Porzingis ‘definitely’ interested in staying with Wizards originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
WASHINGTON — Wizards president Tommy Sheppard answered the question before it was even finished at Monday’s end-of-season press conference, as he reiterated the team’s intention to re-sign not only Kyle Kuzma this offseason but also Kristaps Porzingis if he decides to opt out of his contract.
Given that, Sheppard may be pleased to hear what those players are saying about the matter. Kuzma said on Saturday he “100 percent” sees the Wizards as a viable option and now two days later Porzingis has said he “definitely” would be interested in re-signing with Washington if he decides to opt-out.
Porzingis said he will meet with his agents on Tuesday to begin the process of making that decision. By opting out he could try to strike while the iron is hot after a season where he averaged a career-high 23.2 points and played his most games (65) in five years. Porzingis also shot a career-best 49.8% from the field and, accounting for his threes, held a career-high 56.5 effective field goal percentage.
If he does opt out, Porzingis says the Wizards are well-positioned to keep him.
“I feel at home here. Believe it or not, I love the city. I know a lot of people are saying it’s not a sexy destination for a lot of free agents, but I really like the city,” Porzingis explained.
“Just seeing how people are around the organization, especially people at the top, how proactive they are and I see how the willingness to get this to a better place, that in my eyes has a lot of value. That kind of gets me excited, so I’m looking forward to what’s coming and hopefully, we have some clarity soon.”
Late in the regular season, it was reported by the Athletic that Porzingis and the Wizards were negotiating a contract extension. At this point, there appears to be considerable interest from both sides to get a deal done.
The deadline for Porzingis to decide on his player option is June 23. Free agency opens on June 30 and, if he opts out, Porzingis could become an unrestricted free agent.
The same goes for Kuzma, though his player option being declined is more straightforward given he’s due less money ($13 million) than Porzingis. Whether he’s negotiating to re-sign one or both of them, Sheppard says part of his pitch will center around the team’s plans to build a consistent winner.
“Certainly with those guys, they have options to go other places and if they choose to be here, they will want to be here because they know they can win. I think that’s really important,” Sheppard said.
The Wizards have a strong track record of retaining the top players they want to keep. Kuzma and possibly Porzingis are next and each of them appear to view the Wizards’ chances favorably.
