Grading all 3 Wizards Trade Deadline Deals

Wizards Trade Deadline Grades: Kristaps Porzingis Acquired from Dallas

Wizards Grade: A-

Easily the biggest trade of the day for the Wizards came as a shocker to most around the league. Fans and personalities were both surprised when this deal was first reported, as almost no one could have seen it coming.

The Wizards entered trade season with the desire to move Spencer Dinwiddie because of some tension in the teams’ locker room. They also had a desire to move Davis Bertans due to his contract and the fact that he had fallen out of the teams’ rotation.

Getting a talent like Kristaps Porzingis back for the duo is a massive win for the Wizards front office. Yes, Porzingis has his flaws (mainly his trouble staying healthy). The fact that Washington was able to move two players they had no desire to keep long term and in return get to swing on a talent of KP’s level is a win by default.

Porzingis is due a lot of money. He has a player option for the 2023-24 NBA season at just over $36 million. That’s a big price tag down the road for a player that hasn’t played in 60 plus games since his second year in the NBA (2016-17 season).

On the other side, Dinwiddie and Bertans will have salaries adding up to just over $34 million in the 2023-24 season, close to the price for Porzingis. The difference is only about $15 million of the money the Mavericks took on is guaranteed.

Does that matter? If so, how much? To be honest, it doesn’t really matter for the Wizards. It clearly does for Dallas, as they want to be as flexible as possible around star Luka Doncic in the coming years.

The Wizards are in a bit more of a desperate situation and the value of Porzingis, if he can stay on the court, is certainly worth the price tag they paid. This is a big swing on a big-time talent. Add in the second-round pick they got back in the deal and it’s a no-brainer A.

KP is eventually going to become one of the best players Bradley Beal has played alongside in his NBA career. That’s only a matter of time. Hopefully, it will be at the start of next season as Beal is out for the rest of this year already.

KP fits very well with big man Daniel Gafford on paper, which hopefully we will get a glimpse of this season. The Wizards also have a plethora of lineup options in the frontcourt with those two and players such as Kyle Kuzma, Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija.

It’s exciting to imagine what the group will be capable of if things come together the right way in the coming years. KP is a potential centerpiece of the team, and he was acquired for a couple of players that weren’t in the long-term plans of the franchise.