03-21-2021, 04:01 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-21-2021, 04:09 PM by DanSchwartzgan.)
Bertans name came up this week in a conversation between Fred Katz and John Hollinger. Dallas doesn’t end up with him, but Dallas players end up in Washington...which gives you a sense of what the cost might be if we were interested.
Dwight Powell and Josh Green
The Wizards aren’t looking to part with Davis Bertans after giving him a five-year contract this past offseason. This is the most unrealistic deal we’ll discuss. But let’s pretend they’re searching for ways to find Bertans a new home. Would something like this make sense?
He goes to a team that could enhance his shooting and provide enough defensive reinforcements to mask his weaknesses. If the 76ers feel he’s a missing piece, they might not care as much about a gaudy salary. The Wizards get back a center who isn’t playing a ton but can contribute and a recent first-rounder, even though they’re parting with Bertans’ mega-contract.
Does a draft pick need to be going somewhere for this to work better? Is this selling far too low on a guy who had one of the five best-shooting seasons in the league in 2019-20? And more generally, how should we view the Bertans contract after his disappointing start to this season?
Hollinger: I still think Bertans has some value around the league, but I suspect you have this pegged about right — his valuation would be something of a mid-to-late first plus a not-great contract that provides a salary match.
You don’t have Dallas getting him in this deal, but he’d be an interesting fit there, as well, as part of the league’s first All-Latvian frontcourt. The Mavs have no first-rounders to trade, but Josh Green (No. 18 pick in 2020) is a potential 3-and-D guy whose defense is much further along than his 3 at this point.
Dwight Powell is coming back from a torn Achilles but is a good rim-runner on a fairly reasonable salary for two more years. Also, have you seen Washington’s centers? The low-key benefit of this deal is that it removes some of the salary handcuffs that will face the Wizards this coming offseason because of the luxury tax. They save $5 million going from Bertans to Powell, and Green’s salary adds only $3 million for his roster spot.
Dwight Powell and Josh Green
The Wizards aren’t looking to part with Davis Bertans after giving him a five-year contract this past offseason. This is the most unrealistic deal we’ll discuss. But let’s pretend they’re searching for ways to find Bertans a new home. Would something like this make sense?
He goes to a team that could enhance his shooting and provide enough defensive reinforcements to mask his weaknesses. If the 76ers feel he’s a missing piece, they might not care as much about a gaudy salary. The Wizards get back a center who isn’t playing a ton but can contribute and a recent first-rounder, even though they’re parting with Bertans’ mega-contract.
Does a draft pick need to be going somewhere for this to work better? Is this selling far too low on a guy who had one of the five best-shooting seasons in the league in 2019-20? And more generally, how should we view the Bertans contract after his disappointing start to this season?
Hollinger: I still think Bertans has some value around the league, but I suspect you have this pegged about right — his valuation would be something of a mid-to-late first plus a not-great contract that provides a salary match.
You don’t have Dallas getting him in this deal, but he’d be an interesting fit there, as well, as part of the league’s first All-Latvian frontcourt. The Mavs have no first-rounders to trade, but Josh Green (No. 18 pick in 2020) is a potential 3-and-D guy whose defense is much further along than his 3 at this point.
Dwight Powell is coming back from a torn Achilles but is a good rim-runner on a fairly reasonable salary for two more years. Also, have you seen Washington’s centers? The low-key benefit of this deal is that it removes some of the salary handcuffs that will face the Wizards this coming offseason because of the luxury tax. They save $5 million going from Bertans to Powell, and Green’s salary adds only $3 million for his roster spot.