Washington Wizards To Sign Three Players Ahead Of Training Camp

The Washington Wizards are expected to sign Kira Lewis, Jaylen Nowell and Leaky Black to battle it out for roster spots.

Mar 4, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; A detail view of a basketball on the court between the Utah Jazz and the Washington Wizards during the second half at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Creveling-USA TODAY Sports

The Wizards have reached agreements with free agents Kira Lewis, Jaylen Nowell and Leaky Black per Josh Robbins and Shams Charania.

According to both Robbins and Charania, the young players will sign Exhibit 10 contracts with the Wizards and will be given an opportunity to compete in training camp for regular season roster spots.

Here's a breakdown of all three players per hoopsrumors.com.

Mar 23, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz guard Kira Lewis Jr. (13) drives to the basket against the Houston Rockets during the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports / Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Lewis, 23, was the 13th overall pick in the 2020 draft, but only appeared in 131 games across his first four NBA seasons due in large part to injuries, including a torn ACL he suffered during the 2021/22 season. The 6-1 guard has averaged 5.2 points and 1.8 assists in 13.3 minutes per game for the Pelicans, Raptors, and Jazz. Last season, he was traded three times – from New Orleans to Indiana to Toronto to Utah – before reaching unrestricted free agency when the Jazz declined to issue a qualifying offer.

Apr 9, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Jaylen Nowell (20) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Nowell, a 6-4 shooting guard, spent his first four NBA seasons in Minnesota from 2019-23, averaging 9.1 points per game on .447/.322/.798 shooting in 184 appearances for the Timberwolves. Despite showing promise as a scorer, Nowell was unable to find a regular NBA job last season — he was waived by Sacramento ahead of opening night, then signed two 10-day contracts apiece with the Grizzlies and Pistons during the season. The 25-year-old spend most of the 2023/24 campaign with the Stockton Kings in the G League.

Feb 7, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Leaky Black (12) looks to pass through the defense of Toronto Raptors guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the first half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports / Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports

Black, 25, spent his rookie season with the Hornets after going undrafted out of UNC in 2023. The 6-6 forward saw limited action in 26 NBA games while on a two-way contract with Charlotte. He played a larger role for the Greensboro Swarm in the NBAGL, posting averages of 7.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 2.1 APG in 24.8 MPG across 25 total Showcase Cup and regular season outings. His two-way deal covered two seasons, but he was waived by the Hornets about four weeks ago.

Hoopsrumors.com also does a great job breaking down the potential contract situations for each new signee.

Exhibit 10 contracts allow players to earn bonuses worth up to $77.5K if they’re waived by their NBA teams and then spend at least 60 days with the club’s G League affiliate, so it’s possible Lewis, Nowell, and/or Black will end up playing for the Capital City Go-Go. Exhibit 10 deals can also be converted to two-way contracts prior to opening night, but Lewis and Nowell have more than three years of NBA service and are therefore ineligible to be two-way players.

The Wizards currently have 16 players on standard contracts (15 guaranteed), with a pair on two-way deals. While Black figures to be in the mix for the team’s open two-way slot, it will be an uphill battle for Lewis or Nowell to make the standard regular season roster unless Washington intends to trade or waive a player with a guaranteed contract.