Washington Wizards Plan to Move on From Guard Trey Burke

Washington Wizards guard Trey Burke was brought in to solidify the backup point guard role during the 2016-17 season. Now, as expected, it appears he’s on his way out of the district.

With the assortment of different rotations the Wizards used during the 2016-17 season, it was very understandable that the team would be seeking another backup point guard going into free agency. Mock drafts had point guards heading to Washington with the 52nd pick. Speculation popped up about free agent guards the team might be making a run at.

Thus, it was always expected that guard Trey Burke would not be extended the qualifying offer by the end of June, and would become an unrestricted free agent. After the Wizards traded for guard Tim Frazier on Wednesday, those expectations became reality, as J Michael of CSN reported.

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By not extending the qualifying offer, Burke will be allowed to forego his previous designation as a restricted free agent, which would have allowed the Wizards to match any offer given to him.

Meanwhile, Washington has two other restricted free agents in Otto Porter and Bojan Bogdanovic, both of whom are expected to be given the qualifying offer.

Burke now will be a free agent for the first time, and resurrect a promising basketball career, that had him be drafted 9th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft, one pick ahead of CJ McCollum, and six ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After the D’Angelo Russell trade and the Sixers trading up for the right to draft Markelle Fultz, the number of teams needing point guards has dropped, but Burke should still find a few suitors.

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One interesting possibility would be in New Orleans, where the Pelicans now need guard help, and will certainly if point guard Jrue Holiday leaves in free agency.

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