Wizards Waive Eddie, O’Bryant, Ware
The Wizards have pared down their roster to 15 players in preparation for the regular season, waiving Jarell Eddie, Johnny O’Bryant and Casper Ware, Shams Charania of The Vertical reports (via Twitter). As a result of parting ways with Eddie, Washington will be on the hook for his partially guaranteed salary of $175,000 for this season, unless he is claimed off waivers by another team. No money will remain on the books for O’Bryant and Ware, as their deals were completely non-guaranteed. This also means that Sheldon McClellan and Danuel House have made the Wizards’ regular season squad, Charania adds.
Ware, who last appeared in the NBA during the regular season in 2013/14 with the Sixers, spent this past campaign overseas where he split time between Tianjin Ronggang (China) and ASVEL Lyon-Villeurbanne (France). In 31 combined games, the guard averaged 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 27.3 minutes per outing. His shooting line was .394/.354/.793.
Eddie, 24, played in 26 games for the Wizards a season ago, notching averages of 2.4 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.2 assists in just 5.7 minutes per outing. His slash line was .308/.319/1.000.
O’Bryant appeared in 66 games for the Bucks in 2015/16, averaging 3.0 points and 2.7 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per outing. His shooting line on the campaign was .411/1.000/.675.
Wizards Worked Out Hasheem Thabeet
- Former second overall pick Hasheem Thabeet hasn’t played in an NBA game in more than two years, but he’s still working hard to salvage his career, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders details. Kennedy takes a closer look at Thabeet’s training regimen, adding that the Knicks, Lakers, and Wizards have all recently worked out the 29-year-old.
2016/17 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division
The 2016/17 NBA regular season will get underway next week, which means it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign. With the help of the lines from offshore betting site Bovada.lv, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division, and having you weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic. Having looked at the Atlantic, Northwest, Central, and Southwest divisions so far, we’re moving on to the Southeast today…
Atlanta Hawks
- 2015/16 record: 48-34
- Over/under for 2016/17: 43.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Dwight Howard, Malcolm Delaney, Taurean Prince, DeAndre’ Bembry. Lost Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Lamar Patterson.
(App users, click here for Hawks poll)
Charlotte Hornets
- 2015/16 record: 48-34
- Over/under for 2016/17: 42.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Marco Belinelli, Ramon Sessions, Roy Hibbert, Brian Roberts, Christian Wood. Lost Al Jefferson, Jeremy Lin, Courtney Lee, Troy Daniels.
(App users, click here for Hornets poll)
Washington Wizards
- 2015/16 record: 41-41
- Over/under for 2016/17: 42.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Ian Mahinmi, Andrew Nicholson, Jason Smith, Tomas Satoransky, Trey Burke. Lost Nene, Jared Dudley, J.J. Hickson, Ramon Sessions, Garrett Temple.
(App users, click here for Wizards poll)
Orlando Magic
- 2015/16 record: 35-47
- Over/under for 2016/17: 37.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Bismack Biyombo, Serge Ibaka, Jeff Green, D.J. Augustin, Jodie Meeks, C.J. Wilcox, Stephen Zimmerman. Lost Victor Oladipo, Brandon Jennings, Jason Smith, Ersan Ilyasova, Andrew Nicholson, Dewayne Dedmon, Shabazz Napier.
(App users, click here for Magic poll)
Miami Heat
- 2015/16 record: 48-34
- Over/under for 2016/17: 34.5 wins
- Offseason in review: Added Wayne Ellington, Derrick Williams, James Johnson, Dion Waiters, Luke Babbitt, Willie Reed. Lost Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Luol Deng, Joe Johnson, Amar’e Stoudemire, Gerald Green
- Note: Bosh remains on roster, but won’t play again for Heat.
(App users, click here for Heat poll)
Previous voting results:
- Boston Celtics (52.5 wins): Under (54.59%)
- Toronto Raptors (50.5 wins): Over (54.63%)
- New York Knicks (38.5 wins): Over (71.41%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (23.5 wins): Under (54.62%)
- Brooklyn Nets (20.5 wins): Under (60.74%)
- Utah Jazz (49 wins): Under (68.72%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (45.5 wins): Over (69.92%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (43.5 wins): Over (65.71%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (40.5 wins): Over (50.11%)
- Denver Nuggets (37 wins): Under (68.81%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (56.5 wins): Over (66.5%)
- Detroit Pistons (44.5 wins): Over (55.03%)
- Indiana Pacers (44.5 wins): Over (73.06%)
- Chicago Bulls (38.5 wins): Over (61.9%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (34.5 wins): Over (67.48%)
- San Antonio Spurs (58.5 wins): Under (57.4%)
- Houston Rockets (44 wins): Over (52.76%)
- Memphis Grizzlies (42.5 wins): Over (59.69%)
- Dallas Mavericks (38.5 wins): Over (69.71%)
- New Orleans Pelicans (37 wins): Under (70.9%)
Wizards Pick Up 2017/18 Option On Kelly Oubre
OCTOBER 21: The Wizards have made it official, formally picking up Oubre’s third-year option, per RealGM.
AUGUST 2: In an unsurprising move, the Wizards will exercise the third-year option on Kelly Oubre‘s rookie contract, reports J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com. Washington won’t have to rush to make the move official, since the deadline for rookie-scale option decisions is still nearly three months away.
Rookie-scale contracts for first-round picks feature two guaranteed seasons, followed by two non-guaranteed team options. Teams must make decision on those options a year in advance, by October 31. Generally, those third- and fourth-year salaries are so affordable – particularly under the new salary cap – that it makes sense for teams to exercise those options unless the player has been a total bust.
Oubre, the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft, didn’t receive a ton of playing time in his rookie season, but flashed potential when he saw the floor. The 20-year-old, who played his college ball at Kansas, appeared in 63 games for the Wizards in 2015/16, averaging 3.7 PPG and 2.1 RPG in 10.7 minutes per contest.
Oubre’s contract will pay him about $2MM this season, while his third-year option for 2017/18 will be worth about $2.093MM. A year from now, the Wizards will have to make a decision on Oubre’s fourth-year option for 2018/19, which will pay him $3.209MM if it’s picked up.
Andrew Nicholson Looking Sharp
- The Wizards are impressed by Andrew Nicholson‘s game so far during the preseason, Candace Buckner of The Washington Post writes. “He gets buckets,” Thornton said of Nicholson. “You throw it down to him, 90 to 95 percent of the time it’s going to be a foul or a bucket. We joke around about that every day. We call him a ‘walking bucket.’” Coach Scott Brooks called Nicholson “very fundamental sound” and added that the big man simply isn’t going to make many mistakes. The 26-year-old power forward signed a four-year, $26MM deal with the team during the offseason.
Wall's Progress Hurts Ware's Chances
- John Wall‘s recovery from offseason knee surgery has made Casper Ware a long shot to make the Wizards, writes J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic. In a column assessing the chances of each free agent to make Washington’s roster, Michael notes that the offseason additions of Trey Burke and Tomas Satoransky also hurt Ware’s chances.
Ian Mahinmi Out 4-6 Weeks With Knee Injury
The Wizards frontcourt depth has taken a hit to start the season with the news that Ian Mahinmi has suffered a partially torn medial meniscus in his left knee, according to a press release from the team. An MRI revealed the partial tear and Mahinmi underwent successful surgery on Friday evening, according to the report. He is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks as a result.
After starting just 21 of his 367 career NBA games before last season, Mahinmi received a more significant role from the Pacers, and started all 71 of the games he played for the team in 2015/16. Mahinmi parlayed his solid year in Indiana into one of the more impressive free agent contracts of the summer, agreeing to a four-year, $64MM deal with the team in July.
The 29-year-old was slotted as the primary backup to center Marcin Gortat, with the Wizards reportedly expecting big things this season from Mahinmi. With Jason Smith, Johnny O’Bryant and Andrew Nicholson the only current options on the roster to absorb Mahinmi’s minutes, none of whom are true centers, Washington may need to consider adding another big man to the roster for insurance.
In three preseason games for the team, Mahinmi shot 55.6% from the field and averaged 4.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.0 steal in 13.6 minutes per outing.
Ian Mahinmi Still Getting Comfortable In Washington
After having started just 21 of his 367 career NBA games before last season, Ian Mahinmi was elevated to a more significant role by the Pacers, and started all 71 of the games he played for the team in 2015/16. Mahinmi parlayed his solid year in Indiana into one of the more impressive free agent contracts of the summer — Timofey Mozgov‘s four-year, $64MM deal with the Lakers drew plenty of headlines and criticism while Mahinmi’s identical contract with the Wizards flew under the radar, by comparison.
As Candace Buckner of The Washington Post details, Mahinmi’s lucrative new contract means the Wizards are expecting big things from their new center, who says he’s still getting comfortable in Washington. “I feel like I’m back with my first year with the Pacers,” Mahinmi said. “I didn’t know [many people], but… I had to [take it] one day at time and show that you can rely on me, that I’m going to be there for them on and off the court. This is how I feel right now. It’s not the easiest thing to deal with, but I’ve done it before, so I’m going to be all right.”
- The Wizards made some major changes to their roster this summer, but ultimately they’ll still go as far as John Wall can take them, writes Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders.
Johnny O'Bryant Vying For Roster Spot
- After spending two seasons in Milwaukee, Johnny O’Bryant talks to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post about making the transition to Washington, where he’s battling to earn a roster spot with the Wizards.
Wizards Expected To Waive Daniel Ochefu
The Wizards will soon waive Daniel Ochefu, international journalist David Pick reports (Twitter link). Washington signed the forward to partially guaranteed, three year minimum salary deal over the summer.
The franchise entered the day with 18 players under contract, as the team’s depth chart at Roster Resource indicates. Washington bolstered their bench through free agency, adding Ian Mahinmi and Jason Smith in the frontcourt, so the 22-year-old was never expected to make the team.
Ochefu averaged 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game for Villanova. He was a major contributor in the Wildcats’ championship run.