Washington Wizards Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wizards Waive Justin Robinson

January 5th, 2020 at 11:41am CST by Arthur Hill

The Wizards have waived rookie point guard Justin Robinson, the team announced in a press release.

Robinson signed with Washington in July after going undrafted out of Virginia Tech. He spent most of his time in the G League, averaging 14.2 points and 6.1 assists in 18 games with Capital City. Robinson saw limited playing time in nine games with the Wizards.

Robinson will have a $396K cap hit for his time in Washington, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. He signed a three-year, $4.2MM contract over the summer, but it contains no guaranteed money past this year. Salaries across the league will be guaranteed for the rest of the season later this week for players who remain on the roster past Tuesday.

Washington was briefly carrying 17 players after being approved for two hardship exceptions last week. The roster will be back down to 15, along with a pair of two-way contracts, after today’s move and the expected decision to waive Johnathan Williams.

Cutting Robinson indicates that Gary Payton II, who was one of those hardship signings, will be kept on the roster, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Payton is averaging 6.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals in seven games since joining the Wizards.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/4/20

January 4th, 2020 at 9:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Here are Saturday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Rockets assigned Chris Clemons to their affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26. Clemons had his two-way deal converted to a three-year contract last week.
The Wizards announced on Twitter that they have recalled Justin Robinson from Capital City. He is averaging 5.4 minutes per night in nine NBA games in his first season.
The Warriors recalled Jordan Poole from Santa Cruz, according to a tweet from the team. The rookie guard is averaging 7.1 PPG in 29 games for Golden State.

Wizards Notes: Hachimura, Thomas, Draft, Wall

January 4th, 2020 at 8:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rui Hachimura will be re-evaluated in about two weeks as he recovers from “a minor procedure” following a groin injury in a December 16 game, the Wizards announced in a press release. This is the first time the organization has acknowledged that Hachimura underwent a medical procedure, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.

The rookie forward met with reporters prior to tonight’s game to provide an update on his condition. The injury resulted from an accidental kick by Isaac Bonga, and Hachimura said he forgave his teammate right away (Twitter link).

“He’s a good kid. It was an accident, you know,” he said. “I saw the video a couple times too. It was like, kind of — I don’t know. I don’t know how to explain but I think he felt bad too. He texted me right after.”

There’s more from Washington, D.C.:

Isaiah Thomas was fined $25K for making contact with an official in last night’s game, the league announced on Twitter. Thomas, who was ejected, insisted today that it was an accident, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. He explained that he lost his balance after being pushed in the back. “It was unintentional contact,” Thomas said. “Most importantly I would like to move on from it but I definitely didn’t mean to put my hand on a ref.” (Twitter link)
With the Wizards likely headed for the lottery again, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington takes an early look at the draft. He considers former Memphis center James Wiseman the best fit and wonders how the team would handle a guard-heavy draft after making major investments in John Wall and Bradley Beal. Hughes adds that Washington has moved some of its scouting resources to watch LaMelo Ball in Australia and R.J. Hampton in New Zealand.
In a separate story, coach Scott Brooks tells Hughes that Wall is filling a valuable role as an unofficial assistant coach as he recovers from injury, but is eager to start playing again. “It hurts John not to be out on the court playing. That guy’s a competitor,” Brooks said. “(When you’re out with an injury), you appreciate it more. I hate to say it, especially with the year we’ve had, injuries can happen with the next play. You don’t really know what’s going to happen, so you play your best on every play. When it’s taken away from you, it bothers you.”

Carmelo Anthony Talks NBA Return, Playing Close To Home

January 4th, 2020 at 10:51am CST by marksuleymanov

After a near-yearlong absence from the NBA, Carmelo Anthony has carved out a role with the Trail Blazers and been one of the best stories of the season’s first half. However, it was not as smooth sailing in the 10 months leading up to his return.

Anthony, who grew up in Baltimore for most of his childhood, returned to Maryland to face the Wizards on Friday. In a wide-ranging discussion with Michael Lee of The Athletic, Anthony discussed how he mentally adjusted to not being in the NBA, considering playing close to home, and whether or not his NBA return will continue beyond the current season.

Check out some highlights from the conversation:

On how Anthony came to terms with not being on an NBA roster:

“Mentally, I had to like really detach myself from everything. From the actual game. I had to just say, ‘You know what? I’ve got to get away from it in order for me to start feeling good about myself otherwise.’ Because it started to just bog me down. Early on, I just kept asking, ‘Why me?’ And I just felt myself falling into those days where I’m searching for why. I’m searching for why. I wanted to know why. Then after a while, I was, ‘You know, I’m going to let it go, detach myself from the game and whatever happens is going to happen. I control my own destiny.’ ”

On considering joining the Wizards and playing close to home in Maryland:

“In the midst of everything that was over the past year, it was like, ‘Why not try to go play with them?’ Why not go close to home?’ You know, all that stuff came into play. That was kind of the only time I thought about it. If they called, I was ready. Even at that point and time, it was about me getting back in the game. If a team was willing to give me an opportunity, it’s something I would’ve have looked at.”

On appreciating the reaction he has received around the NBA since returning:

“I’ve been on the other side of that, too, where it’s not cheers. It’s boos. I appreciate it. I accept that. I cherish that. I take in these moments. Try to appreciate all of these moments. Going to all of these arenas. I think for the most part, it’s deeper than basketball, when it comes to me and my fan base, my support system.”

Davis Bertans Drawing Trade Interest

January 3rd, 2020 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Marcus Morris and Wizards sharpshooter Davis Bertans have drawn interest from teams around the NBA, but it’s not clear if either player will be dealt. Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard has stated his team wants to retain Bertans, and Charania writes that New York prefers to keep Morris. Still, I doubt either player would be untouchable if the right offer surfaces.

[SOURCE LINK]

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/2/20

January 2nd, 2020 at 8:12pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Here are Thursday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Wizards have assigned center Thomas Bryant, forward Davis Bertans, and rookie point guard Justin Robinson to their G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, according to the team’s official Twitter account. Robinson, an undrafted Virginia Tech alum in 2019, has played in nine games for the Wizards thus far. Bryant and Bertans were sent to the Go-Go on rehab assignments to practice, and the Wizards note that the big men will be recalled back to the NBA today.

'Professional Shooter" Mathews Delivers

January 1st, 2020 at 4:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Garrison Mathews said he was capable of torching an opponent with his shooting ability prior to his 28-point outburst against Miami on Monday, according to Mike DePrisco of NBC Sports Washington. The Wizards signed the undrafted rookie to a two-way contract in early July. Mathews, who made four 3-pointers and 12 free throws against the Heat, spoke of his offensive prowess during a pregame TV interview. “I’m not just a basketball player, I’m a professional shooter,” he said. A 6’5″ shooting guard out of Lipscomb, Mathews averaged 20.8 PPG and 5.5 RPG in his final season at Lipscomb, knocking down 3.2 threes per game at a 40.3% rate.

Wizards’ Hachimura, Wagner Not Close To Returning

December 31st, 2019 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

11:29am: Brooks also offered an update on Moritz Wagner‘s ankle injury today, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). Wagner is expected to be in his walking boot for at least another week and may require an additional 10-14 days once he’s out of the boot before he’s ready to return. In other words, he’s expected to be out of action for at least two or three more weeks.

11:11am: Wizards rookie Rui Hachimura isn’t close to making it back onto the court, head coach Scott Brooks told reporters today. As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington and Fred Katz of The Athletic relay (via Twitter), Brooks said Hachimura is still expected to miss multiple weeks as a result of his groin injury.

Hachimura, the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft, was off to a solid start in his rookie season, averaging 13.9 PPG and 5.8 RPG in 25 games (29.2 MPG). However, his groin issue has sidelined him for Washington’s last seven games – he hasn’t played since December 16 in Detroit – and will keep him on the shelf for the foreseeable future.

The Wizards have been hit harder than any NBA team by the injury bug in recent weeks. In addition to missing Hachimura, the Wizards have also been without Thomas Bryant since December 1, Moritz Wagner since December 10, and Davis Bertans since December 21, decimating the club’s frontcourt depth. Additionally, John Wall and C.J. Miles are out with presumed season-ending injuries and Bradley Beal is day-to-day with a leg issue.

As long as Hachimura and the Wizards’ other bigs are sidelined, the team figures to continue leaning heavily on Ian Mahinmi, as well as newcomers Johnathan Williams and Anzejs Pasecniks.

Five Non-Guaranteed Contract Situations To Watch

December 31st, 2019 at 10:03am CST by Luke Adams

While non-guaranteed NBA contracts don’t technically become fully guaranteed until January 10, January 7 is really the day to watch. Because players have to clear waivers before January 10 to avoid having their salaries locked in for the rest of 2019/20, a team will have to release a player by next Tuesday at the latest to avoid guaranteeing his contract.

As our list of non-guaranteed contracts by team shows, there are a number of players around the NBA who don’t have fully guaranteed deals, though many are in no danger of being waived by next Tuesday. It’s not as if the Lakers are seriously considering whether or not to guarantee Dwight Howard‘s minimum salary. Ditto for the Jazz and Royce O’Neale, and several others players on that list.

However, there are at least a handful of players worth keeping an eye on as next Tuesday’s deadline nears. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of them:

Marquese Chriss, F/C (Warriors): A handful of injuries opened a path for Chriss to get regular rotation minutes this season and he has made the most of the opportunity, averaging 7.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 33 games (17.2 MPG). He’s done enough on the court to earn a full salary guarantee, but retaining him would limit the hard-capped Warriors‘ flexibility at the back of their roster. Golden State’s decision on Chriss will likely come down to how confident the team is that minimum-salary players like Alec Burks and Willie Cauley-Stein can be moved without taking back money in return — trading those vets would open up room to promote two-way players Ky Bowman and Damion Lee while keeping Chriss.
Javonte Green, F (Celtics): Green has been solid in limited minutes so far, shooting 68.4% on two-point attempts for the season. He has also appeared in every one of the Celtics‘ games since November 25. Still, he has played double-digit minutes just four times during that stretch, and waiving him would open up a spot on Boston’s roster, increasing the club’s flexibility at the trade deadline and possibly on the buyout market. If the Celtics are confident in Green’s ability to contribute off the bench, they’ll hang onto him and worry later about whether or not they need to open a roster spot.
Derrick Walton, PG (Clippers): After playing just nine total minutes in the Clippers‘ first 19 games, Walton has appeared in 13 of the club’s last 15 contests. He’s still not a crucial part of the rotation, but he has performed well when called upon, so the Clippers will face the same decision the Celtics will — does opening up a roster spot in advance of trade and buyout season make more sense than locking in their 15th man’s 2019/20 salary for the year?
The Rockets’ non-guaranteed players: The Rockets have a full 15-man roster, but three of those 15 players only have partial guarantees. Houston could part ways with Gary Clark, Isaiah Hartenstein, and/or Ben McLemore by January 7 and avoid taking on their full cap hits, which might appeal to a Houston team barely over the tax threshold. However, McLemore is playing heavy minutes and seems safe, while Clark has been seeing more regular playing time lately too. Up until this past weekend, I would’ve viewed Hartenstein as the odd man out, but he had his two best games of the season on Saturday and Sunday, averaging 14.0 PPG and 11.0 RPG on 72.2% shooting. Houston may simply hang onto all three players.
The Wizards’ non-guaranteed players: Like the Rockets, the Wizards are currently carrying three players on non-guaranteed contracts. Washington’s situation is a little different though, since two of the team’s non-guaranteed players – Gary Payton II and Johnathan Williams – were recently added using the hardship exception. The Wizards, who have 17 players on standard contracts, will have to get back down to 15 as the roster gets healthier. Whether that happens before or after January 7, the club will likely eventually part ways with two players out of the group that includes Payton, Williams, and Justin Robinson, unless they trade or cut a player with a guaranteed salary. For now, Payton looks like the least expendable of the three.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/30/19

December 30th, 2019 at 8:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Monday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

Pacers star Victor Oladipo was assigned to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants as he continues his rehab from a quad injury, the team’s PR department tweets. Oladipo, who reportedly could make his season debut in approximately one month, joined the Mad Ants for practice.
The Wizards recalled rookie forward Admiral Schofield and guard Justin Robinson from the Capital City Go-Go, the team’s PR department tweets. Schofield posted 19 points and seven rebounds in Capital City’s game on Sunday, while Robinson had 22 points and six assists. The Wizards, who have been riddled with injuries, played the Heat on Monday.
The Celtics assigned rookie guard Carsen Edwards to the Maine Red Claws, the team tweets. Edwards has appeared in 24 Celtics games, averaging 3.4 PPG in 10.2 MPG.
The Timberwolves recalled rookie center Naz Reid from the Iowa Wolves, according to a team press release. Reid is averaging 18.4 PPG, 9.8 RPG and 1.9 BPG in 16 games for Iowa.