Wizards makin' changes.

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired guard Austin Rivers from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for center Marcin Gortat. – via NBA.com
Ernie Grunfeld, Trade, Austin Rivers, Marcin Gortat, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards




I said recently, watch for Wall to be the next "Star" to push his way off a team. Gortat was obviously not one of Walls favorite players. But it's hard to see how Rivers and Troy Brown make them any better than last year. They are capped strapped as well, due to the horrible Otto Porter deal they signed. Sometimes you gotta let average players walk, instead of paying them more than they are worth ( as Danny did with Kelly O.)

The most interesting thing about this is that Doc traded his son. Chris Paul left the Clippers because he thought Doc showed favoritism with Austin.

They are likely to make another move. That need a center. Plug Howard in the mix maybe.

kdp59 wrote:
Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired guard Austin Rivers from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for center Marcin Gortat. – via NBA.com
Ernie Grunfeld, Trade, Austin Rivers, Marcin Gortat, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards




I said recently, watch for Wall to be the next "Star" to push his way off a team.  Gortat was obviously not one of Walls favorite players. But it's hard to see how Rivers and  Troy Brown make them any better than last year. They are capped strapped as well, due to the horrible Otto Porter deal they signed. Sometimes you gotta let average players walk, instead of paying them more than they are worth ( as Danny did with Kelly O.)

+1

Giving slightly above average or "promising-but-not-proven" players huge contracts is the fastest path to mediocrity.

dboss wrote:The most interesting thing about this is that Doc traded his son.  Chris Paul left the Clippers because he thought Doc showed favoritism with Austin.

They are likely to make another move.  That need a center.  Plug Howard in the mix maybe.

I thought Doc lost his GM authority and is only coach now? I am sure he has a say, but does he still call the shots for personel decisions?

Shamrock1000 wrote:

dboss wrote:The most interesting thing about this is that Doc traded his son.  Chris Paul left the Clippers because he thought Doc showed favoritism with Austin.

They are likely to make another move.  That need a center.  Plug Howard in the mix maybe.

I thought Doc lost his GM authority and is only coach now? I am sure he has a say, but does he still call the shots for personel decisions?

He is no longer the operations president but he just reuped his contract and I am sure he has a lot of influence on who gets traded. But the decision to move Austin was likely made above him. They drafted 2 guards and Rivers is in the last contract year.

Gortat also is in last contract year. Washington needs a center

Precursor to bigger moves later?

KyleCleric wrote:Precursor to bigger moves later?

There was a lot of tension on this team highlighted by Wall's injury and a narrative that they were better without him. I have read suggestions that they may trade Wall.

Wall shoots the ball too much. Only 3 players on the wizards average 10+ FGA per game. Boston has 6. When Wall was out with injury there was more ball movement. Perhaps Washington is setting the stage to make a big trade or two. Now that they have traded their starting center other shoes are sure to drop.

They have made some bad decisions. They over-paid Porter (highest salary on the team $26 mill per year) and have no CAP space.

dboss wrote:The most interesting thing about this is that Doc traded his son.  Chris Paul left the Clippers because he thought Doc showed favoritism with Austin.

They are likely to make another move.  That need a center.  Plug Howard in the mix maybe.

Howard makes sense for them as it is one of the teams he hasn't wrecked yet....LOL!

boy I sure hope he ends up there and not here, Washington may not even make the playoffs then.

kdp59 wrote:
Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has acquired guard Austin Rivers from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for center Marcin Gortat. – via NBA.com
Ernie Grunfeld, Trade, Austin Rivers, Marcin Gortat, Los Angeles Clippers, Washington Wizards




I said recently, watch for Wall to be the next "Star" to push his way off a team.  Gortat was obviously not one of Walls favorite players. But it's hard to see how Rivers and  Troy Brown make them any better than last year. They are capped strapped as well, due to the horrible Otto Porter deal they signed. Sometimes you gotta let average players walk, instead of paying them more than they are worth ( as Danny did with Kelly O.)

Bob Heckler is still upset that KO had to go....on another note, Wall is very talented and overrated and injury prone.

kdp59 wrote:

dboss wrote:The most interesting thing about this is that Doc traded his son.  Chris Paul left the Clippers because he thought Doc showed favoritism with Austin.

They are likely to make another move.  That need a center.  Plug Howard in the mix maybe.

Howard makes sense for them as it is one of the teams he hasn't wrecked yet....LOL!

boy I sure hope he ends up there and not here, Washington may not even make the playoffs then.

"Howard makes sense for them as it is one of the teams he hasn't wrecked yet....LOL!"

Touche


I seriously doubt he comes here. With reports out that Baynes is going to resign it pretty much eliminates Howard. Williams takes Monroe's spot on the roster.

dboss wrote:

kdp59 wrote:

dboss wrote:The most interesting thing about this is that Doc traded his son.  Chris Paul left the Clippers because he thought Doc showed favoritism with Austin.

They are likely to make another move.  That need a center.  Plug Howard in the mix maybe.

Howard makes sense for them as it is one of the teams he hasn't wrecked yet....LOL!

boy I sure hope he ends up there and not here, Washington may not even make the playoffs then.

"Howard makes sense for them as it is one of the teams he hasn't wrecked yet....LOL!"

Touche


I seriously doubt he comes here.  With reports out that Baynes is going to resign it pretty much eliminates Howard.  Williams takes Monroe's spot on the roster.

ha, ha you caught that zinger!

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/bradley-beal-trade-coming-soon-025106562.html



Bradley Beal trade coming soon? Wizards reportedly already taking calls



NBC Sports Boston 16 hours ago



Bradley Beal trade coming soon? Wizards reportedly already taking calls originally appeared on nbcsportsboston.com

We've already seen one blockbuster trade this season with Jimmy Butler joining the Philadelphia 76ers. Could the Washington Wizards give us another?

The Wizards have made it known they're willing to trade All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported earlier this week. Wojnarowski followed up on that report Friday on his podcast, noting that several teams already have reached out to Washington about Beal.

"There's very few teams who wouldn't be interested in Bradley Beal," Wojnarowski said on "The Woj Pod." "The contract, the player, the age -- 25 years old -- his skill set, shooting threes.

"I know Washington has fielded a lot of calls since last week, and even prior to that, they've fielded a lot of calls."

This isn't shocking news, as Beal is a very talented player on a team-friendly contract who would be a great asset on any contender. The 25-year-old is averaging a team-high 21.7 points per game on a Wizards team that's reportedly rife with dysfunction, so if Washington wants to hit the reset button, it likely would start with the All-Star guard.

As for the Wizards' other All-Star guard -- Wojnarowski reported you could "count on one hand" the teams interested in Wall, who is highly skilled but will command an average of $40 million per year on a supermax contract starting next season.

Either way, NBA teams should pay close attention to the Wiz as the NBA's February trade deadline draws closer.


bob


.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/source-kings-interested-otto-porter-215504877.html



Source: Kings interested in Otto Porter trade with Wizards if price is right



NBC Sports BayArea Fri, Nov 30 1:55 PM PST



Source: Kings interested in Otto Porter trade with Wizards if price is right originally appeared on nbcsportsbayarea.com



SACRAMENTO -- Spending money just to spend money is never a good move.

The Sacramento Kings are the lone NBA team with any sort of salary-cap space, and they still have a couple of roster needs. Finding the right piece to the puzzle is extremely important to taking the next step in the franchise's future.

NBC Sports California can confirm an earlier report that the Kings have kept in contact with the Washington Wizards in regards to the availability of small forward Otto Porter. Nothing is imminent, but according to a league source, the Kings definitely like the potential fit with the six-year pro if the deal is right.

Sacramento showed interest in the 25-year-old wing during the summer of 2017 when he signed a four-year, $106.5 million offer sheet with the Brooklyn Nets as a restricted free agent. The Kings backed off when it was clear the Wizards would match any offer for the former Georgetown star.

Porter is having a down year for the Wizards, averaging 11.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, two assists and 1.5 steals in 29.4 minutes a night. He's shooting just 36 percent from 3-point range, down from the 44.1 percent he shot last season, but he is a long, versatile athlete who fits the Kings' player age arc.

Hamstrung with big money contracts to John Wall and Bradley Beal, as well as the remaining two years of Porter after this season, the Wizards are well over the NBA's luxury tax. At 8-13, they are expected to join the ranks of sellers in the coming months.

Porter is in the second year of his contract with Washington. He's owed $26 million this season and $27.3 million in 2019-20, and he has a player option at $28.5 million for the 2020-21 season.

The Kings are the only team in the league that can provide massive cap relief in a deal. They currently sit $11 million under the NBA's $101.9 million cap, and they have four veterans on expiring contracts, totaling just under $37 million. They're also an estimated $60 million under the salary cap next summer.

Sacramento doesn't have a 2019 first-round draft selection, and it can't trade its 2020 first-rounder either due to the Stepien Rule. The Kings do have a few young pieces that might work in a trade, as well as a bevy of future second-round selections.

The Kings have two second-round picks in 2019 and three in both 2020 and 2021.

The Wizards currently sit at $131.8 million in guaranteed salary for this season. They are a little more than $8 million over the league's $123.7 million luxury tax line. The luxury tax bill for Washington would be an estimated $12.75 million at its current rate.

Next season, the Wizards are in trouble. Wall's massive extension kicks in, doubling his current $19 million salary and pushing the team near the luxury line with just six players under contract. Not only are they in line for a massive tax bill, but it would be compounded as a repeat offender.

For the first $5 million over the tax, the Wizards would be on the hook for $2.50 for every dollar over the tax as a repeat offender. That rate goes up to $2.75 for the next $5 million and $3.25 for every dollar between the $10 million to $15 million range.

While they might not be willing to give up one of their young core players, the Kings can provide real value in a deal by absorbing salary. In theory, they could create a deal centered around two expiring players in the $17 million range and use their remaining cap space to eat the difference in Porter's $26 million salary. They could sweeten the deal with some of their future second-round selections or a player or two not in the current long-term plan.

A deal structured like potentially could save Washington $9 million in salary offset and an additional $12.75 million in luxury tax in this season alone. It also would drop the Wizards below the tax threshold and avoid the potential repeat offender tax next year.

This might not be a perfect scenario for the Wizards, but the Kings are the only team in the league with the ability to save them major money and put them back on the right financial path.



bob
MY NOTE:  I played with the NBA Trade Machine and don't see anything that makes sense.  Would Washington take Shumpert ($11M) or an expiring contract like Zach Randolph ($11.7M) and Kosta Koufos ($8.7M) and Ben McLemore ($5.6M) for Otto Porter?  I wouldn't, not unless I was in full-blown salary dump and tank mode already.  



.

Bob,

If I remember the article says the Kings have something like $10M in cap space left this year.

so they can take back Porters $26M salary and only send back something like $16M in salarys to Washington.

something like this works for both sides:

Porter- $26M
T. Bryant- $1.3M

for

Shumpert- $11M Expiring
McLemore- $5.4M expiring

along with one of the Kings second round picks

biggest thing it does for Washington is drop them UNDER the Luxury tax this year!!