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DeJuan Blair, rumored Wizards target, signs with Dallas Mavericks

DeJuan Blair has signed with the Dallas Mavericks for the veteran's minimum. The Wizards were reportedly interested in Blair and could only offer the veteran's minimum themselves.

By Mike Prada
USA TODAY Sports

Free-agent forward, Washington Wizards target and Dan Fegan client DeJuan Blair has instead decided to sign a one-year, veteran's minimum contract with the Dallas Mavericks, announcing the news on his Twitter account. This all came together quickly on Tuesday.

This is interesting for two reasons:

1. The Wizards reportedly showed interest in Blair, but were trying to work out a sign and trade with San Antonio because all they had to offer was the veteran's minimum and Blair was supposedly asking for more than that. The Spurs weren't budging.

2. After all of that, Blair ended up signing for the veteran's minimum with another team anyway. Why? To play more minutes.

I might dispute this one a little. The Mavericks' frontcourt is barren outside of Dirk Nowitzki, but Brandan Wright and Samuel Dalembert will get minutes. If Blair had come to the Wizards, he'd immediately vault ahead of the forward flotsam and Kevin Seraphin and play behind two veteran big men, one of whom has serious durability concerns and both of whom will probably need to have their minutes monitored. There was PT in D.C. to be had. Maybe.

But regardless, the point is tangential. I'm not even sure I would have wanted Blair on the Wizards, since I think they need frontcourt shooting more than what Blair brings to the table, but he's a Fegan client that chose to play elsewhere for the same price -- and for a non-playoff team last year to boot. That's disappointing.

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