The Washington Wizards are in the same category once again: not good enough to make noise in the playoffs, but also not bad enough to have great odds at the No. 1 pick. It’s another season of Bradley Beal as the franchise cornerstone of the Wizards, but the future does not seem to be too bright for their organization.
Kyle Kuzma is in the middle of trade talks for almost any playoff-contending team, while Kristaps Porzingis does not seem to be drawing a substantial amount of interest despite being in the middle of a career season. As the Wizards could select an excellent player in next year’s draft, they should focus on that and look to the future by making some key rebuilding deals, even if that’s not what they seem to want to do right now.
Thus, here are the best trades for the Wizards to execute to get the best return for their top guns.
Bradley Beal for 2/4 top 4 guys in Toronto
For the Wizards’ side of things, one organization that could raise interest in Washington in dealing Bradley Beal is the Toronto Raptors, who also need a shakeup. Other squads like the Miami Heat, Memphis Grizzlies, or even the Los Angeles Lakers could chase Beal if he is available before the Feb. 9 trade deadline, but the return package from those franchises is not enough to pry Beal away from DC
Pascal Siakam is having another All-Star-caliber season, so it is improbable for Toronto to even consider sending him even if they are struggling as a team. Then there is Scottie Barnes, who won Rookie of the Year last season but is going through a sophomore slump. This could be the best chance for Washington to inquire about possibly receiving a deal centered around Barnes.
It would be tough to include either OG Anunoby or Fred VanVleet in the trade as well because Toronto values their presence immensely. That is the best-case scenario for the Wizards, but a Scottie Barnes package with young assets and salary fillers could be the way to go for them.
Kyle Kuzma for Jonathan Kuminga
One of the hottest names in the rumor mill is Kyle Kuzma. His salary is easy to trade at $13 million this year and a player option for next season. Teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, and Phoenix Suns would love a Kuzma type of player on their roster, but these teams could find it hard to pull off a deal.
From the Wizards’ perspective, they must limit their options to teams that will give a young asset with immense potential even if he is still somewhat unproven at the NBA stage. Bones Hyland would be a brilliant addition to Washington, but there seems to be no inkling of the Nuggets even making him available. Evan Cam Johnson or Shaedon Sharpe might be too much of an asking price for Kuzma.
Thus, the Wizards must negotiate with the Golden State Warriors and force them to let go of Jonathan Kuminga if they want to bolster their bench right away by acquiring Kuzma. He could be the missing piece for this Warriors team as his game continues to blossom.
For the Wizards, Kuminga would be the best choice among the plausible options because of his overall potential and what he has shown at the NBA level so far.
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