BREAKING NEWS: WIZARDS BUYOUT MARCUS SMART! BLAKE WESLEY IS GONE TOO!

BREAKING NEWS: WIZARDS BUYOUT MARCUS SMART! BLAKE WESLEY IS GONE TOO!

Breaking news, ladies and gentlemen. I had to go live again. Breaking news. We have bought out Marcus Smart. Why is the cheat the chat not working? Well, now it’s now it is. Uh Marcus Smart has been bought out and is reportedly headed to the freaking Lakers. Now, I streamed earlier today and I was talking about Marcus Smart a bit. Uh the the stream was predominantly about um Jamir Watkins who uh did his thing today final game of the summer league, but now Marcus Smart is gone. He’s headed to the Lakers on a reported 2-year 11 million deal. We have also waved Blake Wesley as uh Greg Finnberg here reported and we are now down to our 15 standard NBA contracts. I got another report right here. Um yeah, like the Wizards like we’re nearing a buyout. Uh again, say believes that the Lakers will be the strong favorites to sign Marcus Smart once he clears the waiverss. And apparently Luca Donas played a big role in this. Apparently Luka Don just reached out to Marcus Martin was like, “Hey man, you want to freaking come over here to LA and get your thing?” And you know, he’s like, “Yeah, of course, whatever.” Um my initial thoughts on this is that um I’m not that surprised. I feel like like I said this in a stream earlier. Marcus Smart is in a contract year for the last big payday of his career. This is his last big payday. He needs to ball out ideally, you know, ball out in meaningful games, not in a rebuilding year. And also, you know, we are rebuilding and we’re kind of jam-packed right now. The guard and wing, especially Wings, even though Marcus Mar’s a guard, but the the I feel like the reason this happened was because, well, it’s the same reason why we kept on Koozma. Wonder that means Kispford is gone safe. I don’t know. I I’m I don’t think so. I don’t think so, to be honest with you. Um, but let me just continue on what I’m thinking. when Kyle Kosma this is my overall thinking of why we did this even though it’s even though most of us I feel like I myself would have been like he would have been awesome for our young Bucks he would have been great for Jir Watkins who freaking balled out today he would have been great for him but the thing is is this I’m correlating this to uh to Kyle Kosma a little bit not this move alone but like the overall mindset with the new management will Dawkins and company will do well will Dawkins and company. They want to build a culture around here in Wizards where players can can from the outside look at it and be like, “Oh yeah, they got a good GM over there. They actually care about their players first.” If y’all don’t remember with the Kyle Kosma trade, remember we could have traded him to Dallas early on in the trade deadline. Kyle Kosma said, “No, I don’t want to go to Dallas.” Now, I at that point in my in my head, I was like, “No, who you signed a contract with us. you go wherever we tell you to. You didn’t sign no trade clause. But the reason why I felt like Will Dawkins didn’t trade him was because he wants to ensure that the Wizards have a an atmosphere where free agents or players around the league can be like, “Oh, no. They over there, they care about the players. They listen to the players. It’s players first over there.” And I feel like even though like I kind of agree, disagree. I mean, of course, you have to build that type of atmosphere. But there’s a lot of reports when Kakuza first signed with us that there were that that um Will Dawkins said and told him we’re gonna treat you right. We’re gonna also if we’re gonna trade you, we’re going to come and like confirm with you first. With this move, it kind of seems like that too. Whereas ideally, it would have been nice to keep him. He would have been nice to like great raise our young bucks and like teach dudes like Jir Watkins, Kola Balymore, you know, uh Bob Carrington, stuff like that. all of our young dudes, but with the whole players first mentality, players first atmosphere that I feel like Will Dawkins is trying to conjure. Yeah. Here in DC, he’s just like, “No, the right thing to do is to buy him out.” This is a dude who’s 31 years old, I believe. Let me confirm that right now. Yeah, he’s 31. The right thing to do is to buy him out. Let him join a contender. This is his contract year. and let him, you know, let him do his thing. That way he can tell other players around the league. No, no, no. The Wizards, they’re not a joke of an organization. They actually care about the players. I feel like I’m not even though Jack Fleming just reported, I mean, just reported just stated, I wish we could have gotten something for him, but then again, we already have. That’s true. Marcus M was a blessing in disguise. We got a 18th overall pick with him. You know, that was supposed to be a low first round pick. We ended up getting an 18th overall pick. like we, you know, we did his thing. Now, I feel like what happened was we tested the markets of Marcus Smart. We saw the kings were interested. The kings moved on. I feel like the market spoke. The market spoke with Marcus Smart. The value wasn’t there. The value wasn’t there. And if it was, I don’t think it was worth it enough for W Dawkins to trade him to a place where Marcus Smart would have not have wanted to go. Now, this is just my thinking of what like I’m trying to put myself in Walt Dawkins’s head. You know, again, ideally, I would have liked to kept him, but I understand that there was a lot of things, you know, a lot of more moves. I feel like because like it would have been a log jam as well. If Marcus M was here, he would have taken up the backup point guard minutes or even we don’t know. Dudes like AJ Johnson would have played. Granted, AJ Johnson’s fully roll. I understand that he needs time. Yeah. Okay. Now, this opens up more minutes for Trey Johnson. This opens more minutes for maybe even Jir Watkins, Champenny. We have a lot of young Will Riley. We have a lot of young Bucks. But hey man, I while I’m like we letting him go for nothing. We are at 15 right now. Showtime 15. So, you know, feels like his defensive mentorship could have been used for a little longer. We could have you got something for him. But I guess they’re trying to get rid of the house of guards that we have. I agree. I agree, dude. I agree. But I it to me this just screams back to the Wizards want to do right by their players, especially the respected veterans. They tried doing that uh politically correct route with Kusma because he rejected the trade to Dallas and they promised Kuzma, “No, we’re going to take care of you if you resign with us.” This is the same thing I feel like where Marcus Smart, they shopped him around. They shopped him around. I feel like the market spoke and they’re just like, “No, no, no. Don’t worry, Marcus Smart. We’re going to take care of you. we’re going to buy you out. We’re going to ensure that you go to the place you want to go, make sure that you know then we can create a good atmosphere here in DC as well. Like, you know, players can, you know, talk good stuff, but but you know, m much love to Marcus Smart, man. Um, yeah, I I I I you know, it kind of sucked. I mean, like last year with us, nine points. Well, this is with overall Well, yeah, he only played 15 games with us last year. Uh, nine points in 18 minutes. Uh granted he shot uh 44 and 39% from the three. Not bad. I mean it’s good but granted it’s just 15 games you know. Uh he had a poor season when uh well he is injury riddled with with the Grizzlies since leaving the Celtics in 2022 and 2023. Been been pretty injuryprone honestly. Uh Middleton is the last day of his deal. Middleton’s in the last deal. But yeah man. Um, I I wish we wish him well, but we move forward. We also let go of Blake Wesley, the guy we one of the guys we acquired in the Spurs trade, the Kelly Olenick. Now we’re down to 15 standard contracts. Is Malachi Brown gonna stay with us, too? Is he? I kind of predicted if we were going to choose either between Blake or Malachi, I was like, “No, we gota keep Malachi.” I mean, if we had to choose, I don’t think I think Malachi is still going to be buried in within the depth chart. But Blake himself, ah, I I I we we we I feel like we all kind of figured he was going to be the one, you know, on the outs. Um, but yeah, man. Let me see if there’s anything else coming up right now. Nothing else pretty much. But Marcus Smart, man, it it sucks to see him go. He would have been a great veteran for us for the Young Bucks. But I do understand it. I do understand it. You know, I heard Wesley was a defensive uh demon, but I guess we got enough of those. Jir Watkins. Jir Watkins. I know, I understand Jir Watkins is in a two-way deal, but dude, I’m telling y’all right now, Jir Watkins would not be surprised if he gets an inseason promotion, gets up to a standard contract. That’s what I want to see, honestly. Um, you know, but regarding the veterans thing now, now we have McCullum, Middleton, those are the primary veterans. And those veterans, those two, they’re really good veterans, though. Oh, [ __ ] I don’t know. I hear thunder. Um, but you know, I still feel like we’re we’re in a great position in a veteran department. We have great veterans to lead our young Bucks. Also, our young Bucks also wired right. They’re wired right. So, I’m at the point where I’m just like, “Okay, we don’t have freaking buffoons on the roster, you know, who we have to worry about like Nick Young, uh, like freaking Jav McGee, Bludes like Johnson, Kabali, Sar, all of them, they want to be great.” Does Bagley count event? Yeah. Yeah, perhaps. He’s 26 years old, but he’s been in Leaguewood since 2018. Thunder is coming down. Yes, that’s right. And I’m about to go to freaking Bethesda. I’m about to get wrecked. [ __ ] I might have to cancel my Wapos reservation. Dylan Jones, too. Dylan Jones. But granted, I feel like Dylan Jones, yeah, they might want to see a thing or two about him, too, as well. He did his, you know, he did his thing. Um, I’m thinking about Jir Watkins, man. Jir Watkins 11 stocks against the 76ers strapped down the number third the the third overall pick in freaking VJ Edgecomb granted Jir’s 24. Edgecom’s like who cares? I don’t know why I brought that up. Who cares? Watkins’s defense is already NBA ready. It’s NBA ready. I want to see Jir Watkins. Jir Watkins is 24. What is he gonna do in a G-League? But please, you know, uh 15 spots filled. Does that mean Cory catch Cory save? I don’t think Cory’s safe. Um but I feel like Corey, like the two dudes right now in our roster is Corey and Malachi where I’m just like things could shake up with them as well. Uh with Cory, it’s going to be obviously a little bit harder because his deals, you know, he still got a number of years left. I believe three more years and then a a club option in his fourth year. Um remember live facts ready. Watkins ready to go. We got to get him. Yes, Watkins. I I I even though it’s just summer league, that defense is already NBA ready. That defense is NBA ready. He shot 32% at Florida from three. Get that little bit higher. Get that a little bit higher. But still, defense is NBA ready. Like, like that defense. I don’t want to jinx it. But holy hell, he even reminds me a little bit of Marcus Smart. Actually, I don’t want to go that far. I know people comparing him already to Lou Dort. You know, grant Lou Dort is 6’4 with a 68 wingspan. Jir Watkins is 66 with a 611 wings span. He’s a bit bigger. But, you know, and Lou Dort shot 41% from the three. So, you know, but man, Jamir Watkins looks like a menace on defense. That’s true. That’s true. With that defense, he can change. Yeah, I Yeah, that’s true. But ideally, the goal is to be 3MD player. But even with that, uh Lockdown Law commented today on one of my videos um on my earlier stream saying uh a great defensive player always gets missed no matter what. He’s right or he’s right. She’s right. He she you know um no that damn right but in my head I was just like if of course you want to be a three and D at least get the 35% from the three shot 32% in colleges last year but still that defense man that defense I believe 3.5 steals per game during the summer league Jir Watkins now I don’t think they saw Jir play just the game that ended recently against the Knicks and they’re just like oh Marcus Smart now he’s expandable Now, I feel like this was a move in the making. Now, them seeing our rookie class so far do their thing in the summer league maybe, but then again, it’s summer league, but you know, they saw reassuring flashes from all three dudes. My main dude was just like, well, Trey Johnson, like I want to make sure like like how can I say this? I want to make sure Trey gets those minutes from game one. because I wouldn’t be surprised if McCullum starts over Trey. I mean, of course, I mean, it’s gonna be Bub then McCullum, but I want to make sure Trey gets those minutes. I think Trey’s already ready, too, as well. But anyways, man, you know, I’m I’m really bullish on this team. I I love this team so far. The the draft class, Jir Watkins, man, like I keep think I’ve just made a stream about him, so my mind’s still been on this, you know, but like do I think Trey will start? I don’t know. Oh, I I He’s definitely going to start by the end of the season. I don’t know. I don’t know. I I I want to of course I want to say yes, but like McCullum’s there. I think it might be Bobby and McCullum, but I want Trey to get all the like as many like Beal Beal didn’t start. I believe if I’m not mistaken, he didn’t start the first couple of games like but then as the season progressed then yeah, he was up upgraded. Like if that’s the case and then like if if McCullum’s the sixman or like the first guard off the bench, McCullum is going to get still 25 to 30 minutes per game. I say even more 27 to 30. So even if Trey does start, I’m pretty sure they’re going to have him on a short leash and then as the season progresses going to go longer longer and longer kind of predominately not because of Trey, anything bad that he’s doing. is predominantly because of McCullum, a dude who averaged 20 plus points last year, a veteran presence, a guy who you want to be on the on the hardwood with all your young bucks out there to teach him as well on the hard foot. So, you know, let me just check Twitter real quick to see if anything else changed. But hey, man, I Marcus Smart going back to him. Blake Wesley agreed to a buyout. Uh Wesley, a strong perimeter defender, shot 37% on threes in the second half of the season last year and expects to land in a new role elsewhere. Dylan Jones 25 points, 11 rebounds, and eight of 13. Hey man, we got Dylan Jones for at least one one year. I’m sorry. It is for one year. first round pick last year from the OKC Thunder who had who gave up four second round picks to get him. Now they gave up a second they gave up, you know, more to give to get rid of him. But, you know, but yeah, man. Um, going back to Marcus Smart, man, I I it sucks. It sucks, but like, you know, it’s it was the inevitable. I feel like that’s how I’m gonna summarize this. This was the inevitable. Yeah. Is that an Amber Alert? No, it’s National. That’s a flash flash flooding. Flash. I can’t talk. Flash flood warning. Yeah, I just got that, too. Uh, until 8:30. The heck, boy? What’s going on? Pretty sure Smart is pretty shocked Smart is going but okay. Feels like we have a shortage of point guards and excessive shooting guards. That’s true. That’s true. Yeah, I feel like they did right by Smart. Respected veteran around the league. You know, he’s going to I’m intrigued by how he’s going to do with the Lakers. I’m intrigued by how he’s going to do with the Lakers. He’s going to be used. easy to get minutes there. Uh in a team that is actually in playoff contention, but yeah, man. Smart. You know, he got us the 18th overall pick. He got us the 18 we paid him. We paid millions for that 18th overall pick. It wasn’t the 18th overall pick when we traded for him. It was around, I believe, 27, pick 27. We got lucky. We got the 18th pick with him. You know, he played 15 games with us second half of the season after the trade deadline. Hopefully some of that, you know, his presence like he taught Kabali something. Maybe even Bub. There was, you saw him with P, but granted P’s no longer here. Hopefully that rubs off something. He taught them a thing or two. I I would have liked to see him, you know, be here for at least training camp, instill that defense mentality, have a couple weeks of Jir, but you know what? Beggars can’t be choosers. He’s gone. Wish him well. Now, let’s move on. Let’s move on. I think that CJ Milton spots are up for grads and their men’s probably getting staggered. Seems like a dudes like Trey Whitmore could take advantage. I hopefully, man, this is a year of development. This is a year of development, man. I haven’t been this excited for a Wizards season in so long yet. We are going to be complete ass. And I like it. I haven’t been I want like I remember rolling out rosters years ago when I’m just like, “Bro, we ain’t doing [ __ ] with this roster.” Well, now I feel like all of us are going to be tuned in and we’re like, “Oh, wow. Look, look at Ken Whitmore. Oh, wow. Look at Will, maybe even Will Raleigh, AJ Johnson.” Of course, the big dudes like Sar Carrington, freaking Keshan George. Keshan George. We have a lot of dudes to be like excited about. We have a lot of $110 million as of right now cap space could go even higher. We have and we have the right veterans. I think Middleton’s going to be here the entire season. I think his trade value is kind of be kind of cooked because like you know Middleton unfortunately like let me pull up his stats but like Middleton unfortunately man his games played over the years now. Do I feel like he can help somebody like a winning team? Yeah. But I don’t think he’s a starter anymore. He is 33 injury riddled recently since 2021. 33 games in 2022. 55 games in 2023. 2023 he averaged 15.1 points. That’s not the Middleton we know. Middleton we know gives you 18 to 20 a night. last year played in only 37 games combined with the Bucks and us. He’s trending downwards. He’s he’s had injuries early on. I mean, all throughout his career, 33 years old, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Real progress. I completely agree. His main thing is going to be as a mentor, championship experience. I’d say he’s one probably one of the best veterans in this league. I’d say so. you know, high character dude, you know, that’s going to be his value and that value is irreplaceable in a rebuilding team. You want to instill dudes who have done it before and surround them with young bucks who are hungry, which we have. Yeah. All day loco, uh, dudes who are just recently joining the stream. Ricky Daniel. Yeah, man. Watkins. I keep saying this. Watkins. Watkins. Watkins is a menace on defense. And now I’m not saying like granted it’s kind of coincidental like this move comes out after the game ends you know and Watkins you know granted offensively social he has room room for improvement obviously especially for shooting wise but defensively a menace. Let’s promote Watkins. Watkins is in the two-way deal for those who don’t know two-way deal. He can only play as of right now a maximum of 50 regular season games. Same with the vouch with Tristan Vukovich. Granted, they could always be promoted to a standard contract and I feel like that’s what we want. Let’s see this dude. I want to see Watkins this year, man. 24 years old. We don’t need a show on the G-League. What What do we got to do that with G-League for now? You know, now I’m at the point where I’m just like, man, it would have been nice for Smart. I’m gonna say this one more time for those that just join the stream. It would have been nice for Smart to you know spend a couple time a couple minutes like couple weeks with Jir Watkins but you know beggars can’t be choosers. Was hoping Smart for a second round pick at a trade deadline but you know playing time gold for this team right now. That is true. Had we done that that means that a lot of young bucks on our roster would have not played as much in the first half of this upcoming year. So now this frees up this secures more minutes for dudes man. And this secures more minutes for Trey Trey Johnson, maybe even AJ Johnson. Um, you know, um, Dylan Jones, maybe. We know obviously we got the standard dudes, Kai Bal, Watkins, Sar Riley, Bub, like we we have the makings now. Let’s just, you know, let’s just watch this upcoming year, man. Like I said, I’m super super super excited for this upcoming year, man. surprised they didn’t trade Kasper. Even more surprised if they couldn’t find a buyer. Maybe they were saving him for the deadline or they actually wanted to keep him. Red Wings, honestly, I feel like they’re looking to trade him. I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade him around for maybe training camp wise. I Yeah, because Whitmore all those Cory Kiss per minutes. Let me show you how many minutes he I believe he played 26 minutes last year. [ __ ] Corey Kisser played Yeah. 26 minutes last year. Didn’t start. 26 minutes off the bench. 26 minutes off the bench. Give those minutes to Cam Whitmore. Please, please. You think Cam wants to go from a situation where he wasn’t getting many any minutes at all to another situation where he’s going to be, you know, not playing as much? Yeah, Red Wings completely agree. I just I don’t see it either. And it’s not a knock on Corey at all. Much respect to him and his mustache. It’s more of just like he doesn’t fit our short-term goal and our long-term goals. He’s in a, you know, he’s not cuz longterm wise, but even then, no, no, I don’t I don’t I don’t see it. Unfortunately, I don’t see it. I feel like he can be more serviceable to another team. Perhaps even the Blazers hopefully, but you know, I just I just don’t see it. I I I I want Kabali to be my starting three. You know, I like ideally one, two, and three is Bub, Trey, and Kabali. Now, with Bub, we don’t know if he’s the future starting point guard. I definitely believe Bub’s in the rotation. I love Bub, but you know, this is a critical year for him. And also, depending on where we land last next year in the lottery, hope we’re going to keep it. But you know um yeah man you know I want to see Cam I want Cam to be like someone like the six man or if then like com compete with Balo make Balao earn his minutes. Competition breeds greatness. I want competition everywhere. coach fans. Oh, I I want freaking we gota compete for our seats, you know. And the funny thing, it’s not even funny, but like all of the dudes on our roster are big competitors. So, at the end of the day, I mean, they’re going to take this to heart. But yeah, man, I’m going end this stream. I don’t know if it’s freaking still raining. I got a flash flood warning. But I got a freaking Wapost reservation at 6:30. I got Oh [ __ ] I’m about to get freaking swallowed up for a frozen chicken burrito. It’s a good time to be a W. It is. It’s a great time to be a Wizards fan. Great time. Will Dawkins is cooking and sooner or later the DMV heads in this chat, Will Dawkins once we start producing and winning, he will be in the same mold. This is my prediction. He will be in the same mold as Adam Peters because the one thing that AP has on Dawkins right now is that well he actually did it. He took the commanders or took the he built a team. Granted, he just draft mean not just he drafted Jayen Daniels. Had a good draft class last year, but the team went to the conference championship. He produced results already. Well, Dawkins, he has all the makings. Granted, building a team in the NFL is different than building a team in the NBA, but he has all the makings right now of a stud team. of a stud stud team just has to wait a little bit longer. I’m just saying wait one more year. One more year. This is the last year my opinion of us being ass. It’s go time. It’s go time. They already hinted that. I’m loving it. I’mma end this stream y’all. Stay safe to everybody. Uh, I don’t even know if it’s still raining yet. I’m I’m I’m freaking locked in my cave right now. I I closed all my windows. I can’t see [ __ ] You know what I mean? Uh, my sneaky line out. Kean at the PG train. I don’t know. Maybe. No. I I like Keshan being a secondary ball handler though. I want him to continue developing on that aspect. Secondary ball handler in starting in any lineup. Yeah. Luca. Luca wanted Marcus Smart. Luca reached out to Smart and was like, “Hey, come to LA. LA weather LA baddies.” Smart. Actually, I don’t I don’t I don’t want to start sick. Um, but like you know what I mean? Like, but also like he has the like LA right now like it’s a good situation for Smart. It’s a really good situation for Smart. And you know, I feel like Walt Dawkins didn’t write. I feel like we shopped him. They didn’t like any offers. Saw the Kings were interested. Walt Dawkins was like, “You know what? Let’s do this veteran right. Let’s do this respected veteran right. We saw how they did that with Koosma. They actually listened to him when he rejected the trade to Dallas. I don’t know why that I disagree with, but they’re doing veterans right. They want to ensure to the dudes outside looking in to the Wizards, hey, Marcus Mark can tell dudes in LA, no, no, no, the Wizards are not a joke. That organization cares about their players. I bet you that’s what Kyle Kusma is saying, too. Even though he left on shady terms with us, McCullum coming here, if he leaves us, I’m pretty sure we’re going to treat him fine and dandy this upcoming year with McCullum. If we trade him in a trade deadline, that’s the thing. They they want to change the perception of the Wizards. They want to change the perception. This is my this is my overall I think this is my conspiracy theory. I think this is what they just want to change the perception. They want veterans to come here and be like, “No, no, no, no.” Like like this is like the thing I keep thinking about it. Zack Z with the Commanders, Zack Ers, uh a tight end played for the Eagles for a long time. Zack Z said multiple times in interviews when he joined us saying, “Well, wow. Throughout my entire career, I was thinking of the Commanders or SLR Redskins and I was just like, damn, that organization is complete trash. Not even trash, but like it’s toxic, toxic, toxic owners, toxic everything, toxic. But now that I get here, complete 360. I I He said this multiple times. Now that I’m here in DC and the new ownership, new GM, new everything, it I was dead wrong. And this is the best one of the best organizations that I’ve ever played for. And now he even resigned with us. That’s what they’re trying to do with the veterans. I feel like now they’re coming here, they’re trying to switch it up. They’re sw they’re trying to switch it up. Change the perception so that when dudes in the future, they’ll be like, “Oh, yeah. No, no, that’s the old Wizards. The new Wizards. That’s a healthy organization who treat their players right. Not like the Suns. The Suns organization reeks of toxic BS. We are building not only a great foundation with all of our young players, but we’re building a great atmosphere for them to thrive in with great veterans, great people within the building, great decision makers. I can’t be so I’m just so bullish on this team. Jir freaking Watkins, remember his name. We talked so much about Trey Johnson early on and rightfully so. Hasn’t played. He’s only played two games. Averaged what, 19.5 points in the summer league. did his job. Jir Watkins, we need to talk about I I need to make more video. I’m gonna make a video on Jamir Watkins, you know. Will Riley, Shashes, loving this team, man. Take care, everybody. I gotta go. I gota freaking I gota I got to eat this frozen chicken burrito. But yeah, man. Take care everybody. If you enjoyed the stream, please like and subscribe. I truly appreciate it. Go Wizards, man. Wish Marcus Smart nothing but the best of luck going forward. Do your thing, man. Do your thing in LA. You know, we’re going to do our thing here in DC.