Washington Wizards Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bradley Beal Hopes To Retire With Wizards

February 16th, 2019 at 9:17am CST by marksuleymanov

Coming out of last week’s trade deadline, the Wizards had been one of the league’s more active teams. In salary shedding moves, the team had parted ways with Otto Porter and Markieff Morris, which signaled a restart of sorts in Washington.

Among the players left, Bradley Beal is the centerpiece of the Wizards’ core. The 25-year-old is in Charlotte this week, partaking in All-Star week festivities for the second straight season. Beal, who signed a five-year, $127MM deal with Washington in July 2016, is committed to the organization despite their recent trades and 24-34 record entering the break.

“If I can retire in this jersey, I will. I’m all about loyalty,” Beal said during a Q&A session earlier this week, per Fred Katz of The Athletic (subscription required).

Katz noted that in a post-trade deadline meeting with Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, Beal did not echo that exact sentiment. However, Beal and Leonsis mutually agreed that Beal is a focal point of Washington’s future.

“You do emphasize the fact that this is home. This has been home for me for seven years. He knows that. Ted knows me. Everybody knows me,” Beal said. “I’m gonna be committed until I’m not, until I’m moved. That’s just my mindset. I’m gonna continue to lead and continue to do what I possibly can to help get us to that.”

Statistically, Beal is in the midst of his best season to date. Through 58 games, Beal is averaging career-bests in PPG (25.1), APG (5.4), RPG (5.1) and minutes (37.2). Also, despite the Wizards’ inconsistent play, the team is just three games back of the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

In an overall assessment of the current NBA, Beal said, “I hate super teams.” The Warriors are the gold standard of that phrase, boasting a lineup of five perennial All-Stars. However, the two-time All-Star said that the Wizards can be a competitive force in the league without a chorus of superstars spread across the roster.

“I’m a firm believer that no matter who we have — I think I can do it with anybody. I feel like it’s possible with anybody as long as you have that work ethic and that dedication to get to that level,” Beal said. “But it’s not gonna be easy. It’d be naive to say that. I’d be naive to say it’s been a great year. But it’s definitely been one that I’ve embraced and learned a lot throughout the course, too. Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.”

Beal Believes Raptors Or Bucks Will Win East

February 15th, 2019 at 7:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trevor Ariza was glad he was traded to the Wizards because of his familiarity with the organization and some of their players, Kimberly Cataudella of NBC Sports Washington relays. Ariza even implied he had some input on the trade made with the Suns, with whom he signed a one-year contract last summer. “If I [were] to leave [Phoenix], for me, it would be home or a place that I’m familiar with, and the opportunity came to come to Washington, and I chose Washington over everything,” he said. Ariza is averaging 15.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 4.3 APG in 28 starts since the trade.
Wizards guard Bradley Beal may have irritated some Celtics and Sixers fans with a comment he made during an All-Star event, as Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington tweets. Asked which team he believed would win the Eastern Conference championship, Beal replied: “I think it’s going to be Toronto or Milwaukee.”

Eastern Notes: Portis, Bulls, Lin, Pacers

February 14th, 2019 at 10:04pm CST by JD Shaw

The agent for new Wizards forward Bobby Portis, Mark Bartelstein, clarified his client’s comments about being traded in an interview with K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune this week.

Portis, who was moved to Washington with Jabari Parker in exchange for Otto Porter Jr. on trade deadline day, explained his unhappiness with how the transaction went down at the time:

“They told me how much they loved my energy, my heart, how hard I worked, how much I loved playing for the Bulls,” Portis said, as detailed in a previous Hoops Rumors story. “Them telling me that I’m going to be there [through the deadline] and telling me that they want to work things out this summer [in restricted free agency]. We weren’t able to agree to a contract extension [before the October deadline], but they said they wanted to agree to something this summer before free agency hits.

“I think back on everything they told me. All this stuff was said and then I don’t even get notified when I’m getting traded? (pause) It’s just a crazy feeling. I guess I’m getting my first taste of the business. Business is business, I guess. I just don’t think it was done the right way.”

Bartelstein then clarified that his client and the Bulls are on the same page, as was evident by how Portis visited Chicago’s locker room after their game against the Wizards last Saturday.

“[General manager] Gar [Forman] made it very clear to me they had no interest in trading Bobby and wanted him there long term,” Bartelstein said. “However, like with anyone else, they had to listen to offers coming in. A day before the deadline, he didn’t think anything was going to happen. There’s no doubt in my mind that Gar and [executive vice president] John Paxson were sincere about their desire to re-sign him.

“I told Bobby: ‘They love you. They want to get a deal done this summer and have no interest in trading you. But if the right offer comes about, absolutely you can get traded.’ The analogy I said to Bobby — these weren’t Gar’s words, they were mine — was, ‘If the Warriors offer Kevin Durant and the Lakers offer LeBron James, you’re getting traded.’ Basically, if somebody offers something the Bulls can’t refuse.”

There’s more from the Central Division tonight:

The Bulls are expected to focus on adding a point guard around the draft or free agency this summer, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Chicago’s list, according to Cowley, is headlined by Ricky Rubio and Darren Collison — two players who could push starting guard Kris Dunn going into training camp.
When Jeremy Lin was asked why he joined the Raptors as a free agent, Lin explained that the team “really, really” wanted him, as relayed by Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports (Twitter link). “That means something,” Lin said of Toronto’s interest. Lin holds several years of NBA experience and has made the postseason four times, but he’s never advanced past the first round.
The Pacers and city officials are negotiating a deal that would keep the team in Indiana for roughly 25 more years, Chris Sikich of the Indianapolis Star writes. The Pacers’ current deal is worth $160 million and expires in 2024, according to Sikich. The team has floated the idea of publicly funding upgrades to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for about two years.

Bryant Reaches Starter Criteria

February 13th, 2019 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Wizards center Thomas Bryant reached starter criteria this week by starting his 41st game of the season, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The qualifying offer for the upcoming free agent has been increased to $3MM and Washington’s cap hold has been raised as well. Dwight Howard was supposed to be the starting center after signing with the Wizards last summer, but Bryant seized the opportunity when Howard was injured.

Bobby Portis Discusses Trade From Bulls To Wizards

February 13th, 2019 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Bobby Portis was traded from the Bulls to the Wizards last week and said over the weekend during a return to Chicago that he didn’t have “anything bad” to say about anyone with the Bulls. Speaking to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype this week about the deal, Portis echoed that sentiment, but also aired a few grievances about how his time in Chicago ended.

According to Portis, the Bulls – and GM Gar Forman – told his agent when trade rumors involving Portis first surfaced that the fourth-year forward would only be moved in a deal that netted the team a “superstar”-type player. A day before the deadline, Portis was fully prepared to remain a Bull through Thursday, so he was shocked when he found out less than a half-hour before Wednesday’s game that the team had reached an agreement in principle to move him.

Here’s more of what Portis had to say to Kennedy about his unexpected move from Chicago to Washington:

On whether he was upset with how things played out with the Bulls:

“They told me how much they loved my energy, my heart, how hard I worked, how much I loved playing for the Bulls. Them telling me that I’m going to be there [through the deadline] and telling me that they want to work things out this summer [in restricted free agency]. We weren’t able to agree to a contract extension [before the October deadline], but they said they wanted to agree to something this summer before free agency hits.

“I think back on everything they told me. All this stuff was said and then I don’t even get notified when I’m getting traded? (pause) It’s just a crazy feeling. I guess I’m getting my first taste of the business. Business is business, I guess. I just don’t think it was done the right way.”

On whether the trade will provide motivation going forward:

“Getting traded gave me a bit of extra motivation, but what did really [motivate me] was seeing some of the comments made by the [Bulls] GM and the press. They were talking about not wanting to pay me and that kind of stuff. All that stuff really motivates me. It makes me want to be a better player. It makes me wants to go out there and prove everybody wrong. I’m always going to play with a chip on my shoulder. I play with a log on my shoulder.”

On his first impressions of the Wizards:

“They welcomed me with open arms. My teammates and coaches have all told me to be who I am, be vocal, be aggressive on the offensive end… Basically, be Bobby Portis. I think those few words really helped me as I get acclimated to my team quickly.”

John Wall Undergoes Achilles Surgery

February 12th, 2019 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

Wizards point guard John Wall has undergone successful surgery on his ruptured left Achilles tendon, Candace Buckner of The Washington Post reports (via Twitter). The team had announced last Tuesday that Wall would undergo the procedure sometime soon.

While the Wizards indicated last week that Wall is expected to return to full basketball activities approximately 12 months after undergoing surgery, that timeline isn’t set in stone. As Buckner notes (via Twitter), the window for Wall’s recovery is more like 11-15 months, so there’s a chance he may not return at all during the 2019/20 campaign, which is the first season of his four-year, super-max extension.

Wall previously underwent season-ending surgery on his left heel, but later suffered the Achilles injury after he slipped and fell in his home. It was a devastating blow for both the Wizards and their All-Star point guard, but Wall attempted to take an optimistic view when he discussed the injury last week.

“You never want to hear it, but it is what it is, and [I’m] kind of glad that it happened now instead of when I’m four or five months ahead in recovery and I’m trying to get back to being on the court,” Wall said. “… It’s not like I’ve started my process of getting back, so it’s not too much to kind of dwell on.

“I guess God is telling me something: ‘Sit down and get yourself fully healthy.’ I’ve played through injuries my whole career. I know a lot of people who’ve played through injuries and don’t sit down; that’s one thing I don’t like to do. If something is nagging or not broken, I want to play. And I guess it kind of caught up to me. Something I can’t control, but my love for the game is still there, and I’ll come back and conquer this like it was just a little step in the road.”

With Wall sidelined for the next year, the Wizards will be under additional pressure to get new starting point guard Tomas Satoransky locked up beyond this season. Satoransky, who is eligible for an in-season extension, is on track to become a restricted free agent this summer.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Southeast Division

February 11th, 2019 at 7:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Southeast Division:

Dewayne Dedmon, Hawks, 29, C (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $14.1MM deal in 2017
Dedmon seems like a prime candidate to hit the buyout market, but incentive clauses in his contract may motivate him to stick out the season in Atlanta. As long as Dedmon stays in the rotation, spending the season with the lottery-bound Hawks shouldn’t hurt his value when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. Dedmon has evolved into a ‘stretch five’ in the sixth year of his career. Lately, he’s taken a majority of his shots from beyond the arc and he’s getting pretty good at it. He’s shooting 46.4% from long range this month and 38.6% for the season, which will serve as a nice selling point.

Kemba Walker, Hornets, 28, PG (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $48MM deal in 2015
Walker will be the second-best point guard on the market after Kyrie Irving but he’ll hardly be a consolation prize. Walker has been terrific throughout the season and he’s off to a blazing start this month. In his last four games, he’s averaging 34.0 points, 8.0 assists and 5.8 rebounds. Walker is averaging a career-high 25.1 PPG this season and has missed just six games since the 2015/16 campaign. Walker has been working on a team-friendly contract paying him $12MM annually. He’ll get a gargantuan raise whether he decides to stick with the Hornets or join one of the many teams with significant cap space seeking a top-flight free agent.

Rodney McGruder, Heat, 27, SG (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $3.4MM deal in 2016
McGruder lost his rotation spot, then got it back when Wayne Ellington and Tyler Johnson were traded last week. In the last two games, McGruder has scored a total of four points on 2-for-10 shooting. He’s lacking in confidence, as evidenced by the fact he’s missed his last 17 3-point attempts. Coming off an injury-marred 2017/18 campaign, McGruder got off to a strong start and contributed as a play-maker as well as a scorer. Miami can make him a restricted free agent by extending a modest $3MM qualifying offer this summer, but even that’s no longer a sure thing.

Jerian Grant, Magic, 26, PG (Down) — Signed to a four-year, $7.57MM deal in 2015
Grant had a golden opportunity to enhance his value after getting traded to Orlando in July via a three-team swap. He entered one of the sketchiest point guard situations in the league but after failing to beat out journeyman D.J. Augustin for the starting job, he has also fallen behind Isaiah Briscoe on the depth chart. Grant has played a total of six garbage-time minutes over the last six games. It’s hard to imagine Orlando extending a $3.76MM qualifying offer to make Grant a restricted free agent, so he’ll be scrounging for a fresh start elsewhere.

Tomas Satoransky, Wizards, 27, PG (Up)– Signed to a three-year, $9MM deal in 2016
John Wall‘s pain has led to Satorsansky’s gain and he could cash in before he becomes a restricted free agent. Reports surfaced early last month that the team has engaged with Satoransky’s representatives regarding an extension. With Wall likely out all of next year after tearing his Achilles, Satoransky becomes even more valuable to the franchise. He could sign for as much as $47.5MM over a four-year period on an extension and he hasn’t hurt his cause since taking over as the primary point man. He’s racked up eight or more assists in nine games since January 9th.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Knicks Sign John Jenkins To 10-Day Deal

February 11th, 2019 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

FEBRUARY 11: The Knicks have officially signed Jenkins, the team announced today in a press release. Jenkins’ new contract will expire next Wednesday.

FEBRUARY 9: Shooting guard John Jenkins, whose 10-day contract with the Wizards is set to expire, will join the Knicks on a 10-day deal, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Jenkins appeared in four games with Washington, averaging 1.8 points in 3.3 minutes per night. Before his NBA call-up, he was a prolific scorer with the Knicks’ G League affiliate in Westchester, averaging 24.7 PPG and shooting 42.9% from 3-point range.

A first-round pick by the Hawks in 2012, Jenkins spent three years in Atlanta before brief stints with the Mavericks and Suns.

The move leaves the Knicks with two open roster spots. At least one will have to be filled by February 21, which is two weeks after they waived Enes Kanter and Wesley Matthews. Washington will fall back to 14 players and can keep one spot open for the rest of the season.

Otto Porter Claims Wizards Promised Not To Trade Him

February 9th, 2019 at 10:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Otto Porter said Wizards management held a private meeting with him before the trade deadline and assured him that he would remain with the team, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Washington’s front office changed its mind sometime before Wednesday night when Porter was shipped to Chicago in exchange for Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker.

Porter was expected to be part of the Wizards’ future when he agreed to a rookie-scale extension in 2017. However, his production never matched his lofty new salary and he had settled into a sixth-man role since returning from an injury last month. He was owed $27.25MM next year and has a player option worth nearly $28.5MM for 2020/21, which created a luxury tax bind for a Wizards team that may not make the playoffs.

Katz notes that owner Ted Leonsis did a radio interview about a week ago in which he promised that Moore, John Wall and Bradley Beal would all stay with the organization past the deadline.

There’s more Wizards and Bulls news as the teams met tonight, just three days after the trade:

Parker contends his relationship with Jim Boylen did “a complete 180” after Boylen replaced Fred Hoiberg as Chicago’s head coach in December, relays Madeline Kenney of The Chicago Sun-Times. “[Before that,] we never had controversy,” Parker said. “I always had his back, you know, with things that we had in-house problems with.” Displeased with Parker’s effort and commitment to defense, Boylen took him out of the rotation and Parker appeared in just one of 13 games in the first month that Boylen ran the team. “I’m happy,” Parker said of the deal that sent him to Washington. “I haven’t smiled in a while, but it’s great.”
Portis said he learned of Wednesday’s trade about 20 minutes prior to a game against the Pelicans and his “stomach dropped,” according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Portis seemed shocked about being dealt away from the team that drafted him in 2015. “Everybody knows how much I prided myself in playing for the Bulls and how much I really loved playing for the city of Chicago,” he said. “It’s a business and I finally got my first taste of it.”
Porter enjoyed the chance to provide inside information about his former team heading into tonight’s game, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. “Yeah, I was telling coach everything there was to know about Washington,” he said. “Everything. … I was snitching, yeah.”

John Wall Talks About Injury, Recovery

February 9th, 2019 at 6:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

A disastrous injury to John Wall got even worse this week with the news that he developed an infection from heel surgery, then fell in his home and ruptured his left Achilles tendon, which is expected to sideline him for an additional 12 months.

Still, Wall was in good spirits as he joined his teammates for Friday’s win over the Cavaliers and as he talked to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post about his upcoming operation, which is set for Tuesday morning.

“You never want to hear it, but it is what it is, and [I’m] kind of glad that it happened now instead of when I’m four or five months ahead in recovery and I’m trying to get back to being on the court,” Wall said. “… It’s not like I’ve started my process of getting back, so it’s not too much to kind of dwell on.

“I guess God is telling me something: ‘Sit down and get yourself fully healthy.’ I’ve played through injuries my whole career. I know a lot of people who’ve played through injuries and don’t sit down; that’s one thing I don’t like to do. If something is nagging or not broken, I want to play. And I guess it kind of caught up to me. Something I can’t control, but my love for the game is still there, and I’ll come back and conquer this like it was just a little step in the road.”

Wall made his first public comments since the injuries, which could change the course of the Wizards’ future. With playoff hopes fading at 23-32 and Wall’s supermax contract ready to kick in next season, Washington made deals at the trade deadline to get under the luxury tax.

Young forward Otto Porter was shipped to the Bulls in exchange for Bobby Portis, a restricted free agent, and Jabari Parker, who will have a team option on his $20MM salary for next year. Veteran Markieff Morris was sent to New Orleans in exchange for impending free agent Wesley Johnson in another money-saving trade.

“We added some great pieces; you see how well those guys played today,” Wall said in assessing the trades. “The franchise made some changes the last couple days, made some adjustments, and I think these guys that we added have a great mind-set even though it was only one game. Just take it one step at a time. For me, all I can do is sit back and watch film . . . [so] that I can come back and be able to play injury-free and just have fun without playing through nicks and bruises every night.”