Robin Lopez Should Be A Priority Re-Sign in Free Agency

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

Agree?

Yes?

[CntOutSmrtCrazy]

It be great, but it might be tough to. He does have some limitations on defense, but he's a bucket down low which is valuable when Russ goes cold even if it's just to tread water. I think that's been an overlooked aspect of our "secret sauce" over the last 20 or so games. Lopez has enabled us to weather some really bad droughts on offense when teams could have either opened up things on us or put their foot on the team's neck. I also like the intangibles he brings, as someone said, he's a super teammate. Has some Jared Dudley in him. Maybe we could entice him with a nice three years deal at the same rate.

[dckingsfan]

Len or Lopez to go with Bryant & Gafford?

[nate33]

It's a tough call. Just counting our 9 under-contract guys and our 1st round pick, we're already at $120.3M for the following roster:

PG Westbrook
SG Beal
SF Avdija/Hutchison
PF Hachimura/Bertans/Gill
C Gafford/Bryant

Bring back Mathews and Neto for the vet minimum (if we are lucky), and pay our draft pick, and we're at $126M for a 12-man lineup that looks like this:

PG Westbrook/Neto
SG Beal/Mathews
SF Avdija/1st round pick/Hutchison
PF Hachimura/Bertans/Gill
C Gafford/Bryant

The luxtax threshold is $136M, so that leaves us with $10M in luxtax room, perhaps a bit less if Mathews and/or Neto cost more than the vet minimum. Do you spend that on a third center, or one more good wing plus a cheaper center?

There's also the option of exceeding the luxtax.

[nate33]

As far as salary cap flexibility goes, we have the exceptions to make it happen. We could resign Lopez with non-Bird rights (current salary plus 20% if necessary), which gets our payroll up to maybe $134M. We can then spend as much of the MLE as we can on another good player until we hit the luxtax Apron at about $142M.

It would result in some luxtax penalties, but it's certainly possible.

[BallinBug]

His defense is so bad though. Gafford is a better center and I'm guessing we're going to have Bryant back, so Lopez would be your third center. His hook shot is money, but I really don't want him taking minutes from Gafford next season.

[keynote]

Go with Len . He's cheaper, and gives us a big body alternative to Gafford and Bryant.

We need wing shooting. Desperately.

[nate33]

His defense is so bad though. Gafford is a better center and I'm guessing we're going to have Bryant back, so Lopez would be your third center. His hook shot is money, but I really don't want him taking minutes from Gafford next season.

I don't think his defense is "bad". He is huge, he defends the post well and knows where to be in help defense. He is just limited in that he can't block shots. In the abstract, I think he is well worth the price tag of $8M.

The real question is whether or not it's worth it to spend $8M or so on a guy who is likely to play maybe 10 minutes a night. I'm much more concerned about our backcourt situation. Ish will be gone and we're going to need at least one more guy who can reliably handle the ball and do some stuff. Westbrook, Beal and Neto won't all play 82 games.

[nate33]

I'd say our biggest priorities are, in order:

backup combo guard who can create for himself and others
3&D wing with emphasis on the "3" part
3rd string center

Hopefully, we can fill one of those first two priorities in the draft. The other will require a fairly big chunk of free agency money. That leaves relatively little for our 3rd string center, making Lopez a luxury we probably can't afford unless we want to pay the luxtax.

[BallinBug]

Len does absolutely nothing though - unless being big counts for something.

Go with Len . He's cheaper, and gives us a big body alternative to Gafford and Bryant.

We need wing shooting. Desperately.

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[BallinBug]

He seems to get destroyed on pick and rolls on the regular. He's too slow. He's decent as a man defender against other centers in the past but he's constantly attacked in the pnr.

His defense is so bad though. Gafford is a better center and I'm guessing we're going to have Bryant back, so Lopez would be your third center. His hook shot is money, but I really don't want him taking minutes from Gafford next season.

I don't think his defense is "bad". He is huge, he defends the post well and knows where to be in help defense. He is just limited in that he can't block shots. In the abstract, I think he is well worth the price tag of $8M.

The real question is whether or not it's worth it to spend $8M or so on a guy who is likely to play maybe 10 minutes a night. I'm much more concerned about our backcourt situation. Ish will be gone and we're going to need at least one more guy who can reliably handle the ball and do some stuff. Westbrook, Beal and Neto won't all play 82 games.

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[keynote]

Len does absolutely nothing though - unless being big counts for something.

Go with Len . He's cheaper, and gives us a big body alternative to Gafford and Bryant.

We need wing shooting. Desperately.

Sent from my SM-G950W using RealGM mobile app

That's not fair. Len has been a fine bench center. He's had good games this year. He'd be good value at the BAE, if we qualified for that (I can't remember if we do, or if the BAE is still a thing).

[payitforward]

According to http://www.basketballinsiders.com/washington-wizards-team-salary/ we actually have an option on Mathews at $1.66m, which would put us -- @$124.5m for 11 players including a $3.2m rookie.

I'll be surprised if we don't wind up with a 2d rookie as well at @$1m. In which case, if we sign Neto at say $2m, we'd be at 13 players with $8.5m room below the tax.

Lopez has had one of his best seasons this year, especially the 2d half. It'll be interesting to see whether we bring him back. Len too was extremely good value for his salary. If we're talking a 3d C, he might make more sense -- depending on who we'd be able to get with the $$ freed up.

[gambitx777]

Is Lopez willing to sign for the vet min? Then yes if he isn't sign Len or another scrap heap under 30 big man. We have our big minutes set for our two young guys lopes would be nice but if he doesn't come under 2 mill say no

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[mhd]

I'd say our biggest priorities are, in order:

backup combo guard who can create for himself and others
3&D wing with emphasis on the "3" part
3rd string center

Hopefully, we can fill one of those first two priorities in the draft. The other will require a fairly big chunk of free agency money. That leaves relatively little for our 3rd string center, making Lopez a luxury we probably can't afford unless we want to pay the luxtax.

We need to trade Bryant. I've never been a fan of his. He's very selfish on the court (ALWAYS shoots it when he gets the ball) and is a horrific defender. Bryant for Sato would be great, but the Bulls have no need for Bryant (unless they want a backup center). Off to the trade checker!

[payitforward]

Another way to look at it: because of built-in raises, simply bringing back this year's team -- with everybody paid either at what they make this year or what they're scheduled to make next year (via guarantee or picking up options), -- would take us to something over $143m for 15 players.

Except, in that scenario, we couldn't bring back Bonga at $2m, b/c we'd have 16 players -- instead we'd have our R1 pick at over $3m. We'd be @ $8m over the tax line. If Neto got a $1m raise, make it $9m.

But, let's assume that Ish is not coming back. So, instead make it $3m over the luxury tax line -- with a roster spot to fill & no back up point guard.

Not a simple problem.

[Ruzious]

According to http://www.basketballinsiders.com/washington-wizards-team-salary/ we actually have an option on Mathews at $1.66m, which would put us -- @$124.5m for 11 players including a $3.2m rookie.

I'll be surprised if we don't wind up with a 2d rookie as well at @$1m. In which case, if we sign Neto at say $2m, we'd be at 13 players with $8.5m room below the tax.

Lopez has had one of his best seasons this year, especially the 2d half. It'll be interesting to see whether we bring him back. Len too was extremely good value for his salary. If we're talking a 3d C, he might make more sense -- depending on who we'd be able to get with the $$ freed up.

Mathews is an RFA this offseason. That 1.66m is a qualifying offer to keep his Early Bird rights. He'll get more than that - despite the Wiz seeming efforts to keep his value down.

Lopez made 7.3 mil this season and did better than expected. Someone will likely offer him close to what he made this season, and it should not be the Wiz - especially if they keep Bryant. The 3rd string center should not make more than the veteran minimum, imo. I wish him well wherever he goes.

[nate33]

I'd say our biggest priorities are, in order:

backup combo guard who can create for himself and others
3&D wing with emphasis on the "3" part
3rd string center

Hopefully, we can fill one of those first two priorities in the draft. The other will require a fairly big chunk of free agency money. That leaves relatively little for our 3rd string center, making Lopez a luxury we probably can't afford unless we want to pay the luxtax.

We need to trade Bryant. I've never been a fan of his. He's very selfish on the court (ALWAYS shoots it when he gets the ball) and is a horrific defender. Bryant for Sato would be great, but the Bulls have no need for Bryant (unless they want a backup center). Off to the trade checker!

I totally disagree with calling him selfish. Bryant has had an impressive assist rate for a center, particularly such a young center. He led all of our bigs in assists per minute in each of his first two seasons, and posted a higher assist rate than all but one of Gortat's seasons.

I think one of the subtly better aspects of his game is his ability to see the court and make the right play. Not many under 23-year-old centers show that sophistication.

I understand the criticism of his defense, but it's pretty damn hard to criticize Bryant's offense.

[nate33]

Mathews is an RFA this offseason. That 1.66m is a qualifying offer to keep his Early Bird rights. He'll get more than that - despite the Wiz seeming efforts to keep his value down.

Lopez made 7.3 mil this season and did better than expected. Someone will likely offer him close to what he made this season, and it should not be the Wiz - especially if they keep Bryant. The 3rd string center should not make more than the veteran minimum, imo. I wish him well wherever he goes.

I'm not so sure that Mathews will get more than his QO. Shooting guards who can't dribble have limited utility in this league. And he'll be 25 next season, so it's not like one can expect massive improvement going forward. There's also the white-guy stigma about his defense. Teams are going to assume he is a rotten defender. I hear it all the time from the broadcast teams of other organizations. Whenever Mathews gets beat defensively, they chuckle like it was a given that he couldn't guard people. And whenever he does well, they are surprised but tend to assume it was a lucky play or something.

I agree that Lopez will make pretty decent money next year. If nothing else, there are sure to be contenders willing to pay him the full Room Exception of $5.8M. And other teams who aren't in the luxtax might be willing to offer up to the full MLE of $9.4M

[Ruzious]

Mathews is an RFA this offseason. That 1.66m is a qualifying offer to keep his Early Bird rights. He'll get more than that - despite the Wiz seeming efforts to keep his value down.

Lopez made 7.3 mil this season and did better than expected. Someone will likely offer him close to what he made this season, and it should not be the Wiz - especially if they keep Bryant. The 3rd string center should not make more than the veteran minimum, imo. I wish him well wherever he goes.

I'm not so sure that Mathews will get more than his QO. Shooting guards who can't dribble have limited utility in this league. And he'll be 25 next season, so it's not like one can expect massive improvement going forward. There's also the white-guy stigma about his defense. Teams are going to assume he is a rotten defender. I hear it all the time from the broadcast teams of other organizations. Whenever Mathews gets beat defensively, they chuckle like it was a given that he couldn't guard people. And whenever he does well, they are surprised but tend to assume it was a lucky play or something.

I agree that Lopez will make pretty decent money next year. If nothing else, there are sure to be contenders willing to pay him the full Room Exception of $5.8M. And other teams who aren't in the luxtax might be willing to offer up to the full MLE of $9.4M

I don't know - Mathews definitely has defensive weaknesses, but when actually matched up against 2's, his hustle often makes up for them. When there are switches, he has problems - but so do all of our guards except when Westbrook and Beal actually focus on D.
And there's always some demand for a knock-down 3 point shooter like him - who can draw fouls. I think a lot of teams will have some interest in him - and that alone will push his price up.

Agreed on Lopez - I'd be surprised if he doesn't get at least $5 mil from a better team using one of their exceptions.