2020 NBA Free Agency: Grading all three moves the Washington Wizards made on day one
By Ethan Smith
Free Agency Move #2: Re-sign Davis Bertans
Davis Bertans was priority number one for the Washington Wizards this offseason, and they wasted little time locking the Lativian Laser into a contract worth $80 million over the next five years. The deal keeps one of the NBA’s best sharpshooters in D.C. for the foreseeable future. And they got it done for a reasonable price. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was first to break the news.
Free agent forward Davis Bertans has agreed to a 5-year, $80M deal to return to the Washington Wizards, his agent @ArtursKalnitis tells ESPN. Deal includes an ETO after fourth year. One of biggest deals ever for a European-based agent in NBA.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
As early deals were reported, it looked like Bertans was going to cost A LOT. He was rumored to be in the $18 million/year range, but when Danillo Gallinari got a deal worth over $20 million/year, Jerami Grant got a new deal worth $20 million/year, and Joe Harris got a deal worth $18.75 million/year, it looked like the Wizards were going to have to break the bank for Bertans.
Mission Accomplished. Wizards re-sign Bertans.. light. Related Story
But less than four hours after free agency began, the Wizards announced that Bertans would be returning. His new contract has an AAV of $16 million, a fair number for Bertans, especially given the market. Plus, it could be an attractive trade piece if the Wizards need to blow it up at any point in the next five years.
Bertans was priority number one, and the Wizards made it happen with a relatively team-friendly. Breathe easy, Wizards fans. The NBA’s best shooter is here to stay.