The Washington Wizards won their trades with the Chicago Bulls

The Washington Wizards made two trades with the Chicago Bulls in 2019. Looking back, they won both of them.

Otto Porter Jr and Tomas Satoransky were once integral parts of the Washington Wizards. Porter, one of the team’s few 21st-century lottery picks, was once the third piece next to John Wall and Bradley Beal. Satoransky, a more than serviceable backup to Wall, had the skills of a point guard with the size of a wing.

Now, they are both on the Chicago Bulls.

While in Wizards jerseys, Porter and Satoransky both had their ups and downs, and their departures were met with mixed responses. Each for their own reasons. In hindsight, though, the Wizards got the better end of both deals.

So Long and Farewell, Otto

After investing more than five full seasons and a max contract into Otto Porter, it didn’t seem like the Wizards were getting a huge return for the former lottery pick: Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis on expiring deals plus a second-rounder.  At the time of the trade, Porter was still just 25 years old with a few years left on his contract. But looking back, the Wizards might have actually won that trade.

Jabari Parker is on the Atlanta Hawks now, and Bobby Portis is one of the thousand power forwards on the New York Knicks. So none of the players they got back are still on the roster. But for what it’s worth, both of them were pretty fun down the stretch last season. If they didn’t have staying power, at least they provided some highlights.

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Looking at what Porter’s done in Chicago, a few fun months of Parker and Portis is much more than the Wizards would have gotten out of their former wing in the meantime. Since joining the Bulls last season, Porter has only appeared in 24 of the team’s 70 games.

And by not having to pay Porter’s $28 million player option next season (which he would be absolutely bonkers to turn down), the Wizards will have the flexibility to spend this offseason, allowing them to add a critical piece like, say, Davis Bertans.

Plus, they got a little extra draft capital down the road. It’s not much, but this front office has shown a commitment to trying to win in the margins. Who knows what they’ll turn that pick into.

The Satoransky Situation

The Tomas Satoransky situation is a little bit different. For one, he didn’t have nearly as many critics in D.C. as Porter did at the time of his departure. In fact, there were still some legit Sato believers out there, and for good reason. He’s had a solid showing with the Bulls this season as the permanent starter. But ultimately, his time in Washington had run its course and both parties were ready to move on. To that degree, the Wizards were smart to get anything in return considering Satoransky was ready to walk. Again they got some draft capital.

Satoransky’s replacement, Ish Smith, was the Wizards’ first free-agent acquisition in the summer of 2019. The guards have almost identical numbers on the season, so in terms of production, they’re as close to equal as you can get. But Ish Smith is a better fit for this team. And he’s $4 million cheaper.

While Satoransky definitely provides some defense and size that Smith does not, Smith plays at a higher pace. He’s excelled off of the bench for the Wizards, leading the charge for one of the NBA’s most productive group of reserves. He’ll be an excellent backup behind John Wall next season.

In just a few months as a Wizard, Smith’s earned MVP chants from the home fans. Can Satoransky say the same?

Tonight, the Wizards will travel to Chicago and take on Satoransky in his new home for the first time. As a Bull, he is finally getting the permanent starting spot he never got in Washington. Expect to see a large dose of him when the Wizards take the floor in Chicago. He’s averaging 28.8 minutes per game this season, more than he ever did as a Wizard.

Porter, though, will be absent from another matchup with his former squad. He’s currently dealing with a foot injury that should have him sidelined until at least the All-Star break.

The Wizards might not be winning a ton of games this season without Porter and Satoransky on the roster. But the future looks bright(ish) in Washington. And that’s probably not the case if both of them are still around.