The Wizards have three max-contract players -- John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. -- after matching Porter's contract offer from the Nets and will "pay the NBA luxury tax this season for the first time," according to Jerry Brewer of the WASHINGTON POST. For all the talk that Monumental Sports & Entertainment Chair Ted Leonsis would "never be a taxpayer," he "didn't flinch at keeping a good team together at a price tag that will exceed" $120M. The Wizards are the "only NBA team paying three max salaries to players that it drafted." In the future, if the Wizards are "able to retain" Wall, Leonsis "might have to cut annual luxury tax checks." Leonsis in the past said that he was "committed to a plan in which the Wizards drafted, developed and rewarded their own." He has been "very clear" with Wizards President of Basketball Operations Ernie Grunfeld about his "desire to stay the course." Every time Leonsis is "asked to do his part, he has done so." Leonsis: "I’ve never been fearful of paying the tax. If you did the research, just paying the tax hasn’t really been that helpful (for a lot of teams). It’s very punitive ... so unless you have the right people, just throwing money at a problem doesn’t get you results" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/20).
