Washington Wizards: 4 Bold Predictions for the 2019-20 Season
By Ethan Smith
Davis Bertans and/or CJ Miles get traded before the trade deadline
The Washington Wizards brought in a lot of new faces this offseason, but two of the more interesting and intriguing pieces are Davis Bertans and CJ Miles.
In Bertans and Miles, the Wizards have two players with two things in common. Both players can shoot the three, and both players are on expiring contracts. Those are two things that could be very attractive to other teams as we get closer to the trade deadline.
Players like Bertans and Miles might be the “missing piece” that playoff hopefuls or contenders need to get themselves through the season. With the Wizards in rebuild mode (even if it’s an abbreviated rebuild), getting assets back for either of these players would be a win for the Wizards. Both are unlikely to be here next season, and while they won’t return Anthony Davis-Esque ransoms, they could fetch some good assets.
Miles is a savvy, experienced veteran. Bertans is a young, affordable sharpshooter. Neither of them needs to be paid beyond this summer. There’s obvious value in both of them for contending teams, whether they need to fill injury holes or bulk up for a late-season run.
If Bertans meshes well with this group, he could be the floor-stretching power forward that this team needs when John Wall returns. However, his cost might be a factor. Bertans is currently making $7 million this season and will undoubtedly want a raise when he hist free agency this summer.
Although Bertans might be a piece the Wizards would consider keeping past this season, he might end up costing them too much anyway. Overpaying for pieces is a Grunfeld move. If Sheppard and company see the writing on the wall, expect them to ship him out despite what he brings to the team as a three-point specialist.