Washington Wizards Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Oladipo, Lin, Oubre

December 20th, 2015 at 3:00pm CST by Will Joseph

Victor Oladipo, a former No. 2 overall pick who’ll become eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer, is playing like a first-team All-Defensive player, according to Magic coach Scott Skiles, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel relays. Oladipo is adept at guarding one-on-one, pressuring ball-handlers and contesting entry passes, Robbins explains. All of that has contributed to making the Magic a better defensive team this season, Robbins adds. Skiles moved Oladipo to the bench earlier this season, but the third-year shooting guard responded well.

Here’s more on the Southeast Division:

Wizards coach Randy Wittman believes Drew Gooden and Nene should be able to return at some point this week, Ben Standig of CSNMidAtlantic.com relays. Nene has missed 12 straight games with a left calf strain while Gooden has missed 21 games because of a right calf strain, as Standig notes. Nene is set for free agency at season’s end.
Wizards rookie Kelly Oubre is gaining confidence lately after scoring 18 points Wednesday and earning his first start on Saturday, J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com writes. Oubre must be cognizant of not allowing himself to get into foul trouble early in games going forward, Michael adds, because there is a decent chance the Wizards will look to use more of him soon. “I told him he had to play a little bit differently now than when I have put (him) in games and it’s been a cause-havoc situation,” Wittman said. “I told him he had to learn situations. We’re short-handed. You get the first one and you’ve got to be smart. It was trying to get him to understand the difference between starting and being in the position where he had been.”
While Jeremy Lin‘s numbers aren’t as eye-opening as they were during his “Linsanity” run, the point guard has added lineup flexibility for the Hornets and his turnover percentage is at a career low, Jesus Gomez of SB Nation’s Pounding the Rock details.

Eastern Notes: Yormark, Harrellson, D-League

December 19th, 2015 at 11:35am CST by Eddie Scarito

Nets CEO Brett Yormark is excited about the coming offseason and the free agent possibilities it brings, NetsDaily relays. “This will be the first time we’ve been able to test free agency and really realize the power of Brooklyn, the power of our brand and the commitment that ownership continues to make,” Yormark said. “We’ve got a good story to tell — with the addition of our $50MM practice facility and the D-League franchise — and I think we’ll be in a position where we’ll be able to add to Brook Lopez, Thaddeus Young, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Bojan Bogdanovic and some of the other younger pieces, and bring in the necessary pieces to turn things around quickly. I’m excited about that opportunity, but obviously we have to make all the right decisions and we have to plan now. … I think there’s a chance here to really build something special.” Brooklyn is currently projected to have between $32MM and $38MM in free cap space next summer.

Here’s more from the East:

Wizards camp cut Josh Harrellson has signed with the Latvian club VEF Riga, the team announced (translation courtesy of Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). The 26-year-old averaged 3.9 points in 7.3 minutes per game over seven preseason appearances for Washington this year.
Brandon Jennings‘ decision to accept a rehab assignment in the D-League is a testament to the point guard’s commitment and love of the game, according to Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy, Keith Langlois of NBA.com relays. It also demonstrates the value of the franchise having its own D-League affiliate, Langlois adds. “I think it shows how important the commitment [team owner] Tom [Gores] was able to make to have a D-League team and putting money into it,” Van Gundy said. “We’ve already gotten a value of last year sending Spencer Dinwiddie and Quincy Miller there and this year sending Spencer and Darrun [Hilliard] down. Now you’ve got a guy who can be a big part of what you do and you’ve got somewhere close by where you can send him and he can play. Those kinds of things seem minor when we’re talking about ownership commitment, but that’s a big one. We can send Brandon there to get significant minutes.”
The Raptors assigned shooting guard Norman Powell to their D-League affiliate, Adam Johnson of D-League Digest reports (Twitter link). This will be Powell’s first jaunt to the Raptors 905 this season.
The Pistons have assigned Darrun Hilliard and Reggie Bullock to their D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids, the team announced via press release. This will be Hilliard’s fourth stint with the Drive and Bullock’s first.

Southwest Notes: Ellis, Randolph, Neal

December 17th, 2015 at 10:31am CST by Chuck Myron

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said the decision not to make an offer to Monta Ellis over the summer came down to a desire to clear cap space, not because of Ellis’ age (he turned 30 in October) or any thought that he was in decline, writes Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link).

“We love Monta as a person, his family. It was one of the times where I went back and forth a lot,” Cuban said. “Not just on the basketball side but on the family side. His wife [plans to attend] law school. His wife has an amazing future as a lawyer and it was hard. That’s the down side of this business.”

Ellis instead signed with the Pacers, though he’s still feeling the effects of offseason surgery, as Buckner also reports and as we passed along earlier. See more from the Southwest Division:

Zach Randolph, now coming off the bench for the Grizzlies, tells Scoop Jackson of ESPN.com that he’s on board with his reduced role, and Randolph agrees with Jackson’s assertion that a dead-eye shooter in the mold of J.J. Redick is the missing element on the Memphis roster.
Gary Neal roots for the Spurs whenever he’s not playing them and has plenty of admiration for the team with which he spent his first three NBA seasons, notes Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. Neal is on a one-year, $2.139MM contract with the Wizards.
The Mavs‘ inability to trade a first-round pick for any draft prior to 2018 and the lack of value their expiring contracts have in a market full of teams with cap flexibility for 2016 make it difficult to envision Dallas pulling off any swap that significantly upgrades the roster this season, contends Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com.

Timberwolves Make Kevin Martin Available

December 17th, 2015 at 7:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Timberwolves have made Kevin Martin available in discussions about potential trades, a source told Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press. Minnesota wants to find more time for younger perimeter players Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine, according to Krawczynski. The potential that LaVine has shown to become a scorer and the increased amount of time Wiggins is seeing at shooting guard, plus the eight losses in nine games that the team has suffered, have helped prompt GM Milt Newton and company to put the 32-year-old Martin on the block and focus on Wiggins, LaVine and Shabazz Muhammad, Krawczynski explains.

Minnesota spoke with two teams about Martin early this season but was reluctant to move him amid a promising 8-8 start, Krawczynski writes. He began the season on the bench but the team made him a starter in late November to help him break out of a shooting slump, according to Krawczynski. The 12th-year veteran is nailing only 36.7% of his field goal attempts, a career low. Martin didn’t play in the team’s loss to the Knicks because of a sprained right (shooting) wrist, notes Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, and he’s questionable for Friday’s game against the Kings.

Martin was a part of trade talk last winter, when a series of reports identified the Mavericks, Wizards, Bulls, Kings and Rockets as interested parties, though late Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders didn’t appear willing to trade him or work a buyout. The Mavs, who signed Wesley Matthews in the offseason, were no longer interested as of October, according to a report at that time from Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities, and it’s unclear if any of the other teams linked to him almost a year ago are still eyeing him.

Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca speculates the Raptors might have interest, citing Martin’s track record as a scorer and an asset to team chemistry as well as his relationship with a few of Toronto’s players, though he suggests his contract could be a stumbling block (Twitter links). Martin is making $7.085MM this season with a player option for nearly $7.378MM next year.

What team do you think would make sense for Martin? Leave a comment to let us know.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Wizards, Hornets

December 13th, 2015 at 1:46pm CST by Will Joseph

Former Heat point guard Mario Chalmers, in his first extensive interview since the trade that sent him to the Grizzlies, told Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald that the reason why he is having success with his new team is because he is being utilized as more of a scorer instead of a facilitator. Chalmers is averaging 9.5 points per game this season, which is better than his career average of 8.9 points per game. Interestingly, Chalmers said he was not provided a reason from Miami about why he was traded. The move allowed the Heat to shed salary.

Here’s more from the Southeast Division:

Gary Neal, whom the Wizards signed to a one-year deal in July, has filled the role of capable bench scorer, which is what Washington hoped for in inking the veteran point guard, Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post writes. Neal’s contract, which is worth $2.1MM, fit into both the Wizards’ short-term plans and long-term flexibility, Castillo adds. The move has paid off with Neal averaging 10.6 points per game.
After being traded to the Hornets from the Blazers, Nicolas Batum is playing the best basketball of his career, Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com details. Batum’s all-around game has been so strong this season, Celtics coach Brad Stevens thinks the small forward has a good shot to make the All-Star team, as Toscano adds.
Speaking of Batum, taking chances on him, Jeremy Lamb and Spencer Hawes — who were each at uncertain points of their respective careers — in trades during the summer has made the Hornets dramatically better offensively, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer explains. In obtaining the players, the Hornets added size and versatility, Bonnell adds. “We made a concerted effort to improve offensively, improve our versatility and find more skilled players,” Hornets GM Rich Cho said. “I knew Nic from [working in] Portland; we knew Spencer had tremendous basketball IQ and could shoot the ball and spread the floor. Jeremy was someone we pursued for a long time. We liked him in college and saw him play a lot of games in the NBA and the D-League.”

Southeast Notes: Beal, Hawks Drafts, Batum

December 12th, 2015 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bradley Beal‘s repeated leg problems are part of the reason the Wizards have been reluctant to commit to an extension, writes J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com. The Wizards confirmed today that Beal has “the beginnings of a stress reaction in his lower right fibula.” He will miss at least seven games as he will be kept out of action for two weeks before being re-evaluated. Michael notes that the injury is in the same vicinity as his last stress reaction in February and is part of Beal’s “long and complex” injury history since being drafted in 2012. Michael also speculates that the latest injury could hold down Beal’s value when he becomes a restricted free agent next summer, possibly allowing Washington to sign him at a lower price.

There’s more tonight from the Southeast Division:

Despite the injury, Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post doesn’t believe Beal’s market value will be reduced. He writes that Beal is still likely to get a max offer from someone, especially with the coming rise in the salary cap linked to television revenue. Beal is trying to stay positive despite the latest setback. “I can’t worry about it,” he said. “If I do, it ruins me as a player. It ruins my confidence. It kind of makes an excuse for me, and I don’t want to live with myself in that category.”
The Hawks‘ recent run of success is being threatened by their draft decisions, according to Jonathan Tjarks of Real GM. Atlanta posted the best record in the East last season, but Tjarks worries that the franchise is being hurt by poor use of its draft picks. The Hawks emerged from the draft with Lucas Nogueira in 2013 and Adreian Payne in 2014, then traded this year’s pick to the Knicks for Tim Hardaway Jr. Atlanta ultimately traded Nogueira to Toronto and Payne to Minnesota, and Hardaway has spent time in the D-League this season.
The Hornets‘ Nicolas Batum has already proven himself worthy of a max contract next summer, writes Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer. Batum, whom Charlotte acquired from the Blazers in a June trade, has helped the Hornets get off to a 14-9 start, third best in the Eastern Conference. Fowler says Batum has stepped into the point forward role and has accepted much of the playmaking responsibility. The columnist estimates it will take nearly $20MM per season to keep Batum in Charlotte, but contends it will be worth it.

Wizards Use Stretch Provision On Martell Webster

December 7th, 2015 at 2:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Wizards used the stretch provision to spread out the cap hit associated with the $2.5MM partial guarantee on Martell Webster‘s salary for next season, reports Zach Lowe of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Webster, who cleared waivers after the team released him last week, will see the $2.5MM in three equal parts of $833,333 each season from 2016/17 through 2018/19 instead of receiving the $2.5MM all in 2016/17. That gives the Wizards about $1.667MM in added cap flexibility this summer, when they’re poised to chase soon-to-be free agent Kevin Durant and reportedly plan to re-sign Bradley Beal to a max contract in free agency.

The stretch doesn’t apply to this season’s salary of almost $5.614MM. The full amount of Webster’s salary for next season was to have been more than $5.845MM, but Washington is only on the hook for the partially guaranteed value.

The league allows teams until the end of the first full day after a player clears waivers to decide whether they want to use the stretch provision to spread out his cap hit, so that accounts for some of the delay in reporting. The Wizards could have taken until the end of this past Thursday to declare whether they were stretching Webster’s salary.

The move leaves Washington with $37,691,855 in guaranteed salary for next season, when the cap is projected to hit $89MM. Beal’s cap hold is worth $14,734,954, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. The Wizards would incur roster charges worth $3,804,297, a number equal to seven times the rookie minimum salary, if they were to strip down merely to Beal and the four players on their roster with fully guaranteed salary for next season. The maximum salary for Durant, who’ll have nine years of experience by next summer, is projected to be $24.9MM. That means the Wizards would have at least $81,131,106 tied up if they sign Durant, so they could spend between that amount and the cap to supplement their roster before circling back to re-sign Beal. Washington could use Beal’s Bird rights to exceed the cap, a privilege the team wouldn’t have with outside free agents.

Still, those numbers are merely based on projections and the idea that Washington would waive Kris Humphries, Drew Gooden and DeJuan Blair, all of whom also have partially guaranteed salary for next season. It would also require the team to get rid of its obligation to pay its 2016 first-round pick, which the Wizards could achieve by trading the pick or using it on a draft-and-stash player. The Wizards could pry open additional flexibility if they use the stretch provision on other players they might waive. In any case, the decision to stretch Webster’s salary will help the team supplement its roster for next season, even as it places slightly more burden on the team’s payroll for 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Eastern Notes: Stokes, Powell, Harris

December 3rd, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Wizards have been one of the more disappointing teams early in the season, and Washington’s drop off is directly related to the loss of Paul Pierce, who departed as a free agent for the Clippers this past offseason, Keith P. Smith of RealGM writes. With Washington determined to maintain as much free cap space as it can in order to make a run at Kevin Durant next summer, any changes will likely need to come from within, Smith notes. If the Wizards do make any moves, they will likely be small and involve bringing in players who are owed no guaranteed money beyond this season, the RealGM scribe concludes.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Cavs shooting Joe Harris, who is currently on his fourth D-League assignment of the season, views his time in Canton as a means to stay in game shape as well as an opportunity to stoke his competitive fire, Joe Gabriele of NBA.com relays. When asked if there were specific facets of the game he is sent to the D-League to focus on, Harris told Gabriele, “They just want me to go down there and play – ‘be aggressive and work on your game.’ It’s basically an opportunity to go down there and get minutes because I don’t get much tick up here. There’s only so much you can do as far as individual skill work and conditioning on a bike. But you can’t simulate playing in an actual game. And it can’t satisfy the competitive itch you feel as a player.“
The Heat have assigned Jarnell Stokes to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be the power forward’s second jaunt of the season to the D-League.
Power forward Josh Powell, who was waived by the Bucks this preseason, signed with San Lorenzo in Argentina, the team announced (translation by Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). The arrangement is for the remainder of the season, though it’s unknown if the pact includes an NBA out clause.

Southeast Notes: Carroll, Millsap, Dudley, Oladipo

December 2nd, 2015 at 12:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

DeMarre Carroll is grateful for the opportunity the Hawks gave him during his time with the team, which began when he signed a two-year, $5MM deal in 2013 and ended when he joined the Raptors for four years and a whopping $58MM, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca details. Toronto teammate Patrick Patterson was blunt when asked what the Atlanta experience gave Carroll.

“His contract, plain and simple,” Patterson said to Lewenberg. “His contract that he has with us. All the hard work that he’s put in throughout his life, his career in the NBA, every opportunity that presented itself and then his stint with the Atlanta Hawks and having success with them, it’s allowed him to have this opportunity he has now with us.”

Still, Carroll has carved his own path, impressing Raptors coach Dwane Casey with his basketball IQ, and his success didn’t come just because he played for the Hawks, Lewenberg argues. See more on Carroll and other news from the Southeast Division:

Carroll didn’t make too much of an impression on Jeff Teague, who said he doesn’t care that his former teammate is in town with the Raptors tonight, but Paul Millsap said he and Carroll formed a connection during their time together, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Hawks, priced out of re-signing both their marquee free agents this summer, chose a new deal with Millsap over one with Carroll. “That’s my guy,” Millsap said of Carroll. “That’s my brother. It’s going to be good to see him here, especially in front of this crowd. They loved DeMarre. Me and him, we keep in contact all the time. Like brothers do. About his situation. About my situation.”
The Wizards took small ball to an extreme during Tuesday’s win over the Cavs, with offseason trade acquisition Jared Dudley playing center for a spell, and it worked, serving as further demonstration of the team’s recent philosophical shift, as Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post examines.
The Magic hired Scott Skiles to make tough calls like his decision to bench former No. 2 overall pick Victor Oladipo, argues Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders. The shooting guard doesn’t appear pleased with the move, but he nonetheless acknowledges that the team is playing its best since the Dwight Howard trade, Taylor writes. We asked for your input on Oladipo’s benching in Tuesday’s Community Shootaround.

Wizards Sign Ryan Hollins

November 30th, 2015 at 11:57am CST by Chuck Myron

11:57am: The signing is official, the Wizards announced.

10:57am: It’ll be a minimum-salary contract, as J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com hears (Twitter link), so the Wizards won’t have to use the disabled player exception they’d like to get in return for Webster’s injury.

10:40am: The deal for Hollins will be non-guaranteed, according to Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post (on Twitter). The Wizards will release Webster to make room on the roster, as Charania also reported and as we covered in more detail here.

7:57am: The Wizards and nine-year veteran center Ryan Hollins have agreed to a deal, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Washington already has 15 players, and while the team has planned to apply for a disabled player exception for Martell Webster, who’s out for the season, that doesn’t provide for an extra roster spot. Alan Anderson, who’s still recovering from left ankle surgery, is the only other injured Wizard who isn’t at least questionable for Tuesday’s game. That would mean Washington doesn’t have the four long-term injuries required for a hardship provision, which would allow the team a 16th man. Thus, it would appear that the Wizards must let go of one of their 15 fully guaranteed salaries to accommodate Hollins, unless some of their injuries are more serious than reports have thus far indicated.

Hollins, 31, was with the Grizzlies in preseason before Memphis cut him prior to opening night. The Wizards, Kings, Clippers, Mavericks and Pelicans all reportedly had interest in him over the summer, and the Kings, for whom he played last season, still had their eyes on him when the Wizards snapped him up, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Hollins was efficient with Memphis during the preseason, averaging 5.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per game across seven appearances.

The Wizards, expected to make a run in the Eastern Conference playoffs as they’ve done the past two seasons, are 6-8 and in 12th place in the East. Garrett Temple, who’s on an expiring contract worth slightly more than $1.1MM, would make for the least expensive cut if the Wizards let go of someone.

Do you think Hollins can help the Wizards? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.