Washington Wizards Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Austin Rivers Adds Dynamic Presence to Wizards

October 7th, 2018 at 8:11pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Early in the summer the Wizards traded Marcin Gortat to the Clippers in exchange for Austin Rivers, a move that boosted the team’s backcourt depth and provides another option in small-ball lineups. The trade kicked off a busy offseason for Rivers, who has worked to adjust to life on the East Coast while adding a child to his family.

As Zach Rosen writes for the team’s website, Rivers will look to provide a consistent scoring punch off the bench and be a key cog in lineups alongside John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter and Markieff Morris. That five-man unit will space the floor on offense and should be flexible on defense, which is a priority for Scott Brooks this season as he works to modernize the Wizards on both ends of the floor.

Rivers is coming off a career year in 2017/18, averaging 15.2 points and 4 assists per game while hitting 37.8% of his 3-pointers (he attempted nearly six per game). Rivers can both run the second-unit offense or be a secondary ball-handler when on the floor with the team’s All-Star guards, which will further diversify the Wizards’ attack. As Rosen points out, Brooks’ focus for the upcoming season is on 3-pointers, layups, dunks and defense, which should allow Rivers to fit right in.

As one of the team’s key additions, along with Dwight Howard and Jeff Green, Rivers will play an important role as the Wizards look to bounce back from a disappointing campaign in 2017/18.

Finally able to go through a healthy offseason, Ian Mahinmi has looked much better in the Wizards‘ first two preseason games. As Chase Hughes writes for NBC Sports Washington, Mahinmi has started in place of Howard throughout the preseason and has had the sort of defensive impact the Wizards hoped for when they signed him during the 2016 offseason.

2018 Offseason In Review: Washington Wizards

October 5th, 2018 at 1:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2018 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s moves from the last several months and look ahead to what the 2018/19 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Washington Wizards.

Signings:

Standard contracts:
- Dwight Howard: Two years, $10.94MM. Second-year player option. Signed using taxpayer mid-level exception.
- Jeff Green: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Two-way contracts:
- Jordan McRae
Non-guaranteed camp contracts:
- Lavoy Allen: One year, minimum salary.
- Chris Chiozza: One year, minimum salary.
- Tiwian Kendley: One year, minimum salary.
- Chasson Randle: One year, minimum salary.

Trades:

Acquired Austin Rivers from the Clippers in exchange for Marcin Gortat.

Waiver claims:

Claimed Thomas Bryant off waivers from the Lakers.

Draft picks:

1-15: Troy Brown — Signed to rookie contract.
2-44: Issuf Sanon — Will play overseas.

Departing players:

Tim Frazier
Marcin Gortat
Ty Lawson
Chris McCullough
Mike Scott
Ramon Sessions

Other offseason news:

Introduced expansion G League team Capital City Go-Go; hired Pops Mensah-Bonsu as GM and Jarell Christian as head coach.
Hired Robert Pack as an assistant coach.

Salary cap situation:

Remained over the cap.
Carrying approximately $134.9MM in guaranteed salaries.
Projected tax bill of $19.1MM.
No free agent cap exceptions left besides minimum salary exception.

Check out the Washington Wizards’ full roster and depth chart at RosterResource.com.

Story of the summer:

After an impressive 2016/17 showing that ended with a Game 7 loss to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Wizards took a step back in 2017/18. Washington finished the year as the No. 8 team in the East and was quickly dispatched in the first round of the playoffs by the top-seeded Raptors.

While the performance raised questions about the upside of the Wizards’ current core, injuries were at least partly to blame for the club’s ’17/18 struggles. John Wall missed half the season after undergoing knee surgery and Otto Porter wasn’t able to suit up for the season-ending home loss to Toronto.

Taking into account those factors – along with their lack of cap flexibility – the Wizards decided to give the current core led by Wall, Porter, and Bradley Beal another chance. All three players are back for the coming season, with new role players like Dwight Howard and Austin Rivers joining the mix.

While the front office opted not to make major changes to the roster this summer, 2018/19 will be an important year for this group. If the Wizards fail to win a playoff series once again in a weakened Eastern Conference, it’s not hard to envision a scenario in which the roster looks significantly different a year from now.

Key offseason losses:

Marcin Gortat‘s five-year run as a Wizard came to an end this offseason, with the team sending him to the Clippers in exchange for Rivers. A deal was long overdue, with Gortat having been mentioned in trade rumors for years. And despite his steady production for the club, it’s not hard to see why Washington wanted to move him.

Gortat, who has always been outspoken with the media, clashed last season with Wall, who responded to perceived criticism from the veteran center by suggesting that Gortat should be grateful for all the “spoon-fed baskets” he got as a result of playing with Wall. The 34-year-old has also shown virtually no willingness to modernize his game, indicating this spring that he had no intention of working on increasing his shooting range. Around the same time, Wall was talking about the Wizards’ need for “athletic” big men.

While it’s certainly possible that Gortat himself wasn’t the problem in the Wizards’ locker room, his days in D.C. were numbered once his differences of opinion with the team’s franchise player became more public and more frequent.

None of the Wizards’ other offseason departures should have an impact on their starting lineup, but they’ll be replacing three backup point guards in Tim Frazier, Ramon Sessions, and Ty Lawson. The loss of Mike Scott shouldn’t be overlooked either. A key reserve, Scott enjoyed a career year for the Wiz in 2017/18, averaging 8.8 PPG with a .527 FG% and .405 3PT%. Having used their mid-level exception elsewhere, the Wizards had no way of matching or topping the $4.3MM offer Scott received from the Clippers.

Key offseason additions:

Already projected to be over the tax line, the Wizards decided to use their full mid-level exception on Howard, a move that will cost them more than his $5.34MM salary due to tax penalties. It’s a fascinating decision, given how quickly he has worn out his welcomes in Houston, Atlanta, and Charlotte over the last three years. The Wizards and Howard all saying all the right things leading up to the season, but it’s a risky move to replace Gortat with Howard and hope that it will help solve last year’s on- and off-court issues.

On the court, Howard certainly has more upside than Gortat, giving the Wizards the sort of rim-protecting center and elite rebounder they’ve lacked in the middle. But he’ll turn 33 this December and is past his prime at this point. Howard has to be willing to accept a complementary role after attempting more than 11 shots per game last season — he shouldn’t be taking many touches from the likes of Wall, Beal, and Porter.

Elsewhere, the Wizards’ additions of Rivers and Jeff Green should bolster a bench that has struggled to produce in recent years. Neither Rivers nor Green is a consistent difference-maker, but they’re solid defenders who should stabilize the second unit. Getting Green on a minimum-salary deal was a particularly nice move.

While Howard, Rivers, and Green should contribute immediately, the best long-term addition for the Wizards this summer figures to be Troy Brown, a talented – but raw – wing who enters his rookie season as the fourth-youngest player in the NBA. The Wizards have made a habit of trading away their first-round picks for veterans over the last few years, and needed an injection of high-upside youth this summer. Brown provides that, becoming the first player the Wizards have drafted in the first round – and kept – since Porter in 2013.

Outlook for 2018/19:

As usual, the Wizards will head into the 2018/19 campaign believing that they’re the best team in the East — just ask Markieff Morris. That confidence hasn’t led to deep playoff runs in past seasons though, and most prognosticators don’t believe that this year will be any different, ranking the Celtics, Raptors, and Sixers – and perhaps the Pacers and Bucks – ahead of Washington in the East.

With one of the NBA’s best backcourts, the Wizards have the talent to make some noise in a conference that’s no longer dominated by LeBron James, but this roster still probably lacks championship upside, and the acquisition of Howard creates as many questions as answers.

With team owner Ted Leonsis talking about wanting to win 50 games and earn a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals, expectations are high in D.C. If the Wizards are unable to meet those expectations, changes will be coming next summer.

Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Community Shootaround: Rookie Scale Extensions

October 1st, 2018 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

So far this offseason, two players have signed rookie scale extensions: Devin Booker got a new deal from the Suns, and the Timberwolves locked up Karl-Anthony Towns to a new long-term pact.

In each of those instances, the player received a maximum salary extension. Max deals, which require little negotiation, typically get done well before the mid-October deadline for rookie scale extensions. But with that deadline now just two weeks away, we may start seeing progress on a few other deals around the NBA.

Besides Booker and Towns, 21 players are eligible for rookie scale extensions this offseason, though some of the players on that list assuredly won’t get new deals. The Cavaliers aren’t about to give Sam Dekker a long-term contract, for example. And it’s safe to assume that the Bulls aren’t looking to lock up Cameron Payne early.

Still, there are several names on that list who are intriguing candidates for new deals. Here are 12 of them:

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Nets)
Stanley Johnson (Pistons)
Frank Kaminsky (Hornets)
Trey Lyles (Nuggets)
Larry Nance Jr. (Cavaliers)
Kelly Oubre (Wizards)
Bobby Portis (Bulls)
Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks)
Terry Rozier (Celtics)
Myles Turner (Pacers)
Justise Winslow (Heat)
Delon Wright (Raptors)

Not all the players on this list will sign rookie scale extensions within the next two weeks. In fact, most of them probably won’t. There are plenty of reasons for teams to wait — maybe the asking prices are too high, maybe their financial situations aren’t conducive to more long-term investments at this point, or maybe they simply want another season to take a closer look at their extension candidates.

Still, it’s safe to assume that at least a couple players on this list will receive new deals. Typically, at least four players per year sign rookie scale extensions, and the numbers in previous seasons have often been much higher than that — in 2014, 2015, and 2016, a combined 24 players signed rookie scale extensions, for an average of eight per year.

With that October 15 deadline fast approaching, we want to know what you think. Which of this year’s extension candidates will receive new deals? Which deserve them, and at what price point? Which should be put off until they reach restricted free agency next summer?

Head to the comment section below to share your two cents on this year’s rookie scale extension candidates!

Wizards Notes: Meeks, Porter, Howard, Wall

September 30th, 2018 at 2:56pm CST by Arthur Hill

As the season nears, Wizards guard Jodie Meeks is still awaiting word on his suspension appeal, writes Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Meeks was docked 25 games at the end of last season for a reported violation of the NBA’s drug policy. He has already served six games and is hoping to have the penalty reduced. If it isn’t, he won’t be eligible to play until November 26.

“Nothing’s changed,” Meeks said. “I’m preparing like I’m going to play [in] Game 1. So, still in the appeal process. I can’t really talk a whole lot about it, but all I can do is prepare like I’m going to play.”

Meeks signed with the Wizards last summer in hopes of bringing some much-needed firepower to the reserve unit. However, he shot less than 40% from the field and averaged just 6.3 points per game. After testing positive for for ipamorelin and growth hormone-releasing peptide-2, he was forced to miss the playoff series with the Raptors. Meeks contends he’s innocent and filed a formal appeal of the suspension September 13.

There’s more today out of Washington:

The Wizards are experimenting with a small-ball lineup that includes Otto Porter at center, Buckner adds in a separate story. Porter has never played the position and doesn’t really have the physique for it at 6’8″ and 205 pounds, but it could become an option in the team’s quest for versatility. “The more playmakers that we can put on the floor, I think it’s going to be better for us,” coach Scott Brooks said. “The league is so small, there’s times you can go with maybe four guards and a big or Otto at the five. There’s all kinds of lineups you can do now.”
John Wall‘s recruiting played a role in Dwight Howard‘s decision to join the Wizards, but the center also recognizes the value of winning a title with the franchise instead of joining a team like the Warriors, relays Chase Hughes of NBC Sports. “I just think Golden State, they’ve won a couple championships in the past couple of years,” Howard said. “So, me going there and winning it’s like ‘well, you went to a team that’s already won.’ In D.C., I think the last time the Wizards won they were the Bullets if I’m not mistaken. So, I think that impact would be bigger for the city.”
Bringing a title to Washington is also a priority for Wall, who tells Hughes in a separate piece that his career would be a “failure” without one.

Dwight Howard Out For Remainder Of Camp

September 29th, 2018 at 10:58am CST by marksuleymanov

It appears new Wizards center Dwight Howard may miss all of training camp, head coach Scott Brooks told reporters, including Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Brooks had indicated that Howard would miss time as he deals with an ailing back.

Howard, 32, signed with the Wizards in the offseason after he was acquired by the Nets and subsequently bought out. The eight-time All-Star is with his fifth team in seven seasons as he looks to build on a solid season with the Hornets in 2017/18. Playing in over 80 games for the first time since the 2009/10 campaign, Howard averaged 16.6 PPG and 12.5 RPG for Charlotte.

As he enters his third season in the NBA, Wizards point guard Tomas Satoransky knows that nothing is promised as he has seen his role vary each season, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “That’s what these two years have taught me, never be sure of your situation or position,” he said.

Rockets Making Strong Effort To Land Jimmy Butler

September 27th, 2018 at 11:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are making a “strong effort” to acquire Jimmy Butler in a trade with the Timberwolves, sources tell Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (Twitter link). Berman’s report comes after ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski indicated on Wednesday that Houston was pursuing Butler.

Wojnarowski, who suggested that the Rockets were “trying to be creative” as they explored trade possibilities for Butler, wrote that it would be tricky for the club to pull off a deal for the All-NBA wing without involving a third team. Berman, meanwhile, doesn’t offer much in the way of specifics.

It’s hard to imagine Houston being able to trade for Butler without giving up Eric Gordon, whose $13MM+ salary would make for a good salary-matching piece and whose ability to make an immediate impact might appeal to Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Rockets also have full control over their future first-round picks, though the value of their 2019 selection would be limited, since it’s likely to fall in the late-20s.

Although the Rockets are apparently pushing to land Butler, they’re not the only team involved. Wojnarowski’s report on Thursday named the Clippers and Cavaliers as other clubs in the mix, with the Heat still considered the most aggressive suitors. The Wizards and Mavericks have also gauged the asking price on Butler, while the Nets have interest but haven’t engaged Minnesota recently, per Woj.

Here’s more on Butler:

The Heat are open to the idea of taking on Gorgui Dieng‘s contract from the Timberwolves “under the right circumstances,” according to Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski indicates that potential trade partners are skeptical of Thibodeau’s willingness to move Butler, since he’s making counter-offers he knows would never be accepted. In an appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer provided an example, reporting that the Timberwolves asked for Ben Simmons when they made a counter-offer to the Sixers (hat tip to Dane Delgado of NBC Sports). We passed along a report earlier today suggesting that Philadelphia has since pulled out of the Butler sweepstakes.
The Nuggets were mentioned several days ago as a potential dark horse for Butler, but T.J. McBride of Mile High Sports hears that Denver views Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Gary Harris as “untouchable” (hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports). A trade for an All-Star like Butler is probably a long shot without any of those players involved.
Earlier today, we relayed an update on the Kings‘ potential involvement in the Butler talks — Sacramento is still interested in getting involved as a facilitator, but will be cautious about adding too much multiyear money to its cap.

Wizards Notes: Leonsis, Howard, Contracts

September 26th, 2018 at 7:28pm CST by clarkcrum

It’s been a nice year for Wizards‘ owner Ted Leonsis, reports Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The 61-year-old billionaire saw his Capitals win the Stanley Cup in June and the Wizards opened a new practice facility, the St. Elizabeth East Entertainment and Sports Arena, just last week.

So perhaps you can’t blame him when he says that there are “no excuses” for the Wizards anymore and that it’s time for the team to accomplish their goals.

“We need to raise the expectations. We have to make the playoffs. I’d like us to win 50 games. I’d like us to go to the ECF,” Leonsis told Hughes. “We have one of the highest payrolls in the league, beautiful, world-class practice facility. (The Wizards) are healthy entering the year, (so) no excuses. Let’s play ball.”

Leonsis feels that he’s done his part, giving the team the necessary resources to succeed. He also cited the Capitals recent success as proof the Wizards can reach their goals.

“We’ve proven that there is no [D.C. sports] curse,” Leonsis said. “If we are patient and work hard and are committed to continuous improvement than (the Wizards) can win a championship.”

There’s more from D.C. this evening:

The AP initially reported that newly-acquired Wizards’ center Dwight Howard may miss the start of training camp with a sore back, and pursuant to a tweet from the team itself, it appears as though Howard did indeed miss the first day of practice, with head coach Scott Brooks telling reporters the veteran center is day-to-day.
In another article for NBC Sports Washington, Hughes talks about how the Wizards are set to begin the 2018/19 season with seven players on expiring contracts, yet still believe that the added dynamic will not affect the success of the club, with players understanding that winning will raise each individual player’s value more than individual statistics could.
As we relayed last week, the Wizards signed both forward Lavoy Allen and guard Chasson Randle to training camp deals before beginning training camp this week.

Wizards Sign Chasson Randle To Camp Deal

September 20th, 2018 at 12:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 20: Nearly two months after it was first reported, the Wizards’ deal with Randle is now official. The point guard is included on Washington’s training camp roster, posted today on the team’s website.

JULY 27: The Wizards have agreed to a training-camp contract with guard Chasson Randle, Michael Scotto of The Athletic tweets.

Washington has an open spot on the 15-man roster and a two-way slot available, so Randle could become the No. 3 point guard if he shines during camp.

Randle, 25, played overseas with Real Madrid last season but didn’t see extensive action for the Euroleague champs. In 46 games, he averaged 3.6 PPG in 9.8 MPG.

The 6’1” Randle appeared in a combined 26 games with the Sixers and Knicks in 2016/17. He averaged 5.3 PPG and 1.3 APG in 11.6 MPG. New York waived him last September.

He went undrafted in 2015 out of Stanford.

Wizards Sign Lavoy Allen To Camp Deal

September 19th, 2018 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent center Lavoy Allen has signed a training camp contract with the Wizards, reports Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (Twitter link). Washington currently has 18 players under contract, so once the team completes its reported deals with both Allen and Chasson Randle, its 20-man offseason roster will be full.

According to Buckner, Allen has been in Washington for the last week working out with Wizards players. He seemingly made an impression on the team, and will now compete for the final regular season roster spot, Buckner adds.

Allen, 29, didn’t play an NBA game last season, but has extensive experience with the Sixers and Pacers over the course of a six-year career. Most recently, he averaged 2.9 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 61 games in a minor role for the Pacers in 2016/17.

The Wizards have 14 players on fully guaranteed contracts, with Allen, Randle, Tiwian Kendley, and Chris Chiozza on non-guaranteed deals. While Allen and Randle are seemingly the best bets for that 15th roster spot, it’s possible Washington will carry just 14 players to start the season due to tax concerns.

Scott Brooks Charged With Task Of Keeping Locker Room In Check

September 16th, 2018 at 5:21pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards may be the front runners to win their division, a Basketball Insiders panel concludes, but they’ll need the team to stay healthy and avoid any chemistry concerns. It will be on head coach Scott Brooks to balance all the skill sets and personalities on the payroll.