Washington likes what they have on the roster. John Wall has emerged into one of the better point guards in the game. Bradley Beal may be the real star of this team in a few years. When Nene is healthy their defense is Top 10. They just need to make a few tweaks and keep the team together.
That includes big time free agents Trevor Ariza and Marcin Gortat. Ariza’s importance recently just jumped with word Martell Webster had another back surgery.
How important is keeping Gortat around to back up/play with Nene? The Wizards’ front office is flying to Poland to persuade him to stay in the nation’s capital next season, reports J. Michael at CSNWashington.com.Now that the NBA draft is over, the full-court press is on to convince Marcin Gortat to remain with the Wizards, who are sending a contingent to Poland before the free-agent negotiation period opens July 1, CSNwashington.com has confirmed with multiple persons with knowledge of the situation.
Coach Randy Wittman and Tommy Sheppard, senior vice president of basketball operations, are leaving Friday to visit Gortat who has been coordinating basketball camps across his homeland.
Washington traded for Gortat when Emeka Okafor went down before last season. Gortat took a while to mesh with Wall, but Nene understood from the start how key Gortat was and was his big supporter. Eventually everyone in the Wizards organization came around.
The question, of course, is money.
Gortat made $7.7 million last season and at age 30 is a good gamble for a three or four-year deal in roughly that same ballpark salary wise. Depending on where the salary cap ultimately falls (likely in the $62 million range) the Wizards will have about $16 million in cap space. That should let them retain Gortat and Ariza plus bring in a little depth.
If they pull all of that off, the Wizards could again find themselves in the top half of the East next season.
