Jan Vesely Part II: He a Bust

[Kanyewest]

Vesley has been playing better in summer league- he's knocked down a few jumpers and his defense has been impressive. So far he's only been to the free throw line twice but at least he's made both of them.

[LyricalRico]

^ He looks bigger/longer, too. Maybe that's just because most SL bigs aren't NBA size, but I wouldn't be surprised if he grew a bit. He still doesn't have very good hands, but he's definitely looking decent. Hopefully he makes a run at the 2nd string C spot with his play. I think that could be his niche.

[Illuminaire]

Any time you can draft your team's unskilled energy backup PF/C with the #6 pick, you gotta do it.

[LyricalRico]

^ At this point, it doesn't matter where he was drafted. The team has to find the right role that maximizes his value to the team.

Also, him going from practically useless last year to a competent member of the rotation this year would bode well for his ability to progress even further IMO. Maybe then next season we can take him off of fries and move him up to the register.

[Zonkerbl]

Well, it does matter because he's owed $4 mil. Is he worth $4 mil?

[stevemcqueen1]

Rather spend 4 million dollars on Vesely just for the off chance the lightbulb comes on than 5 million dollars on someone like Zaza Pachulia.

[montestewart]

Rather spend 4 million dollars on Vesely just for the off chance the lightbulb comes on than 5 million dollars on someone like Zaza Pachulia.

I dream of a world that excludes both.

[mhd]

There's just no way any logic would dictate to pick of Vesely's contract. It would prevent us from getting max cap space. You can find energy bigs all the time. This is his last year in the NBA.

[Jay81]

Jan has looked fine this summer so far. About what you would expect from the 6th pick in the 2nd round

[nate33]

If we keep Vesely, it's pretty much impossible for us to maneuver our way in the max cap room next offseason. Even if we cut Okafor, Ariza, Singleton, Booker and Seraphin, our payroll would still be $48.3M for just 8 players (Wall, Nene, Beal, Porter, Webster, Vesely, Rice and Maynor). Factor a cap hold of roughly $1.2M for our draft pick plus a minimum salary cap hold of $500K to get our roster up to 10, and we'd have just $12.5M or so in cap room (assuming a 2014 cap of $62.5M).

[rockymac52]

Accepting Vesely's team option this fall would be a massive mistake, even if we like what we see from Summer League and training camp. We could just decline his option, then if he proves that he's progressed during this coming season, then we can negotiate a contract with him as a free agent next summer. He may be pissed at us and not want to re-sign because of us declining his option, but honestly, he probably understands that he doesn't deserve it, and maybe he's capable of being mature about it. Unless he has an absolutely stellar season this year, then even if he progresses considerably and looks like a capable backup role player, we could probably re-sign him for an annual salary that's less than or equal to what his salary would currently be if we accepted the option.

I will be PISSED if we accept his team option this fall. It's not like Crawford's last year where he was only making $1.5 million or so. I didn't like accepting Crawford's option then, but because the salary was so small it didn't have any serious ramifications, and it was very easy to unload him at the deadline. But with Vesely's impending salary upwards of $4 million next season, it might be very difficult to trade him at the deadline if he continues to suck, and that's enough money that it will potentially negatively impact our free agency plans next summer. If we accept his team option, it's a clear indication that our front office has absolutely no desire or intention to sign a max contract free agent next summer. I can live with not signing a max contract free agent if we don't like the options or if we'd prefer to spread the money around on a few players, but I can't live with destroying that flexibility just because we are encouraged by Vesely's training camp.

He SHOULD be a 100% guarantee to have his option declined, but I'm still worried.

[Knighthonor]

Vesley has been playing better in summer league- he's knocked down a few jumpers and his defense has been impressive. So far he's only been to the free throw line twice but at least he's made both of them.

Are you forgetting how he played in last year's summer league?
You would think he would be a star after that performance. I am not falling for that twice...

[hands11]

If we keep Vesely, it's pretty much impossible for us to maneuver our way in the max cap room next offseason. Even if we cut Okafor, Ariza, Singleton, Booker and Seraphin, our payroll would still be $48.3M for just 8 players (Wall, Nene, Beal, Porter, Webster, Vesely, Rice and Maynor). Factor a cap hold of roughly $1.2M for our draft pick plus a minimum salary cap hold of $500K to get our roster up to 10, and we'd have just $12.5M or so in cap room (assuming a 2014 cap of $62.5M).

They will likely not have max cap space next year. Setting that expectation is just setting yourself up for disapointment.

[LyricalRico]

There's just no way any logic would dictate to pick of Vesely's contract. It would prevent us from getting max cap space.

I agree with that. But that doesn't mean that we can't still try to get the most we can out of him this season. Declining the 4th year option and trying to find a role for him this year aren't mutually exclusive.

[nate33]

If we keep Vesely, it's pretty much impossible for us to maneuver our way in the max cap room next offseason. Even if we cut Okafor, Ariza, Singleton, Booker and Seraphin, our payroll would still be $48.3M for just 8 players (Wall, Nene, Beal, Porter, Webster, Vesely, Rice and Maynor). Factor a cap hold of roughly $1.2M for our draft pick plus a minimum salary cap hold of $500K to get our roster up to 10, and we'd have just $12.5M or so in cap room (assuming a 2014 cap of $62.5M).

They will likely not have max cap space next year. Setting that expectation is just setting yourself up for disapointment.

Perhaps. My post wasn't meant specifically to advocate dumping Vesely (though I do advocate that). I'm just pointing out the facts. Keep Vesely and we won't have max cap room. Dump Vesely and Singleton, and we'll have max cap room even if we resign one of Seraphin or Booker to a modest $3M a year contract.

I wouldn't be too surprised if the Wizards ultimately conclude that there are no obtainable max contract players next summer so there's no point in positioning themselves for max cap room. That may even be the right decision. Certainly, Utah won't let Favors go. Detroit has so much salary flexibility that it's tough to see them let Monroe go unless it's in a trade with real value coming back. Cousins is really the only guy that is conceivably available, and EG and Ted might not want him.

[Liverbird]

The Piston's situation concerns me. I just don't think Smith will work with Drummond and Monroe. Especially without a true PG outside of an aging Billups - who's honestly brought in to play SG and be a mentor.

If the experiment doesn't work this year, it's conceivable (however slight and certainly not advocating for it) they choose to pair Smith and Drummond rather than Monroe. The Pistons may decide not to max out Monroe even though they have the cap space and the Wiz could have max cap space. I would hate this as a Piston fan, but intrigued as a Wizard fan.

The way JV is playing EG may well decide to forgo 2014 free agency altogether and offer JV the QO.

[nate33]

The Pistons will have a payroll of just $25M next year before signing Monroe. I don't see them letting him walk when they have that much cap room to spend. Even if the Monroe/Smith/Drummond combo doesn't work in the long term, the correct decision is to resign Monroe and then look to trade one of the 3 guys.

[FreckleFace]

I Like Jan Vesely

[Kanyewest]

If we keep Vesely, it's pretty much impossible for us to maneuver our way in the max cap room next offseason. Even if we cut Okafor, Ariza, Singleton, Booker and Seraphin, our payroll would still be $48.3M for just 8 players (Wall, Nene, Beal, Porter, Webster, Vesely, Rice and Maynor). Factor a cap hold of roughly $1.2M for our draft pick plus a minimum salary cap hold of $500K to get our roster up to 10, and we'd have just $12.5M or so in cap room (assuming a 2014 cap of $62.5M).

They will likely not have max cap space next year. Setting that expectation is just setting yourself up for disapointment.

Perhaps. My post wasn't meant specifically to advocate dumping Vesely (though I do advocate that). I'm just pointing out the facts. Keep Vesely and we won't have max cap room. Dump Vesely and Singleton, and we'll have max cap room even if we resign one of Seraphin or Booker to a modest $3M a year contract.

I wouldn't be too surprised if the Wizards ultimately conclude that there are no obtainable max contract players next summer so there's no point in positioning themselves for max cap room. That may even be the right decision. Certainly, Utah won't let Favors go. Detroit has so much salary flexibility that it's tough to see them let Monroe go unless it's in a trade with real value coming back. Cousins is really the only guy that is conceivably available, and EG and Ted might not want him.

What do you think Sacramento does if another team offers him the max? Personally, I think it is more likely than not that Sacramento matches. Although things could change based on the draft and the way that Cousins acts during the season. If Cousins acts like a headcase, I don't see the Wizards taking a chance on him based on how they parted ways with their past knuckleheads.

[nate33]

A plausible scenario is that Cousins tells Sacramento he doesn't want to play there anymore and for them not to match another team's offer.