NBA Rumors: Washington Wizards targeting Memphis Grizzlies point guard to improve playmaking next season
The Washington Wizards haven't had much success in recent years. The team missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, and it's obvious that some big changes need to be made.
Not even some amazing players like Gilbert Arenas, John Wall, and Bradley Beal were enough to lead the team past the second round of the playoffs.
Missing the playoffs so many times in succession is not ideal. Three-time All-Star, Bradley Beal is still on the team, and the Wizards are expected to build the team around him.
Latest NBA rumors have the Washington Wizards targeting a Memphis Grizzlies point guard this summer.
The Washington Wizards are looking for a new point guard
The Washington Wizards have been linked to several players this offseason. Earlier this week, there were rumors of them trying to trade for Monte Morris before draft day. This did not happen, but they might have a chance at acquiring a Memphis Grizzlies playmaker.
According to HoopsHype, unrestricted free agent Tyus Jones is on the Wizards' radar this offseason. The Wizards have a full non-taxpayer mid-level exception that they could use to sign the point guard to a contract of up to four years.
Tyus Jones has been a decent playmaker who mostly played off the bench for the Grizzlies. He averaged a career-high 8.7 points per game, along with 4.4 assists.
Wizards drafting Johny Davis and potentially signing Tyus Jones would fix their PG problem, that's a solid PG rotation you can build off for the future.
Jones recently turned 26 so he could continue improving. Unfortunately for Jones, the Grizzlies have Ja Morant, which means that Jones would be a backup point guard for them if he stays in Memphis.
The Washington Wizards, on the other hand, need a starting point guard. Two of their three playmakers are unrestricted free agents, while Ish Smith has a non-guaranteed contract for next season.
Adding Tyus Jones to the roster seems like a great idea. He averaged 12.7 points and 6.6 assists without Ja Morant last season. His ceiling is much higher, and if he gets in the right situation, he could easily hit it.
Bradley Beal is staying
Signing Tyus Jones in free agency wouldn't make a lot of sense for the Washington Wizards if they let Bradley Beal walk away. Fortunately, that is very unlikely to happen.
Beal has a Player Option on his contract that would pay him $36.4 million next year. However, he is expected to opt out and sign a new long-term deal with the only NBA team he's ever played for.
Bradley Beal is 'very likely' to opt out of his $36.4M player option and re-sign with the Wizards on a five-year max contract, per @wojespn https://t.co/zGyDinoLv2
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the shooting guard will most likely reject the Player Option and sign a new five-year deal with the Wizards that would pay him around $250 million.
Beal is turning 29 in just a few days, and a new contract would most likely make him a Wizards lifer. He has expressed his desire to stay in Washington for the rest of his career, and hopefully, he will be able to achieve great results with them in the future.