Summer rewind: Washington Wizards
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A look at the key offseason moves and changes for every team in the league. Next up are the Washington Wizards.
OFF-SEASON ADDITIONS
Draft
Tomas Satoransky (2012)
Free agents
Bradley Beal
Ian Mahinmi
Andrew Nicholson
Jason Smith
Marcus Thornton
Daniel Ochefu
Danuel House
Sheldon McClellan
Trade
Trey Burke
THE REWIND
The expectations for Bradley Beal
Now comes the hard part for Bradley Beal.
Gone are the days of playing under a rookie contract. Now it’s the expectation level of being the highest-paid player on the Wizards’ roster.
How Beal justifies his $128 million contract will be up for debate.
Though no one can fault Washington for the size of the contract (Beal was a restricted free agent and the team had limited options in free agency), Beal is coming off consecutive years of missing 18-plus games because of leg injuries. He will need to stay healthy for Washington to be one of the top eight teams in the East.
Focus on the frontcourt
Years after managing the salary cap with an eye on the summer of 2016, Washington entered free agency with $30 million in room.
Though the initial focus was on free agent Kevin Durant, Washington changed course once Durant decided not to meet with the Wizards during the first few days of free agency.
The summer of KD suddenly shifted to the summer of big men in Washington.
With returning starters in power forward Markieff Morris and center Marcin Gortat under contract for the next three seasons, Washington chose to sign backup centers Ian Mahinmi and Jason Smith and backup power forward Andrew Nicholson.
The trio comes to Washington with a combined $27 million cap hit this season.
Washington joins divisional foe Orlando in spending $28 million combined on their starting and backup centers.
CAP BREAKDOWN
Player 2016
1. Bradley Beal $22,116,750
2. John Wall $16,957,900
3. Ian Mahinmi $15,944,154
4. Marcin Gortat $12,000,000
5. Markieff Morris $7,400,000
6. Andrew Nicholson $6,088,993
7. Otto Porter $5,893,981
8. Jason Smith $5,000,000
9. Trey Burke $3,386,598
10. Tomas Satoransky $2,870,813
11. Kelly Oubre $2,006,640
12. Marcus Thornton $980,431
Non-guaranteed/partial 2016
13. Jarell Eddie $980,431
14. Daniel Ochefu $543,471
15. Danuel House $543,471
16. Sheldon McClellan $543,471
Dead money
Martell Webster $833,334
Salary table 2016
Guaranteed salaries $101,021,260
Dead money $833,334
Non-guaranteed $2,235,844
Tax variance $1,310,880
Free-agent cap holds $0
Incomplete roster charge $0
Salaries: cap $104,090,438
Salaries: tax $105,401,318
Salary cap $94,143,000
Luxury tax $113,287,000
Cap space None ($9,947,438 over)
Tax room $7,885,682
Washington, with five players on guaranteed contracts and the $14 million free-agent cap hold of Beal, would enter the summer with $30 million in cap space.
The Wizards used the majority of their room on Mahinmi and Smith while also signing Nicholson, a former first-round pick.
With the remaining room, Washington signed former second-round pick Marcus Thornton to a three-year contract and acquired former lottery pick Trey Burke from Utah.
RESTRICTIONS
Free agents signed in the offseason cannot be traded until either Dec. 15, Jan. 15 or for three months if they signed after Sept. 15.
Mahinmi, Smith, Nicholson, Thornton, Daniel Ochefu, Danuel House and Sheldon McClellan cannot be traded until Dec. 15.
Beal is not eligible to be traded until Jan. 15 because he signed with Bird rights and his current contract exceeds his previous salary by more than 20 percent.
Thornton also falls under the one-year Bird restriction and cannot be traded without his approval. If Thornton approves a trade, early Bird rights will not carry to his new team.
EXTENSION CANDIDATES
Rookie
Otto Porter, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013 draft, is eligible for a rookie extension.
Porter, entering the final year of his rookie contract, will have until Oct. 31 to negotiate a new deal with the Wizards.
Because the Wizards likely won’t have cap flexibility next July, Washington can take an aggressive approach with Porter and his agent, David Falk.
Veteran
All-Star John Wall, in the third year of a max rookie extension signed in 2013, is eligible for a one-year extension.
But unlike the cases of Russell Westbrook and James Harden, Washington does not have cap space to renegotiate the remaining three years left on Wall’s contract.
DEPTH CHART
Starter Bench Bench
PG John Wall Trey Burke
SG Bradley Beal Tomas Satoransky Marcus Thornton/Sheldon McClellan
SF Otto Porter Kelly Oubre Jarell Eddie
PF Markieff Morris Andrew Nicholson
C Marcin Gortat Ian Mahinmi Jason Smith/Daniel Ochefu
The Wizards have 12 guaranteed contracts and four players with partial/non-guaranteed contracts: Jarell Eddie, Daniel Ochefu, Danuel House and Sheldon McClellan.
Eddie’s contract will become guaranteed if he is not waived by opening night.
The Wizards also have the $2.89 million room mid-level exception.
SNEAK PEEK TO NEXT SUMMER
This summer’s free-agent spending means the Wizards will likely have no cap-space flexibility next July.
Washington, with $93 million in committed salaries and nine players with guaranteed contracts, will focus on restricted free agents Porter and Burke, and the draft.
KEEP AN EYE ON
Kelly Oubre Jr. and Tomas Satoransky
Without a safety net of veteran wing players, the development of Oubre Jr., 20, and Satoransky, 24, will be critical for Washington this season.
Though Oubre Jr. averaged 19 points in summer league, the second-year player will not get the leeway in the regular season to put up 16 shots a game like he did in Las Vegas.
Past experiences have shown a learning curve for international prospects playing in the NBA. Satoransky, however, played for one of the better European teams (FC Barcelona) and should be able to find a role now.
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