Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Antawn Jamison to a contract extension.  Per team policy, terms of the contract were not released.

The deal is reportedly in the four-year, $50 million range.

?Signing Antawn to a contract extension was a top priority for us this summer,? said Grunfeld. ?He has been a leader for us both on and off the court over the last four seasons, and we?re proud to reward his efforts by bringing him back.?

Jamison led the Wizards in scoring (21.4 ppg) and rebounding (a career-high 10.2 rpg) last season to earn his second career All-Star appearance.  He was one of only five players in the NBA to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds and posted a career-high 44 double-doubles.

Gilbert Arenas still claims that he wants to remain with the Wizards and the team could offer him a six-year deal worth $100 million in the near future, according to The Washington Post.

However, there are also reports that Ernie Grunfeld could meet Gilbert's original demand of a maximum-level contract. Such a deal would be worth $124 million over six years.

If the Wizards want to get the deal done Tuesday - even though nothing would become official until July  9 - they'll have to work quickly as Arenas is leaving for China around 9 a.m.

Antawn Jamison and the Washington Wizards are nearing a four-year deal worth $50 million, according to a report by ESPN's Marc Stein.

Sources told ESPN.com on Monday that the Wizards and Jamison would soon finalize terms mere hours before Jamison was to become an unrestricted free agent.

Free agency begins in the NBA on 12:01 AM Tuesday, and Jamison was expected to receive interest from a number of teams.

"This organization has believed in me from Day 1. ... I definitely know they want me to stay and I want to stay," Jamison told ESPN.com in December.

Clippers' forward Corey Maggette is expected to opt out of his contract, becoming an unrestricted free agent, the L.A. Times are reporting.

All-Star forward Elton Brand can also become a free agent, but coming off a serious knee injury and with few teams having cap space, he is not expected to forfeit the $16.4 million he is due in the final season of his contract.  Brand and agent David Falk said they'd release Brand's decision today.

If both players opt out, the Clippers are hoping to be able to retain both.  If not, they'll become players in the free agent market, where they could make a run at the Wizards' Antawn Jamison.

With Shaun Livingston not being tendered a qualifying offer, the Clippers are hoping they can still re-sign the talented but oft-injured guard to a cheap contract.  If they cannot, a trade with Chicago featuring Kirk Hinrich may be a possibility.

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the Washington Wizards have received cash considerations from the Boston Celtics in exchange for the draft rights to Bill Walker.  Walker was initially selected by Washington with the 47th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft.

?Earlier tonight we added a player in JaVale McGee who has a chance to become a very solid player for us,? said Grunfeld.  ?By trading the rights to our second-round pick, we were able to add to our flexibility going forward.?

Folarin Campbell of George Mason worked out for the Wizards on Monday, according to The Washington Post.

Campbell averaged 15.6 points and 4.5 rebounds last season as a senior and helped the Patriots shock the college basketball world by reaching the Final Four in 2006.

He was joined in the workout by forward-center DeVon Hardin (California), forward-center Martin Iti (New Mexico State), center Sasha Kaun (Kansas), guard Chris Lofton (Tennessee), and center Peja Samardziski (Macedonia).

Wizards' guard Gilbert Arenas is saving himself money this summer by choosing to represent himself in free agent negotiations, according to The Washington Times.

By opting to move through the negotiations without an agent, Arenas will save roughly four percent of whatever his new contract turns out to be worth this offseason.

"I see no point in giving somebody 4 percent of my money," Arenas said on Tuesday.

RealGM
originally reported that Arenas had decided to part ways with his agent Dan Fegan back in 2006.

Gilbert Arenas lived up to his word and opted out of the final year of his contract, the Wizards said Monday, in a expected move reported by the Associated Press.

Arenas has repeatedly said he would forgo the final year of his six-year, $65M deal so that he could re-sign with the team for an even larger amount.

The Wizards took a step forward in their draft preparation by scouting six players on Thursday at the Verizon Center, according to The Washington Times.

President Ernie Grunfeld and other team officials evaluated C.J. Giles of Oregon, Tennessee-Martin's Lester Hudson, Darnell Jackson of Kansas, Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo, Marreese Speights of Florida, and Rider's Jason Thompson.

"It was exciting," Pargo said. "There's a great atmosphere here in Washington, a great tradition of excellence here. We got out there and tried to play our hearts out."

According to the Washington Post, Wizards' forward Andray Blatche was arrested on Wednesday on charges of reckless driving and driving on a suspended license for the third time, authorities said.

Blatche was clocked going 86 mph in a 70 mph zone on Interstate 85.  In Virginia, anyone driving faster than 80 mph can be charged with reckless driving said Brunswick County 1st Sgt. Dwyane Jones, who was the arresting officer.