The Washington Wizards have signed Jaime Echenique to a 10-day contract via the NBA Hardship Exception provisions.

Echenique, a 6-11, 258-pound center, originally spent 2021 Summer League, training camp and preseason with the Wizards, appearing in two preseason games. The Colombian has played in 14 games (13 starts) with the Capital City Go-Go this season, averaging 12.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game while shooting .554 from the floor. Echenique has tallied six double-doubles and currently ranks third in the NBA G League with 25 blocks on the season.

The Washington Wizards have agreed to sign Brad Wanamaker to a 10-day contract.

Wanamaker was recently released by the Indiana Pacers. 

The Washington Wizards have added Alize Johnson to their roster on a 10-day hardship contract. Johnson was recently waived by the Chicago Bulls.

Washington is without several players while they are in the health and safety protocols. Rui Hachimura was closing in on his season debut, but he's now been placed in the protocols as well.

In addition to the Bulls, Johnson has also played with the Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets. Upon signing with the Wizards on Tuesday afternoon, Johnson played nine minutes in that night's game.

The Washington Wizards have signed Jordan Goodwin to a 10-day contract via the NBA Hardship Exception provisions.

Goodwin, a 6-3, 200-pound guard from Saint Louis, has played in 14 games (11 starts) with the Capital City Go-Go this season, averaging 15.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Goodwin has led the Go-Go in scoring four times this season, including a 30-point performance against the Westchester Knicks on November 5 and is coming off a triple-double performance at the NBA G League Showcase in Las Vegas, where he tallied 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over the Iowa Wolves.

Bradley Beal has entered the NBA's COVID-19 health and safety protocols. 

Beal previously tested positive in July at Team USA’s training camp in Las Vegas ahead of the Tokyo Olympics and was forced to miss the Games as a result.

Beal is not vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Washington Wizards have signed guard Jordan Schakel to a 10-day contract via the NBA Hardship Exception provisions.

Schakel, who has played in 14 games with the Capital City Go-Go (the Wizards’ NBA G League affiliate), originally spent 2021 training camp and preseason with the Wizards, where he appeared in two games. The 6-6, 200-pound guard has averaged 13.8 points and 3.2 rebounds per game with Capital City this season, shooting .396 from three-point range. The former San Diego State Aztec currently leads the NBA G League in made threes this season with 44 through 14 games, having knocked down 34 on a .479 three-point percentage over his last eight games.

With COVID outbreaks around the NBA, combined with injuries, several NBA teams are struggling to put competitive rosters on the court. As such, the NBA has postponed five games through Tuesday, December 21.

The postponed games are:

Denver Nuggets at Brooklyn Nets - Sunday, December 19

Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks - Sunday, December 19

New Orleans Pelicans at Philadelphia 76ers - Sunday, December 19

Orlando Magic at Toronto Raptors - Monday, December 20

Washington Wizards at Brooklyn Nets - Tuesday, December 21

This brings the total number of postponed games to seven. The league previously postponed two Chicago Bulls games against the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors.

The NBA and NBPA are continuing talks on increased roster sizes, as well as lack of cap/tax penalties when a player is signed via hardship.

Despite a road victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday, the Washington Wizards have tumbled into play-in range after a hot start to the season. One culprit for the slide is that Wizards players have lost confidence in the team's offense.

The Wizards have lost seven of nine games to fall to just above .500 on the season. Many of the losses have featured deficits of 20 or more points.

Players have indicated they've lost confidence in the coaching staff's ability to put them in position to succeed on offense. As a result of the struggles on offense, the Wizards intensity and attention to detail on defense has also slipped.

“We’re not saying throw it to us and let us clear out and iso and go and do our thing. No. But at the same time, let us feel it, not just off rebounding and then giving it to a guard," Montrezl Harrell said. "No, let us get a touch early to get a shot. Let’s give us something to let us feel like we’re involved in the game as well.”

For his part, Washington head coach Wes Unseld understands the offensive frustrations, but says that shouldn't cause the defense to fall off.

“Now, do the numbers say, hey, we have to get different guys different looks? Is it we’ve got to get more guys to be aggressive? I think there’s some of that, too," said Unseld. "But I don’t think it affects defensive focus or energy — or it shouldn’t.”

Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma has been placed in the NBA's health and safety protocols.  Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said he believes a false-positive test result has been ruled out, but he's unsure. If positive, Kuzma will miss at 10 games in the protocols.

Kuzma has averaged 13.4 points per game for Washington. He's also put up a career-high 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Before missing Saturday's loss to the Utah Jazz, Kuzma had started all 26 games for Washington. He's been an integral part of the Wizards lineup after being acquired in the Russell Westbrook trade. Washington also acquired fellow starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and sixth man Montrezl Harrell from the Los Angeles Lakers in that deal. The trade was later expanded to include Spencer Dinwiddie and Aaron Holiday to the Wizards, as well.

Bradley Beal remains eligible for a contract extension with the Washington Wizards and is open-minded about his future. The extension would be worth approximately $181 million over four years starting during the 22-23 season, or he could wait to the offseason and sign a brand new five-year, $242 million contract.

"I have time," said Beal. "I kind of hold the cards right now. I've one never been in this position. Right? I'm kind of embracing that. Kind of being able to dictate what I want my future to be and where I want it to be. 

"And at the same time I'm giving Shep that opportunity to show that it's working. At the same time I'm not going to make that grand commitment and it doesn't work. Ultimately, you have to be selfish at some point. For probably the first time in my career, year 10, I am. 

"My full commitment is to the team. I want it to work. I've contributed to being here. I've committed to being here twice. Now I want to see that commitment to me as well. That we can create a winning team here, a winning environment. Granted, I'm a part of that. I have to make sure I'm stepping up and doing my thing just as well."