Inside The Wizards

Wizards Could Sign Former Pistons Center

The Washington Wizards could look to add to their frontcourt.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) shoots over Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Dec 12, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Paul Reed (7) shoots over Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are a rebuilding team, which means that they need to look in every nook and cranny to try and improve the squad.

A new player has recently hit waivers and he could be of interest to the Wizards.

According to ESPN insider Shams Charania, the Detroit Pistons have waived big man Paul Reed.

"The Detroit Pistons are waiving center Paul Reed, sources tell ESPN. In 12 games, Reed has averaged 4.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 10 minutes. The move was made to give Detroit roster and salary flexibility with the NBA trade deadline less than two months away," Charania tweeted.

Reed, 25, originally came into the league as the No. 58 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he spent his first four seasons in the league.

With the Sixers, Reed established himself as a true prospect, averaging 5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game for the team across four seasons. Last year with the Sixers, Reed played in every game and even made 24 starts.

Now, Reed is looking for a new home, and the Wizards could make sense for the fifth-year pro out of DePaul.

While Jonas Valanciunas and Alex Sarr have the frontcourt on lock, adding a 25-year-old in Reed could give the Wizards the right combination of youth and experience.

If the Wizards claimed Reed off waivers, it would count for about $7.7 million towards the team's cap space, so it's more likely for the team to sign him to a deal as opposed to a claim.

Bringing Reed aboard would also force the Wizards to either make a trade or release somebody. While Valanciunas is eligible to be traded now, chances are that the team would cut a player like Richaun Holmes if they were to try and add Reed.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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