Report: Wizards granted $4.16M disabled player exception originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
After losing Thomas Bryant for the season to a partially torn ACL, the Wizards applied for a disabled player exception, reserved for teams that lose key players for an entire season.
On Thursday, Washington was granted a $4.16 million exception, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. They have until April 19 to use it.
The Wizards can use the exception to claim a player off waivers, sign a player or absorb one in a trade. If they sign a player, it can only be a one-year deal without any bird rights involved. If they claim one off waivers or trade for someone, they have to be in the last year of their current contract.
It’s strictly for a replacement player. If the Wizards use it to acquire a player they want to keep beyond this season, they’d have to use cap space or a salary cap exception to bring them back.
In order to be granted a disabled player exception, the NBA must determine the player you lost doesn’t have a good chance of coming back before the season ends. While the Wizards have been granted the DPE for Bryant, that doesn’t keep him from returning if he’s able.
