Washington Wizards Trade Rumors

Rashard Lewis uncertain if he will play Wednesday vs. Knicks
February 8
Washington Post
 
"After missing Monday night's 111-108 overtime win against Toronto with a sore left knee, Washington Wizards starting forward Rashard Lewis participated only lightly in workouts on Tuesday afternoon and said he was uncertain of his status for Wednesday night's game against the New York Knicks. Lewis participated in the shoot-around following practice, taking jumpers and jogging around the auxillary court at Verizon Center. Lewis has missed three games this season, all with knee soreness. Monday's game, though, was the first he missed because of discomfort in his left knee."
Wizards' JaVale McGee 'unlikely' to receive contract extension
January 26
Washington Post
 
"JaVale McGee is "unlikely" to receive a contract extension before Wednesday's midnight deadline, according to a league source with knowledge of the situation. McGee is averaging career highs of 11.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots in his fourth year with the organization. He will become a restricted free agent this summer, but the Wizards remain high on the incredibly athletic 7-foot-1 big man and intend to keep him by matching any offer he receives or signing him outright, according to sources with knowledge of the talks."
Sources: Wizards fire coach Flip Saunders
January 24
Yahoo! Sports
 
"After a 2-15 start, the Washington Wizards fired coach Flip Saunders, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Wizards have talked to assistant Randy Wittman about taking over as the interim head coach, but no agreement has been reached. In his third season with the Wizards, Saunders was the victim of the Gilbert Arenas gun suspension, injuries and the ultimate breaking up of the Antwan Jamison-Caron Butler playoff core. He finished 51-111 as Wizards coach."
Rashard Lewis quits on Wizards?
January 9
CSN Washington
 
"The Wizards are off to a franchise worst 0-8 start, and to make matters more troubling a team source tells CSNwashington.com that Wizards' forward Rashard Lewis got into an argument with Wizards' assistant coach Sam Cassell before the Minnesota game and Lewis decided he didn't want to play. Lewis did not appear on the bench during the 92-73 loss to the T-Wolves. The Wizards said a sore right knee was the reason for Lewis's absence."
Sources: Nick Young to sign one-year deal with Wizards
December 19
Washington Post
 
"Restricted free agent shooting guard Nick Young is in the process of catching a red-eye flight from Los Angeles to Washington and is expected to sign his one-year, $3.7 million qualifying offer with the Wizards on Monday, according to people with knowledge of the situation. Young is coming off a career year with the Wizards, finishing as the team's leading scorer at 17.4 point per game. But he found a rushed free agent market that was unfavorable to players at his position — and restricted free agents in general. Most teams around the league anticipated that the Wizards would match any offer for Young and few had the resources or willingness to give him a lucrative offer sheet."
Is Nick Young's price tag too high?
December 17
Washington Post
 
"The Wizards will open the preseason with Jordan Crawford as the starting shooting guard and with Nick Young still in Los Angeles waiting for an offer that he deems fit to sign. A resolution for Young is expected to possibly come "in the next couple of days," according to a source with knowledge of the situation. With the season set to begin on Dec. 26 and most teams wrapping up training camps and preparing to start the evaluation process with two exhibition games, an unsigned free agent like Young will have to quickly get settled in and adjust to the new surroundings. "It's tough right now," John Wall said of not having Young. "It's a great person that did a lot of scoring for us last"
Josh Howard headed to Utah
December 16
Washington Post
 
"Josh Howard ended an injury-plagued 1½ year stint in Washington on Thursday, agreeing in principle to a one-year deal with the Utah Jazz. Howard played just 22 games with the Wizards after arriving in deal that shipped Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson to Dallas at the trade deadline in 2010. Howard tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in his fourth game with the team, then signed a one-year deal to come back. Complications with tendinitis his knee contributed to him moving in and out of the lineup, and averaging a career low 8.4 points on 35.8 percent shooting. "We wish him the best," Wizards General Manager Ernie Grunfeld said. "Unfortunately, we really"
Wizards' Josh Howard may have offer from Utah Jazz
December 11
Washington Post
 
"Placards for Nick Young, Josh Howard and Maurice Evans continue to hang in the Wizards' locker room, just in case one or all are able to re-sign with the franchise. But as the Wizards held their second day of training camp on Saturday, the three players continue to wait. Howard is considering a "firm offer" from the Utah Jazz, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations. Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor, however, told reporters in Salt Lake City on Saturday that he has engaged in serious discussions with Howard but no formal offer has been extended to the 31-year-old swingman. "I haven't made an official offer, no. That's incorrect," O'Connor said. "Have we talked about"
Raptors hope to land Pietrus, Forbes
December 10
Toronto Sun
 
"When Bryan Colangelo wants a player, he often gets him, even if it's a few years later. He strongly considered signing Mickael Pietrus back in July of 2007 before instead opting for Jason Kapono and is finally about to get his man. Pietrus will be traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Raptors upon completion of a physical — in exchange for a conditional second-round draft pick — likely protected 31-50 — that probably will never be conveyed. Pietrus, an athletic 29-year-old swingman is owed $5.3 million U.S. in the final year of his deal and will bring Toronto some much-needed depth at small forward. A fully healthy Pietrus — he missed the final 12 games of the 2010-11 season — could usurp"
Turiaf move would open door for Knicks to sign Chandler
December 10
New York Post
 
"The Knicks were in the final stages of sending Ronny Turiaf's $4.2 million contract to Washington and it was expected to be completed late last night, according to sources. That would complete the Tyson Chandler bonanza, as the Knicks would have enough room to move under the salary cap after waiving Chauncey Billups via the amnesty clause. The Turiaf trade was the holdup to the Chandler deal becoming official. It does not appear the Knicks would receive anything from the Wizards in return and will likely have to send Washington cash to pay for part of Turiaf's pact. The new CBA states a team can add a total of $3 million in trades over a full year. Turiaf played in France during part of"
Wizards close to trade for Ronny Turiaf as Knicks maneuver for Tyson Chandler
December 10
Washington Post
 
"The Wizards are close to completing a deal with the New York Knicks that would land veteran big man Ronny Turiaf, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the situation. The Knicks have been looking to shed salary in order to create enough salary cap space to sign free agent center Tyson Chandler and the Wizards had ample cap room and a need for an experienced front court player. Full details of the trade have not been finalized, but the Wizards aren't expected to send back any players and one source said the team could also receive cash for taking on Turiaf. The 6-foot-9 Turiaf is in the last year of a deal that will pay him $4.2 million. He is a high-energy player known for"
Roger Mason Jr. expected to sign one-year deal with Wizards
December 8
Washington Post
 
"The Wizards are close to bringing back District native Roger Mason Jr. Players are unable to reach oral or written deals with teams until the new collective bargaining agreement is ratified but Mason is set to have his second run with his hometown team, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation. One person, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions, said on Wednesday that Mason is expected to join the team for the first day of training camp on Friday. The deal is expected to be for one year at the veteran minimum."
Wizards' Othyus Jeffers "about a month away" from returning to action
December 5
Washington Post
 
"When Wizards restricted free agent forward Othyus Jeffers revealed that he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a workout in Chicago last July, the likelihood that he would return to the NBA this season seemed as tenuous as the chances there would actually be a season. But Jeffers stayed optimistic that the owners and players could reach an agreement and that he could be ready soon thereafter. With the lockout close to officially ending on Friday, Jeffers's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said that his client is "ahead of schedule" and could potentially be ready to contribute in January. "He's about a month away," Bartelstein said. "I actually spoke to his doctor"
Washington Wizards reach out to representatives for free agents
December 1
Washington Post
 
"The time to talk arrived earlier than expected, but once the NBA granted teams permission to speak with agents early Wednesday, the Washington Wizards made sure the first person they contacted was Aaron Mintz, the representative for restricted free agent Nick Young. Young had a breakout campaign in his fourth season, averaging a career-high 17.4 points and emerging as the Wizards' leading scorer after the team dealt Gilbert Arenas to Orlando. The Wizards have already extended a $3.7 million qualifying offer that gives them right of first refusal if Young signs an offer sheet with another team and have made it clear that retaining Young is imperative toward their efforts to build an"
Report: JaVale McGee close to Philippines deal
October 31
CBSSports.com
 
"Less than a month removed from one of the most ridiculous stories you're going to hear, JaVale McGee is set to make a pretty brilliant career move. McGee famously told reporters after a union meeting in Los Angeles that some players were "ready to fold." Then, realizing the trouble he was in, denied saying it, saying the media was twisting things. Unfortunately, every one of those reporters had some sort of recording device. Whoops. But now McGee is set to do something brilliant for his marketing and image. He's embracing the Philipines. From the Philippine Star: If everything falls into place, Smart Gilas Pilipinas will have the Washington Wizards' seven-foot center JaVale McGee as"
Larry Hughes seeking NBA comeback
October 26
Washington Post
 
"Larry Hughes wants back in, whenever the NBA lets players back in. Hughes sat out all of last season after he failed to secure the deal that he wanted in free agency two summers ago. "Obviously, I wanted to play," Hughes said recently. "At the same time I wanted to be stable. I didn't want to go to a situation where it was a one-year deal, or partial guarantee deal where at any time you could be out of there moving on. I wanted certain things after moving around the past three years, to different teams, I wanted something solid. If I didn't get that, I wasn't coming back." But when he participated in the Impact Basketball Competitive Training Series last month Las Vegas, the 32-year-old"
John Wall might enter next slam dunk contest
October 21
Washington Post
 
"John Wall's superb leaping and finishing skills have been on full display this offseason, but he took his aerial acrobatics to new levels earlier this month at Chris Paul's charity game in Winston-Salem, N.C. He tossed a ball off the wall and dunked, whirled the ball behind his back for another jam and did a two-handed 360-degree slam with relative ease. Wall has already declared that he's back to displaying the explosiveness he had before battling injuries as a rookie, and now he might attempt to go after Los Angeles Clippers all-star forward Blake Griffin's crown as the reigning slam dunk champion. At the launch for his new Reebok Zig Encore shoe and apparel line on Wednesday at a Foot"
Wizards players stand to lose $3.35 million from games canceled by NBA lockout
October 20
Washington Post
 
"Rashard Lewis stands to lose more money from the NBA's cancellation of the first two weeks of the regular season than six of his teammates were supposed to receive for the entire 2011-12 season. The $1.82 million that has been sliced off Lewis's $22.15 million salary represents more than half of the total money that Wizards players stand to lose. Since an NBA regular season lasts 170 days, the loss of two weeks represents 14/170th of the players' income. John Wall said on Saturday that the lockout felt real "from Day One" but his bank account will certainly feel the real impact with the loss of nearly $455,000."
Yi Jianlian going back to China
October 10
Washington Post
 
"Until the NBA and its players' union can come to a resolution on a new collective bargaining agreement, Yi Jianlian is returning to the place where his professional basketball career started. Jarinn Akana, one of Yi's representatives, confirmed that his client has signed a contract with the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association which will have an NBA out for whenever the labor dispute is settled. The CBA allowed its teams to sign only free agent NBA players, and Yi is an unrestricted free agent after the Wizards declined to extend his $5.4 million qualifying offer for next season. Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin have all signed to play in China"
Wizards try to develop chemistry while being locked out
September 30
Washington Post
 
"John Wall blazed up the court and drew two defenders before looking over his left shoulder to see Rashard Lewis trailing him. Wall stopped, tossed the ball skyward and Lewis soared to the rim to catch it and dunk with two hands. Wall probably wouldn't have made such a pass to Lewis last season with the Washington Wizards, when Lewis dealt with nagging knee problems that kept his game closer to the ground and stapled mostly to the perimeter. But after spending a few days training and playing with Lewis in Las Vegas, Wall realized that there was more to the former all-star forward's game than simply camping out and waiting for opportunities to shoot three-pointers."
Wizards' Kevin Seraphin to play for Spanish team
September 20
Washington Post
 
"Another Wizard has decided to play overseas this fall, with the unstable NBA labor situation forcing players to seek other options for employment. Big man Kevin Seraphin announced on Monday that he will play for Spanish Euroleague team, Caja Laboral Vitoria. Seraphin's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, confirmed the decision. Seraphin had made up his mind to sign with Caja Laboral for some time but waited until after France finished second to Spain at the European Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Lithuania. The choice was somewhat surprising since Seraphin was also considering an offer from Cholet Basket in Paris, the French team that developed him from age 16. Seraphin, the 17th overall pick of the"
Wizards playing in Vegas 'Lockout League'
September 15
Washington Times
 
"Joe Abanussar is used to having a busy summer, surrounded by NBA players. A long-time trainer and founder of Impact Basketball, he trains about 30 NBA players every summer, including Wizards point guard John Wall. "We've been training John since the draft. We helped him get ready for the draft," Abanussar said on Tuesday evening by phone from Las Vegas. Abanussar was expecting Wall, who hadn't arrived yet. "He's trying to get a flight out," Abanussar said. "He'll play when he gets here." Wall is one of several Wizards players participating in what's being nicknamed "the Lockout League," a series of games for NBA players to be held Sept. 12-23 at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Las"
No laps in judgment for Blatche
September 14
Washington Examiner
 
"If it's September, it's time to start talking expectations for Andray Blatche. Not even an NBA lockout is going to stop this annual Wizards rite. This year, fill in the blanks with "Lapdance Tuesdays" and "shoulder" for the off- and on-court issues that the 25-year-old needs to put behind him following a season only he could have, one in which career numbers (16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds a game) were outweighed by general disappointment. With his seventh NBA season just around the corner -- maybe -- Blatche has attempted to take charge. He invited teammates to work out this week at Columbia Gym in Clarksville, Md., only to be undercut in participation by the Impact League in Las Vegas."
For Singleton, casual workouts will do until NBA lockout ends
September 14
Washington Times
 
"Chris Singleton was selected by the Wizards with the 18th overall pick in this spring's NBA draft. In the second of a series, Singleton shares with The Washington Times' Carla Peay his thoughts on an NBA dream put on hold and his plans for the lockout. I'm hanging out in D.C. right now, getting in some workouts. Dray [Andray Blatche] gave me a call and I came to town so we can all work out together. So far, it's going good. We work out in the morning, and in the evenings, we play pick-up ball with some of the local guys. We're playing in Columbia. Just the players; we're not really trying to draw a crowd. We have work to do. I am really impressed so far with the attitude I see from Dray."
NBA wants 3rd round in draft
September 7
SheridanHoops.com
 
"After an overnight flight connecting through Helsinki, Finland, I bumped into a scout for the Denver Nuggets near the tourist information booth at the quaint little airport here where the second round of EuroBasket is taking place. Whether he knows it or not, he may be here scouting future third-round draft picks. That's right: Third round. SheridanHoops.com has learned that NBA owners have proposed adding a third round to the annual draft, a proposal that the players' union has countered by offering an array of changes to the draft that would help address the owners' desire for more competitive balance."
NBA Lockout Update: Sides are closer than they're saying
September 6
SheridanHoops.com
 
"Here's the dirty little secret about the NBA lockout, despite what both sides — the owners and the players — would have you believe: They are a lot closer to a settlement than most people realize. I know this because I talk regularly with a bunch of important people who tell me important things, and I am going to explain why I believe a settlement will be reached that will not only save the season, but also enable the NBA to have an "all is forgiven" honeymoon period (similar to what the NFL just experienced following its labor settlement) in which the frenzy of free agents signings, trades, training camps and exhibition games will make everyone forget all of the doomsday talk they've been"
Wizards' Young draws China interest, agent says
September 1
CSN Washington
 
"Wizards free-agent guard Nick Young is the latest NBA player garnering interest - "tremendous interest," according to his agent - from professional leagues overseas. In his case, that means China, a basketball-mad country that has teams with deep pockets and is targeting players like Young who are not under contract. "Obviously, he is one of the biggest-name free agents out there," his agent, Aaron Mintz, said Wednesday afternoon. "Anyone under contract with the NBA can't go over there. You want scorers? Nick is one of the best scorers in the league, let alone available free agents." Signing a deal with a Chinese team also comes with a caveat: Opt-out clauses are not available, meaning a"
Trevor Booker returns to the court before leaving for Israel
September 1
Washington Post
 
"Trevor Booker's contributions can easily get overlooked in a regular season NBA game with structure and set plays, so a streetball exhibition probably isn't the best place for the undersized but energetic power forward to have an influence on the outcome. Booker certainly wasn't going to stand out during a game in which eyes were locked on the duel between Kevin Durant and LeBron James, the breathtaking moves of Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul, and the unexpected highlight dunks of undersized guards Eric Bledsoe and Josh Selby. But Booker didn't decide to book a flight to Baltimore for one day — two days after Goodman League commissioner Miles Rawls called to extend an invitation — to put"
Trevor Booker's Plan B for lockout is playing in Israeli league
August 26
Washington Times
 
"Trevor Booker's first choice is to be sitting on the Washington Wizards' bench come November, ready to enter the game and provide some defensive energy. But if the NBA still is in a lockout when the season is scheduled to start, Booker has his backup plan in place. He is heading overseas and will play for Bnei HaSharon of the Israeli Basketball League this season. "I talked it over with my family, and we all decided it would be a good idea," Booker said. "I think the international competition will be a challenge." Booker, who is under contract with the Wizards through next season, had his agent negotiate a deal with Bnei HaSharon that gives him insurance protection, and an opt-out clause"
John Wall could turn NBA lockout into a class act
August 18
Washington Post
 columnist Tracee Hamilton
"Do it, John Wall. Don't let yourself be lured by offers from European leagues. Don't fall victim to the fantasy of nonstop Xbox. Don't waste the time given you by the NBA lockout. Do it, John. Go back to college. Wall told the Associated Press he was considering continuing his education at Kentucky if the lockout isn't settled soon. No one in Wall's family has ever gotten a college degree, although his sister is a sophomore and might beat him to it. So he would be the second person in his family to graduate college. That's still impressive. It's even more impressive when you don't have to do it. Wall will make a lot of money in his NBA career, which has only just begun. Barring rash"
John Wall not considering playing overseas
August 18
Washington Post
 
"While the NBA lockout has forced many of the league's top players – and even one of his teammates, Trevor Booker – to look abroad for employment this fall, Wizards point guard John Wall said on Tuesday that he has not given serious consideration to playing overseas should the labor dispute extend well into the regular season. "I don't know. I ain't thinking about it right now," Wall told reporters in Louisville, Ky., after scoring 26 points in a second exhibition game between former Kentucky stars in the NBA and the Dominican Republic. "I just want to play basketball. You see me in all the summer leagues. I just want to play basketball. That's all that matters to me right now.""
John Wall might go back to school during lockout
August 17
Washington Post
 columnist Michael Lee
"While in Lexington on Monday to participate in an exhibition game between former Kentucky stars in the NBA and the Dominican Republic, John Wall told the Associated Press that he might actually take up Kentucky Coach John Calipari's offer to return to school and continue his education while working out on campus during the lockout. "I'm trying to see if I can take some classes on campus, and if the lockout ends I can finish online," said Wall, who is pursuing a degree in business management. "I wanted to be the first person in my family to get a college degree, although I'm probably going to be the second one now. My sister [Cierra] is going to be a sophomore, so she's ahead of me. Nobody"
Next bargaining session coming early September?
August 17
CBSSports.com
 
"It took 46 days for the NBA and its players' union after the lockout began July 1. It didn't go all that well. Rhetoric from both sides ramped up, lawsuits started flying around and most importantly, there wasn't any movement towards the middle. Then David Stern accused the union of cancelling a meeting last week with the union responding that Billy Hunter had been told Stern wasn't going to be available for two weeks. So as you can tell, this is all going just super. But they're finally going to try again sometime in early September, according to Newsday. At this point, the union will host an executive meeting in New York at the end of August. The anticipation is the union and league"
David Stern: NBA to look at contraction
August 15
CBSSports.com
 
"The NBA currently has thirty teams, but the league's commissioner, David Stern, seems open to the possibility that that number of franchises could shrink in the future. Speaking on an ESPN.com podcast, Stern stated that there is some interest in contraction from both the league and players sides and that the subject will be picked up after the current Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations are completed. "[Contraction] is not a subect that we're against," Stern said. "In fact, when you talk about revenue sharing, a number of teams have said that if you have a team that is perpetually going to be a recipient, aren't you better off with the ability to buy them in? Because between the"
Did John Wall get booed in a summer league game?
August 12
Washington Post
 
"John Wall continued his tour of America's summer basketball leagues Wednesday night, making a repeat appearance in his hometown SJG Greater Pro-Am. He played for a team coached by Jerry Stackhouse (!!!!), scored 36 points of his team's 65 points, and displayed a healthy portion of attitude, as you can see in the video above. He also, apparently, was booed by the home crowd. Haters gon' hate, as they say. Though the game story I read did not mention any booing or hating."
If NBA lockout lingers, Kevin Seraphin to look for opportunities in Europe
July 13
Washington Post
 
"Fresh from the completion of his basketball camp in his native French Guyana, Kevin Seraphin arrived in Paris on early Tuesday, just in time to train with the French national team as it prepares for the European championships in Lithuania later this summer. And, if the NBA lockout continues to drag on, there is a strong possibility that the Wizards big man will remain in France to continue his professional basketball career. Seraphin's agent, Bouna Ndiaye, said his client has received interest from several European teams who hope to sign the 6-foot-9 forward who averaged 2.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in his rookie season with the Wizards. More than likely, Ndiaye said, Seraphin will look to"
Wes Unseld Jr. expected to leave for Golden State
July 12
Washington Post
 
"For the first time in many years, the Wizards/Bullets will not have someone named Wes Unseld working for the organization. Longtime assistant Wes Unseld Jr., son of the Bullets legend, is expected to leave the franchise to become an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors, according to multiple sources. Unseld Jr., has been with the organization since he graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1997. He worked his way up from advance scout and later he joined former coach Eddie Jordan's staff as an assistant. Ed Tapscott retained Unseld Jr. when Jordan was dismissed and Coach Flip Saunders also kept him when he took over in the summer of 2009. Unseld Sr. played his entire Hall of"
It only gets harder for owners, players; owners expected to push for $45 million hard cap
June 30
San Antonio Express-News
 columnist Mike Monroe
"The NBA's Board of Governors met Tuesday in Dallas and heard a report on collective bargaining from Spurs owner Peter Holt, chairman of its labor relations committee. The league wouldn't reveal if the board officially authorized locking out the players once the clock strikes midnight Thursday, the end of the collective bargaining agreement that's been in place since 2005, but it doesn't matter. As commissioner David Stern has warned already, such a vote is a mere formality and can be conducted by any means at any time. The first lockout authorization via text message may be mere hours away. Holt's committee will meet with the negotiating committee of the National Basketball Player's"
Wizards choose forward Jan Vesely at No. 6
June 24
Washington Times
 
"As he stood outside the interview room just moments after being drafted by the Washington Wizards at No. 6, a slight smile formed across Jan Vesely's face. "I'm more nervous now than I was yesterday," said Vesely, who found out the Wizards were going to select him about five minutes before we went on stage. "Basketball in my country is not so popular, but after this night, I think, I hope that basketball will be more popular. I will do my best to help that." Vesely likes to run, which he says makes him a good fit with guard John Wall. "I think we can work hard to win games. I will do my best, of course, and I am ready to go to the Wizards," Vesely said. As Vesely went through his round of"
Wizards draft Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton, Shelvin Mack
June 24
Washington Post
 
"The Washington Wizards used their No. 6 overall pick in the NBA draft to select foward Jan Vesely and the No. 18 pick on forward Chris Singleton. With the 34th pick, they took point guard Shelvin Mack. Vesely, an athletic player from Czech Republic, was high on Wizards draft board for his ability to thrive in transition and presumably complement point guard John Wall. A small forward who also can play power forward, Vesely averaged 10.4 points, 4.3 rebounds in Adriatic league and 9.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in Euroleague last season. Vesely, 21, is considered by some scouts to be more NBA ready than fellow European players Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania) or Enes Kanter, among others,"
Wizards' picks: Jan Vesely, Chris Singleton, Shelvin Mack
June 24
Washington Post
 
"F Jan Vesely (6-11, 230) The athletic player from Czech Republic was high on Wizards draft board for his ability to thrive in transition and complement point guard John Wall. A small forward who also can play power forward, Vesely averaged 10.4 points, 4.3 rebounds in Adriatic league and 9.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in Euroleague last season. Vesely is considered by some scouts to be more NBA ready than fellow European players Jonas Valanciunas (Lithuania) or Enes Kanter (Turkey) because of his extensive playing time in the Euroleague the past two seasons. He also has played for the Czech Republic national team and was named European Young Player of the Year for 2010. Wizards Coach Flip"
Nolan Smith, Jordan Williams among Washington area players selected in 2011 NBA draft
June 24
Washington Post
 
"In the hours leading up to the 2011 NBA draft, Maryland's Jordan Williams joked on his Twitter account that he had waited 20 years for this moment, so having to wait a few extra hours to hear his name called wouldn't matter in the end. That logic proved prophetic, as the 6-foot-10 forward watched team after team bypass him in the first round Thursday night. But more than three hours after the draft began, the New Jersey Nets ended his anxiety-filled night, selecting Williams with the 36th overall pick in the second round. And true to form since making the controversial decision to hire an agent last month and forgo his final two years of eligibility in College Park, Williams expressed no"
Wizards take Jan Vesely with sixth pick
June 24
Washington Post
 
"Putting on that new, red, white and blue Washington Wizards cap was going to have to wait. When David Stern announced that the Wizards had selected Jan Vesely with the sixth pick in the 2011 NBA draft, the 21-year-old forward from the Czech Republic shot up from his seat, buttoned his suit jacket and looked right into the eyes of his longtime girlfriend, Eva Kodouskova. Without hesitation, Vesely leaned in, grabbed her by the waist and gave her a long smooch that elicited cheers from the fans at Prudential Center. Vesely then laughed at the gawking crowd, placed his new cap upon his head and made the first steps toward beginning an NBA career that became a goal the moment he left his"
Wizards trading up to snag Kanter?
June 23
Yahoo! Sports
 
"The Washington Wizards have two picks in the NBA draft's first round at No. 6 and No. 18. The word is that the team could use the first one to take 6-11 21-year-old Czech native Jan Vesely, who won the FIBA Europe Young Men's Player of the Year Award in 2010. But Sports Illustrated is reporting that the team is also trying to trade the two picks so it can get a little higher in the draft, preferably in the top three."
Slim pickings, perhaps for the Wizards?
June 23
Washington Examiner
 
"The second phase of the Wizards' rebuilding process hasn't unfolded as fortuitously as the first. As a result, the next step is much less certain. With the Nos. 6 and 18 picks in the first round, the Wizards face some potentially tough choices at the 2011 NBA Draft. Washington has multiple needs even if it can't fill the most important one: adding a frontcourt franchise cornerstone to put alongside John Wall. The point guard was an easy choice with the No. 1 overall pick a year ago. "I liked the draft better last year, when we could just pick whoever we wanted. This year, it's a little bit different," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said Tuesday. "Right now, in all likelihood, we're going"
Enes Kanter still wants to be a Wizard
June 23
Washington Post
 
"Enes Kanter has worked out for Cleveland, Minnesota, Utah and Toronto. He made a second trip to Cleveland to meet with owner Dan Gilbert on Monday, and he is projected to go as high as second -- if the Timberwolves aren't just bluffing about taking him over Derrick Williams -- in the NBA draft. The chances of the Wizards getting Kanter were essentially lost the moment they dropped two spots to sixth in the draft lottery, but that has not removed the soft spot that he continues to hold for a city that he didn't even visit during the pre-draft process. Kanter wants Washington, but the Wizards can't have him unless he makes a surprising fall, since it doesn't appear that the team is"
Three European players could be selected in top 10
June 23
Washington Post
 
"When the Dallas Mavericks returned home from Miami after vanquishing the Heat last week, Dirk Nowitzki emerged from the team plane witha cigar in his left hand, the NBA Finals most valuable player trophy in his right hand and wearing an uncharacteristically boastful T-shirt that read, "I'm that dude." It was a bold statement, but it couldn't be denied that the Mavericks won their first NBA championship because a once-maligned German player wouldn't let a freshly torn tendon in his left middle finger, a fever, or even the overly hyped opposition stand in his way. Many myths about international players have been put to rest through the globalization of the game over the past 20 years, but"
Donatas Motiejunas works out for Wizards
June 23
Washington Post
 
"The Washington Wizards held their final pre-draft workout this morning at Verizon Center, and the lone participant was Donatas Motiejunas. That not only allowed Coach Flip Saunders to give the Lithuanian forward his full attention but also provided several moments for light-hearted jabs. Near the end of the session on the practice court, Saunders told Motiejunas, a 7-footer with a soft left-handed jumper, to dunk however he wanted. Every player to work out for the club had done the same, except the scrutiny in this case was especially elevated with no one else to absorb the ribbing if the dunk disappointed. "I want to see something good," Saunders said, only partly in jest. "I want to see"
Wizards take second look at Cam Long and Chris Wright
June 22
Washington Times
 
"The Washington Wizards have conducted the last of their workouts before Thursday's NBA draft, where they will look for the right pieces to continue rebuilding around point guard John Wall. The team held workouts Monday, and two separate workouts Tuesday. Among the prospects on hand were George Mason guard Cam Long and Georgetown guard Chris Wright, both of whom were on their second visit to Verizon Center. The Wizards already have started to hone the roster for next year by picking up the third-year option on Wall, Jordan Crawford, Trevor Booker and Kevin Seraphin. They also extended qualifying offers to Nick Young, Hamady Ndiaye, Larry Owens and Othyus Jeffers, all of whom are restricted"