Gone elsewhere were the white whales, the whoa-inducing free agents of big money and equally large fame. It was clear Kevin Durant was not coming to Washington. A second shunning, this one from Al Horford, a maximum-contract requiring big man, took away another would-be splash.
Those decisions put the Washington Wizards in pursuit of pieces rather than bedrock during the tumultuous opening weekend of NBA free agency.
They began the NBA free agent period on Friday assured their chances of re-signing shooting guard Bradley Beal, a restricted free agent, were high.