2020 NBA Offseason Preview: Washington Wizards
Hoops Rumors is previewing the 2020 offseason for all 30 NBA teams. We’re looking at the key questions facing each club, as well as the roster decisions they’ll have to make this fall. Today, we’re focusing on the Washington Wizards.
Salary Cap Outlook
John Wall and Bradley Beal will make a combined $70MM in 2020/21, and the Wizards have seven more players with fully guaranteed salaries under contract, so the team won’t have any cap room. Washington shouldn’t be in danger of going over the tax line either, unless re-signing Davis Bertans is pricier than anticipated.
Depending on whether Bertans is re-signed, how expensive he is, and what other moves the Wizards make, they could end up with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($9.26MM) and the bi-annual exception ($3.62MM), though they’re probably unlikely to use both exceptions in full.
Our full salary cap preview for the Wizards can be found right here.
Roster Decisions To Watch
Options:
- None
Non-Guaranteed Contracts:
- Isaac Bonga ($1,663,861)
- Anzejs Pasecniks ($1,517,981)
- Note: Partially guaranteed for $250K.
Two-Way Contracts:
- Garrison Mathews (expiring)
- Johnathan Williams (expiring)
Free Agents:
- Davis Bertans (Bird)
- Ian Mahinmi (Bird)
- Shabazz Napier (Early Bird)
- Gary Payton II (Non-Bird)
- Jerian Grant (N/A)
- Note: Grant won’t have any form of Bird rights because he was signed as a substitute player.
- Jarrod Uthoff (N/A)
- Note: Uthoff won’t have any form of Bird rights because he was signed as a substitute player.
2020 Draft Assets
First Round:
- No. 9 overall pick
Second Round:
- No. 37 overall pick
The Wizards technically finished with the league’s eighth-worst record, but were locked into the No. 9 spot in the lottery standings because the eight teams not invited to the NBA’s summer restart in Orlando were assigned the top eight spots.
If the order had instead been based on records after the summer seeding games and the Wizards had entered the lottery in that No. 8 slot, it would’ve been Washington – not Charlotte – that moved up to claim the third overall pick. Instead, the Wizards stayed put at No. 9.
Washington traded away its second-round pick (No. 39) but has the Bulls’ second-rounder at No. 37 to make up for it. That was one of the assets the Wizards acquired in last summer’s Tomas Satoransky sign-and-trade.
Three Key Offseason Questions
1. Is the clock ticking on the John Wall/Bradley Beal backcourt?
Both Wall and Beal have been Wizards for their entire NBA careers, and they’ve been playing together since 2012. So far, the duo only has four playoff appearances and three second-round exits to show for its efforts, but general manager Tommy Sheppard sounds committed to giving the star-studded backcourt at least one more shot when both players return healthy for 2020/21.
Wall, who hasn’t appeared in a game since December 2018 due to a torn Achilles, has negative trade value at this point due to his long injury layoff, his age (30 on Sunday), and his contract, which will pay him about $133MM over the next three years. As such, the Wizards’ decision to stick with him and hope for a strong comeback is an easy one.
The equation isn’t as simple for Beal though. The two-time All-Star is coming off his most productive offensive season yet, having averaged 30.5 PPG and 6.1 APG in 57 games in 2019/20. His contract – $63MM over the next two years, with a $37MM player option for ’22/23 – is more team-friendly than Wall’s, and he’s three years younger than his backcourt partner.
It all adds up to make Beal a desirable trade target for rival teams should the Wizards decide to make him available. Trading Beal would be the most logical way for the franchise to launch a rebuild and restock its shelves with young players and/or draft picks.
There has been no indication that Sheppard would consider such a move this offseason, but if the Wizards get off to a poor start in 2020/21, trade speculation surrounding Beal will certainly heat up by 2021’s deadline.
He and Wall are under pressure to make things work, and the Wizards are under pressure to surround them with the right pieces to help them do that — Beal has been patient so far and said the right things about his commitment to D.C., but another losing season could cause that commitment to waver.
2. How much will it cost to re-sign Davis Bertans?
Fortifying the roster around Wall and Beal will be challenging because of how sizable those stars’ salaries are. The Wizards don’t project to have cap room for the next couple years, so unless they plan on cutting costs, their most viable paths for upgrading the roster are through the draft and trades — and re-signing their own key players.
Bertans is one such player, and there’s no doubt the Wizards would like to retain him when he reaches free agency this fall. They rebuffed offers for him at the trade deadline, and holding his Bird rights means they’ll be able to comfortably go over the cap to re-sign him. But it won’t be easy.
Estimates earlier this season suggested that Bertans may be in line for a deal worth in the range of $15-20MM per year. There was a belief that the financial uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic may lower his price tag, but a recent report indicated that people around the league still expect Bertans to command a salary in the range of $15MM+ annually. That report also suggested that several teams with cap room – the Hawks, Knicks, and Suns – are candidates to pursue the sharpshooting Latvian.
Bertans isn’t an All-Star, so the Wizards should be wary about investing in him too heavily. But there just aren’t many 6’10” players in the NBA who can shoot like Bertans (42.4% on 8.7 threes per game in 2019/20) and hold their own on defense. His size and his ability to stretch the floor make him a valuable asset, and letting him walk wouldn’t open up any cap space that could be used to replace him.
The Wizards are in a tough spot here, given the unrestricted nature of Bertans’ free agency. While they really won’t want to let him get away, they probably need to have a walk-away point if bidding increases to the $20MM-per-year neighborhood.
3. Can the Wizards draft a foundational piece at No. 9?
In the last two years, the Wizards have drafted Troy Brown at No. 15 (2018) and Rui Hachimura at No. 9 (2019). Although neither player has immediately emerged as an impact player, they’ve taken positive strides and look like they could be long-term building blocks.
In 2020, Sheppard and his front office will once again pick at No. 9. And while the 2020 draft class may be lacking in surefire All-Stars, there’s enough depth in the pool to create some intriguing options for Washington in the top 10.
In his latest mock draft, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has USC center Onyeka Okongwu slipping to the Wizards at No. 9 and suggests that would be a big win for the club, given Okongwu’s defensive-first mentality and his abilities as a rim-runner.
Most other mock drafts assume Okongwu will be off the board before the Wizards pick. It’s probably safe to expect LaMelo Ball, Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and Obi Toppin to be unavailable too. Deni Avdija, Isaac Okoro, Tyrese Haliburton, and Killian Hayes are other strong candidates to be drafted in the top eight, but at least one of those nine players will fall to No. 9 and could appeal to Washington.
Knockdown shooters like Aaron Nesmith and Devin Vassell will likely be options for the Wizards at No. 9. Athletic big man Precious Achiuwa figures to be available too — ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has the Memphis forward/center going to Washington in his latest mock draft.
By staying put at No. 9 in the draft lottery, the Wizards may not get a chance to acquire a future star in this year’s draft, but there’s certainly an opportunity for the team to add a promising young role player at that spot.
Information from Basketball Insiders and ESPN was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Knicks Add Mike Woodson, Two Others To Coaching Staff
SEPTEMBER 4: The moves are official, the team announced in a tweet.
AUGUST 28: As expected, the Knicks are finalizing a deal for former head coach Mike Woodson to join Tom Thibodeau‘s staff as an assistant coach, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). According to Wojnarowski, the team is also close to hiring Andy Greer and Dice Yoshimoto as assistants.
Woodson was one of 11 candidates to interview with the Knicks earlier in the summer for their head coaching vacancy. He was always considered a long shot for that job, but was cited throughout the process as a likely candidate to join the team’s staff.
Woodson, who also previously served as the head coach of the Hawks, was the lead man on the Knicks’ bench for two-plus seasons from 2012-14. During his time as New York’s head coach, Woodson led the club to a 109-79 (.580) regular season record, making the playoffs twice and winning a series in 2013 — that was the last time the Knicks appeared in the postseason.
As for Greer and Yoshimoto, their inclusions on Thibodeau’s staff have been long-rumored as well. Both men worked with Thibodeau during his previous head coaching tenures in Chicago and Minnesota.
Yoshimoto started as an assistant video coordinator with the Bulls before eventually becoming an assistant with the Timberwolves. Greer has also been part of past coaching staffs for the Knicks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Trail Blazers, and Raptors — he and Thibodeau worked together as assistants in New York from 2001-03.
The Knicks continue to fill out Thibodeau’s staff, having previously hired Kenny Payne away from Kentucky. They also reached an agreement to make Jazz assistant Johnnie Bryant their associate head coach once his playoff run in Utah ends.
Ja Morant Named NBA Rookie Of The Year
Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has been named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year for the 2019/20 season, the league announced today in a press release. Morant was a near-unanimous choice, receiving 99 out of 100 possible first-place votes.
Heat guard Kendrick Nunn finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, receiving 56 second-place votes and 36 third-place votes. Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who only appeared in 19 games prior to the NBA’s shutdown in March, received the final first-place vote and finished third.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, Morant had an outstanding season in Memphis, averaging 17.8 PPG, 7.3 APG, and 3.9 RPG to go along with a .477/.335/.776 shooting line in 67 games (31.0 MPG).
He was unable to lead the Grizzlies to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference this summer, as Memphis lost the play-in game last month to the Trail Blazers. However, voting was based on games completed as of March 11, and despite the disappointing finish to the season, Morant and the Grizzlies significantly outperformed their expectations for 2019/20.
Nunn, an undrafted free agent, averaged 15.3 PPG and 3.3 APG in 67 games (29.3 MPG) as the Heat’s starting point guard this season.
Williamson would have been the frontrunner to win the Rookie of the Year award if a knee injury hadn’t sidelined him for much of the season — he recorded 22.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 2.1 APG in just 24 games (27.8 MPG). His limited playing time created a dilemma for voters. Despite receiving one first-place vote, last year’s No. 1 overall pick was also left off 38 of 100 total three-man ballots.
Here are the full Rookie of the Year voting results:
- Ja Morant, Grizzlies (498 points)
- Kendrick Nunn, Heat (204)
- Zion Williamson, Pelicans (140)
- Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies (50)
- Coby White, Bulls (3)
- Eric Paschall, Warriors (2)
- Terence Davis, Raptors (2)
- RJ Barrett, Knicks (1)
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
And-Ones: Sotto, Lue, Campazzo, Bubble
Kai Sotto, a 7’2″ center from the Philippines, is one of the prospects who will be part of the new G League Ignite select team, forgoing college for the NBAGL’s new professional path. Sotto spoke to Ajayi Browne of NetsDaily about his decision and the adjustments he’ll have to make after growing up in the Philippines.
“My challenge here in the States is how they play,” Sotto told Browne. “Being an international player from Asia they don’t really give you the respect right away, you have to earn it. They really have great players here. Every time I play I just have to earn everybody’s respect and play my hardest.
“For an 18-year-old player coming straight out of high school and playing in the G league is a really big thing for me, for a player like me. I know I’m gonna be playing against great players, stronger players, and faster players so I’m just trying to get ready to be better. That’s gonna be the best way for me to improve to play against players like them, to be around an amazing coaching staff and amazing teammates. I just can’t wait.”
Like the 2020/21 NBA season, next year’s G League season remains up in the air. But whenever it happens, Sotto will be part of an Ignite squad that also features guards Jalen Green and Daishen Nix, as well as forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Isaiah Todd.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- While he has appreciated having Tyronn Lue on his staff this season, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers is rooting for Lue to get a head coaching job, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post details. “It’s a joke that he’s not a head coach, but it’s to my advantage that he’s not,” Rivers said, adding that he has no problem with Lue taking interviews during the playoffs. “… He’s been absolutely (great). He’s just a wonderful guy to be around. His IQ, his feel, he’s made this year really enjoyable for me.”
- Argentinian point guard Facundo Campazzo is still hoping to make the leap to the NBA for the 2020/21 season, but with next season’s schedule up in the air, he’s sticking with Real Madrid for the time being, per Ricardo Gonzalez of AS.com (Spanish link; hat tip to Sportando). The plan is for the salary he earns in the interim with the EuroLeague club to be put toward his NBA buyout, Gonzalez explains.
- As of this Saturday (September 5), the eight teams still playing in the Walt Disney World bubble will have the opportunity to add one staff member and swap one out for another, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Draft Rumors: Draft Date, Hawks, Suns, Toppin, Wolves
Most people around the NBA think this year’s draft will eventually be moved back from October 16 to sometime in the middle of November, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. We heard last month that there was momentum toward delaying the draft and the start of free agency.
As Bontemps explains, the idea would be to give the NBA and the players’ union some time after the season ends to get a handle on the league’s finances after what has been a very unusual 2019/20 season — and ahead of what figures to be another unusual year in 2020/21. Delaying the draft and free agency would give both sides plenty of time to establish a salary cap for next season and new projections going forward. It would also give teams time to reconsider their plans based on the new cap.
As we wait for official word from the NBA on a possible delay, here’s more on the 2020 NBA draft:
- Among the league insiders polled by Bontemps, two teams – the Hawks at No. 6 and the Suns at No. 10 – were mentioned most frequently as candidates to be active in trade talks on (or leading up to) draft day. As Bontemps observes, both teams have cap flexibility and will face some pressure from ownership to make the playoffs in 2020/21.
- Asked by Bontemps about this year’s most overrated prospects, executives and scouts most frequently pointed to Dayton forward Obi Toppin. “I think he’s a good player and I like him and he had an unbelievable year, but this consensus top-five status he’s obtained is weird to me,” one Eastern Conference scout said of Toppin. Cassius Stanley (Duke), Desmond Bane (TCU), and Jaden McDaniels (Washington) were among the players who received votes as 2020’s most underrated prospect.
- Most league insiders expect the Timberwolves to draft Anthony Edwards first overall, according to Bontemps. However, in Sam Vecenie’s latest mock draft for The Athletic, he has changed the Wolves’ pick from Edwards to LaMelo Ball, operating under the belief that Gersson Rosas would favor Ball’s potential star power. Both Bontemps and Vecenie note that Minnesota seems like a good bet to gauge the value of the pick on the trade market. Vecenie points out that the Wolves could also draft a player and consider moving him down the road if he doesn’t fit in well with Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell.
Poll: Who Will Make Western Conference Finals?
It has taken them a little longer to get underway due to a pair of Game Sevens in the Western Conference quarterfinals, but the second round of the Western playoffs are finally set to tip off tonight. The No. 2 Clippers will face the No. 3 Nuggets on Thursday, with the No. 1 Lakers playing the No. 4 Rockets on Friday.
The Clippers will enter their series against the Nuggets as overwhelming favorites. Of the 19 ESPN experts who made predictions for the series, not a single one picked Denver to win — and not one thinks it will take the Clippers more than six games to dispatch the Nuggets.
Kawhi Leonard and Paul George figure to be major problems for Denver. It’s unclear if the Nuggets have defenders capable of slowing down the duo; and on the other end of the court, top Denver scorers like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. will face more resistance from Leonard, George, and company than they did from Utah’s defenders in the first round.
The Lakers also open as heavy favorites over Houston. The 16 ESPN experts who made picks for the series were once again unanimous in projecting an L.A. victory, though in this case at least a handful predicted it will take a full seven games.
The well-rested Lakers will have the size advantage over the Rockets, as forwards like P.J. Tucker, Jeff Green, and Robert Covington will be tasked with guarding Anthony Davis and LeBron James. L.A. also had one of the NBA’s best defenses all season long and may force Houston’s role players to beat them with outside shots.
Still, while an all-L.A. Western Finals looks – as it has all year – to be the likeliest outcome, the Nuggets and Rockets have the star power to make things interesting. Nikola Jokic, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook aren’t about to bow out quietly. And as we’ve seen in the two Eastern Semifinals so far, a solid game plan and some well-timed hot shooting streaks can quickly put a series favorite on its heels.
What do you think? Are you penciling in a Clippers/Lakers showdown already, or do you think the Nuggets or Rockets are capable of pulling off an upset?
Vote in our poll below and head to the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts on both series!
Which teams will meet in the Western Finals?
-
Clippers/Lakers 67% (705)
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Clippers/Rockets 17% (176)
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Nuggets/Lakers 11% (120)
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Nuggets/Rockets 5% (51)
Total votes: 1,052
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Reactions, Notes On Nets’ Hiring Of Steve Nash
The Nets shocked the basketball world on Thursday morning when they announced that Steve Nash would become the team’s new head coach. Nash, who hadn’t been cited as a potential candidate during Brooklyn’s search process, wasn’t even known to be seeking a head coaching job.
However, according to Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily, Nash’s name came up “very early” in the process, perhaps even as early as March, shortly after Jacque Vaughn took over for Kenny Atkinson on an interim basis. As Puccio explains, Nash was emerging as the team’s top choice by May. General manager Sean Marks has a history with Nash, having played with him in Phoenix from 2006-08, and star forward Kevin Durant among those pushing for the former star point guard.
That connection with Durant, forged during Nash’s stint as a consultant for the Warriors, will be crucial for the first-time head coach, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, who suggests that Nash’s potential as the Nets’ head coach is tied to the respect he can command from Durant and Kyrie Irving. As long as those star players are happy, the risk of Nash’s inexperience is mitigated, Bondy opines.
Here’s more on the Nets’ surprising hire:
- Nash reached out to longtime friend Dirk Nowitzki to gauge his interest in joining the Nets as an assistant coach, but Nowitzki isn’t looking for a full-time basketball job so soon after retiring, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
- Speaking to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Nash explained why the Nets’ job appealed to him, admitting that he has always known in the back of his mind that he’d like to try coaching. The former two-time MVP also addressed his relationship with Durant. “I think that there is a trust, a commonality and a language between us when it comes to the game that has developed over time,” Nash said of his bond with KD. “That definitely is important. He’s one of the greatest players I’ve ever seen and to have his confidence is really important.”
- Tim Kawakami of The Athletic explores what Nash brought to the Warriors and what – in turn – he’ll bring to the Nets, noting that Steve Kerr is confident in the Hall-of-Famer’s ability to make the transition to coaching. “Yeah, he’ll be fine,” Kerr said. “He knows the drill. He’s been in the league forever and he knows the game as well as anybody and he understands people. And I think he’s very wise, so he’ll hire a good staff. And everything that he needs to learn, he’ll learn quickly.”
- ESPN insiders Bobby Marks, Tim MacMahon, Kirk Goldsberry, Tim Bontemps, and Brian Windhorst share their reactions to the news of the Nets hiring Nash, and explore best- and worst-case scenarios for the union.
- It may be an unconventional hire, but the Nets are getting a great teacher in Nash, says Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
Chauncey Billups Interested In Pursuing Head Coaching Job
Former NBA guard Chauncey Billups is interested in pursuing an NBA head coaching job, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. According to Haynes, teams have begun to do their homework on Billups, researching his candidacy.
Billups, who last played in 2014, has “toyed with the idea” of coaching since his retirement, according to Haynes, who hears from sources that the 2004 Finals MVP is now fully invested in making the idea a reality. It’s not clear if any of the teams that currently have coaching vacancies – the Sixers, Bulls, Pelicans, and Pacers – will pursue Billups.
Although Billups doesn’t have any coaching experience, his decorated résumé as a player should help bolster his candidacy — he made five All-Star teams and won an NBA title during his days as a player. He also received serious consideration from the Cavaliers during their general manager search in 2017.
It’s worth noting too that NBA teams have a history of taking a shot on heady point guards for coaching jobs. The Nets’ hiring of Steve Nash today represents the timeliest example of this phenomenon, but as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski observed this morning (via Twitter), there are many other former point guards who were hired as head coaches without experience as assistants, including Doc Rivers, Steve Kerr, Mark Jackson, Isiah Thomas, and Jason Kidd.
If Billups isn’t hired as a head coach this year, it’s possible he’ll become an assistant coach for good friend Tyronn Lue. A previous report suggested that Lue – who is considered a top candidate in Philadelphia and New Orleans – has interest in making Billups his associate head coach if he’s hired by a team this fall. That report also said that Billups believed working with Lue could increase his appeal as a head coaching candidate.
Browns Owner Jimmy Haslam Exploring Bid For Timberwolves
Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, is the latest potential buyer to explore a bid for the Timberwolves, according to Scott Soshnick of Sportico.
When we last checked in on the possibility of a Timberwolves sale, former Grizzlies minority shareholder Daniel Straus was said to be in advanced discussions about a potential purchase. However, while The Straus Group did enter into exclusive talks to buy the Wolves, no agreement was reached by the time that window expired, according to Soshnick.
That doesn’t mean that Straus is out of the mix as a potential buyer — Soshnick hears that he remains in talks to potentially purchase the franchise. However, it does open the door for other bidders, such as Haslam, to enter the picture.
Haslam is the CEO of truck stop company Pilot Flying J. Multiple top executives of the company committed multi-million dollar fraud and were sentenced to jail time, but Haslam wasn’t charged as a result of that investigation and has denied any wrongdoing, Soshnick notes. Forbes estimates that the Browns owner is worth about $2.9 billion.
Haslam’s résumé as an NFL team owner likely won’t inspire much enthusiasm among Timberwolves fans — in seven full seasons since he assumed control of the Browns, the team has an overall record of 28-83-1, with no winning seasons and an 0-16 campaign (in 2017).
At least one previous report has indicated that current Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is seeking an amount in the $1.2 billion range for the franchise. His WNBA club, the Minnesota Lynx, is expected to be part of any sale as well.
Thunder Notes: Dort, Paul, Donovan, Offseason
Of all the roster moves made in June and July when the NBA lifted its transaction moratorium, none may be bigger over the long term than the Thunder‘s revamped deal with swingman Luguentz Dort. A two-way player for most of the season, Dort was promoted to Oklahoma City’s 15-man roster in June, signing a four-year contract worth $5.4MM that will keep him under team control at the minimum through 2023.
Dort enjoyed the best game of his career on Wednesday vs. Houston, pouring in 30 points on 10-of-21 shooting (6-of-12 on threes) and locking up James Harden on defense, holding the former MVP to a series-low 17 points on 4-of-15 shooting.
Harden ultimately got the best of Dort in Game 7’s final minute, blocking a three-point shot that would given the Thunder the lead. Despite a disappointing first-round exit though, Dort projects to be part of Oklahoma City’s core for years to come.
Here’s more on the Thunder in the wake of the end of their season:
- Chris Paul takes exception to describing his performance in 2019/20 as a “rejuvenation” or “resurgence,” since it suggests his play had fallen off in previous years, writes Royce Young of ESPN. Whatever you want to call it though, Paul’s play this season helped reshape the road map for the Thunder’s future, as Young explains — a full-scale rebuild no longer seems like the most obvious path for the franchise.
- Thunder general manager Sam Presti has made it clear he’d like to have Billy Donovan continue coaching the club, but Donovan will have to decide whether he wants to remain in Oklahoma City, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who suggests that Donovan may want to hear the team’s plans for the next few years before making a new commitment. Donovan’s five-year contract with OKC expires this year.
- In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks examines the Thunder’s looming offseason decisions, including whether or not to retain free agent Danilo Gallinari, whether to explore extensions with Dennis Schroder and/or Steven Adams, and what to do with their stash of future draft picks.