Wizards expecting Tomas Satoransky to join team in summer of 2016, according to report

Tomas Satoransky, the Wizards second round pick in the 2012 draft, could finally be ready to make the leap to the NBA next summer, according to J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic:

The Wizards visited Satoransky, a 6-7 combo guard from the Czech Republic who was taken in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft, in the past week, CSNmidatlantic.com has confirmed. When their roster turns over in 2016 with anywhere from 7-10 spots open pending what they do with their own free agents, the Wizards still will have a solid core waiting with John Wall, Bradley Beal, Marcin Gortat, Otto Porter and Kelly Oubre under contract.

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Satoransky has told the Wizards that he intends to be here.

Satoransky would be an excellent addition for the Wizards next summer, who as J. Michael noted, will need to address their depth as most of the team enters free agency. Last season, Satoransky averaged 8.1 points, 3.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds in 20.8 minutes of action with Barcelona, while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from beyond the arc.

While those numbers may not look super-impressive, keep in mind coaches in Europe manage their rotations differently. Almost everyone plays under 25 minutes per game in Europe. Mario Hezonja, the fifth overall pick in this year's draft, only played 14 minutes per game last season with Barcelona.

If Satoransky does make the leap next season, it won't be because the Wizards finally feel he's capable of playing at the NBA level, it will be because they can finally give him a respectable deal. The Wizards' issue has been how the NBA rookie scale limits the salaries of second round picks. Top players in Europe like Satoransky can make more staying in Europe than they would as a second round pick on an unguaranteed deal. Now that enough time has passed since the draft, they can make a deal that isn't bound by the rookie scale. Based on this new report, it appears both sides are optimistic they can get something done next summer.

If Satoransky makes the jump next season, he'll want to make a big statement early. Players who were drafted after Satoransky, like Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Kyle O'Quinn, and Jae Crowder have already made a name for themselves on the NBA level, so it would be in his best interests to get off to a good start to show he was worth the wait.

Until he makes the jump, enjoy some Satoransky highlights and dream of what could be: