Wizards Sign Andray Blatche to Contract Extension and Pick Up Option On McGee

In the efforts to keep the Wizard's young frontcourt stable, they reached a contract extension with forward Andray Blatche, and exercised the fourth-year option on JaVale McGee.  Blatche came off a season with career highs in points and rebounds. (14.1 ppg and 6.3 rpg)

According to a league source, Blatche agreed with an extension that will keep him on the team through the 2014-2015 season.  Blatche could've been a free-agent in the summer of 2012, but the Wizards didn't want to take that risk of letting him leave and along with a possibly of a lockout.

The Wizards also picked up the final year on JaVale McGee's rookie contract, who has shown development despite the light minutes he received in the beginning of the year. McGee averaged 10.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg, and 2.2 bpg in the last 32 games of the season.

"Andray and JaVale are two pieces that we feel can solidify our frontcourt for years to come and extending their contracts certainly fits in with our long-term plan of rebuilding this team with a core of young, talented players," Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement released by the Wizards.

"Both players performed very well over the second half of last season and we're confident that they will continue to develop and build on the potential and promise that they have shown throughout the beginning stages of their careers." Grunfield said.

With the contract extensions of McGee and Blatche, it seems that the Wizards want to keep these guys around to help them develop and become the best they can be.