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Wizards Sign, Waive Jordan Bell

December 19th, 2020 at 11:00pm CST by marksuleymanov

11:00pm: Bell has been released by the Wizards and figures to play for the club’s G League team in the proposed bubble, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.

9:25am: The Wizards have signed veteran big man Jordan Bell, according to RealGM’s official transactions log.

Bell, 25, was waived by the Lakers in late November after L.A. acquired him as part of the JaVale McGee trade to the Cavaliers.

It’s likely that Bell’s deal with Washington is an Exhibit 10 contract, which is a non-guaranteed one-year, minimum salary pact that allows a player to make a bonus of up to $50K if he is waived and remains on the franchise’s G League squad for at least 60 days.

The Capital City Go-Go (the Wizards’ NBAGL affiliate) claimed Bell off waivers in March, so the team holds his returning rights for the upcoming season. He’ll likely report there after being waived by Washington, assuming the Go-Go participate in the proposed G League bubble. The Wizards and Pelicans have reportedly discussed combining NBAGL teams for that event.

The Los Angeles native started his career with the Warriors during the 2017/18 season. Golden State won the NBA championship that season with Bell as a key reserve for the team, averaging 4.6 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 57 games (13 starts).

Bell appeared in 68 games for the Warriors the following season but has since bounced around the league. After signing with the Timberwolves in 2019, Bell was traded as part of the four-team, 12-player trade in February and subsequently released.

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Bryant Fined For Making Contact With Official

December 19th, 2020 at 3:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Wizards center Thomas Bryant has been fined $45K for repeatedly making inappropriate contact with an official on Thursday, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets. Bryant, who received a technical foul as part of the incident, was aggressively attempting to confront Pistons forward Blake Griffin, who had committed a Flagrant Foul 1 against Bryant.

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2020/21 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division

December 18th, 2020 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The 2020/21 NBA regular season will get underway on December 22, so it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.

With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.

Of course, there are plenty of wild cards to take into account this season. For one, teams are scheduled to play 72 games instead of 82, so if you’re picking a team to win 41 games, you’re not just expecting them to be a .500 club — you’re projecting them to finish 10 games above .500. For each team’s over/under below, we’ve noted the record they’d have to achieve to finish “over” their projection, as a reminder.

It’s also worth noting that the coronavirus pandemic could cause some games to be canceled in 2020/21. We don’t want you to have to take possible cancellations into account when making your picks though, so don’t let that stop you from taking the “over.” If a team has a couple games canceled, we’ll adjust their over/under figure downward, so you’re essentially just projecting that team’s winning percentage.

We’ll turn today to the Southeast…

Miami Heat

How many games will the Heat win in 2020/21?
Over 44.5 67.55% (333 votes)
Under 44.5 32.45% (160 votes)
Total Votes: 493

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Heat poll.

Atlanta Hawks

How many games will the Hawks win in 2020/21?
Over 36.5 58.04% (296 votes)
Under 36.5 41.96% (214 votes)
Total Votes: 510

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hawks poll.

Washington Wizards

How many games will the Wizards win in 2020/21?
Under 34.5 50.70% (253 votes)
Over 34.5 49.30% (246 votes)
Total Votes: 499

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Wizards poll.

Orlando Magic

How many games will the Magic win in 2020/21?
Under 31.5 73.48% (327 votes)
Over 31.5 26.52% (118 votes)
Total Votes: 445

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Magic poll.

Charlotte Hornets

How many games will the Hornets win in 2020/21?
Over 26.5 56.29% (255 votes)
Under 26.5 43.71% (198 votes)
Total Votes: 453

Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hornets poll.

Previous voting results:

Atlantic:

  • Boston Celtics (45.5 wins): Over (66.3%)
  • Brooklyn Nets (45.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
  • Philadelphia 76ers (44.5 wins): Over (57.4%)
  • Toronto Raptors (42.5 wins): Over (54.7%)
  • New York Knicks (22.5 wins): Under (59.5%)

Northwest:

  • Denver Nuggets (44.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
  • Utah Jazz (42.5 wins): Over (59.9%)
  • Portland Trail Blazers (41.5 wins): Over (70.1%)
  • Minnesota Timberwolves (29.5 wins): Under (50.3%)
  • Oklahoma City Thunder (22.5 wins): Under (64.4%)

Central:

  • Milwaukee Bucks (51.5 wins): Over (73.7%)
  • Indiana Pacers (39.5 wins): Over (57.9%)
  • Chicago Bulls (29.5 wins): Under (61.6%)
  • Cleveland Cavaliers (23.5 wins): Under (68.5%)
  • Detroit Pistons (22.5 wins): Over (53.9%)

Pacific:

  • Los Angeles Lakers (48.5 wins): Over (79.1%)
  • Los Angeles Clippers (47.5 wins): Under (50.4%)
  • Phoenix Suns (40.5 wins): Over (51.0%)
  • Golden State Warriors (38.5 wins): Over (60.3%)
  • Sacramento Kings (29.5 wins): Under (60.7%)
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Wizards Waive Taylor, Childs, Homesley

December 17th, 2020 at 9:22pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Wizards have waived three training camp players on Exhibit 10 contracts. Guards Marlon Taylor and Caleb Homesley and forward Yoeli Childs have all been released, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter links).

In his two seasons for LSU, Taylor played in 56 games (27 starts), averaging 6.4 PPG and 4.1 RPG in 23.3 MPG.

Homesley spent five seasons (including a redshirt sophomore year) at Liberty University, where he averaged 10.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, and 0.5 BPG in 143 games (88 starts).

Childs started in 111 of his 119 games played over four seasons at BYU, averaging 17.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.3 BPG, and 0.9 SPG.

All three players could still suit up for the Wizards’ G League affiliate club, the Capital City Go-Go, this season.

Katz notes that the Wizards’ head count after these moves is 14 guaranteed deals, plus two-way guards Garrison Mathews and Cassius Winston, as well as center Anzejs Pasecniks, who is signed to a partially guaranteed $1.52MM contract for the 2020/21 season.

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Westbrook Ruled Out For Thursday's Preseason Game

December 17th, 2020 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

Russell Westbrook has yet to make his Wizards debut, and it won’t happen on Thursday night vs. Detroit. The team announced today (Twitter link) that Westbrook has been ruled out of tonight’s exhibition game for rest purposes.

As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes, it’s somewhat surprising that the Wizards wouldn’t be more motivated to get Westbrook into an actual game to allow him to establish some chemistry with his new teammates. However, Scott Brooks suggested on Wednesday that the team doesn’t think preseason action is all that necessary for the veteran guard.

“With him being whatever it is, 13 years (in the NBA), an exhibition is not gonna make much a difference for him,” the Wizards head coach said. “… Normally, sometimes you say that you need a couple of games under your belt before you start the season, but with him, he’s probably the exception to that rule. He’s been in the league long enough. He knows what he needs to do to get his rhythm back.”

Like Westbrook, Davis Bertans will sit out Thursday’s preseason contest too, but Bradley Beal is expected to make his 2020/21 debut for the Wizards.

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Russell Westbrook Unlikely To Play Back-To-Backs

December 14th, 2020 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Wizards will likely hold Russell Westbrook out of either the first or second game of the team’s back-to-back sets this season, head coach Scott Brooks said on Sunday, as Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington details.

Before sending John Wall to Houston in exchange for Westbrook, the Wizards had been planning to employ a similar strategy with Wall as he returned from his torn Achilles. Westbrook is believed to be fully healthy, but Washington still wants to play it safe with its star point guard during a season that will be more condensed than usual.

“This is going to be a grind,” Brooks said. “He’s not a youngster anymore even though he still has as much energy as anybody as I’ve seen.”

As Hughes notes, the Wizards have seven back-to-back sets on tap during the first half of the 2020/21 schedule. The NBA has yet to release the second-half schedule.

Teams have been strongly discouraged from resting healthy players during nationally televised games, even if they’re part of back-to-backs. However, that shouldn’t be a problem for the Wizards, who aren’t scheduled to appear on ESPN, TNT, or ABC at all during the first half.

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Ish Smith Misses First Preseason Game With Lower Body Soreness

December 13th, 2020 at 9:02pm CST by JD Shaw
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Bradley Beal Not Interested In Russell Westbrook's Past

December 12th, 2020 at 8:00pm CST by Arthur Hill
  • Bradley Beal isn’t concerned about how new backcourt partner Russell Westbrook meshed with his previous star teammates, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. He said their relationship has been “smooth sailing” since the trade that brought Westbrook to the Wizards last week. “I’m easy to adapt to,” Beal said. “I’m not going to come in and say I need this shot, I need the ball here or there. Doesn’t matter. As long as we are all incorporated within offense and everybody’s eating, we’re good.”
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Lopez Joins Wizards For First Practice, Bertans Arrives In D.C.

December 9th, 2020 at 10:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum
  • New Wizards reserve center Robin Lopez has joined the team for his first practice, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. Meanwhile, newly-extended power forward Davis Bertans has arrived in D.C. and is expected to be cleared for practice by Saturday, according to Ava Wallace of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Wallace notes that visa problems delayed the big man’s arrival.
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And-Ones: Coaching Attire, G League, Selden, Luxury Tax

December 8th, 2020 at 9:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

NBA coaches were permitted to wear casual attire during the restart. They’ll be allowed to wear polo shirts once again during the upcoming season but they’ll also have to mask up, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). NBA coaches have traditionally worn suits but they’ll no longer be required to don sports jackets. However, track pants will not be allowed.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • The Wizards are in discussions with the Pelicans to combine their G League teams — the Capital City Go-Go and Erie Bayhawks — at the proposed Atlanta bubble, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. That would allow the NBA teams to split the costs of the proposed condensed season. The entry fee per team is anticipated to be in the neighborhood of $500K.
  • Former NBA guard Wayne Selden has signed with Israel’s Ironi Ness Ziona, as Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia relays. Seiden played a combined 75 games with the Grizzlies and Bulls during the 2018/19 season. He saw action in 11 G League games last season after a stint in China.
  • The Warriors have a projected luxury tax penalty of $147MM based on their current 2020/21 salary obligations, according to the numbers crunched by Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). The Nets ($59MM) and Sixers ($24MM) are the only other teams with tax bills above $9MM. However, those projected penalties will get reduced based on revenue loss this season and roster cuts by opening night, Marks adds.
  • Despite a long list of COVID-19 protocols, the NBA will face plenty of challenges during the upcoming season without the protection afforded by the Orlando campus, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. No matter how many precautions the league institutes, it will need plenty of luck to pull this season off.
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