Davis Bertans To Sit Out NBA Restart
June 22nd 2020 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams
Wizards forward Davis Bertans has decided to sit out when the NBA resumes its season next month, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).
As Wojnarowski notes, Bertans has suffered a pair of ACL injuries in the past and will be entering free agency this offseason on the heels of a career year. It's not clear whether Bertans has any additional safety concerns related to COVID-19, but if he suffers an injury this summer, it could diminish his value as he seeks a new contract in the coming months.
Of course, it's also worth noting that – with or without Bertans – the Wizards aren't exactly championship contenders. Already missing star point guard John Wall, Washington will enter the restart trailing the Magic for the No. 8 seed in the East by 5.5 games. In order to earn a playoff spot, the Wizards would have to gain at least two games on Orlando or Brooklyn during the eight seeding contests, then win two consecutive games in a play-in tournament.
According to Wojnarowski, the Wizards "fully support" Bertans' decision, which is viewed as a preventative measure. The veteran sharpshooter is still expected to participate in pre-Orlando training with the team, Woj adds.
Bertans, 27, averaged a career-best 15.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 54 games (29.3 MPG) during his first season as a Wizard, making an impressive 42.4% of 8.7 three-point attempts per game. The Wizards, who turned down offers for Bertans at the trade deadline in February, view re-signing him as a top offseason priority, says Wojnarowski.
As for the short term, the Wizards will be eligible to sign a substitute player to replace Bertans in Orlando, without needing to open up a roster spot for that replacement. Once the franchise signs a substitute, Bertans would become ineligible to return this season.
Bertans will also forfeit 1/92.6th of his salary for each game he misses this summer — based on his $7MM salary for 2019/20, that would normally work out to about $605K for eight games. However, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that the actual figure will likely be close to $520K, since it will take into account previous reductions.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Davis Bertans
16 thoughts on "Davis Bertans To Sit Out NBA Restart"
Gary • 7 months ago
Smart move. I like Bertans I think he's a very underrated player.
cleve1969 • 7 months ago
SASpurs should have never traded him …
I give no fox • 7 months ago
You can thank Marcus Morris for that
harden-westbrook-mvps • 7 months ago
It's really a no-brainer. Washington is 5 1/2 games behind Orlando for the #8 seed and they're only going to play 8 more games. Bertans is in line for a big contract in free agency.
greg1 • 7 months ago
Every time I see something like this I think more and more that the NBA should just cancel this season and just get ready for next year.
Between players not wanting to take a chance of getting injured, wanting to spend time campaigning for social justice and concerns over COVID, is any team going to be able to field their true lineups?
Imagine Kris Middleton decides he does not want to take his chance of catching COVID, Lou Will wants to focus on social justice and Fred VanVleet decides he wants to avoid injury before FA. Who wants to watch the Raptors try to defend their title with 2-3 players out of their lineup, replaced by G-Leaguers? What if a Superstar like AD decides to sit out for whatever the reason?
I think we call time of death on the year and hope that by next November/December that there is a vaccine for COVID, and players have been able to affect social change.
brian_james • 7 months ago
He's not sitting out because of Covid, he's sitting out because he has nothing to play for
Luckylefty2 • 7 months ago
Its so frustrating explaining this to a million people. If they sit out they NBA will use the force Majeure & re-write a new CBA. Guys who are up for big contracts/extensions will not be sitting out because they will lose alot of money on their next contracts.
x%sure • 7 months ago
America has to plough on, vaccine or not.
Given the number of players who got rested, the number missing from no-showing probably will be about the same as than the number who annually get injured or are just banged up.
But finding out about such things is part of the fun.
The Wizards should not even be invited.
jessaumodesto • 7 months ago
Noooooooo! Why!!!!!?
Also was this his choice or the coaches decision?
chamberlain6 • 7 months ago
it literally says in the first line, he decided to sit out…
mlbnyyfan • 7 months ago
The only teams who possibly have a chance Lakers/Clippers in the West Bucks/Raptors in the East. Let's just have it NCAA style a final four. One and done or play best of 3 game series.
wagner13 • 7 months ago
I would argue the opposite. A shorter rampup period and limited set of games gives a wider collection of teams a chance to compete. Furthermore, there's practically no homecourt advantage and it's definitely not a forgone conclusion any of those teams would make it anyway. The Celtics and Heat are more than capable in the east, while the Nuggets and Rockets pose as viable threats in the west. This isn't 2016, when the Cavs and Warriors were the only teams with a shot
Whatever. I'm sure that either Boston, Miami, Denver, Utah, or Houston will prove that's wrong. The Bucks have a lot less competition to deal with, while the Lakers and Clippers will both have to fight against a ton of talented players in the loaded West.
El Don • 7 months ago
So Davis doesn't wanna risk an injury so he can get paid more, right? If I was a GM I would be very wary of signing a guy who is more interested in getting paid than in playing, just saying!
Lionel Muggeridge • 7 months ago
He also does little on the court but shoot. Poor rebounder and defender
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