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New York Times
5 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
For Wizards, C.J. McCollum trade wasn't about on-court value
Kyrie Irving will sign a new contract to keep him in Dallas for the long haul, while, as many expected, Boston is parting ways with two key core players. Follow along for the latest. Getty Images The Washington Wizards' salary dump of Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey to the Pelicans for C.J. McCollum and Kelly Olynyk shouldn't come as a big shock. (Washington also sent out the 40th pick in this week's draft and receives a protected Bulls 2027 second-rounder from the Pelicans). Yes, it sets up the Wizards to have cap space in 2026. But there's a short-term element in play too. For those who aren't following the script, the Wizards are pot-committed to being bad this year by virtue of the top-8 protected pick they owe the Knicks; the obligation will be extinguished after this season. Landing in the bottom eight (or bottom four, technically, to guard against lottery misfortune) shouldn't be a problem with this roster, but Washington isn't taking any chances. In a related story, there is virtually no chance C.J. McCollum finishes this season in a Wizards uniform. Washington can either repackage him before the season starts, trade him at the deadline or, in the worst case, buy him out in late February. He has a $30.7 million expiring deal the Wizards may be able to turn into draft capital and a dead contract. Between McCollum, Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart, the Wizards have three vets on expiring deals they can package in similar ways. Washington also now has full custody of a 2027 second-round pick from Chicago. Previously, it was theirs only if it fell in picks 31-50. Bulls fans in the audience can already tell you this distinction probably doesn't matter, but it's a small chip coming back from New Orleans. There is a decent chance this turns into a larger deal, since it can't be executed until July 6. For instance, Washington could stuff another $17 million into the trade from a third team and still stay under the luxury tax by taking Olynyk into its nontaxpayer midlevel exception. Other creative shenanigans are possible, too. Patrick Smith / Getty Images From the New Orleans side, the C.J. McCollum-Jordan Poole trade is a more straightforward basketball move: the Pelicans took one longer money to get better. Poole low-key had a solid year in 2024-25 and gives the Pels a shot-creating guard if Dejounte Murray isn't fully recovered from his torn Achilles. Bey was originally drafted by the ex-Pistons mafia that now populates Detroit's front office. While they took on longer contracts, the Pels also get some much-needed breathing room from the luxury-tax line with the $6 million in 2025-26 salary they cut in the deal. They also now have three picks in the 2025 draft at 7, 23, and 40. Finally, the Pels likely will generate a $13.5 million trade exception for the outgoing Kelly Olynyk by taking Bey into their trade exception for Jonas Valančiūnas — ironically the result of a sign-and-trade with the Wizards last summer. Myles Turner is ranked as The Athletic's No. 1 center in this year's free agency class, but Pacers coach Rick Carlisle intends for Turner to stay put. Despite Turner's poor showing in the NBA Finals and Tyrese Haliburton's ruptured right Achilles potentially altering the team's offseason decisions, Carlisle went to bat for Turner during his weekly appearance Tuesday on Indiana's 107.5 The Fan. 'I don't think it's any secret that (for) the franchise, at this particular moment, that is the No. 1 priority,' Carlisle said of re-signing Turner. 'I don't know anything about money or numbers or years or any of that kind of stuff, but Myles is a very important part of what we've done here, what we've been doing. He's a very important part of the history of the franchise, certainly over the last decade.' Turner, the 2015 No. 11 pick, has spent his entire 10-year NBA career in Indiana. The 6-foot-11 center has led the NBA in blocks per game twice and became the Pacers' all-time leader in blocks during the 2023-24 season. Turner averaged 15.6 points. 6.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game during the 2024-25 regular season. He shot 48.1 percent from the field and a career-high 39.6 percent on 3s. However, Turner's production dipped to just 10.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks across seven NBA Finals games against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers lost the series, falling one victory short of their first NBA title, while Turner shot just 37.7 percent from the field and 21.4 percent on 3s. Turner inked a two-year, $58 million contract extension with the Pacers in January 2023 that will officially expire June 30 and make him an unrestricted free agent. The 29-year-old's BORD$ value, per The Athletic's John Hollinger, is $31 million annually, which would likely require Indiana to enter the luxury tax — something the franchise hasn't done since the 2005-06 season — to retain him. 'I'm not privy to every little conversation going on there. But Myles is a very important part of what we're doing,' Carlisle reemphasized. '… We have great people that are making the decisions in our organization, starting with (owner Herb) Simon and (president of basketball operations) Kevin (Pritchard) and (general manager) Chad (Buchanan). I've never been more confident about the future of the Pacers.' GO FURTHER NBA free agency 2025: Myles Turner tops long list of starting-caliber center talent I realize this isn't the biggest transaction of the cycle, but I'm shocked the Heat picked up Keshad Johnson's team option for $1.955 million. I thought for sure they would decline it and try to bring him back on a 2-way contract, as he made little impact after the Heat signed him to a roster contract midway through last season. Also, since the Heat are once again dancing with the luxury-tax line, note that because Johnson was undrafted, he counts the same as a veteran minimum ($2.296 million) for tax purposes. Matthew Stockman / Getty Images The Denver Nuggets can offer Nikola Jokić an extension this summer for three years and more than $200 million, and they intend to do so, Josh Kroenke, the team's vice chairman, said today. But do they expect Jokić to accept immediately? Kroenke didn't have an easy answer for that. "We're definitely going to offer it," Kroenke said today. "I'm not sure if he's going to accept it or not, because we're also going to explain every financial parameter around him signing now versus signing later. Be completely transparent. That's the way we always are. And then he makes the best decision for himself and his family, and we'll support him." It would likely behoove the Nuggets for Jokić to lock in as soon as possible but Kroenke left the door open that he won't. If he's right, that doesn't mean it suddenly becomes a situation worth watching. Jokić has two years and a player option left on the supermax deal that kicked in prior to the 2023-24 season. But the Nuggets have had a lot of turnover in the last few months. They fired head coach Mike Malone and replaced him with David Adelman. They fired general manager Calvin Booth and didn't directly replace him, instead hiring former Timberwolves exec Jon Wallace as Executive Vice President of player personnel and promoting Ben Tenzer to EVP of basketball operations. Those will represent the new braintrust in Denver and report to Kroenke. Kroenke noted Tuesday that the structure might be "unorthodox" but said that goes in line with how the franchise has gotten to this point. "Most everything that has got us to this point has been unorthodox," Kroenke said. "We've hired first time guys before. And our best player is the 41st pick, and (has) a very unorthodox manner (with) the way he plays the game. So everything about us is unorthodox. I think, from a process standpoint, I think it was important for us as an organization, and myself and my father to really slow down, take stock of what the organization really needed at this point in time, talk to a lot of different people from a lot of different areas, and gain a lot of different perspective, both in the basketball world and out of the basketball world. Really, kind of nailing down what the Denver Nuggets need, and that's the margins on the outside of our roster. And I think that both John and Ben's complementary skill sets are really going to help us address those things in a creative way moving forward." CJ McCollum is expected to add veteran leadership on the Wizards' roster, which team officials deem important with unrestricted free agent guard Malcolm Brogdon likely to sign elsewhere this summer. McCollum, who is more comfortable playing off the ball than Jordan Poole is, also should help enhance playmaking and shot-creation opportunities for the Wizards' young players. McCollum is a lower-usage player than Poole and also has a better assist-to-turnover ratio than Poole. One of the Wizards' priorities is to retain their own first-round pick for the 2026 draft. Because of a trade made in 2020, Washington would convey its 2026 first-round pick to the New York Knicks if it falls outside the top eight. By making today's trade with the Pelicans, the Wizards are giving more player-development opportunities for their youngest players and, in the process, likely will increase the likelihood of retaining their 2026 first-round pick. So, the Wizards made a trade in the summer of 2025 to acquire a bunch of veterans who have contracts that will expire after next season, creating cap space in the summer of 2026, allowing the Wizards to make trades to acquire more veterans on onerous contracts, offering teams financial flexibility/savings in return for draft compensation. You have to love the NBA. After the Jordan Poole-C.J. McCollum trade, the Wizards could have eight players under contract whose salaries add up to only about $51 million heading into the summer of 2026. The salary cap projects to be $170 million in 2026-27. Washington will have massive sway in the market next summer, however it wants to use it. Jordan Poole has two years left on his current deal ($31.8 million next season, $34 million in 2026-27). With this trade, the Pelicans get some additional playmaking with Dejounte Murray sidelined due to an Achilles injury and more draft capital. C.J. McCollum, who averaged 21.1 points per game in his four seasons with the Pelicans, is heading into the final year of his deal. Detroit Pistons team president Trajan Langdon said the Pistons 'aren't going to be super aggressive' this summer. He said Detroit is more interested in improving internally and around the margins. Tim Warner / Getty Images How are West teams adjusting to the idea that it probably takes a 60-win-caliber team to realistically hang with Oklahoma City in a playoff series? A 50-win Denver team and a 48-win Memphis team fired their coaches in the final weeks of the season; Memphis then traded Desmond Bane for four first-round picks in a bid to remix a core that wasn't going to be good enough in the Age of Thunder. The Houston Rockets, meanwhile, bravely went the other way, pushing some chips in on a young team to acquire Kevin Durant after a first-round playoff defeat. Even after acquiring Kevin Durant, the Rockets feel like they're one move away from being on Oklahoma City's level. In a related story, they still can trade five future first-round picks. GO FURTHER With Thunder on top, NBA's 'wide-open' Western Conference is a thing of the past Michael Reaves / Getty Images The Ace Bailey question has taken the draft world by storm this week, after he canceled a workout with Philadelphia. However, Bailey's evaluation is complicated, and this has been true for months, not days or weeks. The intel that NBA teams have on Bailey, from having spoken with over a dozen sources throughout the season and pre-draft process, is that his teammates enjoyed being around him. He has a lot of infectious energy. But he's a bit immature and can struggle with focus, those sources said. His pre-draft interviews with teams at the NBA Draft Combine did not go particularly well, as it seemed like he went into them a bit ill-prepared for what was being asked of him, according to sources. They weren't so bad as to knock him off of anyone's board, but they raised further questions about what exactly has been happening with his pre-draft process, as he's largely been shielded from teams. It's easy to chalk this up to Bailey being a teenager, and it's completely reasonable to think that he'll mature as he gets older. You can also chalk up the lack of preparation for interviews to questionable representation, and there are certainly many scouts and executives around the NBA who have questions about how effectively he's been repped. Right now, we're down to two possibilities. Either Bailey's agent Omar Cooper — whose lone experience repping a potential top-five pick was with Isaac Okoro in 2020 before Okoro left to be represented by Excel — is effectively steering Bailey toward a desired location, or he's bungled the process and will cause an unplanned slide for Bailey on draft night. The reality is that he just might not be for everyone. Read more intel in my latest NBA mock draft. GO FURTHER NBA mock draft 2025: Why Ace Bailey is the mystery man of draft week Kirby Lee / Imagn TNT Sports analyst and former NBA player Grant Hill will join NBC Sports' NBA coverage as a game analyst for the 2025-26 season. 'I'm incredibly excited to join NBC Sports as part of their NBA coverage. The NBA has been such a meaningful part of my life, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue sharing the game I love with fans across the country,' Hill said in a release. 'To be part of NBC's return to the NBA — a network with such a rich basketball legacy — and its debut on Peacock is truly an honor. I can't wait to get started this fall.' Hill will continue his role at TNT Sports as a college basketball analyst for the men's NCAA Tournament as well as TNT's Big East and Big 12 basketball coverage. GO FURTHER Grant Hill joining NBC's NBA coverage as analyst for 2025-26 season Matthew Stockman / Getty Images The value of these finals, of the success of the Pacers and Thunder, is depth. This might seem axiomatic: having a lot of good players is important. Duh. But it's never that simple. A salary cap league, especially one with the newish apron constraints imposed in 2023, demands choices and opportunity costs. The Oklahoma City and Indiana front offices understand this — the Thunder had five players who averaged 13 or more minutes per game this postseason while taking up less than 10 percent of the cap; the Pacers had six. 'Depth, in general, is really important,' Thunder GM Sam Presti said at preseason press conference. 'I think depth relative to the parity in the league that we see now is directly linked, because the teams are so deep.' Depth is probably more valuable than ever. It's harder to put a roster together with more than two max players, so the strength of a team can no longer tilt heavily in favor of top-heavy talent. That means organizations not only have to hit on picks in the draft — i.e. Cason Wallace and Jalen Williams — but they also need to establish a player development program that can make contributors out of second-round picks, undrafted players and waiver wire finds like Lu Dort, Kendrich Williams, Isaiah Joe and Aaron Wiggins. Developing these kinds of players will become increasingly important for the Thunder if and when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams sign expensive contract extensions. But it's also important because teams need depth to hang in the NBA now because of the move to a faster pace and to withstand the increased physicality that has come out of looser refereeing. Depth keyed the Pacers' finals run, as they used a deep rotation to funnel in players who can run fast, play hard and beat up the opposing team. Indiana has accomplished their own mix of strong drafting and player development, from finding a key player in the second round (Andrew Nembhard) to optimizing 'second draft' acquisitions (Obi Toppin and Aaron Nesmith). Here are several other lessons teams should learn from these two NBA Finalists. GO FURTHER Pacers and Thunder provided an NBA Finals blueprint. Can other contenders copy it? Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Imagine being one of the other 14 teams in the West. How on Earth are you supposed to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder? Reminder: The Thunder won the conference by 16 games in 2024-25 and still may not have come into the best version of themselves. The entire logic of team-building in the West for the last half-decade has been that 'it's wide open.' Get yourself to a win total in the low-to-mid 50s, and then anything can happen in the playoffs. Veteran teams with title experience, like the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, could talk themselves into being contenders with a middling playoff seed as long as there wasn't a scary, dominant team in the conference that required a higher level. That's been the case the last few seasons, as the previous three Western Conference finalists before the Thunder won 53, 53 and 50 regular-season games, respectively. Now, that entire logic is flipped upside down; it's definitely not wide open, unless your desired endgame is losing in five in the conference finals. For those who aspire for more, it's either get to the Thunder's level or go home. What does a higher bar do to change the logic in an already cutthroat conference? Read the rest of my story here. GO FURTHER With Thunder on top, NBA's 'wide-open' Western Conference is a thing of the past Eric Hartline / Imagn The Trail Blazers briefly acquired Jrue Holiday in the 2023 trade that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, but redirected Holiday to the Celtics less than a week later. During the brief period Holiday was technically on the Portland roster, he and Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups connected over what Billups has called 'a great conversation.' Billups, who was traded by the Pistons four years after helping them win the 2004 championship, helped Holiday deal with getting blindsided by the Bucks' decision to trade him. During that chat, Holiday also expressed that he would prefer to be moved to a contender. Billups wanted to help the veteran reach 'a great position and a great spot' for him. 'It meant a lot,' Holiday told The Athletic in 2024. 'Being able to see a coach that has my best interests (in mind). And you could see it and you could hear it, which a lot of times maybe some players don't get a chance to see that from a coach. So he definitely had my best interest (at heart) from the beginning. And he just always looked out for me.' This time, the Blazers appear to intend to keep Holiday, and he could help them with his defense and leadership. Dealing away Anfernee Simons also appears to clear the path for Scoot Henderson, the third pick in 2023, who only started 10 games in his second season. Simons started all 70 games he played. Read more on what this trade means for the Blazers and Celtics here. GO FURTHER Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Blazers for Anfernee Simons, second-round picks: Sources
Fox News
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Several notable NBA veterans on the move as teams swing trades ahead of draft night
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers Sunday in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. When the Thunder hoisted the coveted Larry O'Brien trophy, it also marked the official start of the offseason. Although the offseason is just a couple of days old, teams have been active in the trade market as the NBA Draft approaches. The Grizzlies and Pacers pulled off trades during the Finals. Memphis sent guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for players and draft picks. Meanwhile, Indiana executed a deal that involved draft picks. Here's a look at other notable NBA trades so far this offseason: It wasn't clear Clint Capela would return to the Hawks for the 2025-26 season. Atlanta filled the potential void at center by acquiring Kristaps Porzingis from the Celtics in a three-team deal. The Brooklyn Nets were also part of the deal, USA Today Sports reported Tuesday. On Tuesday, ESPN reported a trade involving the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans. The deal sent Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and a draft pick to New Orleans. Washington landed star guard CJ McCollum, the 2016 NBA Most Improved Player; forward Kelly Olynyk; and a future draft selection. On Monday, reports surfaced about two-time NBA All-Star Jrue Holiday's future home. Holiday spent the past two seasons with the Boston Celtics, helping the franchise secure its record 18th NBA title last year. But the star guard will reportedly begin the 2025-26 season in the Western Conference with the Portland Trail Blazers. The Celtics received Anfernee Simons and a pair of future draft picks in exchange for Holiday. On Sunday, 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant was traded to the Houston Rockets. According to ESPN, the Phoenix Suns received Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green and six draft picks in exchange for the two-time NBA champion forward. The NBA Draft begins at 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday, June 25, from the Barclays Center in New York. The second round is scheduled for Thursday, June 26. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA offseason trade tracker: Kristaps Porzingis headed to Atlanta
While the 2024-25 season did not officially end until Oklahoma City took care of Indiana in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, the news cycle has already moved on to the 2025-26 season. Houston acquired Kevin Durant from the Suns hours before Game 7, and there have already been three more deals in the two days since the NBA Finals concluded. Below is a "tracker" of the trades that have occurred thus far, and given how things have gone, there will likely be more to add before the NBA Draft on Wednesday. Also, many of these deals will not become official until the new league year begins on July 6. Buckle up. Advertisement Tuesday, June 24 New Orleans acquires: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, 40th overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft Washington acquires: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, future second-round pick First-year Pelicans lead executive Joe Dumars reportedly completed his first significant transaction on Tuesday, sending McCollum, Olynyk and the 40th overall pick to Washington. While CJ is entering the final season of his current contract, Poole has two years and nearly $66 million remaining on his deal. With Dejounte Murray still recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered in January, Poole should not lack opportunities to play on the ball in New Orleans. His second season in Washington was better than his first, and the hope in New Orleans is that Poole can build on that progress next season. The Bey acquisition may not impact fantasy basketball much, as he's coming off a torn ACL that sidelined him for the entire 2024-25 season. Advertisement McCollum's addition gives the Wizards another "adult in the room" alongside Marcus Smart and Khris Middleton. All three have struggled with injuries in recent years, with none hitting the 60 games played mark in 2024-25. Heading into a contract year, McCollum can provide reliable middle-round value in standard leagues. That said, veterans don't come without risk in rebuilding situations, as some teams are all too willing to pull the plug and "tank." Olynyk's path to fantasy relevance is not as straightforward as McCollum's, but experienced managers have certainly seen him make waves, especially late in the year when playing for rebuilding teams. Atlanta acquires: Kristaps Porzingis Boston acquires: Georges Niang, future second-round pick Brooklyn acquires: Terance Mann, 22nd overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft Less than 24 hours after reportedly trading Holiday, the Celtics reportedly bid farewell to Porzingis as part of a three-team trade. Given that he's entering the final season of his contract, KP's exit is unsurprising. Going to Atlanta offers some intrigue, as a lineup of Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu would have the length and defensive ability needed to compensate for Young's deficiencies on that end of the floor. However, Porzingis has played 60 games or more only once since tearing his ACL during the 2017-18 season. Add in the illness that limited his effectiveness down the stretch this season, and fantasy managers will have to exercise caution. Also, the Hawks still hold a trade exception worth $25 million due to the Dejounte Murray trade, so they could be extremely active this summer. Advertisement The Celtics add a solid veteran in Niang, who grew up in the Boston area and played his high school basketball at the Tilton School in New Hampshire. While his fantasy impact has been limited for most of his career, "The Minivan" may have more consistent opportunities in Boston next season, especially if Stevens isn't done making moves. The reported trades of Porzingis and Holiday have gotten the Celtics below the second apron. As for Brooklyn, adding another first-round pick to their coffers is what sparks significant intrigue. The Nets now have five first-round picks in Wednesday's draft, which likely means that lead executive Sean Marks is not finished making moves. The draft may "begin" with Philadelphia at the third pick, but the Nets hold the cards that will significantly impact how things play out at Barclays Center. Adding Mann gives Brooklyn a versatile wing, but he's yet to pan out as a reliable fantasy option. Whether or not that changes with the Nets depends on what other moves the team makes this summer. Monday, June 23 Portland acquires: Jrue Holiday Advertisement Boston acquires: Anfernee Simons, two second-round picks After losing Jayson Tatum to a ruptured Achilles tendon during the second round of the playoffs and the franchise facing a hefty luxury tax bill, the Celtics have begun to break things up. How far lead executive Brad Stevens will go is unknown at this point, but he's traded two key rotation players in the two days since the season concluded. Late Monday night, it was Holiday who was on the move, with Boston sending him to Portland. Interestingly, the Trail Blazers acquired him from Milwaukee as part of the Damian Lillard trade a few years ago, ultimately moving the veteran guard to Boston. Unlike two years ago, Holiday's fit with Portland is better now, especially after the team's improved play during the second half of the season. According to reports, the plan is to retain Holiday, as he can provide defense and steady leadership to the young group. For Portland, the trade also frees up more opportunities for Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe, even with Holiday expected to occupy a place in the starting lineup. It's time for Portland to truly learn what it has in Henderson and Sharpe, and whether those two can be key cogs in a rotation with playoff ambitions. Boston's decision to trade Holiday saves the franchise some money in the short term, and there's the potential for them to save more next summer. Simons, a more than capable perimeter scorer who will fill a need in Boston with Tatum out, is heading into the final season of his current contract. The Celtics can sign him to an extension this summer, but they can also wait until 2026, just in case things don't work out. With Boston making another significant move on Tuesday, Simons should have a solid fantasy ceiling next season. The trades also increase Payton Pritchard's value, as he's coming off the best season of his NBA career.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pelicans-Wizards trade grades: CJ McCollum-for-Jordan Poole swap is kind of a head-scratcher for one side
NBA trade season is officially underway. Less than a day after Boston sent Jrue Holiday to Portland for Anfernee Simons — which followed Sunday's Kevin Durant trade — the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans swapped guards. Advertisement CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk are headed to Washington, along with a future second-round selection, in return for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the 40th overall pick in Wednesday's NBA Draft. This is a bit of thinker, so let's get right into it, starting with the Pelicans. Pelicans grade: C (but potential for higher) The organization shaved off roughly $6 million in this trade, providing them with needed flexibility under the first apron, to the point where they should be able to use the entire non-tax mid-level exception (projected to be worth $14.1 million). What's interesting is the Pelicans took on long-term money, as McCollum and Olynyk are both entering the last year of their deals. Advertisement This is — presumably — done to give themselves more opportunities with Poole, who just turned 26. Although still an excellent shooter, McCollum will turn 34 before the start of next season. In short, the younger Poole could conceivably build up higher trade value in New Orleans, which the organization could utilize later. Poole (20.5 points, 4.5 assists) is coming off a bounce-back year after a disappointing debut season in Washington. His efficiency shot up to 59.1% true shooting, and he leaned into his 3-point shot, attempting 622 of them in just 68 games. Of course, the Pelicans would have to bank on Poole improving further, or at least remain on his current course, for him to have significant trade value down the line. So, to recap this oddity: The Pelicans save immediate money, which allows them flexibility this summer, but take on future money in the hope of turning that into something good down the line. Advertisement Was this the best use of over $44 million in expiring money? That's highly debatable. Wizards grade: A For Washington, the path toward their logic is far easier. This team has acquired several older players of late, such as Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart and now McCollum. They are great culture-setters and tremendous locker-room presences. Their contracts also all align, as they expire at the conclusion of next season. Essentially, the Wizards are creating a highly professional environment for their young core to thrive in, and all they had to give up were players they weren't married to long term anyway. Advertisement The Wizards will enter the 2026 offseason with money to burn and can choose whether to spend that on players to accelerate their timeline, or rent out their cap space for draft-pick compensation. Washington's flexibility is now among the league's best, which is another strong indicator their rebuild is going quite well.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Report: Former Warriors Jordan Poole traded to Pelicans in deal with Wizards
Just days after Kevin Durant was traded in a blockbuster deal between the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, another former Golden State Warrior is on the move to start the NBA offseason. On Tuesday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the Washington Wizards are trading Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the No. 40 overall pick in the 2025 draft to the New Orleans Pelicans for a package that includes veteran guard CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round selection. Advertisement Via @ShamsCharania on X: Poole spent the first four seasons of his career with the Warriors, winning a championship in 2022. In the 2023 offseason, Poole was a part of a multi-player trade that landed him in Washington and Chris Paul in Golden State. In 2024-25 with the Wizards, Poole averaged 20.5 points on 43.2% shooting from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc to go along with 4.5 assists and three boards per game. This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Report: Former Warriors Jordan Poole traded to Pelicans
