Wizards Match Nets' Offer Sheet For Otto Porter Jr.
WASHINGTON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Washington Wizards have matched the Brooklyn Nets' $106 million, four-year offer sheet to keep forward Otto Porter Jr.
General manager Ernie Grunfeld announced the move Thursday. Under NBA rules, the Wizards had two days to match Brooklyn's offer sheet for the 24-year-old restricted free agent.
Porter becomes Washington's highest-paid player for the time being, ahead of guards Bradley Beal and John Wall. He set career highs with 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.5 steals and shooting and 3-point percentages of .516 and .434 last season, his fourth as a professional.
The Wizards drafted Porter third overall in 2013 out of Georgetown. Grunfeld said Porter, who has averaged 9.3 points a game in his career, has developed into a vital part of the team's young core.
The restricted free agency game has not been kind to the Nets under general manager Sean Marks. Last season, Brooklyn signed restricted free agents Tyler Johnson of the Heat and Allen Crabbe of the Trail Blazers to offer sheets, which were matched by their teams. The Nets tried again in December, signing Rockets holdout Donatas Motiejunas to an offer, only for it to be matched as well.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
