The Wizards have turned down a $2.42MM team option on Tristan Vukcevic, sources told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
The Serbian center, a rookie in 2023/24, was eligible for a qualifying offer, but there’s no indication he received one ahead of Saturday afternoon’s deadline. Unless word of that QO trickles in late, he will be unrestricted when free agency starts on Sunday.
Washington drafted Vukcevic with the 42nd pick in 2023, but he spent most of the season with KK Partizan in Serbia before joining the Wizards in March. He started four of the 10 games he played during his brief time in the NBA, averaging 8.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.3 minutes per night.
Washington is optimizing its financial flexibility going into free agency, Scotto adds. The Wizards are also expected to be active on the trade market, with several teams expressing interest in Kyle Kuzma, Corey Kispert and others.