With the WNBA offseason comes change, but sometimes, that change can shake a franchise’s future. If the Washington Mystics don’t figure things out quickly, their situation will turn into a dumpster fire, and that is not where they want to be.
The 2023 season was not very kind to Washington. The franchise was plagued by many injuries, including significant injuries to Elena Delle Donne, Kristi Toliver and Shakira Austin. Still, Washington was riding confidently into the postseason, supported by a gutsy last-second heave from Brittney Sykes to beat the New York Liberty during their last regular season game — only to lose to New York in the first round just days later.
In December 2023, Kristi Toliver retired, opting to become the associate head coach for the Phoenix Mercury. Owner Ted Leonsis also unveiled plans that could potentially uproot the Mystics to Capital One Arena, leaving them vulnerable to poor attendance records. But the pain doesn’t stop there.
This month, there were franchise-shifting moves. Natasha Cloud signed with the Mercury (where Toliver is now on staff), and on February 7, news broke that Elena Delle Donne is stepping away from basketball.
Breaking: Two-time WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne has decided to take some time away from basketball and does not intend to sign the one-year super max offer from the Mystics, sources told @ramonashelburne. pic.twitter.com/0Wdf4zLtly
As we’ve seen with the Chicago Sky this offseason, things can change very quickly. Like Chicago, it’s hard to understand where Washington is going, and they almost certainly look like a dumpster fire waiting to happen. Perhaps these are the first steps to rebuilding and a sign of things to come. But if they aren’t, fans are not going to be happy with the shaky foundation ownership has seemingly created.
Well, at least Washington fans have the Wizards to fall back on — oh no!
“You can’t take the team out of D.C.,” Bradley Beal said.
The Washington Wizards and Capitals are planning to move out of D.C. and across the Potomac River to Alexandria, Virginia and into a 70-acre “entertainment district” set to be completed by 2028.
And former Wizard Bradley Beal, like many D.C. sports fans, would prefer his old team stay in the city it represents, which is extremely reasonable and fair. Should the Wizards and Capitals leave Washington, they’d join the Commanders as D.C. teams not actually based in D.C.
In a video diary entry for ESPN’s Andscape, Beal basically begged Ted Leonsis — whose Monumental Sports owns both Washington franchises — to keep the teams in D.C.
As we previously explained, money is playing a large role in this expected move. Both teams currently play at Capital One Arena, and Leonsis wants a renovation, asking the city to pay for $600 million of the $800 million project, The Washington Post noted. Not making progress with D.C., Leonsis, it seems, went to the adjacent state.
Beal acknowledged the financial situation, but he made his case to the Wizards and Capitals owner.
To Andscape, Beal said:
“D.C., there is no moving to Virginia. What is that? Ted, we love you to death. We understand what you want to do and [are] trying to do. But you can’t take the team out of D.C. It’s Chocolate City. We need, as a league, we gotta keep that. D.C. — it has to stay in D.C.
“Now, the money? Listen, that’s out of my hands, that’s out of my controls. I ain’t got nothing to do with that. Hopefully [Washington D.C.] mayor [Muriel] Bowser can work something out with you. I don’t know. I don’t know. I hope the team stays. I think it’s good for the city. Think it creates a little bit of a problem, just my personal opinion, if it moves to Virginia.
“It’s probably similar to how people felt when [the Washington Commanders] moved to Maryland. It is a tough thing. I think we just got to get everybody back to D.C. Just rebuild RFK Stadium, rebuild Cap One [Arena]. Just keep it in the city. We can make it happen. They can make it happen. They can make it happen.”
The Wizards and Capitals might be moving to Virginia soon.
It’s happening, folks. The Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals might not be based in Washington for long.
Earlier today, Ted Leonsis announced that Monumental Sports — the company that owns both teams — is planning on moving its operations across the Potomac River into Virginia. The sports teams would be coming along for the ride, too.
The state has prepared a $2 billion proposal to move Monumental and its assets into Arlington. Things seem to be moving forward with the plan, but it’s not quite over yet. There are still a few hurdles for the project to clear.
Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. has made a counteroffer to the team that may yet still come into play.
There are a lot of moving parts to keep up with here. Don’t worry about it, though — we’ve got you. Here’s everything you need to know about the proposed move.
Good morning, Winners! Thanks so much for taking the time to read The Morning Win today. We appreciate you. I hope you’re having an excellent week so far. I’m almost certain it’s going better than mine.
So it seems that I cannot escape talking about the Wizards this week, huh? Fine. Whatever. I’ll bite.
So news broke on Tuesday evening that Wizards owner Ted Leonsis was joining Virginia Governer Glenn Younkinn for a mysterious event on Wednesday. The details unraveled pretty quickly. As it turns out, Leonsis plans on moving the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals across the Potomac River into Alexandria, Va. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has the details here.
The very next day, we find out it’s all but official: The Wizards and Capitals are moving to Virginia. The move is officially planned for 2028.
There still needs to be approval from the state’s General Assembly to make it happen, but this is essentially a Godfather offer here on the table from Virginia that Leonsis is accepting.
This is devastating.
I know this may seem ridiculous to folks outside of the area. Potomac Yard isn’t too far away from Gallery Place where Capital One Arena is located now. It’s a simple car ride a little further down the highway. It’s another handful of stops on the train.
But distance was never the problem here. It’s always been about the community.
Ted Leonsis is packing up his two largest franchises and taking them across the river at a time when D.C. needs them badly — specifically in the downtown location they’re at.
You’ve probably heard about the crime in Washington lately. It’s become a national story. Yes, it’s bad. According to the Metro Police Department’s crime data, violent crimes are up by 40 percent year over year. Homicides are up by 34 percent. Robberys are up by 69 percent. It’s very easy to feel unsafe these days. It’s specifically bad in the Chinatown area where Capital One arena is located.
D.C. hasn’t been able to escape its post-pandemic funk. Businesses shuddered and never came back. People have grown desperate. The police department’s staffing has reached a historic low. Things just don’t look great right now. You can understand why anyone would pack up and run away in the face of all that.
But don’t get it twisted — crime would just be a convenient excuse. Cash is the reason Leonsis is leaving the city.
Time is truly a flat circle. This is the same place we were in 30 years ago in 1993 when the arena was first built. Crime was a problem. D.C. desperately needed a win. Abe Pollin — the previous owner of the Wizards — brought it. He privately funded the entire arena himself, betting on the city and the community around it. The people loved him for that. It was seen as a huge win for Washington.
Here we are again. D.C. desperately needs wins today. It needs someone to stick by it. As Washington navigates through these choppy waters it’s sailing through, it needs its anchors. Ted Leonsis is sailing across the Potomac River for public tax dollars.
Washington, D.C. has held the Wizards and the Caps down for decades. It’s seen the team’s best and the team’s worst. Through all the years of ineptitude, the real fans still showed up. The community around the building had remained vibrant. It’s turned Leonsis into one of the premier owners in sports. Instead of pouring some of that money back into the community to help get it back on its feet, he’s turning tail and running away. It’s quite shameful.
Draymond Green is probably getting suspended again
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
In other news, Draymond Green is doing…well, Draymond things. He completely clocked Jusuf Nurkic in the face in Tuesday night’s Suns-Warriors game.
He says it wasn’t on purpose, but, man. Come on, now. Look at this.
ICYMI: Warriors forward Draymond Green was ejected during the third quarter of Tuesday’s 119-116 loss to the Suns after hitting Phoenix big man Jusuf Nurkić in the face.
Enough was enough before the Gobert choke and now it’s beyond enough. Green has proven that he’s willing to push the boundaries of safety on the court even if it costs him a few games off, and Adam Silver’s last suspension felt like a warning that there could be more for behavior like this. It should be.”
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates a three point basket during the third quarter of the Gulf Coast Showcase championship game against the Kansas State Wildcats at Hertz Arena in Estero on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023.
And, of course, Caitlin Clark is the No. 1 overall pick going to the Indiana Fever, who might be the luckiest franchise in sports.
“Clark has one year of eligibility remaining. If she declares, she’s without a doubt the best guard in the draft. Clark has a high basketball IQ, is ultra-competitive, a lights-out shooter, a dynamic passer, and has been called a generational talent by nearly every coach worth their salt. The Fever shouldn’t overthink this.”
— Jusuf Nurkic had a pretty funny joke about Draymond Green after all was said and done. Though…I’m not sure he was actually joking? Bryan Kalbrosky has more.
Harris will throw out the first pitch for the Nationals against the Atlanta Braves next month.
The Washington Commanders haven’t had the best relationships with some of the DMV’s other professional sports teams over the years. One of those relationships is with the MLB franchise, the Washington Nationals.
No one wanted to go into business with former owner Daniel Snyder.
However, under new owner Josh Harris, things are changing. Ticket sales have increased for the Commanders and the franchise has regained some corporate sponsorships.
Now, the Commanders and Nationals are planning an event next month. On Friday, the franchises announced, “Capital Crossover: Diamonds & Gridiron.”
The event will celebrate the fan bases of the two franchises, with a Nationals game against the MLB’s top team, the Atlanta Braves, on Sept. 21, and the Commanders’ game against the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Oct. 5. At the two games, there will be special appearances, crossovers and more.
For the Nationals game against the Braves next month, Harris will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
“This partnership is all about celebrating our fans and the traditions that make D.C. sports so exciting,” Harris said via commanders.com. “The Nationals are a great D.C. success story. Not only did the Lerner Family help usher in a new era of baseball fandom across the region, they built a championship-caliber organization that brought World Series baseball back to our Nation’s Capital for the first time since 1933. It is an honor to throw out the first pitch at Nationals Park, and I am thrilled to work with Mark and the Nationals organization as we begin this new chapter for the Commanders and our fans across the DMV.”
Josh Robbins: Ted Leonsis on the no-trade clause in Bradley Beal’s new five-year, $251 million contract: “He doesn’t want to be traded, and we don’t want to trade him.” Source: Twitter @JoshuaBRobbins What’s the buzz on Twitter? Nate Duncan @ …
Ava Wallace @avarwallace
Beal, on if discussions about his future are going to stop now: “It’s never going to end. Because now you guys are going to be like, ‘when is he going to lift this clause.'” – 12:29 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
“It’s never going to stop. Next thing y’all will be talking about it ‘oh, when is he going to lift his clause?'”
– Bradley Beal – 12:29 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
I want to win a championship and I want to do it here. The reason I’m here is because I think we can win here.
– Bradley Beal on re-signing with the Wizards – 12:28 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
This is a sign of our commitment to Bradley. With that commitment we ask he help us now take the next step, rebuild, become playoff caliber team, bring in talent via trades, and free agent signings. Be in it for the long term with us.
– Ted Leonsis on Bradley Beal – 12:24 PM
Wayne Cole @waynec0le
Ted Leonsis says people around the league have told him they wish they had relationships with their players like the Washington Wizards do with Bradley Beal on signing/giving him his No-Trade Clause extension. – 12:22 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
“I wish we had a relationship like you have with your players.”
– Ted Leonsis on what rival league owners have said to him since re-signing Bradley Beal on a supermax deal – 12:22 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
“This is such a great day for the Washington Wizards franchise. Like Ted [Leonsis] said this is huge for showing the league this is a destination. We just re-signed one of the most highly sought after free agents.”
– Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard on Bradley Beal – 12:16 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
“I have to thank this organization for giving me this opportunity because it doesn’t always come.”
– Bradley Beal – 12:15 PM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Ted Leonsis on the no-trade clause in Bradley Beal’s new five-year, $251 million contract: “He doesn’t want to be traded, and we don’t want to trade him.” – 12:14 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
“It’s hard to be excited in this moment. We have Brittney Griner in Russia still. Highland Park just lost 6-7 lives. My hometown between July 5-now, there were 22 shootings.”
– Bradley Beal’s opening statement in his Supermax press conference – 12:14 PM
David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
In his opening remarks, Bradley Beal notes his happiness at getting his new deal – but notes the detainment of Brittney Griner, the Highland Park murders on July 4 and multiple shootings in his hometown of St. Louis since the start of the month. – 12:13 PM
Ava Wallace @avarwallace
Beal opens by saying it’s difficult for him to be overly excited about his contract right now with Brittney Griner still in Russia and on the heels of the Highland Park shooting. – 12:13 PM
Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
“He doesn’t want to be traded and we don’t want to trade him.”
– Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis on Bradley Beal – 12:11 PM
Ava Wallace @avarwallace
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis is speaking now on Bradley Beal’s press conference.
“He doesn’t want to be traded, and we don’t want to trade him.” Says it’s special to have that kind of commitment “in today’s NBA.” – 12:11 PM
David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
Ted Leonsis starts the Bradley Beal presser by sending the organization’s condolences to Japan and the Japanese people, after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe Thursday evening. – 12:10 PM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
ICYMI: My Wizards summer-league diary includes:
• Fresh comments from Monté Morris about his trade to D.C. and fit with Bradley Beal,
• Corey Kispert’s offseason focus areas &
• coverage of Isaiah Todd’s strong showing in Thursday’s scrimmage vs. Miami. theathletic.com/3407841/2022/0… – 10:49 AM
Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
new column @SInow: in light of the indefensible decision to include a no-trade clause in his new max contract, i wrote about the wizards and bradley beal as a partnership that’s done little and is going nowhere: si.com/nba/2022/07/08… – 9:54 AM
Josh Robbins @JoshuaBRobbins
Here’s my Wizards summer-league diary, which includes:
• Fresh comments from Monté Morris about his trade to D.C. and fit with Bradley Beal,
• Corey Kispert’s offseason focus &
• coverage of Isaiah Todd’s strong showing in today’s scrimmage vs. Miami. theathletic.com/3407841/2022/0… – 9:47 PM
Neil Dalal @NeilDalal96
Wizards will hold a Friday noon press conference for the re-signing of Bradley Beal with Ted Leonsis, Tommy Sheppard, and Wes Unseld Jr. in DC – 12:53 PM
