler and the Heat face significant pressure to finish off the series on Saturday to avoid having to go back on the road to win a Game 7.

Here’s more on the Heat and Celtics:

Despite losses in Games 4 and 5, Butler remains optimistic about the Heat’s ability to finish off the Celtics and earn a spot in the NBA Finals, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com writes. “Because the last two games are not who we are,” Butler said after Thursday’s loss when asked why he’s still so confident. “It just happened to be that way. We stopped playing defense halfway because we didn’t make shots that we want to make. But that’s easily correctable. You just have to come out and play harder from the jump. Like I always say, it’s going to be all smiles, and we are going to keep it very, very, very consistent, knowing that we are going to win next game.”
Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon, who left Game 5 in the second half due to what was referred to at the time as right forearm soreness, is listed as questionable to play in Game 6 with a forearm strain. The banged-up veteran is already reportedly playing through a partially torn tendon in his right elbow.
Like Brogdon, Heat point guard Gabe Vincent is considered questionable to play on Saturday, tweets Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Vincent missed Game 5 due to a left ankle sprain, forcing Kyle Lowry to reenter the starting lineup for the first time in this postseason. Lowry was effective in the first two rounds but has struggled against the Celtics, averaging just 4.3 points and 4.0 assists per game on 29.2% shooting in the last four games.
Celtics guard Derrick White helped lift Boston to a Game 5 win with 24 points on 8-of-11 shooting (including 6-of-8 three-pointers). Jared Weiss of The Athletic takes a look at how White’s career night was rooted in a message from his father, and passes along several quotes from White’s teammates that reflect their appreciation for him.

Southeast Notes: Lowry, Heat, Hawks, Lang, Wizards

May 12th, 2023 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Heat explored the trade market for Kyle Lowry at the trade deadline, teams reportedly sought at least one first-round pick just to take on the veteran guard, who is on a pricey multiyear contract and was dealing with a knee injury at the time. But Lowry is rebuilding his value with his performance so far in the postseason, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Four years removed from being the starting point guard on a Toronto team that won a championship, Lowry has accepted a bench role during this season’s playoffs and has registered no complaints, having told reporters that as long as the Heat are winning, he doesn’t care what his role is.

“He is an ultimate winner,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “So what drives him more than anything is winning. And there were just unfortunate circumstances how we got to this. His injury shut him down for five weeks and the plan, as we’ve talked about quite a bit, it just made the most sense initially to bring him off the bench.

“And then it just got so late, we didn’t have a lot of time. He’s been fantastic about it. One of the things we found, you’re bringing a Hall of Fame mind off the bench. And our second unit was struggling for much of the year. You shift him into there, a lot of these things that we were working on endlessly just kind of get taken care of.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

Brian Lewis of The New York Post takes a look at how the Heat‘s ability to turn undrafted players into rotation pieces has helped the team withstand injuries and given Miami an advantage in its second-round series vs. New York. As Lewis notes, the Heat have seven undrafted players on their roster, the most of any team in the playoffs.
The Hawks will hire Antonio Lang as one of Quin Snyder‘s lead assistant coaches, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). A Cavaliers assistant for the last four seasons, Lang previously worked on Snyder’s staff in Utah from 2014-19.
If the Wizards were to win Tuesday’s draft lottery and the rights to French phenom Victor Wembanyama, it wouldn’t just change the direction of the franchise — it would alter the entire D.C. sports landscape, according to David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic. While Wembanyama wouldn’t necessarily make the Wizards an instant contender, he’d provide much-needed hope for a “depressed fan base,” The Athletic’s duo writes.