There are plenty of reasons for the Washington Wizards to lean into a rebuild, aging stars, questions regarding health, and the questions surrounding how much their core can win together.
With these burning questions and more regarding the team and its roster, it is not surprising that many wish to see them pursue a trade and embrace a rebuild. The only problem is the fact that of their three major pieces, one has an extensive injury history, one is a free agent, and the other has a no-trade clause in his contract, this makes it incredibly difficult to kickstart a rebuild.
Even worse than the difficulty of moving Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis, and Kyle Kuzma is the fact that if they want to rebuild right now, they may have to accept lower offers in order to do so. This could mean that the Wizards may have to settle for one quality young player and some picks for a player like Beal.
Should the Washington Wizards still commit to the rebuild?
While some think that the Wizards should retool rather than rebuild, there are plenty of holes in the roster right now with no cap space or trade assets outside of the core trio. They cannot retool and the player development has not been good enough to keep drafting in the middle of the first round.
To add to this, the front office has spent nearly every draft pick since Bradley Beal in 2013 on players that fit the team rather than picking the best player available. When picking as highly as they have been, that very rarely works out.
Embracing the rebuild seems to be by far the best choice. With elite prospects available this year, it seems to be the perfect time to fully commit to a new franchise cornerstone. With all that out of the way, let’s get into the actual trade.