On July 11, the Washington Wizards officially signed Marvin Bagley III, as confirmed by the NBA.com transaction log. This move follows reports from July 10 that the team agreed to a one-year deal with the free agent big man, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Context Behind the Wizards’ Decision to Re-Sign Bagley
The Wizards’ move to bring back Bagley aligns with their need for veteran size in the frontcourt after trading Kelly Olynyk earlier this week. Currently, the team’s roster includes only one player taller than 6’9” on a standard contract – second-year center Alex Sarr – making the addition of Bagley a logical fit in regard to positional depth.
However, the decision is somewhat unexpected because Washington had traded Bagley away just months ago at the 2024 trade deadline. Initially, the Wizards acquired Bagley alongside Isaiah Livers and a second-round pick. Then in a multi-team deal, they sent Bagley to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Marcus Smart and a first-round pick, which was later used to select Will Riley after trading down.
Bagley’s Performance and Current Roster Challenges
During his time with the Wizards, Bagley played in 43 games over parts of the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons, averaging 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest. After being traded to Memphis, he appeared in 12 games, contributing 3.6 points per game. His career averages stand at 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds across 238 NBA games.
The Wizards now face a roster crunch as they hold 15 players with standard contracts. Alongside Bagley, Richaun Holmes and Justin Champagnie remain on standard deals, but Holmes’s $13.28 million contract is only partially guaranteed for $250,000, and Champagnie’s deal is non-guaranteed. This creates uncertainty over which players will ultimately make the team.
Roster Decisions Ahead of the New Season
If Bagley’s contract is non-guaranteed, the Wizards may opt to release him, Holmes, or Champagnie to resolve the roster logjam. Despite Champagnie’s non-guaranteed status, it would be surprising for the team to cut him, considering he started 31 games last season and averaged 8.8 points per game while shooting 51.1% from the field and 38.3% from beyond the arc.
Retaining Champagnie would force the Wizards to waive or trade a player with a guaranteed contract, potentially including Bagley or Holmes if their contracts are guaranteed. Should Bagley or Holmes not make the final roster, the team’s frontcourt size could be limited, as Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly, both standing 6’8”, would then be among the tallest players outside of Sarr on the 15-man squad.
Implications for the Wizards’ Upcoming Season
By bringing back Marvin Bagley III, the Wizards aim to strengthen their interior presence ahead of the 2025 season, addressing the void left by Kelly Olynyk’s departure. The team’s final roster decisions will likely hinge on contract guarantees and the balance between experience and performance. How this signing impacts their depth chart and on-court success will become clearer once the roster is finalized.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is Marvin Bagley III a starter?
A. In two games as a starter this season, Marvin Bagley III averaged 20.5 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and made 1.5 assists.