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With the Wizards eliminated from the 2018 NBA playoffs in the first round, it's time for them to push hard this offseason to bolster the roster. Like All-Star point guard John Wall said, "just got to add some pieces," but will General Manager Ernie Grunfeld do so? He was given a year's extension on his contract, but fans were calling for him to be fired before it.
There are plenty of players that will become free agents as well as players opting out of their contract to become free agents, which the Wizards will need to take into account considering the majority of them are bench players.
Here's my take on what the Wizards should do.
Time for the Polish Hammer to be released
Wizards fans have had enough with the big man and releasing (or trading) Marcin Gortat will be beneficial for Grunfeld because this is what the fans want. He played well, but in the last two years, things have not looked good for him.
Gortat is now 34 years old and cannot make a simple layup in a game. His points per game have dropped significantly in the last three seasons, as has his field goal percentage. Although the last two seasons he has started and played in all 82 games, his minutes played per game dropped almost six minutes this season.
This likely means that the time has come to move on from him. It's unclear if any team would be interested in his skills, but he could be a great veteran presence and backup for a team with young centers.
Getting a new center
Ian Mahinmi isn't necessarily the solution at center, so it's time for a new face. Considering Mahinmi's contract and the skills he brings, it wouldn't be worth keeping him anymore. There were rumors of a trade between the Los Angeles Clippers to get DeAndre Jordan, but that never occurred.
There are a couple big-name free agent centers this season such as DeMarcus Cousins and Brook Lopez. This is where it gets interesting because the Wizards could have an opportunity to get a good center through trade, but if it involves trading players like John Wall, Bradley Beal or Kelly Oubre, it shouldn't happen. The Wizards also hold the 15th pick in the NBA draft, which they could certainly use on a young center.
Re-signing Mike Scott
I cannot emphasize this enough: Mike Scott can truly be part of the future for this team. The Wizards signed Scott to a 1-year, $1.7 million deal last season. He proved to be great off the bench with a 40.5% three-point shooting percentage, which is third highest on the team.
His ability to body someone in the paint allows him to get easy shots against players. The low contract he got certainly did not reflect the skills he brings to the table and he will certainly get plenty of offers from several teams.
But if the Wizards give him a good contract, will the Virginia native stick around? This could be contingent upon the team trading away their current starting power forward, Markieff Morris.
Trading Markieff Morris
When the Wizards traded for Markieff Morris in February of 2016, it changed the whole skill level of the team in the coming season. Morris was a still a young guy and the team didn't have a starting-caliber power forward during that time.
For the majority of the time, he was healthy, but with a small cap space, it's no question the Wizards need to move on from him. He'll be a free agent after the 2018-2019 season, so it would be better to capitalize and gain some assets by trading him. If he is traded and Scott is re-signed, the Wizards won't need to worry about the power forward position.
Goodbye to Otto Porter
When the Wizards matched the Brooklyn Nets' offer last season because Otto Porter was a restricted free agent, many now think that they should have let him go. But by signing Porter to the 4-year, $106.5 million deal, they now can trade him and not lose him for nothing.
While Porter may be a great small forward, it is time for Kelly Oubre to start. With Porter's injury history and his inability to have consistent games, he shouldn't be part of the "Big 3" nor the starting 5 for next season. The starting 5 should be as follows, assuming all of these moves are made: John Wall, Bradley Beal, a center that they traded for, drafted, or Ian Mahinmi, Kelly Oubre, and Mike Scott.
