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Washington Wizards 2016 Offseason Plans Power Rankings

By Charlie Gibson

Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (L) celebrates with Wizards owner Ted Leonsis (R) celebrate on the bench in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 125-94, and won the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (L) celebrates with Wizards owner Ted Leonsis (R) celebrate on the bench in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Verizon Center. The Wizards won 125-94, and won the series 4-0. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 8, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) reacts to a call during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win 112-99. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

2: Marcin Gortat

Unfortunately for the 13-year Washington staple, the free agent market doesn’t look super promising and the Wizards lack trade flexibility with only five players under contract.

Ernie will try, but I’m not sure there is going to be an “Arenas.”

Al Horford is the best-case scenario, but seems like a long shot. Chandler Parsons is injured, Nicolas Batum may have already played the best season of his career, and Hassan Whiteside isn’t coming here.

Most likely Ernie is going to pick up a handful of pieces in free agency, and continue to scour the trade market like a madman.

After all, this team won 41 games last year without a power forward and with Beal only starting in 35. It is not a reach to think the starting lineup as currently constructed can win 45 games. But Ted wants to aim higher, and so does Wall. You can bet Ernie will make a move.

Marcin Gortat seems to always be the one having the most fun, no matter what’s going on around him.

Not to mention that he’s the face of Polish basketball and a “God” in his homeland.

According to Bartosz Bielecki, truthaboutit.net’s Polish correspondent, Gortat plans on spending this summer sitting on a beach, jet-skiing, and “buying a speedboat.” Whatever keeps the Machine running!

Apr 8, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) gets defended by Detroit Pistons guard Steve Blake (22) during the second quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

1: Bradley Beal

The summer of Durant? More like the summer of Bradley-Freaking-Beal.

Beal is going to be spending the off-season getting in the best physical shape of his life- according to him – oh, and signing what in all likelihood will be a fiive-year, $100+ million contract.

Beal is a responsible young man and he’ll probably put it all straight in the bank. But that has got to feel good, and it earns the top spot in these rankings.

Did I dock him points for declining his invitation to the U.S. Olympic basketball team? Yes, absolutely.

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He turned down the chance to bring glory to the Wizards, to rub shoulders with and learn from some of the best players in the world, and compete at a high level.

The timing just wasn’t right for Beal, but this was an opportunity that might not come again.

Anyway, seriously, let’s get back to that contract.

The Wizards/Bullets have given out two $100 million dollar contracts in their history: 6/yrs $111M to Gilbert Arenas in 2008 and 7/yrs $105M to Juwan Howard in 1996, which was the first $100M contract in NBA history.

John Wall’s current contract is 5/yrs $80M.

So Beal is a 22-year-old shooting guard with a career average of 16 points per game on 42 percent shooting who is making more money than the quarterback of the Washington Redskins.

For the record, Kirk Cousins is set to make $19.9M in 2016 compared to a projected $23M for Beal.

Beal’s contract will be comparable to those of the highest tier of DC athletes—Alex Ovechkin is on a 13/yr $124M contract with the Capitals, and last month Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg signed an extension for 7/yrs $175M.

Most general managers would pay Beal amidst this strange free-agent climate, and the Wizards have simply invested too much to let him walk or shop around for deals. I mean, they turned down James Harden for this guy.

But that is not going to stop Beal from becoming the face of the new TV money.

A lot of crazy contracts are going to get thrown around this summer, but I don’t think any other non-All-Stars with career PER’s of 14.3 are going to get a five-year max.

Next: Are the Washington Wizards Doomed For Mediocrity?

So while I don’t think Brad’s contract is going to be the worst one handed out this off-season, I do think that of the at-all-questionable ones, it will be for the most money.

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