Grade the Trade: ESPN pitches Wizards trade with Lakers

Grading the trade idea for the Wizards

The benefits of this trade are twofold. First, it brings a really good first-round pick into the coffers, a pick the Wizards can use to improve the roster in the short term or draft young talent if they hang onto it. There is a great chance that this pick will be in the lottery.

The other benefit is that they are taking the pen out of their hands that could ink Kyle Kuzma to a massive new contract. They showed in their negotiations with Bradley Beal that they are very willing to make player-friendly concessions, and Kuzma’s camp could absolutely leverage Washington’s inability to sign a replacement to milk them for a contract that will start out as an overpay and quickly get even worse.

The downside is that they lose Kuzma for the stretch run, which shouldn’t really matter. This team should be looking at their young players and positioning themselves for the Draft Lottery, especially with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined for weeks with an ankle injury. It’s not the best value, but that pick is valuable, and if the Lakers want to double up on Washington forwards the Wizards might just say yes.

Grade: B+