Washington Wizards Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wizards Rumors: Sabonis, Grant, Beal, Bryant, Harrell, Dinwiddie

February 2nd, 2022 at 7:53am CST by Luke Adams

A number of people around the NBA think the Wizards will go “big-game hunting” at the trade deadline in an effort to ensure Bradley Beal remains happy with the situation in D.C. ahead of his upcoming free agency, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype said on his latest podcast.

Scotto identified Pistons forward Jerami Grant and Pacers center Domantas Sabonis as two potential targets to watch for the Wizards. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report mentions the same two names in his look at Washington’s deadline options, referring to Sabonis as a player who has emerged as a “significant” target for the Wizards.

According to Fischer, there’s a belief Beal has signaled plans to re-sign with the Wizards in the offseason, and there has been no indication the team is willing to discuss him in trade talks on or before February 10. However, having slid down the standings since a 10-3 start, the club appears to be in the market for an impact player in order to help “solidify Beal’s standing” in Washington.

Here’s more on the Wizards:

One source with knowledge of the situation tell Bleacher Report that Beal hasn’t actively encouraged the Wizards to acquire Sabonis, but word around the league is that the Wizards star would welcome the opportunity to play with the big man, Fischer writes. The Kings and Pelicans are the other teams believed to have serious interest in Sabonis, per Fischer’s sources.
The Pacers‘ front office liked Rui Hachimura heading into the 2019 draft and considered Corey Kispert in the 2021 lottery, according to Fischer, who notes that at least two of Hachimura, Kispert, and Deni Avdija would probably have to be included in any package for Sabonis. The Wizards would also have to offer a player like Thomas Bryant or Montrezl Harrell for salary-matching purposes, plus possibly draft assets, and even that might not meet Indiana’s high asking price, says Fischer.
The Wizards have made outgoing calls to assess Harrell’s trade value, and rival executives believe they’re playing Bryant more lately in order to showcase him for a potential deal, writes Fischer.
Although the Wizards have made Spencer Dinwiddie available, his down year will make it more challenging to find a trade partner, per Fischer. “He needs the ball, he’s not good enough to have the ball, and he’s not a good shooter,” a Western Conference executive said to Bleacher Report.

Bradley Beal To Miss At Least One Week With Left Wrist Injury

February 1st, 2022 at 6:01pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Wizards star shooting guard Bradley Beal will miss at least a week of action with a nagging left wrist sprain before being re-assessed, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). According to Marc Spears of The Undefeated (Twitter link), Beal was diagnosed with a scapholunate ligament injury in the left wrist.

Earlier today, Washington head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said that Beal was set to consult with a specialist for an opinion on the injury, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN indicated (via Twitter) that Beal consulted with the specialist in New York.

Unseld noted that continued discomfort ultimately was the determining factor when it came to Beal’s decision to visit a specialist, Hughes tweets. Beal did not travel with Washington for the club’s current road trip.

Beal, 28, is averaging 23.2 PPG, 6.6 APG, and 4.7 RPG for the 23-26 Wizards, currently the No. 12 seed in the East, across 40 games this season. Though his field goal percentage of 45.1% and his free-throw mark of 83.3% are both consistent with his career output, his three-point shooting has taken a significant dip this season, down to just 30.0% on 5.3 attempts per game. The three-time All-Star’s career long-range percentage is 37.2% on 6.0 looks a night.

Southeast Notes: Dinwiddie, Hornets, Oladipo, Young

February 1st, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a larger story on the Clippers this week, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer suggested that the Wizards want to trade Spencer Dinwiddie in part because “his teammates don’t want him there.” It’s an eyebrow-raising claim that’s presented as an aside and isn’t attributed to sources, so it’s unclear how seriously we should take it.

There have perhaps been some recent hints that Dinwiddie’s teammates in D.C. haven’t fully embraced him. As we relayed over the weekend, the veteran point guard stated after Saturday’s game that his attempt to be a vocal leader in the locker room earlier in the season “wasn’t necessarily welcomed.”

Asked on Monday about those comments, Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said he was unsure whether they were directed at the coaching staff or Dinwiddie’s teammates, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Unseld, who said he thinks everyone in the locker room gets along, said that even if the staff doesn’t implement a player’s suggestions, that doesn’t mean those suggestions were “unwelcomed.”

“I think I’ve been open from Day 1 to suggestions from our guys, vets that have been around,” Unseld said. “I’m not sure who [Dinwiddie’s comments were] pointed to. I don’t know if that was directed at staff or teammates, or I’m not sure who that was pointed to, but I think it’s great. I think the more communication we can have and they can have amongst themselves [the better].”

As we keep an eye on the Dinwiddie situation, here’s more from around the Southeast:

In a column for The Charlotte Observer, Rod Boone argues that the Hornets must make a move at the trade deadline to upgrade their center position. While Boone isn’t advocating for selling the farm, he believes the team would squander a golden opportunity for “significant growth” this season if it stands pat.
As Victor Oladipo inches closer to a return from last year’s quad tendon surgery, his Heat teammates are encouraged by how he has looked in practices, says Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “I’ve seen enough to know he’s definitely better than he was last year,” Udonis Haslem said last week. “I haven’t seen any limping. I haven’t seen a lack of confidence. I haven’t seen everything so I can’t make a fair assessment. He looks pretty [good] about where he’s headed.”
Hawks guard Trae Young, dealing with a right shoulder contusion, sat out Monday’s game vs. Toronto, but the team is hopeful he won’t miss much – if any – more time. “He tried to go out and warm up and wasn’t feeling good, so we’ll give him these next two days to recover,” head coach Nate McMillan said (Twitter link via Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

Bradley Beal To Miss Multiple Games Due To Wrist Injury

January 31st, 2022 at 11:17am CST by Luke Adams

Star guard Bradley Beal will miss the Wizards‘ games in Milwaukee on Tuesday and in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the team announced today in a press release.

Beal sustained a sprained left wrist during the third quarter of Saturday’s loss to Memphis, according to the Wizards. While he was able to finish that game, he’ll undergo further evaluation on that wrist injury before being cleared to return to action, the team said in today’s announcement.

While it’s possible Beal will only be sidelined for two games, his absence could extend beyond Wednesday. And any time he misses is a problem for the Wizards, who have struggled this season following a 10-3 start. At 23-26, Washington is currently 11th in the East, a game out of a play-in spot.

Beal is eligible to reach unrestricted free agency this summer, so the Wizards’ moves at the trade deadline and their performance in the second half will be worth monitoring closely. The 28-year-old has spoken about his desire to remain in D.C. long-term, but he also wants to see the club making consistent forward progress. The Wizards earned the No. 8 seed in the East in 2021’s play-in tournament, so falling short of a playoff spot this season would represent a step back.

With Beal out, Corey Kispert will likely return to the starting lineup, while the team leans more heavily on point guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Raul Neto for scoring and play-making.

Wizards Notes: Gafford, Bryant, Dinwiddie, Trade Deadline

January 30th, 2022 at 10:26am CST by Arthur Hill

Daniel Gafford was the odd man out Saturday night as Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. decided to cut his center rotation from three players to two, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Gafford, who signed a contract extension in October and started the first 45 games of the season, didn’t play at all in the loss to the Grizzlies.

Unseld indicated it might be a long-term plan, as he abandoned the substitution pattern he has been using since Thomas Bryant returned from an ACL injury. Bryant was the starter on Saturday, and all the back-up minutes went to Montrezl Harrell.

“Trying to play the three bigs, it became very choppy. I know the guys didn’t like it, I didn’t necessarily like it,” Unseld said.

The Wizards wanted to see how Bryant, who was their starting center before suffering the injury last season, would perform with the starting unit. Hughes adds that it’s unclear what this means for Gafford moving forward, whether he’ll be out of the rotation for a while or the decisions on playing time will be based on matchups.

There’s more from Washington:

There’s some speculation that the Wizards are trying to showcase Bryant ahead of a possible trade before the February 10 deadline, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Gafford can’t be traded this season because of the extension, but the team can move Bryant, who has an expiring $8.7MM contract, and Harrell, who has an expiring $9.72MM deal.
Free agent addition Spencer Dinwiddie indicated after Saturday’s game that his attempts to be a vocal leader weren’t received well in the Wizards’ locker room, Robbins adds in the same story. “You know, it’s an interesting situation. I spoke up a little bit early on (this season). It wasn’t necessarily welcomed,” Dinwiddie said. “And so, like I said, I try to do what’s asked of me. At the end of the day, everybody has a role to play. It’s about being accountable in your role to the best of your ability. That’s really all I’ve got.”
Unseld understands the perspective of Bradley Beal, who suggested this week that the trade deadline might be a distraction for the Wizards, who have several players with expiring contracts, Hughes writes in a separate story. “I think what he talked about, the trade deadline, all those things; those are coming up soon and I think that does weigh on guys’ minds at times,” the coach said. “We understand this is a business and the team has to do what’s best for the team and players sometimes, they’re concerned about extensions, they’re concerned about their future.”

Wizards Suspend Isaiah Todd For One Game

January 29th, 2022 at 2:24pm CST by JD Shaw

The Wizards suspended Isaiah Todd one game for conduct detrimental to the team, the club announced in a press release. Todd, who has been on a G League assignment for most of the month, served his suspension during the Capital City Go-Go’s game against the Ignite on Friday. The 20-year-old was selected No. 31 overall in last year’s draft.

Lowe’s Latest: White, Murray, Hawks, Grant, Mavs, Magic, More

January 28th, 2022 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

Teams are calling the Spurs to inquire about Derrick White and Dejounte Murray, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast. Murray is having an All-Star caliber season and is under contract for two more years beyond 2021/22, so the cost for him would be extremely high if San Antonio is even willing to consider moving him at all.

“I would assume the Spurs will bat the Murray stuff away,” Lowe acknowledged. “But those are interesting names for teams that need guards.”

Although White is perhaps a more realistic target for teams in the market for backcourt help, the Spurs typically aren’t too active at the trade deadline. The team’s deal sending Bryn Forbes to Denver last week was just the third in-season trade San Antonio has made in the last 10 years — and the other two were very minor.

Here are a few more highlights from Lowe’s latest podcast with ESPN’s Bobby Marks:

Lowe doesn’t view the Hawks as a serious contender to acquire Pistons forward Jerami Grant, at least for now. “They’ve been linked in recent reports to Jerami Grant,” Lowe said of the Hawks. “Personally, I think that’s old intel, based on what I’ve heard, and that they’re not in on Jerami Grant right now. I don’t think a Jerami Grant trade involving John Collins makes much sense because I think John Collins is just better than Jerami Grant.”
Concerns about Jalen Brunson and/or Dorian Finney-Smith leaving Dallas as unrestricted free agents this offseason are legitimate and will have to be taken into account as the Mavericks consider their trade deadline plans, according to Lowe. “I believe the flight risk for both is very, very real — particularly Brunson,” he said.
Both Lowe and Marks are skeptical the Magic will be able to get a significant return in a deal for Terrence Ross or Gary Harris. “If Orlando gets a first(-round pick) for either Ross or Harris, that’s a home run,” Lowe said. “I don’t expect them to be able to get it.”
The Knicks are reportedly open to discussing several veteran players, but it’s one of their young players who is generating more trade interest from rival teams, according to Lowe: “I know the vultures are circling and they’re getting a lot of calls about (Immanuel) Quickley. And I think they’re batting those calls away, as they should, but the vultures are circling and trying to poach somebody from the Knicks, and Quickley’s a name that keeps coming up.”
With the likely exception of Bradley Beal, no one is untouchable on the Wizards‘ roster, according to Lowe, who says Spencer Dinwiddie and Montrezl Harrell are a couple of the names he keeps hearing in trade speculation.
Both Lowe and Marks believe the Sixers are more likely to hang onto Ben Simmons through the trade deadline than to move him by February 10.

Southeast Notes: Beal, Butler, Lowry, Tucker, Bogdanovic

January 27th, 2022 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bradley Beal is showing signs of irritation with the Wizards’ recent play. Beal made it clear he feels that if the Wizards end up in the play-in tournament, he’d view it as a step back, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Beal has not signed an extension and holds an option on his contract for next season. He hinted that how the team finishes might impact his future plans.

“I don’t want to be a play-in team. I don’t think anybody in our organization wants to be a play-in team,” he said to NBC Sports Washington’s Chris Miller. “And I think so from that standpoint, I’m not alone in that thinking. I think we all know that we can be better than a play-in team. And we’ve obviously got to put in the work and do that. But I mean, I feel like that’s a step back in a lot of ways and we’re trying to proceed forward and that’s kind of either staying the same as last year or not making any progress at all. And so, that plays a factor into (his future plans).”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Jimmy Butler is listed as questionable for the Heat‘s game on Friday’ against the Clippers because of left big toe irritation, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Butler had 22 points, six rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes against the Knicks on Wednesday. Kyle Lowry will be out for a sixth straight game because of personal reasons and there’s no definitive timetable for the point guard’s return.
Heat forward P.J. Tucker, who holds a $7.4MM player option on his contract for 2022/23, plans to play beyond next season, he told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “Two or three (years) is easy. My question is do I want to go past five,” Tucker said. “Next three or four will be easy. If we go past three or four, then we start talking.”
Bogdan Bogdanovic‘s knee held up well after his return to action on Wednesday, Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. Bogdanovic had 18 points and seven assists in 23 minutes for the Hawks against Sacramento after missing nearly two weeks. He was moving well in practice on Thursday. “It feels good. He’s moving good,” coach Nate McMillan said. “He said he came out of the game OK last night.”

Wizards Notes: Beal, Kuzma, Collapse, Sabonis

January 26th, 2022 at 9:44pm CST by Rory Maher

The Wizards blew a 35-point lead against the Clippers on Tuesday, suffering a humiliating 116-115 defeat, raising questions about Washington’s direction, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Wizards guard Bradley Beal said it should’ve been an easy win, but that’s not how the game transpired.

“It just should have been a game where starters get their rest, plain and simple, right?” Beal said afterward. “That’s what type of game it should have been, and we didn’t. And Coach (Wes Unseld) kept saying, ‘Stay locked in. Stay locked in. Keep pushing.’ But for whatever reason, we relax, like we can just flip on a switch and be great.”

Beal should be held culpable too, Robbins writes. He was on the court for the majority of the fourth quarter in which the Wizards were outscored 40-22, and only half-heartedly attempted to foul Justise Winslow, a poor free throw shooter, who Unseld had instructed the team to foul in the closing seconds. Making matters worse, Beal proceeded to commit a cardinal basketball sin by weakly fouling Luke Kennard on a three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left while Washington was clinging to a 115-112 lead. Kennard made the three and sank the free throw, clinching the victory for the Clips.

After a 10-3 start to the season, the Wizards have gone 13-22 since, now holding a 23-25 record, 10th in the East. Forward Kyle Kuzma thinks “somethin’ got to change.” After the game, Kuzma was asked whether he agreed with Unseld that the team stopped competing after building the large lead, per Robbins.

“Everybody stopped,” Kuzma said. “It felt like defensively we didn’t do anything. We’ve got to do a better job of reading the room from the bench as well. It’s a team loss. Everybody lost tonight.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Beal recently joined Adrian Wojnarowski’s “The Woj Pod” on ESPN (hat tip to RealGM). Beal knows the Wizards need to improve to be competitive long-term, but he likes being the centerpiece of the franchise. “Honestly, realizing that a franchise is willing to build around you. It’s not always like that everywhere. Like, if I go somewhere else, they’re just not going to build around you. They’ll build around what they have,” Beal said. “There’s nothing absolutely nothing wrong with that, but if I have the chance to create my own legacy and make it work here with the team that drafted me, then why not give it a shot? It it works, it works, If it doesn’t, I can say ‘At least I tried.’ That’s just who I am. That’s my blessing and curse, my loyalty. We’re transitioning, we’re going in the right direction, but we still have a lot of improvements to make.”
Robbins and Bob Kravitz of The Athletic explore what it might type of trade package it might take for the Wizards to acquire Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis. Pacers owner Herb Simon says he’s disinterested in a full-fledged rebuild, so draft picks might not do the trick — in any case, the 2023 first-rounder Washington owes to Oklahoma City is protected through 2026, so any future first-round pick the team offers would have to be conditional. Kravitz says if he were Indiana’s GM, he’d want Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, and Corey Kispert, Washington’s three most recent first-round picks, in exchange for Sabonis.
Keep track of all of the latest notes and rumors from Washington on our Wizards team page.

Latest On Jalen Brunson, Dorian Finney-Smith

January 26th, 2022 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

A lot of executives around the NBA think the Mavericks may trade either Jalen Brunson or Dorian Finney-Smith prior to the February 10 deadline, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Scotto first stated two weeks ago that rival execs believed there may be an opportunity to acquire Brunson or Finney-Smith.

As Scotto reported earlier and restated during the most recent HoopsHype Podcast, the Mavs project to go well into the luxury tax if they re-sign both Brunson and Finney-Smith to lucrative contracts this offseason when the duo reaches unrestricted free agency, which is one reason why the team would be incentivized to make a move. Those two players are also among Dallas’ best trade assets if the team wants to try to acquire an impact player.

The Pistons are one club worth keeping an eye on for Brunson, according to Scotto, who says the fourth-year point guard has “some admirers in Detroit.” The Mavericks are known to be interested in Jerami Grant, so Brunson or Finney-Smith could head to Detroit if the Pistons decide to send Grant to Dallas.

Scotto also points out that the Pistons are one of the few teams projected to have cap room this summer, so if their interest in Brunson is real and they don’t acquire him at the deadline, they could make an offseason run at him.

Meanwhile, the Hawks, Trail Blazers, Pacers, Wizards, and Pelicans are among the teams that have been keeping an eye on Finney-Smith, says Scotto. Those clubs aren’t exactly title contenders, so they’d likely view Finney-Smith as a potential long-term core piece rather than a short-term solution to push them over the top.

Of course, the three-and-D wing would fit well on virtually any roster, so he’ll likely have many more suitors than just those five teams.