Wizards trade Okafor to Suns for Gortat
Washington hopes center’s presence in the middle boosts playoff chances
WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards needed only a month’s worth of practices and seven exhibition games to realize they needed more size if they were going to make a serious push for the postseason. With Emeka Okafor sidelined indefinitely with a herniated disk in his neck, Nene reluctantly moved over to center and the Wizards were unable to find a suitable replacement in the starting lineup with Jan Vesely or Trevor Booker.
Facing a playoffs-or-else edict from owner Ted Leonsis, the Wizards didn’t want to enter the NBA regular season without addressing their concerns, and president Ernie Grunfeld executed a trade Friday that sacrifices part of the future to make them relevant in the present.
The Wizards shipped the injured Okafor — and his $14.5 million expiring contract — and a protected 2014 firstround draft pick to the Phoenix Suns for veteran big man Marcin Gortat, Shannon Brown, Malcolm Lee and Kendall Marshall, a former standout at Bishop O’Connell in Arlington, Va. The draft pick is protected through the No. 12 selection.
Gortat is the only piece that mattered to the Wizards, who plan to waive Brown, Lee and Marshall, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.
A 6-foot-11 center, Gortat has averaged 8.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in seven seasons with the Orlando Magic and Phoenix. He averaged 11.1 points and 8.5 rebounds for the Suns last season. Despite missing the last 21 games with a right foot injury, Gortat played for his native Poland in the European championship tournament this summer.
“We have solidified our frontcourt by adding a player who has established himself as a very consistent and productive inside presence over the last three seasons,” Grunfeld said in a team-issued statement. “Marcin’s ability to rebound, defend and score will allow us to continue where we left off last season and pushes us further toward our goal of becoming a playoff team.”
Gortat, 29, is in the last year of a contract that will pay him $7.7 million this season. While playing with former league Most Valuable Player Steve Nash two seasons ago, Gortat averaged a double double with 15.4 points and 10 rebounds. He became expendable in June when new Suns general manager Ryan McDonough selected former Maryland big man Alex Len with the fifth overall pick in the NBA draft.
Nene never hid his hesitance to play center, given the stress that his feet and knees have already taken and the Wizards’ young big men — Vesely, Booker and Kevin Seraphin — hadn’t developed into dependable options alongside him.
The Wizards had been in discussions with the Suns about a possible deal for the past few weeks, but the conversations intensified with Wednesday’s regularseason opener approaching. Grunfeld stressed that the deal was more about filling a need than an indictment of their shortcomings.
“We needed size. And Gortat is not just size. He’s good size. He’s a talented guy,” Grunfeld said in a phone interview. “We felt it would be really a good opportunity to fortify our front line.”
The trade certainly signified that the Wizards lacked confidence in Okafor making a return anytime soon.He has been out since late September and he was an instrumental piece in the Wizards’ defense.