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Ernie Grunfeld: 'We expect to have everyone on roster' for training camp

In a press conference with reporters, Ernie Grunfeld suggested that he'd be fine if the 14 players on the Wizards' roster right now were the ones they took into training camp.

By Mike Prada
USA TODAY Sports

Ernie Grunfeld gave a press conference Thursday to discuss the team's free-agent signings, and in it, he seemed to suggest that the Washington Wizards would have no problem bringing the current 14-man group into training camp and not making any more moves.

"I think we feel good about our team. We have 14 guys on our roster, and we're ready to go to training camp. You never know what happens between now and training camp, here are a lot of discussions that go on. But I think we have most of our positions filled," Grunfeld said, via Monumental Network's press conference video. "We're two-deep at every position, and with the versatility that we have, we probably are three-deep at every position."

We're two-deep at every position, and with the versatility that we have, we probably are three-deep at every position."-Ernie Grunfeld

"We expect to have everybody back," Grunfeld said later. "Having said that, if the right opportunity comes along, it's something we'll look it. But right now, we expect to have everybody on the roster currently, and we'll have conversations as we move along like every team does."

As 106.7 The Fan noted, this is in sharp contrast to what his head coach, Randy Wittman, has been saying.

"We've still got situations that I think we need to look at," Wittman said. "We need to continue to see if we can add a piece, whether it's picking up a free agent or a trade.

Wittman specifically mentioned the need for another frontcourt player. He also said it was time for players such as Jan Vesely, Kevin Seraphin and Singleton to "show me who's going to step up and be worthy of continuing on."

It's worth noting that it serves Grunfeld no purpose to devalue his own assets, so I'm not too surprised he took the public stance he did. Also, in a radio interview with Chad Dukes and LaVar Arrington on 106.7 The Fan later in the day, Grunfeld was a little more open to further moves.

"Of course, you're always looking and talking to other teams. If the right situation comes around that we think can help us, that's something we'll look at," Grunfeld said. "Maybe package a couple players or make a one-for-one trade if it's the right thing. So, we'll be talking to people. We see what goes on in Summer League, see how our young guys develop, see if there are other young players there, have a lot of conversations, see if some opportunities present themselves. But we feel comfortable with the current roster."

Still, the contrast is interesting.

The other interesting element of Grunfeld's press conference was when he discussed Otto Porter. As usual, Grunfeld was lauding the versatility of the team, but he took a bold stance in saying that Porter could play not one, not two, but three positions.

"Otto's versatility, we've spoken about it a lot, but he's playing some two guard also," Grunfeld said in the press conference. "We didn't know he had that ability, bringing the ball up and making some plays."

That seems a little ambitious to me, to be honest. On the other hand, positions mean less than ever these days, so we'll see.

Here's a link to the full video.

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