Hoops Rumors is checking in on the 2024 offseason for all 30 NBA groups, recapping the summer season’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and extra. We’ll check out every workforce’s offseason strikes and take into account what would possibly nonetheless be coming earlier than the common season begins. Immediately, we’re specializing in the Washington Wizards.
Free agent signings
Jonas Valanciunas: Three years, $30,295,000. Third yr non-guaranteed. Signed utilizing Fowl rights and bought by way of sign-and-trade from Pelicans.- Saddiq Bey: Three years, $19,000,000. Contains a further $1MM in unlikely incentives. Signed utilizing non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
- Anthony Gill: Two years, minimal wage ($4,784,366). Second yr non-guaranteed. Re-signed utilizing minimal wage exception.
- Leaky Black: One yr, minimal wage. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed utilizing minimal wage exception.
- Kira Lewis: One yr, minimal wage. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed utilizing minimal wage exception.
- Jaylen Nowell: One yr, minimal wage. Non-guaranteed (Exhibit 10). Signed utilizing minimal wage exception.
Trades
- Acquired the draft rights to Kyshawn George (No. 24 choose) from the Knicks in alternate for the draft rights to Dillon Jones (No. 26 choose) and the No. 51 choose within the 2024 draft.
- Acquired Malcolm Brogdon; the draft rights to Carlton Carrington (No. 14 choose); both the Path Blazers’, Celtics’, or Bucks’ 2029 first-round choose (whichever is second-most favorable); the Warriors’ 2028 second-round choose; and the Path Blazers’ 2030 second-round choose from the Path Blazers in alternate for Deni Avdija.
- Acquired Jonas Valanciunas (sign-and-trade) from the Pelicans in alternate for the Bulls’ 2027 second-round choose (top-50 protected).
Draft picks
- 1-2: Alex Sarr
- Signed to rookie scale contract (4 years, $51,036,398).
- 1-14: Carlton Carrington
- Signed to rookie scale contract (4 years, $21,290,769).
- 1-24: Kyshawn George
- Signed to rookie scale contract (4 years, $14,336,172).
Two-way signings
Departed/unsigned free brokers
Different strikes
Wage cap scenario
- Working over the cap ($140.6MM) and beneath the luxurious tax line ($170.8MM).
- Carrying roughly $161.1MM in wage.
- Laborious-capped at $178,132,000.
- Roughly $6.4MM of non-taxpayer mid-level exception accessible; full bi-annual exception ($4.7MM) accessible.
- Two traded participant exceptions accessible (largest price $12,402,000).
The offseason to date
When a brand new entrance workplace takes over an NBA workforce’s basketball operations division, that new group usually has little attachment to the membership’s incumbent gamers and appears to regularly fill the roster with its personal guys. That’s very true when the workforce is in rebuilding mode.
So whereas I didn’t essentially anticipate the Wizards to maneuver Deni Avdija this offseason, it wasn’t an enormous shock that high decision-makers Michael Winger and Will Dawkins determined to capitalize on Avdija’s profession yr in 2023/24 by cashing in on a participant drafted by the earlier regime whose worth was at an all-time excessive.
We knew, based mostly on reporting within the spring, that the Wizards, armed with the second and twenty sixth general alternatives in June’s draft, have been trying to proceed stockpiling picks — and particularly so as to add a 3rd first-rounder for 2024. The Avdija deal helped them just do that. By sending the ascendant ahead to Portland and taking over Malcolm Brogdon‘s $22.5MM expiring contract to assist the Blazers get out of tax territory, Washington added two future second-round alternatives and a pair of first-rounders, together with this yr’s No. 14 general choose.
It was a savvy commerce by the Wizards, who might be able to flip Brogdon later this season for one thing of worth. The veteran guard wasn’t a slot in a crowded Portland backcourt on a workforce with monetary considerations, however he’s a profession 39.1% three-point shooter who’s simply two years faraway from profitable a Sixth Man of the Yr award. If he’s wholesome, Brogdon ought to attraction to groups searching for backcourt assist at this yr’s commerce deadline.
Utilizing the No. 14 choose from that deal, the Wizards chosen Pittsburgh guard Carlton Carrington, who flashed intriguing potential on the Las Vegas Summer season League, averaging 15.8 factors, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists in his 5 outings. Carrington joins No. 2 general choose Alex Sarr and No. 24 choice Kyshawn George (the Wizards gave up their No. 51 choose to maneuver up two spots from No. 26 for George) to make up Washington’s 2024/25 rookie class.
Sarr was thought of by a number of specialists to be the highest prospect on this yr’s draft, and whereas he didn’t precisely gentle it up in Vegas like Carrington did (Sarr made simply 9-of-47 photographs from the sphere, or 19.1%), the rangy 19-year-old middle has the potential to be a long-term defensive anchor in D.C.
At age 20, George is definitely the oldest of the Wizards’ three first-rounders, however like Carrington, he was a one-and-done school participant who continues to be very early in his developmental course of. The 6’7″ swingman confirmed off an efficient outdoors shot (.408 3PT%) throughout his freshman yr at Miami and will grow to be a stable shooter and play-maker on the wing, although he’s unlikely to make a major impression as a rookie.
Having added three kids as potential long-term constructing blocks, the Wizards spent the remainder of their offseason centered on filling out their roster with veteran contributors who may make life a little bit simpler for these prospects.
Most notably, the workforce labored out a sign-and-trade take care of New Orleans so as to add veteran middle Jonas Valanciunas on a three-year contract price about $10MM yearly. Having a gradual vet like Valanciunas on the 5 will enable Washington to take issues sluggish with Sarr. I wouldn’t anticipate Valanciunas to be a part of the Wizards’ subsequent playoff workforce, however he’s a wonderfully tremendous stopgap starter, and his contract is team-friendly sufficient to make him a possible commerce chip — LeBron James and the Lakers have been mentioned to have curiosity in him this summer season, in order that could possibly be one thing price revisiting down the street.
The Wizards additional fortified their frontcourt by bringing again Richaun Holmes on a two-year, $25.9MM extension. It might appear like an odd transfer on the floor for a participant who hasn’t logged vital minutes over the previous two seasons, however Holmes’ new deal (which begins in 2024/25) replaces a $12.88MM participant choice and is nearly totally non-guaranteed in yr two.
In different phrases, the Wizards are basically paying Holmes the identical whole wage they might have if he’d merely picked up that choice, however now he has a barely decrease year-one cap hit and what quantities to a workforce choice for 2025/26. I wouldn’t anticipate that ’25/26 wage to grow to be assured, but when he recaptures his 2019-21 kind, you by no means know. On the very least, it offers Washington extra flexibility with the large man going ahead.
The Wizards’ different unorthodox summer season signing was to herald former Pistons and Hawks ahead Saddiq Bey on a three-year contract price $19MM (plus one other $1MM in incentives). Bey will doubtless miss most or all the 2024/25 season whereas recovering from an ACL tear, which is completely tremendous with a Washington workforce not taken with pushing for a playoff spot instantly.
Assuming Bey is again to 100% for the beginning of the ’25/26 marketing campaign, he could possibly be a cut price on the wing within the closing two years of his contract — whereas he had a down yr earlier than the damage final season, the previous first-rounder confirmed off a promising three-and-D ability set early in his profession.
Up subsequent
The Wizards are carrying 15 gamers on absolutely assured contracts, however have some others on non-guaranteed offers who may make circumstances for roster spots in coaching camp and in the course of the preseason. Jared Butler, who spent final season on the roster, is in that blend, as are Exhibit 10 camp invitees Kira Lewis, Jaylen Nowell, and Leaky Black.
Whereas Exhibit 10 signees are sometimes merely ticketed for the G League, Lewis and Nowell have a number of years of NBA expertise beneath their belts and are not eligible for two-way offers, so I may see them getting consideration for a 15-man spot.
Patrick Baldwin, a former first-round choose who has performed restricted minutes throughout 69 whole appearances in his two NBA seasons, could possibly be the odd man out if one of many 15 gamers on assured offers doesn’t make the workforce. One other 2022 first-rounder, Johnny Davis, additionally has an underwhelming NBA résumé to date, although he at the very least performed properly in Vegas in July, whereas Baldwin’s Summer season League efficiency was inconsistent.
The Wizards do have a two-way slot accessible as properly — Black is the one camp invitee who could possibly be immediately transformed to fill it, however the workforce may look outdoors of the group. Butler would even be eligible, although he’d must be waived and re-signed.
Corey Kispert isn’t the one Wizard who’s extension-eligible this fall, however he’s in all probability the one legit candidate for a brand new deal. He and the workforce have till October 21 to try to work out a rookie scale extension.
Kispert has steadily improved over the course of his three NBA seasons, having made 40.2% of his three-point makes an attempt over the previous two years. He’s the form of participant who would match properly on quite a lot of groups and who may generate actual curiosity if he reaches free company in 2025, so it will be within the Wizards’ finest curiosity to lock him up now if they will get him at an affordable worth.
It’s price noting that Kispert is one other participant who was drafted by the earlier entrance workplace, which can scale back the chances of the 2 sides reaching a deal within the coming weeks. However like Avdija, who signed a rookie scale extension final fall, Kispert can be a worthwhile commerce chip down the street if he’s on a positive long-term contract and the Wizards finally determine he’s not of their plans.
