Last week, I predicted the Wizards to finish 8th in the Eastern Conference. I fully stand by that prediction, and the addition of Gortat certainly is an improvement over Emeka Okafor. This brings Washington's depth chart to look like this:
1 Wall/Maynor
2 Beal/Webster/Temple/Rice Jr.
3 Porter/Ariza/Singleton
4 Seraphin/Booker/Vesely/Harrington
5 Gortat/Nene
This looks like a bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture at best. The team does not have much cap flexibility, and gave up a valuable draft choice- 2014 top 12 protected- to get marginally better. It seems like a move Ernie Grunfield has made to save his job. Okafor was not likely going to play a big part of the Wizards rotation this season, and Gortat is immediately their best rebounder and interior defender. His strengths in the pick and roll game on both sides of the ball will help John Wall's development into the 20 point scorer and max-level player they need him to be.
I love this deal from the Suns standpoint. This team is not going to win many games, and is destined to be picking high in the lottery next year, where the draft class has league executives drooling. Alex Len likely assumes a starting role, and has a chance to play through any growing pains he may have. Phoenix is loaded with picks in the next draft and made another really smart move today by dealing Gortat.
Grades: Phoenix: A, Washington: C-
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