Southeast Notes: Wizards, Simmons, White

The Wizards didn’t have the flexibility to go out and make major moves in free agency this offseason, so after keeping their roster relatively intact, they had to bet on improvement from within for the 2017/18 season. As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter have been making good on that bet so far this season.

Bradley Beal, in the second year of a maximum-salary contract with the Wizards, is coming off a career season and has looked even better so far in 2017/18, averaging a career-high 25.7 PPG and .503 FG%. As for Porter, he’s in the first year of a max deal of his own, and he’s topping last season’s career year so far too, with new career-bests in PPG (18.3), FG% (.569), 3PT% (.525), RPG (6.9), and several other categories.

It still feels like the Wizards might meed a midseason trade to turn into a legit title contender, but with the Cavaliers looking vulnerable and the Celtics missing Gordon Hayward, the door is open for Washington to make a move in the East this year.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

• This year’s cavalcade of LeBron James free agency predictions is underway, with former Wizards forward Paul Pierce suggesting recently on ESPN that D.C. would be an ideal landing spot for the four-time MVP in 2018. Hughes passes along the rationale for Pierce’s idea, which seems like a long shot.
• With Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin sidelined, the Magic appeared poised to turn to free agent addition Shelvin Mack as their starting point guard. While Mack has seen increased minutes in the absence of Payton and Augustin, it was another offseason signee, Jonathon Simmons, who got the start at point guard on Sunday. John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com has the details.
• Okaro White, whose 2017/18 salary recently became fully guaranteed, is emerging as a reliable rotation player for the Heat, says Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. After playing just 18 minutes in Miami’s first five games, White has averaged 17.7 MPG in the last four, starting three of those contests.