The Washington Wizards officially introduced its power team front office of President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger, general manager Will Dawkins, and senior vice president of player personnel Travis Schlenk. The overall message is the trio will work together to bring the Wizards to being contenders for a championship.
However, it’s evident from Winger’s words that the organization will go through a slow rebuild toward its goal. Owner Ted Leonsis has given his blessings for a complete rebuild if his new front office wants to go in that direction.
As Winger has gone on his rounds to the media, one message is clear: the onus is on Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma to want to be part of the rebuild. Otherwise, they can seek to win immediately elsewhere.
“To put it bluntly, the team as constituted hasn’t performed,” Winger said while appearing on Team980. “Hasn’t performed up to the level that they themselves probably wanted to perform. And running it back as constituted doesn’t seem like a very wise pursuit. So, sometimes making that change accelerates that progress.”
Winger clarified that doesn’t mean the Wizards will immediately blow up the roster. However, the team will undergo increments of reconstruction. That could start with Porzingis and Kuzma, who face player options for next season.
During Thursday’s introduction presser, Winger got asked if he expects the Big 3, including Beal, to be with the Wizards when training camp opens.
“I truly don’t know…,” Winger responded, per Bullets Forever. “They have the power of choice.”
It’s easy to assume Winger prefers Porzingis and Kuzma to opt into the final year of their respective contracts next season rather than seek a long-term extension. Otherwise, Winger may use the player options as an avenue for a fresh start.
It’s hard to imagine a new front office would immediately throw out a four-year max deal to Porzingis, a player with his share of injuries throughout his career. While an extension with Kuzma is less expensive, the 6-foot-10 forward reportedly wants an annual average of $20 million on a multi-year deal.
Retaining Kuzma and Porzingis on long-term deals with the remaining $207 million and four years left on Beal’s contract may not be feasible. The combination of all three could restrict Winger and Dawkins from putting their own touches on the makeup of the Wizards with the NBA’s salary cap and luxury tax rules.
Leonsis is committed to going over the luxury tax, but only for a team that is really good. Winger doesn’t feel the Wizards are close to that right now.
“I don’t think we’re going to be an overnight title contender; that I’m pretty confident about,” Winger told The Athletic’s Joshua Robbins. “And so, if they [Beal, Kuzma, and Porzingis] would rather pursue immediate winning. Then they probably do have to pursue that somewhere else. But I think that there’s very open dialogue, a very open invitation to talk about the future of the team — the near-term future and the long-term future — and see where goals align and see where they don’t align.”
For Beal getting out of his supermax deal won’t be as easy. Beal holds a no-trade clause. Thus, moving the three-time All-Star would require his cooperation and desire to leave the team that drafted him No. 3 overall in 2012.
Does Beal want to win now, or is he content to stay in Washington and lead a rebuild into the future? That’s the conversation Winger alluded to. What’s sure is the ball is in the court of Beal, Kuzma, and Porzingis until it’s not.
