Wizards Bring Back Marvin Bagley III on One-Year Deal

Free agent big man Marvin Bagley III has agreed to a one-year deal with the Washington Wizards, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday.

The 26-year-old returns to the Wizards after playing in Washington for the 2024-25 season and then being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies at the February deadline.

Marvin Bagley III Went No. 2 Overall In The 2018 NBA Draft

Bagley was the No. 2 overall pick of the Sacramento Kings in the 2018 NBA draft, a move that was arguably one of the worst mistakes in franchise history.

The next three picks were Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Trae Young, respectively, while Mikal Bridges went No. 10 and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went No. 11.

Although the 6-foot-10 Bagley brings athleticism and size to the court, he lacks the shot-blocking ability and struggles to box out opponents for defensive boards.

The seven-year veteran also doesn’t offer perimeter shooting. This has ultimately led to the big man bouncing around from team to team.

In 289 career NBA regular-season games (129 starts) with the Kings, Detroit Pistons, Wizards, and Grizzlies, Bagley has averaged 12 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 22.4 minutes per contest while shooting 51.8% from the field.

Wizards Added Bagley After Trading Away Kelly Olynyk

The Wizards targeted Bagley in free agency after they traded Kelly Olynyk to the San Antonio Spurs.

Bagley appeared in 43 games (16 starts) with Washington across parts of 2023-24 and 2024-25, averaging 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest while shooting 57% from the floor.

Washington originally acquired Bagley ahead of the 2024 trade deadline alongside Isaiah Livers and a second-round pick.

Before last season’s trade deadline, the Wizards sent Bagley out in a multi-team deal that landed them Marcus Smart and a first-round pick, which they used to trade down and select Will Riley in the 2025 NBA draft.

It remains to be seen whether Bagley will stay put in Washington this time around.

The Wizards have 15 players on standard contracts. They also have Richaun Holmes and Justin Champagnie on standard deals, but Holmes’s $13.28 million contract is only guaranteed for roughly $250,000 and Champagnie’s deal is non-guaranteed.