The Washington Wizards continued adding depth as they signed Delon Wright to a two-year, $16 million contract, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Entering his eighth NBA season, Wright has established himself as a solid reserve guard. Last season, he was ultra-low usage (just 11.8%) but efficient (+13 relative offensive efficiency). He’s made himself into a decent three-point shooter and a solid playmaker, but his most significant contributions are his defense and rebounding from the guard spot. At 6-5, Wright is a switchable and disruptive defender across three positions.
Wright is expected to be the primary backup point guard to Monte Morris, who the Wizards acquired in a trade the previous day. Both players rated above average in my PPA metric and figure to be a significant upgrade next to Bradley Beal in the upcoming season.
As expected, the Wizards and Beal agreed on a five-year contract that will pay him $251 million over the next five seasons. Team president Tommy Sheppard and owner Ted Leonsis have said repeatedly they intend to build a winning team around Beal, and they awarded him the massive contract despite the worst season he’s had in years, which ended with a serious wrist injury. The team will need Beal to return to at least All-Star level production to contend for a spot in the playoffs.
The team will also bring back reserve forward Anthony Gill on a two-year contract. Terms have not been published, but it’s a good guess that salaries will be something close to the veterans minimum. Gill’s on-court contributions were fairly minimal (just 681 minutes across his two seasons), but he’s popular among teammates, and the team values his maturity, leadership and work ethic.
It seems like he’s taking a role with the Wizards that Udonis Haslem fills for the Miami Heat — veteran “player” who’s really more of an assistant coach.
The Wizards have one more roster spot to fill, which they’ll likely do with a minimum salary to remain out of the luxury tax. Barring a major surprise move, here’s a stab at what the rotation will look like next season:
- Guard: Monte Morris, Delon Wright
- Guard: Bradley Beal, Johnny Davis
- Wing: Will Barton, Deni Avdija/Corey Kispert
- Forward: Kyle Kuzma, Rui Hachimura/Deni Avdija
- Center: Kristaps Porzingis, Daniel Gafford