Washington Wizards

Bradley Beal doesn't want to rush to make a decision on the four-year, $181.5 million extension offer from the Washington Wizards.

The three-time All-Star discussed his plans on Posted Up with Chris Haynes:

Posted Up w/ Haynes Pod: Wiz star Bradley Beal on re-signing w/ Jordan Brand & numerous other topics. Why he hasn’t signed max extension?: “I’m not gonna make that grand commitment and it doesn’t work. Ultimately you have to be selfish at some point.”

🎧: https://t.co/Tfx91n0o3j pic.twitter.com/4q56uFMgNr

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 8, 2021

"I got time, so I kinda hold the cards right now," Beal said. "And one, I’ve never been in this position. I’m kinda embracing that, being able to kinda dictate how I want my future to be and where I want it to be."

Beal has signed multiple short-term extensions to remain in Washington, but he can become a free agent after this season if he declines his $36.4 million player option.

"I've committed to being here twice," Beal said. "Now, I want to see that commitment to me as well, that we can create a winning team here, a winning environment."

Beal is off to a slow start by his standards in 2021-22, averaging 22.5 points per game while shooting just 43.7 percent from the field. The guard has averaged over 30 points per game in each of the last two seasons, ranking second in the NBA with 31.3 points per game in 2020-21.

Despite his production, the Wizards haven't had a winning record in any of the last three years. The team snuck into the playoffs at 34-38 last year but suffered a first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The team is off to a better start this season with a 14-11 record, tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference, but there's a long way to go before clinching a postseason berth.

On the plus side, Washington has been aggressive to improve the roster in recent years. The team acquired another All-Star in Russell Westbrook in 2020 before flipping the point guard to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The offseason addition of Spencer Dinwiddie has also paid dividends so far this season.

Staying in contention over the course of the season could be enough to convince Beal to make a long-term commitment to the organization.

Of course, there would be plenty of interest in the open market if the 28-year-old becomes available. If Beal decides to leave, he could pick a spot that puts him much closer to the first championship of his career.    

Some people wear jackets to fight the cold of late November.

Kyle Kuzma apparently wears a massive pink sweatshirt that is, let's say, multiple sizes too big for him. He posted a picture of his outfit of choice on Instagram prior to Monday's game between his Washington Wizards and the Charlotte Hornets.

As Molly Morrison of Blue Wire Pods pointed out, players such as J.R. Smith, Isaiah Thomas and even LeBron James didn't miss an opportunity to poke fun at Kuzma's fashion choices:

kyle kuzma fighting for his life in his instagram comments pic.twitter.com/Oqbc743SOE

— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) November 23, 2021

Kuzma explained to Smith and Thomas that it was cold out and notably told former Los Angeles Lakers teammate James the sweatshirt was "fire."

Going from playing in L.A. to the nation's capital is quite the adjustment climate-wise, so Kuzma can be forgiven in his search for warmer clothes. It also didn't stop him from posting a double-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in Washington's 109-103 loss to the Hornets.          

Washington Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard has been promoted to the role of GM and team president, Monumental Sports and Entertainment announced Wednesday.

Sheppard, who has been the Wizards' general manager since 2019, also received a contract extension, although terms of the deal were not revealed.

The Wizards are off to a surprising start this season. They top the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-3, putting them a half-game ahead of the Chicago Bulls.

Sheppard made some bold moves during the offseason after Washington barely reached the playoffs last season as the No. 8 seed in the East.

Most notably, Sheppard traded away future Hall of Fame guard Russell Westbrook after he didn't mesh as well as hoped with Bradley Beal.

That trade also included three other teams and netted the Wizards guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, forward Kyle Kuzma, center Montrezl Harrell, guard Spencer Dinwiddie and guard Aaron Holiday.

All of those players have played a significant role in improving Washington's depth, and they have contributed to the Wizards' hot start.

Dinwiddie has been an especially huge addition, as the former Brooklyn Net is averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Also, Harrell is second on the team in scoring with 18.0 points per game and Kuzma is fourth with 14.5 points per contest.

Sheppard made the decision to hire Wes Unseld Jr. as the new head coach of the Wizards after the expiration of previous head coach Scott Brooks' contract.

Unseld was a popular hire since his father, Basketball Hall of Famer Wes Unseld, starred for the Baltimore/Washington Bullets franchise from 1968-81 and then coached the Bullets from 1988-94.

Unseld Jr. enjoyed success as an assistant with the Wizards, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets before finally landing a head coaching job, and he has gotten his tenure off to an ideal start.

Like Unseld, Sheppard gained a great deal of front office experience in the NBA before finally getting his shot to be a GM.

Sheppard was part of the Nuggets' front office from 1994-2003 before joining the Wizards as their vice president of basketball operations under Ernie Grunfeld. Following Grunfeld's firing in 2019, Sheppard became his replacement.

The Wizards haven't made it out of the first round of the playoffs since 2017 and haven't gotten past the second round since going to the Finals in 1979 as the Bullets.

While the Wizards have a long way to go, Sheppard has them on track to enjoy their best season in decades.

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma took the chance to get in a dig at the city of Cleveland after its News 5 television station said in a chyron Kuzma "won an NBA championship thanks to LeBron James." 

City of Cleveland we have something in common 😅😭 nice too meet you https://t.co/4syPtvnKYS

— kuz (@kylekuzma) November 15, 2021

James, of course, led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the only title in the organization's history in the 2015-16 season. Kuzma won the lone title in his career with James on the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2019-20 season. 

The veteran forward was traded to the Washington Wizards this offseason in the Russell Westbrook deal, and it's been a positive move thus far. Kuzma is averaging 15 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting a career-high 37.8 percent from three, and the Wizards have raced out to a 9-3 record. 

The young Cavaliers, for what it's worth, are 9-5 on the year, led by impressive rookie Evan Mobley. So the city of Cleveland will likely recover just fine from Kuzma's burn. 

Kyle Kuzma appears determined to join Joakim Noah on the short list of Cleveland's most hated athletes.

The Washington Wizards forward had a back-and-forth with fans during Wednesday's win over the Cavaliers, saying Cleveland "wouldn't be s--t" without LeBron James.

"They had a sign that said, 'LeBron won Kuzma his ring.' I said, you know, 'Without LeBron, Cleveland wouldn't be s--t.' They chose violence. I just kept going," Kuzma said.

There were fans in the building tonight with a "LeBron won Kuzma his ring" sign.

In response, Kyle knocked down two clutch threes to send the Wizards to a win, and responded to them: "Without LeBron, Cleveland wouldn't be sh**." @basketbllnews pic.twitter.com/J3pQ1du24S

— Spencer Davies (@SpinDavies) November 11, 2021

Kuzma scored 22 points, including a go-ahead three-pointer with 11.4 seconds remaining, as the Wizards came from behind for a 97-94 victory over the Cavs. 

Cleveland is no stranger to being in the crosshairs of trash talk from NBA players. Noah famously said the city "sucks" and later doubled down: "I never heard anybody say, 'I'm going to Cleveland on vacation.' What's so good about Cleveland?"

Kuzma's next visit to Cleveland is Feb. 26, so we'll have to see if he comes up with an equally headline-worthy double-down. 

The Washington Wizards announced forward Kyle Kuzma was ruled out for the remainder of Wednesday's game against the Toronto Raptors with a right forearm contusion.

The Wizards acquired the 26-year-old from the Los Angeles Lakers in what grew to be a massive five-team trade. 

Kuzma averaged 12.9 points and 6.1 rebounds in 68 games with the Lakers last season. He also shot 36.1 percent from beyond the arc, a noticeable upgrade from 2019-20 (31.6 percent).

The 6'9" veteran did struggle in the playoffs, though, putting up 6.3 points per game and hitting 29.2 percent of his shots in a first-round loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Despite trading away Russell Westbrook, Washington showed it's still looking to contend for the playoffs by getting Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope back. The team also signed Spencer Dinwiddie to start alongside Bradley Beal in the frontcourt.

Yet, the team will need Kuzma to provide depth and secondary scoring as the Wizards look to make the postseason for the second consecutive season.

The Wizards just keep rolling despite the loss of Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason. Washington won its third straight game and improved to 5-1 with a 115-112 double overtime win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday at Capital One Arena. 

Bradley Beal continues to be a significant factor for the Wizards early on, but performances from Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma helped put Washington over the top Saturday evening. 

Notable Player Stats

Jaylen Brown, SG, BOS: 34 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST

Bradley Beal, SG, WSH: 36 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST

Jayson Tatum, SF, BOS: 27 PTS, 15 REB, 3 AST

Montrezl Harrell, C, WSH: 20 PTS, 14 REB, 1 AST

Kyle Kuzma, PF, WSH: 17 PTS, 17 REB, 1 AST

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Bradley Beal, Montrezl Harrell Lead the Way for Wizards

Much of the first quarter between the Celtics and Wizards was back and forth, but it was Beal who impressed, putting up 12 points, two rebounds and an assist to help put Washington up 25-20 entering the second quarter.

Stop and pop.

Bucket. #DCAboveAll | @RealDealBeal23 pic.twitter.com/XzDLREJzhZ

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 30, 2021

Thanks to Beal and Co., the Wizards kept their lead through the second quarter, heading into halftime up 53-47 on the Celtics.

Harrell emerged as a significant factor for Washington throughout the first half and even hit a halfcourt shot with time winding down in the second quarter. He finished the half with 14 points, five rebounds and an assist.

This man Trezz is just different 😤

Sees the double, spins, loses the headband midair, gets the hoop.#DCAboveAll | @MONSTATREZZ pic.twitter.com/Mm1LKDrTVc

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 30, 2021

That two-man game is something else.#DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/tnAYqFpGkL

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 30, 2021

.@MONSTATREZZ TO END THE HALF!!#DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/KlwqXL8Y3z

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 30, 2021

Things remained close in the third quarter. Beal and Harrell continued their big nights, putting up a combined 10 points and five rebounds in the quarter as the Wizards entered the final frame with a 76-73 lead and the opportunity to close things out.

That's a tough bucket for most people.

Brad is not most people.#DCAboveAll | @RealDealBeal23 pic.twitter.com/XYx1UFkWda

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 30, 2021

Beal shot 37.5 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from deep Saturday while Harrell was a dominant force in the paint all night, finishing with 20 points and 14 rebounds. 

The Wizards struggled for much of the first overtime against Boston, but Beal managed to tie things up with time winding down to force 2OT. Even though Harrell fouled out in double overtime, Beal and Spencer Dinwiddie were able to help Washington seal the victory with a couple of quick baskets under the one-minute mark. 

Kyle Kuzma also had a solid game for Washington. His 17 rebounds led the team as he put up his third double-double of the season.

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Jaylen Brown's Effort Not Enough as Boston's Three-Point Shooting Falls Short

Brown was Boston's best player Saturday night, and he started out strong despite being rather inconsistent this season. He put up eight points and one rebound in the first quarter to help keep the Celtics within five points entering the second frame. 

Easy money 💰 pic.twitter.com/YcWQY3ShY7

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 30, 2021

Straight to the rack ⏩ pic.twitter.com/ivYjGupT3u

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 30, 2021

Down 25-20 after one, Brown continued his hot start against Washington during the second quarter, putting up nine points to help keep the Celtics within striking distance entering halftime, down just 53-47 to the Wizards.

Wise decision by the defense here. pic.twitter.com/EDGY2C6Fhu

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 30, 2021

Brown's efforts continued well into the fourth quarter, but the Celtics failed to get equal production out of anyone else throughout much of Saturday's game until Tatum emerged late in the contest. Boston also had an awful night from deep against Washington, going just 2-of-26, while the Wizards went 10-of-36 from three-point range. 

If the Celtics made even a quarter of their three-point shots, things could have gone differently. It can't be stated enough how much Boston's three-point shooting hurt them.

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What's Next?

The Wizards will be on the road to face Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Monday before opening up a three-game homestand. The Celtics, meanwhile, will host the Chicago Bulls on Monday before heading out on a three-game road trip.  

Jayson Tatum has been doing what he can to see if Bradley Beal would have interest in potentially joining the Boston Celtics. 

Speaking to Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston, Tatum said he's talked to the Washington Wizards star about the possibility of teaming up at some point:

Just reported @NBCSBoston — Here’s what Jayson Tatum told me this morning when I asked him about Bradley Beal: pic.twitter.com/xVAsOBycfk

— Abby Chin (@tvabby) October 30, 2021

Tatum is vague in his comments about what exactly he and Beal spoke about, so he may be able to get around the NBA's tampering rules. 

Steve Aschburner of NBA.com noted in Sept. 2019, when the league increased fines for tampering, that the league "historically has not enforced tampering rules against player-to-player contact."

Another potential issue for Tatum if he hopes to play with Beal at some point is that the Wizards are off to a great start this season.

The Wizards have won four of their first five games, and the depth they acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the Russell Westbrook trade is paying huge dividends. Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope have combined to average 45.4 points, 23.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game. 

Speculation about Beal being traded has been ongoing for more than a year, but Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported in July the three-time All-Star "has no desire to leave the Wizards" right now.

On the flip side, it's not hard to see why Tatum would want to have Beal in Boston. The Celtics are off to a 2-3 start and have a -4.8 net rating through their first five games. They are shooting 35 percent from three-point range as a team. 

Tatum leads the Celtics in scoring average (26.6 points per game) in five starts this season. 

Beal could be a free agent after this season. He has a $36.4 million player option on his contract for the 2022-23 campaign. The 28-year-old is averaging 21.5 points, 4.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game in four starts.    

Former Washington Bullets general manager Bob Ferry has died at the age of 84.

Our thoughts are with the family of franchise legend Bob Ferry following his passing.

Ferry played five seasons with the organization and spent 17 years as its general manager, winning NBA Executive of the Year twice and a championship in 1978. pic.twitter.com/5fVjGRYBJU

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) October 27, 2021

"[Ferry] and his family are dear to my parents and the Unseld family, to the Wizards organization," Washington Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. told reporters Wednesday. "... I know how difficult this time is, so I just want to let them know we’re thinking about them, we care for them, and we’ll be there for them."

A collegiate All-American at Saint Louis, Ferry spent 10 seasons in the NBA across three franchises (St. Louis Hawks, Detroit Pistons and Baltimore Bullets).

The Missouri native went on to have a decorated front-office career, winning the NBA's Executive of the Year award in 1979 and 1982.

Most famously, he was the architect of Washington's championship-winning Bullets squad in 1977-78. That roster included three Hall of Famers (Bob Dandridge, Wes Unseld Sr. and Elvin Hayes), and Phil Chenier was a three-time All-Star with the organization.

Under Ferry's watch, Washington also reached the 1975 and 1979 NBA Finals and made the playoffs 13 times.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst noted Ferry is one of four NBA general managers to register 700 wins, 13 postseason trips, two Executive of the Year nods and at least one title. R.C. Buford, Jerry West and Jerry Krause are the others, and all three are considered among the best front-office minds of their generation.

Ferry is the father of former NBA veteran and team executive Danny Ferry.

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal will miss at least one game with a hip injury. 

Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. told reporters Friday that Beal won't play in the home opener against the Indiana Pacers with a right hip contusion. 

Beal has had hip problems dating back to last season. He told reporters in April he had been diagnosed with meralgia paresthetica, which is when a nerve in the hip gets inflamed and can cause sharp shooting pains in the lower body. 

That issue caused Beal to miss five straight games from March 29-April 5. 

Beal did play 34 minutes in Washington's season opener Wednesday. The 28-year-old scored a team-high 23 points, but he only shot 7-of-19 from the field. The Wizards defeated the Toronto Raptors 98-83. 

Washington has little chance of competing if Beal isn't on the floor, so having him at full health will be paramount to its playoff chances. Beal has been largely healthy in four of the last five seasons. 

Raul Neto will likely take Beal's spot in the starting lineup against the Pacers. The Wizards will have the next two days off before playing the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on Monday.