As we expected, the Washington Wizards had an extremely active 2022 NBA trade deadline. By the end of the day, the Wizards had completed three separate deadline day deals, all with varying levels of impact to the current rotation and future outlook of the franchise.
Kristaps Porzingis is by far the biggest name and upside added to the roster, but the other moves will have ramifications as well. We’ll get to Kristaps, who headlined a deal that is hard to grade poorly for the Wizards.
First, we need to discuss the more minor transactions, although one could eventually have a nice payoff. The first deal to discuss is unlikely to pay off much down the road as the return is essentially a minor financial saving.
Wizards Trade Deadline Grades: Aaron Holiday Sent to the Phoenix Suns
Wizards Grade: D+
The smallest of the trades will seem insignificant to many, and in some ways, it is pretty insignificant moving forward. Holiday wasn’t going to be around long-term and moving him made sense regardless of what was brought back.
The trade exception received could very well be little moving forward. It’s not for a large enough amount to get a high-impact player but could be used in the right deal over the course of the next year. Cash considerations very rarely get fans excited but hopefully, they will be helpful in ownership paying big when the time is right down the road.
So, why such a low grade? Well, the Wizards didn’t get Holiday for free. In fact, they paid a pretty decent price for the guard in the offseason.
Holiday was acquired alongside the 31st pick in the draft for the 22nd overall pick in the draft. That pick, acquired by the Pacers, was used to select big man Isaiah Jackson. While Jackson has had moments already, he is no guarantee in the league. Still, he and a handful of players selected after him would be worth more as assets than what the Wizards already flipped Holiday for.
The pick the Wizards traded was part of the Russell Westbrook trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Pacers were added to the trade but the Lakers technically had to make the pick on the night of the draft.
This grades out low because it was a poor investment to get Holiday in the first place. Moving him for so little just proves the Wizards mismanaged an asset they got for dealing Westbrook.