Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has re-signed forward Andray Blatche. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Blatche (6-11, 248) averaged 3.7 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in 56 games last season. In 13 games started, he posted 6.9 points (on 50% shooting from the field), 5.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game. He also scored in double figures six times and had three games with 10 or more rebounds.

“We are encouraged with Andray’s development and we feel he has a very good upside,” Grunfeld said. “He stepped into the starting lineup on a number of occasions last season and did a solid job in filling in for the injured Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison. He is a young and promising talent who has shown that he can be a solid contributor to our team.”

NOTE: This is my final post as Managing Editor for the Wizards website/blog as I pursue new career opportunities outside the NBA. I’d like to thank you all for supporting the team and our websites (particularly this blog) the past season(s). I look forward to running into you online as I make the transition from blog-master to blog-member. The blog will continue to run alive and well and in the coming months new people will be introduced as bloggers. In the meantime, Will (aka FantasticWiz) is going to take over blogging duties.

Best wishes to you all - Eric

While Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld sits back and plays “wait and see” game for any offers that he likes from teams for Juan Carlos Navarro’s rights, he has wasted no time in his first step to retain restricted free agent forward Andray Blatche. Now that the Wizards lost a potential suitor for Navarro after Miami agreed to terms with guard Smush Parker yesterday. The Wizards have now apparently turned their focus Blatche.

According a report from Washington Times, the Wizards Friday night offered Blatche a three-year deal worth about $11 million.

On Sunday, however, Washington Post’s Ivan Carter cited that the amount the Wizards offered to Blatche was less than $11 million, according to a team source who refuted the previous published report. It did confirm that talks between the two parties are ongoing.

From the Wizards Post Season Guide:

In his second season in the NBA, Wizards forward Andray Blatche showed flashes of his infinite potential. Appearing in 56 games, including 13 starts, Blatche scored in double figures six times and had three games with 10+ rebounds. He led or tied for the team lead in rebounding in five games, and established new single game career-highs in almost every offensive category, including assists (4 at SEA, 3/21), minutes (31:56 at MIN, 2/25), rebounds (12, twice), blocks (4 at PHI, 2/14) and points (14 vs. SEA, 2/5). He also recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds at Philadelphia on Feb. 14.