Wiz of Awes
Fansided

A Warning to the Washington Wizards Front Office: Don’t slip into old habits

By Jack Skolnik

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 01: (L-R) Anthony Gill #16, Russell Westbrook #4, Russell Westbrook #4 and Rui Hachimura #8 of the Washington Wizards celebrate a play from the bench during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 1, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Wizards defeated the Timberwolves 130-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JANUARY 01: (L-R) Anthony Gill #16, Russell Westbrook #4, Russell Westbrook #4 and Rui Hachimura #8 of the Washington Wizards celebrate a play from the bench during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on January 1, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Wizards defeated the Timberwolves 130-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /
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Washington Wizards Bradley Beal. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Washington Wizards Bradley Beal. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

Washington Wizards cannot fall for trade temptation.

So, let me start this off by saying, I do not believe that Tommy Sheppard is the same GM as the one he worked under for so many years. However, Sheppard is still in the process of establishing himself. And that makes me nervous.

Every GM has a player that their tenure is tied to, a player whose success the GM depends on. Daryl Morey had James Harden, Tim Connelly has Nikola Jokic, and Neil Olshey has Damian Lillard. Even Ernie Grunfeld had Gilbert Arenas and then had a second chance with John Wall.

Tommy Sheppard seems tied to Bradley Beal, which makes me nervous that he will do anything he can to succeed with him. All offseason, Sheppard was firm: the Wizards are building around Beal, this is his team, and he’s not for sale.

Bradley Beal wants to win, and Bradley Beal wants to win right now. I’m worried Sheppard, in an effort to keep the Wizards afloat and keep Beal happy, will make a hasty, short-sighted move.

There are options available. PJ Tucker is on the market, and the Wizards could try to go after any of the 9,000 Centers that the Cavaliers have. Well, I’m here to tell you that giving anything up for any band-aid players like that is foolish for the Wizards.

Any type of move on that spectrum is not going to get the Wizards any closer to contention. They’d still be well behind the Nets and Bucks and Celtics, at least. If the Wizards are going to make moves, they need to make big ones and commit to a full rebuild. No more trading long term pieces for short term gains. If they’re going to make a move, they should trade Beal.

Sheppard needs to be careful not to fall into that black hole of trying to win with Beal at all costs. There will be life after Beal, and it might even be better than what we’re experiencing now.

It’s still relatively early in the season, and despite the rough start the Wizards could ‘stay the course.’ However, the Wizards can’t ignore that they are far from where they want to be. They must logically assess their situation and stop letting Bradley Beal’s presence be the basis of everything they do.

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