Washington Wizards: 4 Bradley Beal trades that actually help the Wizards
By Jack Skolnik
The Washington Wizards trade Bradley Beal to New Orleans
Washington Wizards Receive: Lonzo Ball, Kira Lewis Jr, JJ Redick, 2021 First-round Pick, 2023 First-round Pick, 2025 First-round Pick, 2027 First-round Pick
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal is a STAR. And as the NBA’s leading scorer, his special skillset is coveted by teams far and wide. A guaranteed bucket, Beal’s prowess for scoring will come in handy when games get tight, adjustments get tighter, and the defense gets chippy.
Having scoured the league, I found one team that has the assets to pry Beal from Washington’s grasp: The New Orleans Pelicans. Since the Anthony Davis trade in 2019, the Pelicans have accumulated a war chest of draft picks that includes 13 first-round picks over the next eight drafts.
Well, it’s time for Nola to spend that draft capital.
The Wizards would need to move Russell Westbrook and Davis Bertans to truly rebuild. I’d propose Bradley Beal, Davis Bertans, and Russell Westbrook for Lonzo Ball, Kira Lewis, JJ Redick, and four first-round picks.
As a huge Russ fan -– I recall refashioning Shea Serrano’s catchphrase with “I’d serve three consecutive life-sentences for Russell Westbrook” -– it pains me to say that, but you don’t rebuild with max players on the team. And rebuilding teams don’t need $80-million specialists.
Moving everyone at once won’t work straight up. It’s too much salary to move at once. Rather than getting lost in the weeds with finding a third team willing to join in on the fun, I ran a scaled-down version that also works.
How it helps the Washington Wizards
With the arrival of Lonzo Ball, Washington, D.C. gets its first pure pass-first point guard since Steve Blake. Additionally, it allows the city to redeem itself. I recall Lonzo’s first trip to Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2017. The home crowd sunk to a low and vociferously booed a rookie, no doubt because of his father’s antics. The city is better than that, and we should hope to get a chance to rewrite that wrong by welcoming Lonzo with open arms.
Kira Lewis is a promising rookie scoring guard who would work well alongside Ball. With Ball and Lewis manning the backcourt, Deni Avdija, Rui Hachimura, and a returning Thomas Bryant manning the frontcourt, the Wizards will have a young team that the city can get behind as the quintet grows together.
Plus, the draft picks ensure that the Wizards can continue to add young talent around their ascending core. — Ron Oakes-Cunningham