The Wizards Are Plotting Something Big…

The Wizards Are Plotting Something Big…

what is up fellow sickos I am Dan Valley coming at you with the certified fantabulous Mr Grant Hughes It’s a little bit of a somber occasion It’s our final offseason look ahead All 30 teams were talked about individually their own episodes even though some of them were combined in the podcast feed on YouTube though 30 individual videos
But we’re talking about the Washington Wizards which is you know I don’t think people this podcast is not doesn’t fall under that bucket People aren’t used to talking about the Wizards Grant in rosy terms but we are about to and we have been for a little while Before we get started and just pedal all the optimism up and down the DC area how the heck are you
I’m going to give you my answer in 2026 which is when we will have answers about the Washington Wizards plans How do you feel about that
Like that’s a great place to start Uh are they plotting something big following this season Grant When you look at the when they made the Jordan pool for and Sadique Bay for CJ McCome and Kelly Olen trades it sets them up for now I want to put an emphasis on potentially because a lot will depend on where does their draft pick land what moves they made this off season but they can currently have over $100 million in cap space That’s that’s not what it used to be because like you can’t even technically like that’s less than two max deals if you’re signing the right free agent like the 10 plus but that is so much flexibility and it wasn’t not that it wasn’t on our radar We knew they’d be flexible but they just wiped so much just raw salary off their 2026 cap sheet And so are they like does this mean that they’re getting ready to do something huge after this season I I think I think it means that they are it’s like are they going to sign a Max guy and then maybe figure out how to get two or something like I don’t think that’s the play I do think it’s a just a an extreme version of what Brooklyn did except that the Wizards already have like five interesting young players that Brooklyn did not have as it entered this off seasonason as the like and I also don’t think Washington’s going to be the only team with max plus money next summer But it weirdly and I don’t mean this as like a discouraging thing for Wizards fans but that $100 million potentially in cap space is kind of like where the rebuild will actually start And I it’s not like well they already have Sar and Carrington and like some interesting players and Trey Johnson I I like I think though that that $und00 million in room is maybe where they where they really start like wielding power Like I just in whatever form that takes that might mean taking on more bad deals That might mean being just a crazy facilitator and you’re getting you’re trying to build a pick hall like the Thunder or the Jazz have or something like that with it I don’t think it’s going to be you know what let’s go get like let’s let’s sign like all NBA guys Yeah Like Kevin Durant
right That that’s that doesn’t feel like it to me What do if you had to guess what do you think that that that $100 million is going to go to I think it’s honestly going to be substantially less by the time that the summer comes around because I think that this is the front office led by Will Dawkins and Michael Winger has just proven they’re going to be opportunistic and they kind of saw a way here to like get out of a deal in Jordan pools that could it looks fine now after last season but he had a better year did a lot better out of the pick and roll We saw signs of that changing after his first season in like excuse me during the latter run of his uh first season in Washington But like you just had this opportunity to not really give up anything that was of value to you long term and create this flexibility And what you’re doing now is we’re all looking at this in 2026 terms And we’re going to get to this so we don’t need to spend too much time on it But now you just have all these massive expiring contracts to do stuff with right now Yeah And like I think just generally when the current state of the league is like there’s a fair amount of panic and like rash action happening because teams are inflexible If you have this kind of flexibility it’s like a superpower It’s just it’s like you you can make anything happen and you’ll you’ll be dealing with teams that are desperate and you’re going to have leverage You’re going to be dealing with teams that want to do something that cannot happen unless you facilitate it It is very much like Brooklyn and and so I think you’re right though like they can start doing stuff that’s a deadline if they if they want to play that game
They take on $50 million in extra money for like this summer and then you could use the other 50 like next summer
Easy Do you want to take us through their uh cap titles sir
Yeah So they uh they’re going to be about 28 million under the tax 35 million or a little bit more below the first apron They already do have 14 roster spots spoken for which kind of makes that amazing That tells you that this is like I mean with Middleton and McCollum to still be in that position is pretty impressive uh with the rest of the roster Um that doesn’t include Malcolm Brogden doesn’t include any guaranteed money for Rishawn Holmes Um they can spend the full MLE if they want to Um the draft assets I mean they’ve so they have an obligation to the Knicks in 26 with top eight protection We can talk a little bit more about that if you want They can still trade up a bunch of the first if they want to Um they can have roughly a dozen extra seconds from other teams coming in through 2032 They do have an odd number of like weird protections on a lot of their picks and uh like do they still have like the horcrux Warriors pick Is that still a thing
Yeah Get it if it falls between 21 and 30
right Yeah Okay Um but so other than that Nick’s obligation uh with top like they’re going to keep that pick like
so that turns into that turns into two seconds in 26 and 27 but it does make if you wanted to trade a first your first allowable you’re working with 2028 2030 2032 so and you do have the Warriors pick that you could include as well so I think they would be in they got well they had the Memphis pick this year that they got like they could trade the equivalent that’s already been burned like of five first round picks this summer basically if they If I put the number of first round picks traded by the Wizards in the next calendar year at 0.5 would you take the over or under
I’m traded
I’m going to say under and I’m going to follow it up with if I set the overunder of 1.5 first round picks acquired
over the next you taking the over and the under
That’s an over sir That’s a hard over
Two and a half Over Why not
Five and a half
Okay we’re going under there Bad line Bad line Too easy
They have no extension candidates well of note it’s like but they do they could extend like any of the veterans that are basically on their roster right my question for this team though is just what are those contracts going to be used for like you have Middleton expiring at 33.3 McCullum expiring at 30.7 expiring at 21.6 Kelly Olen expiring at 13.4 before and then the Rashawn Holmes thing he’s only guaranteed 50k and you have enough expiring contracts to where it’s well we don’t need his 13.3 million but like if you just need to guarantee part of that to make another trade happen and take back like more money or a player that you have interest in so that you save these expiring contracts of players who might look maybe not McCullum but like I could see a team absolutely trading for Smart and Middleton and giving up value to get them in the middle of the year if they’re playing well enough
Yeah it’s a possibility I I I actually was floating not really seriously but like could they buy these guys out and just like I don’t think that’s realistic cuz you’re not really getting anything for that Maybe maybe if that like M if Middleton for example just isn’t healthy and you’re like okay let’s do him a favor and maybe like in the second half of the year he can help somebody But like who why do they care
The problem with that though is so how many teams are those guys not eligible to sign with because they’re making more than the mid level if they’re a buyout
There’s only isn’t there only one team in the second apron Is that only a second apron restriction So if it’s only a second apron restriction that’s not a big deal I thought it might have been
I can’t remember if it’s the first apron or second apron
It’s definitely definitely the second apron but but I don’t know if it’s also the first
Uh so but it’s just so if you’re the Wizards like how are you kind of treating these You’re not extending any of these guys I’d be shocked if that happens
No cuz this whole thing we’ve been talking about for them is the flexibility next summer Like you’re and just they’re veterans like what do you there’s no I don’t know what the number even is that you would want them back on that they would be even willing to consider just because Washington still is a long ways away and if you’re Middleton and you might have another good one to two years like what you’re you’re not you’re not extending here I don’t think are you more open to as the Wizards are you preferring to use those expiring contracts to make moves this summer or is it something because there are some guys even McCullum himself that you could view is having individual value that you would rather wait to make those decisions until the middle of the season You’re kind of just focusing on okay what do we need and how do we want to use our mid level here Well well I just want to like let’s take Mollum for example Like is there a scenario where you can trade him in season and not take back money for 26 27 right Like cuz it’s hard to imagine that Well you know what’s interesting though So like let’s use SmartRT as the example or maybe Kelly Olen So like the salaries that aren’t too too expensive because of where the the Wizards are at financially Like I think they could take the way it’s computed Hat tip Brian to Porak for telling me that it’s not 7 and a half million I think they could take back like 8.5 million extra on top of those numbers So let’s use Kelly Olen 13.4 million You can take back a player making 21 or 22 million if there’s a team that wants to get off and save money or is trying to navigate the aprons And by the way it looks like so first apron teams are the ones that if you’re into the first apron can’t sign So it’s like if you’re maybe mid-season you didn’t trade them sure But right now it’s I don’t know what that necessarily does for for Middleton or McCullum or Smart like of who like their options Um but I think that’s you know if you’re looking at Smart Olen or even that’s why Rashan Holmes’ deal is interesting is you can take back so much money
like if you like Rashawn Holmes you could guarantee like like 7.5 million and you could take back double that plus $250,000 You could take back a $15 million player basically by guaranteeing 7.5 million of his contract I don’t have like a name that springs to mind like immediately but if a team is looking to save money like that is something you could absolutely do So you’re viewing it as like well we can use these guys to take back larger numbers that say that are also expiring ideally from a team that really needs to cut its payroll and we’ll get a second out of it or something like that That’s kind of what you
or a player that you like what if I don’t know why you necessarily do like let’s say Phoenix wants to get rid of Grayson Allen
and so like you could guarantee whatever you need to Rashan’s Holmes’ deal so that they’re saving money off of Grayson Allen’s number immediately and they’re getting out of that entire contract Are they giving you like I don’t know what they’re giving you as part or something Yeah you could do something like that
Yeah I could see that I Yeah I I think like it would be it this is what’s interesting is like it’d be okay if all these guys just expired and came off the books Like that would be a fine like they’re not Washington’s not mad at that at all In fact like that might be pretty likely in in a lot of these cases But yeah I I I’m with you now I think you’ve I do see some some possibilities here Yeah Like a a team like let’s say Cleveland trying to straddle the second apron Like do you get a like you a max out of this or are you interested in DeAndre Hunter Like are those the or what are you getting compensated if the player is Isaac Aoro and now it’s different because he’s making just a little bit like a so like you could get maybe a player that you actually like and if you’re just helping these teams like save money off their tax bills The other question here before we get into needs do you think that there will be I’ve seen Malcolm Bragton’s name floated a lot for the mini MLE teams I kind of thought he’d be able to make more than that Is there a if you’re the Wizards or one it’s twofold Is there a sign in trade market for Malcolm Brogden And if you’re the Wizards do you offer him like just enough above market where it’s like 10 million or 12 million or something and then hope that you could just flip him for seconds or or something like that in the middle of the year
I kind of like that that latter approach you laid out I I I think he’s a tricky player just because I mean you when you bounce around as much as he has in recent years and have had missed as much time as he has I it’s like maybe it’s just like yeah you’re uh you’re not that far from being a vet minimum guy at this point But I do think if you have the ability again just like it’s not because he’s worth 10 million a year It’s because you could use him with Rashawn Holmes and like you you know it it’s it’s it’s an asset preservation thing I think Washington has has the luxury of being able to do that Um but yeah I I think it’s it’s they’re in the weird ca situation just generally of like half of the roster is almost just like an asset kind of thing and with some veteran like you know uh I don’t know influence as a positive and the other half is like we kind of need these guys to pop like there’s there’s this weird like there’s not a lot of middle ground guys on this team I would I was just Yeah there’s I I think I’m with you there So let’s talk needs What do you There’s so many young players and we talked a lot postdraft about how there seems like there’s a nice balance between their young players when you look at just positionally Sar Koulali Trey Johnson Bub Carrington Keshan George There’s that symmetry there almost Maybe not a true it would that would depend on Bub Not a true floor general of the bunch And that’s still what I’m kind of looking at with this team is is there a way to do you just want a veteran in here because that’s not even really Malcolm Brogden It’s certainly not smart or do you take a is there a second draft guy out there that you would want to try and get in on and and try out or you just take a a weird flyer on just like a you know kind of a project I I I think it is a huge need and I think the way I would address it is by having Carrington just try to be that guy with the benefit of the veterans you just mentioned who aren’t that guy but like are good influences that can help him in other ways I because because like the alternative like having a having a Jones or or like Chris Paul’s not coming here but like just we got to go get Chris Paul like right like he kind of like I don’t I understand like yeah this this is going to be more helpful for guys like Sar and like more dependent players but I think the upside of like maybe Bub like takes a leap because you really just you know I mean he played a ton last year too like
boys like when like his live dribble it’s not super he’s not quick with it but like there’s poise there right And I think you you try to nurture that and you you and you let him fail a lot and and you just have the support system around him is is are the veterans we’re talking about I don’t like the idea of bringing in a veteran like floor general over him even though that would make the team better like probably but because that’s also kind of not the point I think I think you’re still just kind of mining these young players and seeing what they can do in like big big minute roles and if they fail they fail But like I don’t you know what I mean Like I don’t want the veteran point guard on this team I don’t think
No I don’t think
you can he can be a bench guy He can be like a ceremonial vet that just sits there but I don’t want him playing over Carrington
Yeah it would be more so like if you could get Tai Jerome like with the with the mid-level um that sure bring him off the bench and he’s like also he’s not super old He’s in his late 20s Or is it a second I call him a second draft guy but like what if Detroit is trying to make a huge move Can you get in on just trying out Jaden Ivy or do you think
Sure Is is that you would be open to that or do you view that as I was going to say is that like too central to where oh if you get Jaden Ivy like now like we got to really try and play like he’s extension eligible right now so you really have to you know invest playing time in him I I mean I would almost view Ivy I know he’s been in the league longer but as like a Carrington player of like I would be you can’t kind of do it with both of them but like the theory of if we they should be targeting Ivy type second draft players just and just like throw them out there because like I don’t know the odds of Ivy being an all-star are probably I would say are comparable to Carrington becoming an all-star at some point So like now you’ve got two shots at it I I you don’t want them to overlap too much if that makes any sense But yeah that’s certainly the player type you’re looking at Second draft guys that that aren’t hopefully going to get in the way of the ones you uh use that are on their first draft still with Washington
Um Kobe Buffkin could be interesting I know Atlanta play it own but that would be a really good name Um I man if Memphis was looking to cut money can you get Scotty Pippen Jr That’d be fun
I mean that he’s just good I mean that’s that might be a problem
Do you know what veteran I’d be okay with He doesn’t really fall under the realm of floor general but I think as someone who can be like a pace and tone setter like just having Lonzo Ball on this team would be super fun
right He’s another guy that would make it easier like it would help Carrington and not get in the way of Carrington I think And and the other guys too he’s just an additive like connective guy That that would make sense
And I don’t know are they second draft Is he second draft material yet But like Keonte George from Utah
I mean it’s getting close Like I I I don’t know I think Utah would view him kind of similarly to how Washington views like Carrington and some of their other young guys Like maybe next year at this time be a different conversation Uh but but yeah the I don’t have a ton on this team because I think that they’ve done such a good job of making it clear what their goal is and then positioning themselves for the future And they’re just set up to continue developing these guys But I think what could help streamline their development is like can you get some more just higher volume dead eyee shooting out of the wing spots That’s not I know C.J McCollum will get them up Chris Middleton that’s not really what he does Keshan George will the volume or the efficiency be there So they wanted to get in for a shooter like whether it’s by trade um or just signing someone off the free agent market like if they like if they wanted to be hey we’re going to give Gary Trent Jr or Malik Beasley like an inflated oneplus 1 Uh sure like if that’s like if that’s the route you want just to open up the floor for the players I’m most concerned about with that is you know Bub Kouli Alex Sar Trey Johnson of course like to just make sure that he has every level to explore but I I have to say and I don’t mean to sound shocked because I think they’ve telegraphed ever since this new front office took over that this is going to be a franchise that operates with forethought
I I can’t say enough good things about how well they’ve gone We don’t know what it’s going to turn into So like a lot of it is still very much theoretical including the players on the roster but the Wizards front office has done a heck of a job just positioning this organization for the utmost flexibility Yeah I would say I would agree with all that and add that like it is a process versus results kind of analysis for me because like yeah they they had two high lottery picks or I mean one high lottery pick and another lottery pick in a 2024 draft that just you know too bad like they’re just you know SAR may or may not become a high-end starter Same with Carrington same with George But like the process that yielded those picks like really probably starting with the Beal trade a couple years ago was just like “Okay we’ve got adults running the running the show now.” And like with them with Charlotte like these like doormats are are and like these like kind of like unambitious nine and 10 seed chasers are like reforming themselves And maybe we’re not that far away from the East being kind of like “Oh this is the conference with all the like there’s there’s there’s 12 good teams in it now.” you know
there there will always be like a Bulls or a Pelicans but it does feel like that’s increasingly becoming an outlier at RA and it was never the rule but it felt like it was more easy to spot the franchises that would kind of screw themselves over and it’s getting a lot harder to do that
Yeah that is not Washington anymore
You got anything else on them or you ready to take us take us out here
I think we’ve sufficiently p praised the Wizards and it’s all been sincere It’s just it’s just uh it’s weird It has it wasn’t that way for a long time Um but here we are What other national NBA podcast even gave you 20 minutes on the Washington Wizards
I feel like we’ve been in the good graces of a lot of Wizardsdom because we like Bal Koulali so much and have always liked him so much and there’s no better way to endear yourself than to like
and we were pumping the brakes on the Alex Sar disappointment too where it’s like you and I are similar in the sense like for the first two years of our career we’re very eye testy
It’s like I don’t care that he can’t finish through contact Look at what he did with his pass Like he shot this from three for x amount of games
Yeah shot 42% from two and he’s a center Don’t care Not a problem
Oh he he’s grabbing and going Yeah Like yeah Sign me up
right Yeah I’ll just We’re just It test guys Uh that’s that’s awesome
What our numbers even
Don’t they real
No Um thanks everybody for listening for watching Uh make sure you rate reviewed subscribed doing all all the helpful things to give Check us out on YouTube Give us a thumbs up there Leave us a comment Let us know what you think about the Wizards because whatever you think it’s not as uh positive as what we think And we like the Wizards first So we liked the Wizards before It was cool Uh I think that’s going to do it Tell your friends tell your enemies Shouts Frank Nikin Apologies Jared Allen [Music]

Dan and Grant take a detailed look at the state of the Washington Wizards, their offseason options and needs, and their overall future. Check out all of our offseason lookaheads here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDA9BkMoPHSNt1oBSdendJRQJ9nEBwaT. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for more in-depth NBA content! CHAPTERS BELOW.

We are previewing the offseason for EVERY NBA team! Check out all of our offseason lookaheads here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDA9BkMoPHSNt1oBSdendJRQJ9nEBwaT. And don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE for more in-depth NBA content!

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CHAPTERS⬇️
0:00 – INTRO
0:45 – Are the Wizards plotting something big?
4:29 – Washington’s cap sheet + trade assets
6:26 – What will the Wizards do with their vets?
13:05 – Washington’s biggest needs
15:13 – Wizards trade and free-agency targets
18:08 – The Wizards rebuild is promising

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