Category: Washington Wizards Blog

The Wizards ended the season on a six-game winning streak and recorded their most lopsided win in seven seasons, 104-70, over the Miami Heat at Verizon Center on Thursday night.

“All we’re doing is moving forward and looking to the future and I think the future looks good for us,” said President Ernie Grunfeld, who was rewarded with a contract extension this week.

After two years, the Wizards (20-46) finally recognized the error of investing their future in the careers of Andray Blatche, JaVale McGee and Young. Blatche was banished, while McGee and Young were sent packing to playoff teams because neither displayed the maturity or consistency to warrant lucrative long-term contracts when they hit free agency this summer. In return, the Wizards added veteran Brazilian big man Nene, whose arrival brought credibility to the locker room, a commitment to playing team basketball and an 7-4 record with him in uniform.

“You give anything a certain amount of time and options arise,” Wittman said. “It comes a point, with this team that’s so young, to add a guy with [Nene’s] experience and his ability was a good thing to do.”

— Reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post

The Washington Wizards announced today that they have agreed to a new contract with President Ernie Grunfeld.

“Ernie has led the charge to rebuild and change the direction of the Wizards and I’m pleased that we will continue to work together to improve upon what we’ve accomplished,” said Monumental Sports & Entertainment Majority Owner, Chairman and CEO Ted Leonsis.  “In the process of almost completely turning over the team’s roster in the last two years, we have accumulated and developed young players and added veteran players while maintaining cap flexibility, all of which will help us build a competitive team going forward.”

“I’m excited to continue the process of rebuilding this team and excited about the direction that we’re headed,” said Grunfeld.  “We’ve seen significant progress from our young players and positive contributions from our veterans that have us very optimistic about our future and very eager to take the next steps to continue to improve.”

Ernie Grunfeld will return as president of the Washington Wizards, according to two league officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Grunfeld and owner Ted Leonsis have tentatively agreed to a deal that is believed to be for more than one year, a deal that would keep the team’s architect in Washington contractually until at least the end of the 2013-2014 season. Financial terms were not known, but Grunfeld’s present deal was set to expire at the end of this season. He has been the Wizards’ chief decision-maker since the late Abe Pollin hired him to take over the franchise in 2003.

The team is expected to make an announcement as early as Tuesday, the officials said. A Wizards official declined comment before Monday night’s game against the Bobcats at Verizon Center.

— Reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post Blog

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that team has signed guard Morris Almond and waived Roger Mason Jr.

Almond has spent the past four seasons in the NBA D-League, where he has averaged 24.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and shot .495 from the field in 119 career games (112 starts).  He has played with the Utah Flash (2007-09), Maine Red Claws (2009-10 and 2011-12) and the Springfield Armor (2009-10).

Almond played in 29 games (28 starts) with the Red Claws in 2011-12, averaging 23.4 points and career bests in rebounds (6.0 rpg) and field goal percentage (.543).  He led the D-League in scoring in 2007-08, averaging 25.6 points per game and also posted a pair of 50-point games (51 points against Austin Toros and 53 points against the Bakersfield Jam).

Almond originally entered the league as a first round pick (25th overall) with the Utah Jazz in the 2007 NBA Draft.  In two seasons with the Jazz (2007-09), Almond averaged 3.1 points and 1.1 rebounds in 34 career games.  He saw action with the Orlando Magic during training camp in 2009 and also played overseas with Read Madrid (Spain) in 2010, Scavolini Pesaro (Italy) in 2010-2011 and BC Cherkasy (Ukraine) in 2011. A four-year letterman at Rice University, Almond finished as the school’s fourth all-time leading scorer (1,825 points) and was named Conference USA Player of the Year after averaging 26.4 points per game in his senior season.

Mason, who underwent season-ending surgery today to repair an avulsion fracture in his left index finger, averaged 5.5 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting .383 (59-154) from three-point range in 52 games for the Wizards this season.

Before this month, Kevin Seraphin has never recorded a double-double or scored more than 15 points in an NBA game. Seraphin also rarely had the chance to show what he was capable of, since he started the season backing up JaVale McGee and often had to settle for crumbs.

He offered a few hints immediately after the Wizards traded McGee to Denver for Nene, and has continued to serve as a reliable low post option. With Nene and Trevor Booker both out with injury, Seraphin has averaged 16.3 points on 54.7 percent shooting with 7.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.3 blocks in seven April starts.

After Seraphin had a career-high 24 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Wizards to a 93-85 win over the Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic, Ted Leonsis offered praise on his personal blog, Ted’s Take.

Leonsis wrote: “A lot of general managers around the league are now asking; ‘How did we not draft Kevin Seraphin and how did he fall so far in the draft?’ Kudos to our scouts. And congratulations to Kevin Seraphin for taking advantage of his minutes and playing with hustle and showing off his gifts.”

— Reported by Michael Lee of the Washington Post Blog

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard/forward Cartier Martin to a 10-day contract.

Martin (6-6, 220), has averaged 18.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting .489 from the floor and .556 from three-point range in seven games with the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League this season.  He has appeared with the Wizards in the previous two seasons, averaging 4.3 points over 60 games with the team.

Martin was originally signed to a 10-day contract by the Wizards on March 30, 2010.  After finishing the season with the team and averaging 6.4 points over eight games, he returned for the 2010-11 season.  Martin averaged 4.0 points over 52 games with the Wizards in 2010-11 before being waived on April 6.

A product of Kansas State, Martin has previously spent time with the Charlotte Bobcats (averaging 2.6 points over 33 games in 2008-09) and Golden State Warriors (averaging 9.0 points over 10 games in 2009-10) in addition to experience overseas in Turkey, Italy and China.  He has also played in 59 NBA D-League games since the 2008-09 season (all with Iowa), where he has compiled averages of 18.6 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.