Washington Wizards Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wizards Waive Taylor, Childs, Homesley

December 17th, 2020 at 9:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Wizards have waived three training camp players on Exhibit 10 contracts. Guards Marlon Taylor and Caleb Homesley and forward Yoeli Childs have all been released, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter links).

In his two seasons for LSU, Taylor played in 56 games (27 starts), averaging 6.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 23.3 MPG.

Homesley spent five seasons (including a redshirt sophomore year) at Liberty University, where he averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, and 0.5 BPG in 143 games (88 starts).

Childs started in 111 of his 119 games played over four seasons at BYU, averaging 17.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.3 BPG, and 0.9 SPG.

All three players could still suit up for the Wizards’ G League affiliate club, the Capital City Go-Go, this season.

Katz notes that the Wizards’ head count after these moves is 14 guaranteed deals, plus two-way guards Garrison Mathews and Cassius Winston, as well as center Anzejs Pasecniks, who is signed to a partially guaranteed $1.52MM contract for the 2020/21 season.

Westbrook Ruled Out For Thursday's Preseason Game

December 17th, 2020 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

Russell Westbrook has yet to make his Wizards debut, and it won’t happen on Thursday night vs. Detroit. The team announced today (Twitter link) that Westbrook has been ruled out of tonight’s exhibition game for rest purposes.

As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes, it’s somewhat surprising that the Wizards wouldn’t be more motivated to get Westbrook into an actual game to allow him to establish some chemistry with his new teammates. However, Scott Brooks suggested on Wednesday that the team doesn’t think preseason action is all that necessary for the veteran guard.

“With him being whatever it is, 13 years (in the NBA), an exhibition is not gonna make much a difference for him,” the Wizards head coach said. “… Normally, sometimes you say that you need a couple of games under your belt before you start the season, but with him, he’s probably the exception to that rule. He’s been in the league long enough. He knows what he needs to do to get his rhythm back.”

Like Westbrook, Davis Bertans will sit out Thursday’s preseason contest too, but Bradley Beal is expected to make his 2020/21 debut for the Wizards.

Russell Westbrook Unlikely To Play Back-To-Backs

December 14th, 2020 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards will likely hold Russell Westbrook out of either the first or second game of the team’s back-to-back sets this season, head coach Scott Brooks said on Sunday, as Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington details.

Before sending John Wall to Houston in exchange for Westbrook, the Wizards had been planning to employ a similar strategy with Wall as he returned from his torn Achilles. Westbrook is believed to be fully healthy, but Washington still wants to play it safe with its star point guard during a season that will be more condensed than usual.

“This is going to be a grind,” Brooks said. “He’s not a youngster anymore even though he still has as much energy as anybody as I’ve seen.”

As Hughes notes, the Wizards have seven back-to-back sets on tap during the first half of the 2020/21 schedule. The NBA has yet to release the second-half schedule.

Teams have been strongly discouraged from resting healthy players during nationally televised games, even if they’re part of back-to-backs. However, that shouldn’t be a problem for the Wizards, who aren’t scheduled to appear on ESPN, TNT, or ABC at all during the first half.

Ish Smith Misses First Preseason Game With Lower Body Soreness

December 13th, 2020 at 9:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Wizards guard Ish Smith is dealing with lower body soreness, coach Scott Brooks said, as relayed by Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. Smith missed the team’s first preseason game against the Nets on Sunday, with Brooks expecting the soreness to heal in the coming days.

Bradley Beal Not Interested In Russell Westbrook's Past

December 12th, 2020 at 8:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bradley Beal isn’t concerned about how new backcourt partner Russell Westbrook meshed with his previous star teammates, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. He said their relationship has been “smooth sailing” since the trade that brought Westbrook to the Wizards last week. “I’m easy to adapt to,” Beal said. “I’m not going to come in and say I need this shot, I need the ball here or there. Doesn’t matter. As long as we are all incorporated within offense and everybody’s eating, we’re good.”

Lopez Joins Wizards For First Practice, Bertans Arrives In D.C.

December 9th, 2020 at 10:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Wizards reserve center Robin Lopez has joined the team for his first practice, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. Meanwhile, newly-extended power forward Davis Bertans has arrived in D.C. and is expected to be cleared for practice by Saturday, according to Ava Wallace of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Wallace notes that visa problems delayed the big man’s arrival.

And-Ones: Coaching Attire, G League, Selden, Luxury Tax

December 8th, 2020 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

NBA coaches were permitted to wear casual attire during the restart. They’ll be allowed to wear polo shirts once again during the upcoming season but they’ll also have to mask up, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). NBA coaches have traditionally worn suits but they’ll no longer be required to don sports jackets. However, track pants will not be allowed.

We have more from around the basketball world:

The Wizards are in discussions with the Pelicans to combine their G League teams — the Capital City Go-Go and Erie Bayhawks — at the proposed Atlanta bubble, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. That would allow the NBA teams to split the costs of the proposed condensed season. The entry fee per team is anticipated to be in the neighborhood of $500K.
Former NBA guard Wayne Selden has signed with Israel’s Ironi Ness Ziona, as Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia relays. Seiden played a combined 75 games with the Grizzlies and Bulls during the 2018/19 season. He saw action in 11 G League games last season after a stint in China.
The Warriors have a projected luxury tax penalty of $147MM based on their current 2020/21 salary obligations, according to the numbers crunched by Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). The Nets ($59MM) and Sixers ($24MM) are the only other teams with tax bills above $9MM. However, those projected penalties will get reduced based on revenue loss this season and roster cuts by opening night, Marks adds.
Despite a long list of COVID-19 protocols, the NBA will face plenty of challenges during the upcoming season without the protection afforded by the Orlando campus, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. No matter how many precautions the league institutes, it will need plenty of luck to pull this season off.

Wizards Notes: Beal, Bertans, Lopez, Westbrook, More

December 8th, 2020 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Ensuring that Bradley Beal wants to remain in Washington was a top priority for the Wizards as they made their offseason moves, including the blockbuster trade that brought Russell Westbrook to D.C. So did the acquisition of Westbrook have an impact on Beal’s desire to stick with the team?

“Honestly, I haven’t even thought about that. I haven’t,” Beal said, per Fred Katz of The Athletic. “My biggest thing is win now, you know? I wanna win.

“I’m here under contract for this year, next year and a player option, too. So, it’s just a matter of, we gotta win. And the organization knows that. It’s up to me, too, so I can’t just sit here and … look at (general manager Tommy Sheppard) like he’s crazy. I have to go out and lead the team, put in the work and get better every day and bring the results.”

As Katz writes, the Wizards have a tricky tightrope to walk, as they focus not only on building a roster capable of long-term success, but also on winning enough in the next year or two to convince Beal that he doesn’t need to move to a new team to contend.

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Davis Bertans and Robin Lopez haven’t yet been able to join the Wizards for practice, tweets Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Bertans was held up by visa issues, according to Wallace, who notes that the team also had one of its new players test positive for the coronavirus. There hasn’t been confirmation that the affected player was Lopez, but it sounds like that’s very possible.
The Wizards are counting on point guard Russell Westbrook, who is known for his competitiveness and tenacity, to help set the culture for their young roster, Wallace writes for The Washington Post.
Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said today that the starting small forward position will be “fluid,” with Troy Brown, Isaac Bonga, Deni Avdija, Davis Bertans, and Jerome Robinson all among the options there, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Brooks also said today that the Wizards are close to a decision on whether or not to participate in the NBA G League’s proposed Atlanta bubble. He believes there’s a good chance the Wizards will opt in, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link).

Russell Westbrook Declines To Discuss Trade Request

December 5th, 2020 at 5:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Addressing the media for the first time since joining the Wizards, Russell Westbrook refused to confirm that he asked the Rockets for a trade, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

“I’m here in Washington,” Westbrook replied when asked if he wanted to be traded. “Happy about where I’m at and understanding that this is a new journey for me and understanding how important it is to focus on where I’m at, focus on the team, focus on the organization, the community, the people here.”

Westbrook joined his third team in 17 months this week when Washington acquired him in exchange for John Wall and a future first-round pick. He had mixed results during his year in Houston after being brought in to form an all-MVP backcourt with his long-time friend, James Harden.

Westbrook averaged 27.2 points per game, his best scoring numbers in four years, and was a third-team All-NBA selection. However, his poor outside shooting was an issue throughout the season and he struggled in the playoffs after suffering a quad injury during the restart.

A few weeks after the Rockets were eliminated in the second round, stories emerged that Westbrook and Harden had both asked to be traded. Although he didn’t comment on his relationship with his former teammate, Westbrook told reporters that his methods of motivating himself on the court often cause him to be misunderstood, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

“The way I play the game kind of misconstrues people of who I am as a person, who I am and what I believe in and what I stand for,” Westbrook said. “Obviously, how I play and off the floor are two different people. When I am on the floor, I don’t have any friends, I am not trying to be friendly. … I ain’t got time to try to shake hands and do all that. I don’t have time for it, and I am never changing that.”

Westbrook has played alongside All-Star teammates throughout his career and he’s looking forward to teaming up with Bradley Beal as part of what could become the league’s highest-scoring backcourt. Beal told reporters Friday that he isn’t worried that his new teammate will be “trying to run the show and just do everything by himself,” and Westbrook agrees that they can mesh their talents without conflict.

“I’m super excited about it,” Westbrook said. “Brad is a superstar talent. … My job is to come in and continue to uplift and push him to be better. That is all I am here for. I am happy to be his counterpart and try to make it easier for him.”

Wizards Notes: Wall, Westbrook, Beal, Practice

December 4th, 2020 at 4:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Addressing the Wizards‘ John Wall/Russell Westbrook trade for the first time on Friday, general manager Tommy Sheppard said it wasn’t easy emotionally to move the former No. 1 overall pick. Although he’s relatively new to the GM role, Sheppard has worked in Washington’s front office since 2003 and watched Wall develop over the last decade.

“Just watching John become the man that he is today, it’s difficult to say goodbye,” Sheppard said, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. “On an emotional level, that was a very difficult trade for me, by far in my 27 years in this business.”

While it was hard to trade Wall, Sheppard believes it was the right move, and one that “definitely changes the future of the franchise,” as Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today relays.

“Russell’s resume speaks for itself,” Sheppard said of Washington’s new point guard. “It’s an opportunity to make the Washington Wizards a better franchise. … This is the right thing to do. We made that trade, and we move forward.”

Here’s more on the Wizards, with a focus on the Westbrook/Wall deal:

A pair of Eastern Conference executives who spoke to Ava Wallace and Ben Golliver of The Washington Post like the Wizards’ acquisition of Westbrook, despite the inherent risk. “Washington improved because they have someone that can functionally play in the games and the head coach has deep familiarity with the player acquired. Totally worth the risk,” one exec said. “The bigger risk was returning someone from a dramatic injury that so heavily relied on speed to be effective.”
Bradley Beal had his first media session of the season on Friday and acknowledged that the trade of Wall had made it an “emotional week.” Beal, who said he’d had several positive conversations with Wall this week, insisted that the “rumors and noise” about their relationship over the years were wrong. He also said that he’s on board with the team’s belief that Westbrook will make them better and is looking forward to playing alongside him (all Twitter links via David Aldridge of The Athletic).
The Wizards believe that Westbrook’s and Beal’s “hyper-competitive personalities will harmonize,” Fred Katz of The Athletic writes within a story about why the Wizards and Rockets swapped point guards.
The Wizards were among the teams that were able to hold their first group practice on Friday, having begun their coronavirus testing early, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. Westbrook didn’t participate in today’s practice, but he arrived in Washington and is expected to be available for Saturday’s practice, Stein adds (via Twitter).
Wall published a message on Twitter on Thursday to say goodbye to Wizards fans and to D.C.