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Washington Wizards center Marvin Bagley III, recently traded from the Detroit Pistons, shined in his debut. Despite losing to the New York Knicks 113-119 on Thursday night, Bagley tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds (season-high). The No. 2 pick in the 2018 NBA draft started in place of starter Daniel Gafford, who is currently in concussion protocol.
Bagley also contributed three blocks, two steals, and two assists. The former Piston played 39 minutes (most on the team) and was the second-leading scorer for Washington behind Jordan Poole (24 points). One of the many perks of the Wizards trading for Bagley was his high energy and ability to be effective on both ends of the court.
Wizards’ Marvin Bagley III Shined in Washington Debut
How Marvin Bagley III Shined
Blocked by Bagley
2 blocks for Marvin to end Q3 tonight.
pic.twitter.com/G0RHSTHl1f
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 19, 2024
In the video above, Bagley showcased flashes of being a decent rim protector and interior defender. In the first snippet of the video, Julius Randle backs down the smaller Bilal Coulibaly and gets to the rim. Bagley is down low, responsible for Isaiah Hartenstein. Once Randle spins off Coulibaly, Bagley times the jump perfectly and swats the shot attempt.
In the second snippet, Bagley again helps on a successful Randle spin move in the paint. He times the jump perfectly and denies another two points from Randle. If Bagley doesn’t react in time, Randle scores easily in both clips.
The one aspect that Bagley struggled with was the free throw line (0-5). The contest’s outcome could have been different if he cashed in on those free throw attempts. However, the former Duke Blue Devil proved why Wizards general manager Will Dawkins made the right move to acquire him.
Isaiah Livers, a part of the trade package with Bagley, did not suit up against the Knicks.
After the loss, the Wizards are now 7-33 and in 14th place in the Eastern Conference. The season has been rough for head coach Wes Unseld Jr. and his team. Washington has won only four games out of 26 since December 1st.
Upcoming Big Men Matchups for The Wizards
Gafford has been listed as questionable for the Wizards’ next contest against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. It remains to be seen if he suits up after Saturday’s affair.
Vs. San Antonio Spurs (January 20th)
Washington was formidable in the rebounding battle against the Knicks despite center Hartenstein grabbing 17 rebounds. The next big man that awaits the Wizards is arguably the most hyped NBA prospect in history, Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs rank 22nd in the league in rebounding and sport a 7-34 record. Wembanyama averages 19.8 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks in his freshman season in the NBA. Bagley will have his hands full since Wembanyama can play inside and outside the paint. The Spurs visit D.C. on Saturday night.
Vs. Denver Nuggets (January 21st)
Nikola Jokic is widely regarded as the best player in the world after securing an NBA championship this past June. The two-time NBA MVP averages 25.5 points, 9.1 assists and 11.9 rebounds for the Denver Nuggets. As a team, they rank 13th in the league in rebounding (43.8 per game). Forwards Aaron Gordon (6.6 rebounds) and Michael Porter Jr. (7.1 rebounds) also contribute to the rebounding department. Gordon’s athleticism and tenacity help him become effective on both ends, especially defensively. Porter Jr. is a decent defender and is dangerous from deep (119 made three-pointers, leading the team). Wizards forwards Deni Avdija and Kyle Kuzma must help crash the boards immensely and produce on the offensive end to keep pace. This matchup against Jokic will be Bagley’s biggest test as he looks to live up to his draft status in his new home.
Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (January 24th)
Washington will welcome the current No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, the Minnesota Timberwolves, to D.C. on Wednesday night. Big men Karl-Anthony Towns (8.8 rebounds per game) and Rudy Gobert (12.4 rebounds per game) will look to take over the paint against the last-ranked rebounding team in the NBA. Gobert is one of the league’s best interior defenders and rebounders but is limited offensively. Towns can play in and out, and his defense has improved immensely this season. Bagley and the Wizards cannot afford to have one-and-done possessions going up against two premier big men in the NBA. Bagley and Gafford (if healthy) will have to be assertive early and set the tone.
The Last Word
Bagley stood out the most for the Wizards on Thursday. He contributed heavily in the rebounding battle between the teams ( 47-Knicks, 46-Wizards), was efficient from the field (62.5%), and was solid defensively. As of now, it looks as though he is the starter until Gafford returns. If Bagley can stay consistent going forward, he could find himself being the full-time starter in Washington and be effective for this upcoming gauntlet against highly talented big men.
More must-reads:
- Celtics' moves suggest new guard will be traded — eventually
- Kevin Love reportedly has preferred buyout destination
- The 'NBA playoff point-per-game leaders' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Celtics' moves suggest new guard will be traded — eventually
The Boston Celtics got under the second luxury-tax apron by trading Georges Niang to the Utah Jazz Tuesday. The move also gives them a huge incentive to deal their most expensive new player. The Celtics have dramatically reduced their payroll in the wake of Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury. With their superstar unlikely to play in 2025-26, the Celtics traded away starters Jrue Holiday ($94.4M for three years, plus a $37.2M player option in 2027-28) and Kristaps Porzingis ($30.7M next season). They also let Luke Kornet ($2.8M) leave as a free agent, and Al Horford ($9.5M) is almost certainly gone as well. They received Georges Niang ($8.2M) in the Porzingis deal, but traded him Tuesday for undrafted R.J. Luis Jr., a rookie on a two-way deal. That effectively takes Niang's full salary of their books and gets them under the second luxury-tax apron, freeing them from the penalties and restrictions that go along with second-apron status. According to cap expert Yossi Gozlan, the Celtics have saved a whopping $286M in salary and taxes with their moves. Still, the team can reap a larger long-term reward by dropping below the luxury tax entirely, which requires reducing their payroll by just over $12M more. The Celtics don't seem inclined to trade Jaylen Brown, Derrick White or Payton Pritchard, wanting to keep some core members of their 2024 title team together for Tatum's return. Sam Hauser is on an affordable four-year, $45M deal, but losing his $10M salary wouldn't get them under the tax line. That's why Anfernee Simons, acquired in the Holiday trade, is likely not long for Boston. The 26-year-old guard makes $27.7M in the last year of his contract, making him the perfect trade piece to get Boston under the luxury tax. Not only would getting under the tax line free the Celtics of their tax obligations and save them as much as $40M, but it would make them eligible to share in the money from tax-paying teams. The Celtics would also be able to avoid the dreaded repeater tax penalties, which make every dollar over the luxury-tax number progressively more expensive every year a team stays over the tax line. This doesn't mean Simons is going to be traded this summer. Boston has until the Feb. 5 trade deadline to move Simons, since luxury tax is calculated on the team's total payroll the last day of the season. But given the massive savings they'd get back from losing Simons' salary, it seems inevitable. The Celtics have lost a lot of talent this summer, but they've saved a tremendous amount of money in the process. They might have to attach draft capital to get off Simons' deal, but if he plays well in Boston, he might even bring back something in a trade next season. Tatum's injury threw a huge wrench in the Celtics' plans. If they can use this season to get under the luxury tax, they'll have the flexibility to reload and contend again when their star is back in a year.
Cowboys' problem with Micah Parsons may hand Steelers a franchise QB
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the most-talked-about NFL organizations throughout the course of the 2025 offseason. One of the biggest headlines that was attached to the franchise involved a rare May trade that sent George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys. Many expected the wide receiver to be dealt before or during the NFL Draft, but after a move didn't occur, it was believed that he would play out the final year of his rookie contract in the Steel City. Now, he is teaming up with CeeDee Lamb in the NFC, and a duo has been formed that could be very dangerous. Unfortunately for fans of the Cowboys, the two wide receivers have not been the talk of Dallas' training camp. Team owner Jerry Jones is playing hardball with edge-rusher Micah Parsons, and the talented defender recently requested a trade. The decision not to pay Parsons yet has left Jones under intense scrutiny, given the fact that the pass-rusher is one of the league's best. Jones' recent comments also show how dysfunctional the situation has become. In a recent appearance on ESPN's "Get Up," respected analyst Dan Orlovsky found a way to relate Parsons' situation to quarterback Dak Prescott, insinuating that if Jones does indeed trade Parsons, Prescott's Super Bowl window in Dallas would close. "If they trade [Parsons], and I don't think they do, if they trade him, it declares the Dak Prescott era over," Orlovsky said. "This team has no shot of winning a Super Bowl without Micah Parsons. No shot, and if you're doing it, it's to acquire a ton of first-round picks, so you have the ammunition to go get an Arch Manning of the future." The Steelers are set to have 12 draft picks in 2026, which gives the front office plenty of options when it comes to bringing in the next franchise quarterback. Instead of drafting one, however, could an available Prescott be a target for general manager Omar Khan? Orlovsky believes trading Parsons away would upset the Cowboys' best players. "There's no way that you can go to your locker room with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, some of the first-round picks you have on your offensive line, Trevon Diggs, and go, 'Hey, go beat Philadelphia when you don't have Micah Parsons. Go beat the Rams when you don't have Micah Parsons.' Your locker room will sit there and go like, 'Oh, well you've obviously moved on, so we're going to start our process of moving on as well.'" Any team interested in acquiring Prescott would have to take a long look at his contract. Some of the cap hits are astronomical in the coming years, but Khan is known to be a guru when it comes to the finances in deals. There's no reason to believe that he couldn't make something work for Prescott if a trade were to happen during the 2026 offseason. Fans in Dallas shouldn't be panicking just yet, but there were already some rumors about Prescott's long-term position with the Cowboys during the 2025 offseason. Certain reports were eventually debunked because it was quite literally impossible for Jones to entertain the idea of dealing Prescott after the franchise altered the quarterback's contract. Prescott has a no-trade clause, but that can always be waived, especially if he is upset about how Jones moves forward. If the Cowboys trade Parsons and pick up a plethora of draft capital, and then go on to invest in a first-round signal-caller, Prescott may be requesting to be traded as well. That's a long way away from happening, but the Steelers immediately come to mind as a team that would likely be interested. The Steelers' best-case scenario would be the emergence of Will Howard It's not easy to make a name for oneself in the NFL, and it's even tougher for players like Will Howard who were drafted in the sixth round. Pittsburgh will be in the quarterback market once again in 2026 if Aaron Rodgers is serious about retirement, so it would be a fantastic development if Howard solidifies himself as the next starter in the Steel City.
Green Bay Packers: Tucker Kraft Shares Concern Level on Issue That Nearly Became a Bigger Problem
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft has been among the many players on the team who got banged up at training camp. Tucker missed a couple of practice sessions with a lower-body injury, including last Saturday’s Packers Family Night. But on Tuesday, Kraft finally returned to practice, as the off-day on Sunday got him extra time to rest up. Kraft’s appearance on the field on Tuesday was an encouraging sight for the team and Green Bay fans, especially with the 2025 NFL season just weeks away. The former South Dakota State Jackrabbits star is widely regarded as an important piece in the Packers’ passing attack, with many expecting him to make another big leap in 2025. He had 355 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 31 catches and 40 targets in his rookie season in 2023, when he produced 707 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 50 receptions and 70 targets. Green Bay Packers TE Tucker Kraft not worried about groin injury Concerns about Kraft’s groin injury have been quelled not just by his appearance on the field but also by what he said on Tuesday. Via Packers reporter Rob Demovsky of ESPN: TE Tucker Kraft, who missed two practices because of a groin injury, returned on Tuesday. Said Kraft: “I realized I better just get this to calm down before it turns into something big. You guys saw me out there today practicing. Everything’s good.” It will be interesting to see whether Kraft will get some snaps this coming Saturday when the Packers take on the New York Jets at home in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL preseason, though, he’s probably just going to see a handful of them at the most if he plays at all.
Jalen Milroe Surges Past Former NFL Starter on First Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart
Despite being viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe ended up sliding into the third round. The 22-year-old who was the starter for Alabama for two seasons was selected with the No. 92 pick by the Seattle Seahawks. Although every player's dream is to go in the first round, Milroe likely couldn't have gone to a better situation. There is virtually no pressure on him as the Seahawks signed former Minnesota Vikings quarterback, Sam Darnold, to a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason, and also have Drew Lock, who has started 28 career games on the roster as well. However, based on ESPN's initial depth chart, Milroe may be climbing the depth chart sooner than most expected. Seattle Seahawks Depth Chart As reported by ESPN, the Seahawks depth chart goes as follows: QB1: Sam Darnold QB2 Jalen Milroe QB3 Drew Lock If this truly ends up being the case, Milroe has taken major strides following his final season at Alabama. During his final year in Tuscaloosa, Milroe was criticized heavily for forcing passes into windows that weren't there after being late on reads. In his final season at Alabama, Milroe threw a career-high 11 interceptions to just 16 touchdowns, an increase of five more interceptions than he threw in 2023. Although training camp is still ongoing and the preseason games have yet to be played, clearly, Milroe is finding some success in the pacific northwest.
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