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NBA: Teams That Should Trade For Marcin Gortat

By Maxwell Ogden

Apr 8, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) reacts to a call during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win 112-99. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) reacts to a call during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win 112-99. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Wizards have signed free agent center Ian Mahinmi. That makes Marcin Gortat the odd man out.

Apr 8, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) reacts to a call during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win 112-99. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Washington Wizards center Marcin Gortat (13) reacts to a call during the third quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons win 112-99. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Over the past three seasons, Marcin Gortat has been the epitome of consistency for the Washington Wizards. A nightly double-double threat, Gortat has become a fan favorite due to his personality, toughness, and efficiency.

On Saturday, July 2, however, Gortat was dealt a hand that could make him the odd man out in Washington.

Washington committed to its backcourt duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal by handing the latter guard a $130 million contract. The Wizards also acquired Markieff Morris at the 2016 NBA Trade Deadline, thus creating the necessary floor-spacing from the 4.

According to Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post, the Wizards have taken the roster reloading a step further by handing Ian Mahinmi a four-year contract worth $64 million.

That beckons the biggest sports-related question in Washington: what does that mean for Gortat?

Gortat has three years and $38,347,827 remaining on his current contract. That’s pocket change by today’s standards, but it’s also reason to believe that the Wizards will consider trading him at some point in the near future.

Rather than thinking of this as replacing Gortat with Mahinmi, realize that Washington has a chance to add Mahinmi plus the assets that Gortat would net in a trade.

By keeping both players on the roster, the Wizards would have a combined $102,347,827 invested in two centers who are stylistically incompatible. That may have been acceptable in a previous era, but in modern times, it doesn’t compute.

The question is, if the Wizards are willing to trade Gortat, then which teams should make a move to acquire Gortat’s services?

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