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All Wizards Talk
Dreaded Extensions...
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Bryson Akins, Henry Brown, and Joshua Valdez discuss the dreaded extension of Anthony Davis, along with what a new contract for Bilal Coulibaly could look like.
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All Wizards Talk is your go to podcast for everything regarding the Washington Wizards. This show is hosted by beat writers Bryson Akins and Henry Brown of Wizards on SI, and Joshua Valdez of ClutchPoints. They bring inside knowledge of the team, along with in depth topics from press conferences and games.
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Welcome back to All Wizards Talk. I'm one of your co-hosts, Bryson Aikens, joined alongside as always by Henry J. Brown and Josh Valdez. And there hasn't been many updates. Some of it is just like the same stuff that we haven't been able to cover because it all came out relatively the same day. Some little extension updates with some players. Um, one of the big ones though is with Anthony Davis, as some more reports have come out um regarding a potential extension with the Wizards and why he is kind of holding up this LeBron market as well, and how the Wizards are kind of like in the front seat of a lot of off-season decisions at the moment, which kind of seemed unprecedented. Like it didn't seem realistic. It seemed like one of those one of these things where it's like, man, there's no way like this is actually true. But then some stuff came out where it's like, man, it really is the case. So first off, it seems like the Wizards are going to extend Anthony Davis. That is what the general feel, what it all is looking like is going to happen between those two. Uh, Josh and Henry, what are your overall thoughts on an extension with them?
SPEAKER_02Man, I think it could be the biggest mistake of this front office so far. Um, here's my thing, right? This is this is why it goes back to a trade young contract, which I didn't like either. It's not just the trade contract itself. It's like, what does this mean? You know, because it's like, okay, if you're giving trade 212, you're not gonna get 80 less, are you? No. So yeah, you know, I mean, uh his 80s eligible for four years, 275. Uh that's a lot for a guy who has only played 65 plus games once over the past few years. Um, you know what I mean? He's 33. I don't think he makes sense timeline-wise, even if he if he even if he were healthy, he doesn't have much prime years left or many prime years left. And he's even admitted himself like, look, it takes a while for teams at the bottom to come up. This is not a regular team that was just at the bottom. They obviously infused a ton of talent since they were at the bottom, and they kind of like were at the bottom on purpose, right? Let's face it. But um still, though, it still applies. Like this team is not ready to win a championship yet. AD should be on a team that is uh, you know, that's trying to win a ring every season at this point, at this stage in his career. I think that makes a lot more sense. Um, I guess you could sign him and then move him, but I just think um that it's just more of a hassle. I I think you'd just rather uh trade him before signing him. I mean, you don't have to trade him now. Again, you could trade him at the deadline after he remote. So I don't I don't I don't think uh I don't think it's good.
SPEAKER_01They seem really excited about getting something going. Uh there's been a ton of reports all you know, the rumblings that the Wizards love AD. Will Dawkins has said it like in almost every turn. Um any of any of the earlier buzz that he wasn't trying to be here seemed to get wiped away as soon as you know there were talks that extension actually could get landed. There's gonna be more pressure on your average. As you as you pointed out, Josh, this is not your normal uh zero-to-hero situation the Wizards are going on right now. Um there's gonna be a lot of guys trying to prove different things, and you wonder how that manifests on the court between you know Trey Young, now the $212 million man, um, all the extension eligible young guys, the vets trying to make more money for themselves, and LAD, who sees that enormous price tag now starting to dangle for next season. Um I I don't know how that how that changes the equation for the actual encore play, but I feel like it's got to factor in somehow.
SPEAKER_00Well, in in Vegas during Summer League, Will Dawkins did go on Sirius XM, and he did say 80s in DC, he wants to be in DC, and we're gonna keep him there. And he also mentioned how he's been out there with all the players that were in DC and how he you know has been leading the group workouts while they were there as well. And so it kind of seems like he's a little bought in. It it does. The earlier doubts of him potentially already wanting out, they seem like they're you know done now, where it's like he at least knows, like, hey, this is where I am now. I need to buy in and help out this team as much as possible. Because A, not only does it help the wizards, like you guys mentioned, it helps him rebuild his trade value to go to a contender. And then this is also the other thing. Um, and this came from Kevin O'Connor yesterday. Uh, how he was talking about he's eligible for this four-year $281 million deal. Um and but there were there are rumblings, he's demanding that full max from Washington, but he would sign for less if he's traded to a contender. And that's why not everyone is convinced that ultimately he's gonna stand Washington because I just don't think uh Will Dawkins would be willing to sign him to a 35% max deal. Like that just kinda because then you're paying him and Trey Young 65% of the salary cap. That just leaves very little wiggle room to keep majority of your young players. Because we know no matter what, there's gonna be a few young guys that are gonna have to go. You can't keep everyone. That's just not that's not possible. If it was, then we wouldn't be having these conversations at all. It's just to to try to keep them, you have to go well into the second apron. And I just don't think Ted is going to do that. Um, nor should owners want to do that because of the tax implications and then also the draft penalties that you get stacked on as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean it also matters that you know this extension would would come after this coming season. So we're talking about an investment five years from now when he'll have played 19 seasons, is that right? And you know, that's smart enough.
SPEAKER_00The final year of that new contract, if it is four years, that would put him potentially his last year in the league at like 38 or 39. That is like that's just to me, it's not smart business to extend someone for that long and that much money who has been on a decline because of his age and injury history. And you haven't seen him yet. That's a thing. You haven't.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, he has not played one minute for your team yet. Um, that's the thing, man. It's just what if he signs and then you know he just misses a bunch of games? Like, and and here's the thing, is that as right, but you guys were saying it's not just about him. It all goes back to the young core. You know, you gotta leave space for some of these young guys earning a lot of money in the future, right? It's possible you want them to be good, which means they'll earn a lot of money, right? I mean, Alex Starr, Keyshawn George, Trey Johnson. Um, I think Will uh Riley could be, you know, a big money guy when once it's his time if if he develops well. He has the I think he has the skill for it. He just you know has to get stronger and better at defense and stuff. But again, it's like you know, I guess what Baval, we'll talk about him later, he's not gonna cost a ton right now. He's that he or he's he he's he he can sign this offseason, he he would start getting paid more next offseason, but he's not gonna cost a ton. But you know, some of these other guys like Sar, especially Sar and Key, we know you know they they're they're gonna be up for extensions next off season.
SPEAKER_00They're the most likely guys to get that rookie max.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, they're they're gonna cost a lot. So it's like you're gonna pay those guys a lot and Trey and um A D. Now you don't have a lot of space for the rest of the roster, like Bryson said. I just I just I don't I don't understand it. I try I'm not even trying to like be funny. I I don't get it.
SPEAKER_01Well I want to ask. I don't get it. I um at the price tag you're talking about for AD, would it be slight slightly more or less popular than the Trey extension was? Because the Wizards got killed online for that for that deal. And I wonder would it would it be more um I I think it would get more hate just because at least Trey Young is 27.
SPEAKER_00At least he is young and he does fit this timeline, and he fits a major need of this team hasn't had a point guard. With Anthony Davis, it's like you don't need you don't necessarily need another big man out on the out on the floor. You could, you know, you could trade him, get some value for him, and you just run Sar as the lone big man and you platoon him with DeAndre Ayton and hope Vuk improves a little bit on defense. If not, you have options to go out there and trade for another center to either pair as a starter or as a backup. And so with it's just with Anthony Davis, I just kind of like I get the fit defensively where it's gonna help out your interior defense a little bit more, take some pressure off of Alexar to where he's not handling the majority of the load. Everywhere else, I'm kind of like, I don't really, you know, like I don't see like a need for him on the team. That's that's what I it is, where it's like I don't necessarily see the team needing him in any way to help this team get better down the line and progress even further. It's kind of one of those things where it's like it's a big name talent. Sure, he's gonna help you win games, but it's like at the end of the day, do you need him long term?
unknownNo.
SPEAKER_02That kind of reminds me of um when I when I talked to uh Dawkins uh in April with his uh um ex interview. You know, he made he made the point when I I was I was I asked him something about the vets, and he was like, you know, like we've always had vets surround our young guys, right? Going back to Tys Jones, Kuzma, Poole, Brogdon, um, you know, Mars, yeah, Marvin, Chris Um Middleton who's back now, but you know, you know what I mean, but going down the line. He's like, it's just that Trey and A D are higher levels of players, you know, like we just want our we just want vets to elevate our young guys, and that's cool. But to me, like reading through the tea leaves of that, that sounds like A D and Trey are examples of like they're just higher-level examples of like these these vets they have in to help the young guys. It doesn't sound like Trey and A D are the franchise, you know what I'm saying?
SPEAKER_00No, and I don't think that's the case either. I don't think they're going in thinking that Trey and A D are like your franchise franchise guys now. The they're going to be a good thing.
SPEAKER_02But then they would pay them like they are, though. That's that's that's what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I get I get what you're saying. Yeah, I think it's a lot of people. We've talked so much about the Trey thing where it's like I we don't gotta keep on explaining the contract and why they did it, but yeah. You were gonna say something.
SPEAKER_01Oh, um yeah, I mean that's Josh, what you said is really interesting because that's so that's the kind of thing you say to set up the idea that they are more expendable than than you know the max contracts that you might be handing out. Um that's that's really that's a fascinating quote.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, no, I mean, you know, Doc, um he kind of is the him, I guess him and Winger too, they'll kind of say things without saying them, right? You know, then they're never gonna say them directly, of course, because that's just how it goes. But um, you know, he honestly compared them to those other to those other vets. It's just that he said they're they're better players.
SPEAKER_01They're higher level, yeah. They're higher level players. I really I still I still doubt they signed this extension before he plays a game. What do you guys think? Because it seems like the smoke is leaning towards it. People are starting to freak out.
SPEAKER_00So I still I'm not trying to overreact or anything, but if they did, I do think this would be the worst move the front office has made in their short tenure so far with Washington, just because, like we've mentioned so far, you haven't seen him play with the Wizards yet. You don't even know how he fits along the team. You sign him to that, you're signing a soon-to-be 34-year-old uh player to a contract that's going to be over 60 million a year. And, you know, kind of hope he plays out. And that's just very hard to trade the other teams. Be like, hey, take on Anthony Davis, who's making, you know, 35% of the salary. We know he hasn't been as good as he has been, but you know, like, you know, do this deal with us. It's just very hard to trade that if it isn't working out.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it's like that's how they got AD in the first place. He was making a lot and they didn't want him anymore. And you know, it the Wizards did have to give up stuff, but it wasn't much. I think if they were trying to, if they were gonna get off of this new contract, they would theoretically sign, they'd probably have to attach stuff to get off of it. You know what I mean? So it's just like unless I just don't think it's good.
SPEAKER_00Like there's there's one team where I don't think you'd have to attach anything to get off of him, um, and that's Golden State. You take on, which like I know like a lot of people are gonna be like, why trade Anthony Davis for Jimmy Butler who's not gonna play until the end of the season? Where it's like, I get the appeal of wanting Anthony Davis to play. Your goal this season shouldn't be to contend, though. You aren't worried about bringing in a player that's still gonna make you contend. The goal should be to teach these young players how to win. Take a step forward. Yeah, take a step forward. Even without Anthony Davis, they should still be able to do that, having Trey Young and getting older. And yes, we saw it last year. A lot of these players have progressed and gotten better, even though the record didn't show it, because there were times they would play in the entire second half with you know two-way players and you know, have the starters just sit out the entire time, especially for the fourth, um, because that was the plan of what you needed to do if you wanted to get AJ DeBons in a top pick. That's just how the NBA works. Um, but bringing like I get bringing in Jimmy Butler, he's not gonna play, even then with Trey Young and how these players have progressed, you should still be able to learn how to win and take that step forward.
SPEAKER_01In a way, that's where a um Jimmy not playing, in a weird way, developmental-wise, could be an asset because then you are sort of returning more of the ball to the younger guys that they lose a bit with with the Trey Young acquisition and the touches that Anthony Davis is definitely gonna get. Because that's one thing that AD serves is here is a proven fail-safe way to determine that Trey Young won't w will allow other star guys to have their touches is because A D is such a big name that he just he needs that kind of attention. So there's your insurance that the ball does get spread around. Um, but again, if he's not there and Jimmy's there just sort of watching from the bench hanging out, then you know that there are more touches for everyone, including the the younger guys who could use the ball from the wing and forward positions.
SPEAKER_00The only way I would be I I guess in, and I don't even want to say in on an AD extension, would be if that last year is a team option.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh, I haven't considered this. Oh my god. Yeah, if they actually do back-to-back like these mega contracts, god forbid it escalates and there's another player option because I said team option.
SPEAKER_00I know, I know.
SPEAKER_01I'm saying we need what you're talking about because if it if it's modeled like the Trey Young contract, that's like some serious trouble down the line in a way that we haven't even mentioned yet.
SPEAKER_02But that's not gonna happen. He's not gonna do the team option.
SPEAKER_00What are we calling? No, probably not, but that's what I was saying. That's the only situation I can buy in. That that is just the only situation I could buy into an Anthony Davis extension where it's like if he gets, you know, if they get a team option on the last year because it says like, okay, we need to save money, let's decline the team option.
SPEAKER_01I don't know. This isn't Jameer Watkins we're talking about. I think I mean these these all-stars don't get these kinds of things.
SPEAKER_02These players don't give those out, man. This is like, yeah, this is some high-level stuff. And yeah, that that's why, you know, look, I mean, obviously, all the uh reports that you know they'll talk to AD, you know, this summer about an extension are from not from the organization itself, it's from outside, which is fine, it's from from outside reporters. Um yeah, I want um, you know, I want to see what kind of happens once that August 6th, you know, date rolls around when he's actually eligible. Like I don't smoke there, you know.
SPEAKER_00I mean I I think we've all been saying it, it's just we don't want to extend him until we actually see how he plays with the team. Yeah. He said he said he wants to play 82 games. Let's see if that actually happens. Let's see. He thinks this is a 40 plus win team as well, but he's also said he knows it's hard to go from a losing season to instantly being a contender, where it takes a few years for that to happen. And it just naturally does. Only one team in NBA history has gone from having, you know, being one of the worst teams of the league to winning it all the next season. That was the 08 Celtics.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_01I really want to see how the Wizards manicure their season to this AD bounce back. Because any great AD season really helps these talks show the Wizard procrastinate. Um, because you know, you have Aiden, you don't need to play AD as many minutes. Um you have Trey Young, so AD doesn't need to do as much with the ball. You have SAR, so AD doesn't need to do everything at the rim on defense. And there's really a chance that he just has this quietly perfect situation to be look like the comfortable all-star he used to be. And that changes the entire equation. If he really does look the part of the guy they're paying.
SPEAKER_02Well, but even then, it's like, even if that happens, which is the best case scenario, I still think they should deal with the deadline. Or latest. Right. Or latest like next offseason, I guess. Um, either assign a trade or be picked up as option. But you know, I I mean, I get that like it would be hard to trade him if it like divides are high and they're rolling, but it's like you have to think about the contract situation.
SPEAKER_00You have to think long term.
SPEAKER_02Right. You cannot prioritize this guy over Sar, Key, Trey Johnson, you know, those guys.
SPEAKER_01So I might think we were we were we were talking ourselves into uh his ex his buying into the player option a few days ago, and now that that looks like just just fantasy thinking. Like it it we're talking extensions, like it seems like it gets extension or bust right now with the AD scenario.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but I think that's enough on AD. Let's move on to another player who is about to who is extension eligible, uh just waiting on him a little bit, and that's Bilal Kulabali, who he's eligible to get his extension. It shouldn't be a lot of money, it shouldn't be like breaking the bank kind of money that we're talking about, Anthony Davis. But we don't really have like there hasn't been much regarding the Wizards with Bilal Kulabali's extension just because it's one of those players in situations where it's like, look, like you can keep him. Maybe he demands way more than what you know you or other teams are valuing him at. You just hold off and try to do something later on down the line, or maybe re-sign him in restricted free agency. Who knows? However, there was one player from his draft class who is now being rumored to uh for what his deal is going to look like. That is actually a great sign for the Wizards going forward. Uh Kasen Wallace, and this came from Mark Stein last night when he dropped this, um, was that one compartonly mentioned in league circles uh for Caseen Wallace is Dyson Daniels' four-year $100 million extension um that Daniels received from Atlanta in October of 2025. If Kasen Wallace is going to get 25 million a year, if that is truly what it's going to end up being, and then instead of thinking Bilal could get the Mac, you know, like up to 20 million, it's probably closer just sitting in the 15 million range, which I know some of you guys, you know, love that. And I also love it because I think if you get Bilal for what is essentially, I think it's like 8% of the cap, which is insane value to keep him, a defender like that. That is just a bargain deal to keep it for four years.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I think they should follow the similar model that they did with uh Denny and uh Corey uh Kispert, you know, those guys got, you know, I guess it was like 11 million per year or something, but that was well the the Denny thing, it was it started off at 13% of the cap and it was a descending deal where it's like he'd actually be making less than what Denny got for his extension.
SPEAKER_00And that's the funny thing, is I did this a while back where I kept the names anonymous. I just showed up their stats after three seasons. Bilal has shown more as a player overall than Denny did in those first three uh seasons, and now it's looking like he might get by percentage-wise, you know, might be making less, even though money-wise it'll be more. So when you said he showed more, what were the what were the numbers he used again? Uh I can try to find them, but it's their stats after their first three seasons.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_01Just like just like their counting stats.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they're counting stats of like, you know, like, hey, like who was like, you know, who was shown more on the court by counting stats uh overall.
SPEAKER_02But was it also like their like field goal percentage and stuff?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I think and Bilal was actually a better three-point shooter than Denny was in his first three seasons. I know that is like the biggest thing with people when they talk about Bilal, where it's like he's a horrible three-point shooter. Well, yeah, and Denny couldn't shoot either. Right. Yeah, and so like I'm trying to show it's like people want to give him way less than what Denny got, but it's like, hey, you gotta realize Bilal is actually shown more than what Denny did in his first three seasons.
SPEAKER_01I think we should also mention though, um, Denny was like really available um those first three years. The first year he like got cut short because he like broke his leg or whatever it was, but like I think he played all 82 the year after that. Um and I I mean we've said it before, it has to be accounted for that that Bilal's best ever sequence in the NBA was like in March, his first ever march a few months ago, when half the league what didn't really care, and that that has to factor into the calculus, I think.
SPEAKER_00It it it does. It's just when I look at Denny, I mean like man, Bilal is just like, and it's weird to say, but based off of field goal percentage, he he is a better scorer than Denny was. Alright. He like when you look at assist to turnover ratio, they're very similar as well, so you can't use really have the playmaking aspect of like he doesn't turn over the ball much while getting a few assists.
SPEAKER_01But I think you can because Denny was just doing so much more with the ball in his hands, and he was just trying a lot higher end playmaking.
SPEAKER_00It's just I I look at it and it's just it's not like Denny is this clear better player than Bilal was after year three. I think I think a lot of it is just recency bias of Dinny having a great season in Portland. I I think that's a lot of it when people look at it and it's like, oh, Balal's not gonna reach that high. It's like, yeah, but who thought Denny was going to be a 25 point per game score in the NBA? No one.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, no one thought that. No one thought that. But like when his last year in DC, he was like, he was a good player by that point. He was honestly, he was honestly starting to look like a good player towards uh towards his uh the talks of his rookie extension. That's what made that deal so good. You mentioned it was descending, it was cheap, it was it looked tradable in the moment. Um but I think context does does matter a bit here. He was he was on some more.
SPEAKER_00He definitely looked better that last season. Um his three-point percentage went up by a ton. It went from 29% the previous season to 37%. I'm just I'm just saying, you know, if we're taking when they're eligible for extensions, because Denny also signed his extension in the summer going into his uh final year of his rookie deal. Where it's like, if you're taking those numbers and looking at it, technically, Bilal has been the better player. Where it's like you can't like it's hard to justify, oh, you need to give Bilal less because he hasn't shown as much. Where it's like, actually, Bilal has shown the same amount, if not a little bit more, than what Denny did at that point, and not to mention is a much better defender.
SPEAKER_01Denny was pretty good on defense. I don't want to keep bickering just for the sake of bickering, but like context really matters here. I think just pointing out showing stats next to each other isn't totally fair. Like Denny was doing it on a team that had like a bunch of other guys who wanted the ball, and I think Bilal had a way clearer runway to get his game off and try new things than Denny did. Denny, his rookie year, he was with Russ, he couldn't do anything on the ball, he was stuck in the corner all the time. Um and then you know, there was the Porzingis show, and Beale was averaging 30 a night. Uh, and Bilal just had like, again, a march where it was only really him doing everything. So I again I think context really matters here.
SPEAKER_02I I think I think I think the point is is that the fact that they had similar stats, and Bryson, you can you know actually say the stats out if you want, but the you know you can't compare it like apples to apples, right? I understand what Henry's saying. It's just that I think they're just gonna earn in the same ballpark as yeah, I'm probably I'm probably completely missing the point. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, that's what I'm saying, where it's like a lot of the fan base has said you pay Bilal less than what Denny was getting. And it's like, no, because hey, Bilal's making 10 million right now. If you pay him less, he's already, you know, like I mean, like less is you know, he was making I think 15 million his first year of his deal, where it's like, okay, if you pay him less, I mean like, shoot, you give him a four million pay raise? Like, I'm not where it's like even five million, it's kind of you know hard to be like, hey, go from 10 to 15 right now, where it's like kind of hard where that's where I kind of view it as like maybe it's gonna be like 17.5 mil a year annually, which I still think is a good deal for Bilal.
SPEAKER_02I mean, I think um, you know, the only thing with Bilala Henry said is he just needs to play, you know. He just needs to, I mean, you know, like I he hasn't played uh 65 games in a season. Yeah, I think last season was his highest was 63, I want to say. Um uh no, that was his rookie season.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that was his rookie season. How many how many did he play last season? 56 is actually his lowest. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, I I knew there was uh you know, he'd like reached 60 plus somewhere in there, but um, but yeah, you know, like like Henry said, um, Denny, you know, played a lot, you know, and like you know, before he got that contract. So that's the only thing, right? Is uh I don't think they should give Bilal much more than uh 15 a year, you know, because of that alone, and uh he still does need to work on his offensive game.
SPEAKER_00Um my question though is, and we like this is the same thing with SAR where like people talked about his like, oh, he was very injured last season. Uh I also want to like try to keep in mind how much of these games sitting out were because of tanking reasons. That that's another thing I am curious to kind of look back and see. Did he actually have an injury? Was it like one of those things where it's like he could play on it, or was it one of those things where it's like, hey, like this is a game we need to lose for you know draft's sake?
SPEAKER_01Talking about balal?
SPEAKER_00Bilal, yeah. It's a decent point, but it's like it happened all three years, you know.
SPEAKER_01So I do believe he did get hurt.
SPEAKER_00There's some guys probably from January to uh April, like he missed he didn't miss a lot of games. It was it was the beginning of the season, it was um October and December where he missed a lot.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you do have an interesting point for this season, but yeah, this this does happen like every year, and this was the year where they were definitely the most blatant about it. So it's it's worth a conversation. You know, maybe maybe it wasn't all those times, but injuries are definitely some kind of factor. It's just impossible to quantify how much.
SPEAKER_00Because he played every game to end the season from February onward.
SPEAKER_01No, yeah, I hear you. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Like it was one of those things where it's like you look at it, so we're like, man, a lot of these games, I just look at, I'm curious. It was like how many of these were he was he actually like, you know, in error quotes, like injured. Like how like was he really injured? Could have he played through it? Was it just, you know, like injury management to make sure that they lose some of these games? Because if you remember in the middle of January, it was looking, you know, the Wizards were almost 500 in the middle of January somehow. They were they were creeping back up to being an almost 500 team, so it turned out it would be one of those things where it's like they gotta start losing again. And they ended up losing quite a bit. I mean, they almost they almost lost all of their games uh from March onboard. They only won one game in the months of March.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I remember that. They only won't.
SPEAKER_01Was that the Kings? Who was that?
SPEAKER_00The Jazz.
SPEAKER_01The Jazz. That's right, the Juju game. Yeah. Right.
SPEAKER_00And so, but like like I mentioned, it's just one of those things where it's like I look at it, it's like, how many of these you know games when he was you know not playing, was he actually hurt? Because majority of the season he looked pretty good.
SPEAKER_01No, I think Josh and I are agreeing with you. It's just we're saying the fact that it was a factor in past seasons means that you know you're probably right to a degree, but it's just impossible to know how much injuries played, but we do know injuries played some kind of role. And that has to be quantified for a guy who's still pretty theoretical right now for someone you're about to pay.
SPEAKER_02This guy is someone you can give a uh team option to, by the way. This is uh this is someone on my level. So yeah, give him like four years, 60 million, maybe 63 million or something, and then uh a team option in that fourth year, I think you're AOK with it.
SPEAKER_01I still think that we're we're gonna be a bit away from hearing any real rumblings about this. I mean, if yeah, Caseen Wallace is a more proven player, is a better player.
SPEAKER_00Um if the rumblings right now is that he's gonna be a 25 million annually player, yeah, then Bilal is probably going to be at, you know, like probably around 15 mil. I'm just and I make sure to look at the contracts, which I know a lot of you know average don't do it, where it's like that you you look at it in percentages, that's how you view the cap. You don't look at the pure dollar amount. 20 million sounds like a lot, that's 11% of the cap. That is very manageable. That like that that just is. And so that's where I say it's like 20 million is the highest I would go for balal. All right. But it's like I I think it's gonna be middle ground of what we're thinking. You guys thinking 15 mil, I'm thinking 20 mil is the highest. I think it's gonna be middle ground of like 17.5 mil annually. That's around 10%, 9.5, something like that of the cap. And it's gonna put him at four years, 70 million. Great deal for a player of his caliber that is Lou Dort money, and I think you know, you'd be willing to pay him that kind of money.
SPEAKER_02It would it would definitely be good for the Wizards because it could be a kind of thing where if he like gets a lot better, you know, after that contract, then he's already signed, you know, for like pretty cheap, kind of like what happened with um Denny. You know, I mean, obviously when after they sent Denny away, it was when he went crazy, but still, you know. Um but um yeah, I think you know, I also wouldn't be surprised though if Bilal, you know, was like, hey, let me let me try to like say see if I could play a full season and then cash in even more after, you know.
SPEAKER_01That would really be interesting. Because like who seems more um destined to have like the situation they've always wanted than Bilal? If you're talking about someone who's needed someone to help set things up for him, um they're already building around an athletic guy in AJ, and now you Bilal can basically just play like a pseudo-AJ role whenever AJ isn't playing, um, live above the rim, cut, you know, hit the occasional open three, play some hard defense, and sort of enjoy being like the seventh man. Like there's not he was never meant to be this foundational piece on on the floor. And I don't know, but this might have just been his destiny. So maybe he does have a lot to make it.
SPEAKER_00I think I think that's part of the issue when people think you know talk about Bilal, and this isn't about Bub Carrington at all either, but Bub is also in this factor of having these high expectations set for him, is after Denny was traded, both of them were directly impacted because it was like Bilal, you are now like one of the focal guys where it's like, hey, like we're expecting a lot from you now, now that Denny Avdia is gone. All right. Bub Carrington was the direct player that was received in the Denny Avia trade. If Denny doesn't go out there and average 25 points per game because he's averaging 12 free throws a game, then you probably aren't having these high expectations set for him anymore because Denny's an afterthought where it's like, cool, he's averaging a smooth 18 points per game, but that's easy to replicate in a player. Alex Sarr is doing that right now. Where it's like, it's just if if he didn't go out there and become an all-star, you know, thanks to his you know, his driving game, uh getting to the free throw line, being a great scorer, then you probably don't have these kind of higher expectations set on, you know, Bilal and Bub, and not talked about as, you know, some people have already thought about trading him again this offseason, where it's like it makes no sense in my opinion to trade a guy like Bilal who's going to be relatively cheap to keep on your team.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think with Bilal, it's like, okay, you know, if he yeah, obviously he's not gonna have the ball as much this season, but it's like he could be so much just cleaner as a player, you know, if he's like in the role, I guess, who was supposed to be in. And it's like, if that happens, could he get a like deal like Bryson was saying, like uh Case and Wallace is about to get, you know, but like next offseason, you know, if he like really goes off, you know what I mean? It's like it's possible. I I think he has the skill to get Casey Wallace money at some point in his career, you know.
SPEAKER_00And even then, some people have said that um 25 million annually might be a little bit of an underpayment for Case and Wallace.
SPEAKER_02That's actually interesting. Like, I I I do think Bilal could get 25 a year if you have a great season next year and then signs next off season. You know what I mean? I'm I'm not saying you know that's that's like a lot of ifs, but it it I think it's possible. And Balal might, but hey, what am I really losing by just waiting? I'm gonna make at least the same amount later.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. If March Bilal is just Bilal, then then there's your money. The paycheck's gonna be waiting for you to sign it.
unknownRight.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. My my only issue with doing that is I would rather it be done this offseason. Um, because if you wait, uh this is a great point to kind of end up on as well. Um, if you wait, and let's say he does go out there, let's say he has a career year where he makes his way into the starting lineup because his offense has really taken a step, and he's averaging like 14 points a game with three stocks on some good efficiency as well. All right. All of a sudden, he's a player where it's like, shoot, some teams might be willing to pay him that Caseon Wallace money, but do we want to pay him that Casey Wallace money? Because it limits us with roster building as well in the future. Where it does make it a little bit harder to feasibly keep him. But I know we mentioned, you know, you're not gonna be able to keep everyone, but I feel like Bilal is one of those players you want to try to keep because of how good he is on defense.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think it's kind of the thing where it's like, okay, you know, the Wizards should have like a point where they say, all right, we'll give you 17 million a year at most. If you want more than that this offseason, you know, we're just gonna have to wait. You know what I mean? It's just like give him a price point, and it's like if it does come to that, I know, you know, like you said, rising waiting is not ideal, but you you shouldn't cave to like 20 plus million a year right now just because of a theory, you know, that he can go off, right? Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Again, your leverage is just one month at the end of the season, right?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and we we don't agree on what the max he should be making is. I think 20 million right now is the max that I think you offer him at the moment, just because that is still manageable in a trades down the line, b salary-wise, it's really not taking a lot from you for flexibility down the road. And so it's just one of those things where that contract, it's still gonna work out very well for him, either in a trade down the line or just roster building. And I think he, you know, is worth the 20 million maximum, is what I would give him. But like we mentioned, it's probably be closer in the 17 million range um with this new Casey Wallace report. Because if that because if Casey Wallace is getting 25 million annually, Bawal's probably not getting 20 million at the moment.
SPEAKER_01And after the Trey Young and uh deal and the AD extension talks, Wizards fans could could really use just like a break in the just getting getting a cheap deal here and there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah. It's just I I just I like I've mentioned my bottom line is I'd rather get the extension done this offseason rather than wait until restrict a free agency because like I said, you run the chance of him really breaking out and becoming a player you can't afford anymore because then you sacrifice you know, potentially keeping one of Trey Johnson or Keyshawn George down the line, uh especially if they continue to break out. So it's just one of those things that's a tricky situation, but knowing what some other players from his draft class that are better, you know, that have shown more at least at the moment, uh, than Bilal has, it is a good sign to kind of keep in mind is like, hey, now we kind of have a you know grasp of what an extension can look like for him. Definitely. And so, but that's really all we got. Anything you guys want to finish on, real quick?
SPEAKER_02I would say just you know, I don't want to jump out the window and say AD's definitely getting signed. You know what I mean? I still want to slow play and see what's up.
SPEAKER_01Stop racing for it.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I think I I think they'll definitely talk. And you know, I'm there's definitely gonna be talks. They they've talked about stuff already, and that's probably why AD is like all like you know, chill and happy right now. But that doesn't mean that they promised him a max either. So let's just see.
SPEAKER_00We'll we'll we'll see what happens. Um, no guarantee on a max deal, no guarantee he even stays in Washington long term. And so we'll see. Henry, you have anything?
SPEAKER_01That's it. I emptied my tank. I'm excited. Um, but I'm also assuming we don't get anything juicy for a bit of it. Because every time I assume that, I get something fast by by lowering my guard. Like every time I go out to like get some food, it happens while I'm in the drive thru or while I'm at work. So I'm just gonna assume nothing's gonna happen and everything will. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01All right.
SPEAKER_00Well, that's all we got for you guys. Thank you for tuning in and listening as always, and we'll see you in the next one. Peace.