Washington Wizards to Trade Marcin Gortat This Offseason?
Marcin Gortat has been really consistent since he was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2013 and he has helped transform the team into a contender in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, the team fell short once again in the playoffs and some changes had to be made in the offseason.
During the exit interviews earlier this week, Gortat admitted that he might be the odd man out this summer if the Wizards decide to shake things up.
"I know how this business works. I'm the oldest guy on the team, they signed Ian, also, he's younger than me, he got a longer contract. I just know how the business works, so I'm prepared for everything, just in case," Gortat said, according to The Washington Post.
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The Polish big man also talked about how his role has diminished since the league has shifted toward a small-ball style of play that favors speed and quickness of size.
"I feel like this year it was me doing a lot of sacrificing. I got one of the most underappreciated positions in the NBA. Nobody respects centers anymore. Nobody looks at them as a valuable piece. I've been doing a lot of things for the team to win," Gortat stated, via CSN Mid-Atlantic.
He doesn't score a lot, but he does a lot of things that won't show up in the stat sheets. While he doesn't block many shots, Gortat is actually a very good interior defender. He's also a terrific screener. If there's a statistic that keeps track of screens per game Gortat will probably be on top of that list. And don't forget he's averaging double-digit rebounds this season. Gortat is already 33, but he's showing no signs of slowing down right now.
The team may let him go this offseason if they get too close to the luxury-tax threshold, but Gortat always did his best with the Wizards.
