Grade the deal: Wizards, guard Gary Neal agree to one-year contract
The Washington Wizards and guard Gary Neal have agreed to a one-year, $2.1 million deal, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Neal finished last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who acquired him in a February trade with the Charlotte Hornets.
The 30-year-old had previous stints with the Milwaukee Bucks and San Antonio Spurs.
Over 54 games in 2014-15, Neal averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 37.4% from the field.
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Meanwhile, the Wizards reportedly are pursuing free-agent power forward David West.
Analysis
What makes the Neal signing especially palatable for the Wizards is that they’ve already added a positionally versatile forward to fill the Paul Pierce void with their trade for Jared Dudley and will maintain their full mid-level exception (worth $5.4 million) to use in further improving their roster this summer. Neal, then, gives Washington another shooter and part-time ball handler without much in the way of opportunity cost. How he’s used will go a long way in deciding Neal’s value, though his activity off the ball and quick-fire shooting should make him a welcome accessory to John Wall’s playmaking. — Rob Mahoney
