Rival executives expect new Wizards head of basketball operations Michael Winger to be aggressive in build the team into a winner, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
Winger had developed a reputation as a go-getter during his time as GM of the Clippers, a position he held in LA under Lawrence Frank since 2018.
Winger had discussed vacancies before, but said the chance to run the Wizards just felt right.
“Seldom, I think, in pro sports do those opportunities come along where almost all of your boxes, if not all of your boxes, are checked,” he told Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times. “And this was I think the rare and supremely fortunate opportunity for somebody like me to check all the boxes: ownership, market, fan base, already a talented team.”
- While Winger will work to make some changes to the roster, shooting guard Bradley Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract, Stein reminded. “Beal holds the NBA’s only active and full no-trade clause as he enters Year 2 of a five-year, $251 million contract, so Washington can’t send him anywhere without Beal’s consent,” Stein wrote.
- It remains to be seen if forward Kristaps Porzingis will receive a contract extension, or if he will join fellow starting forward Kyle Kuzma as an unrestricted free agent, Stein noted. Porzingis and Kuzma seemed like locks to return under previous GM Tommy Sheppard.
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