As the NBA offseason is fast approaching, the trade machines are in full swing. Not a day goes by without the Washington Wizards making a splashy, fake trade. And the latest trade scenario is surely a juicy one.
Greg Swartz of the Bleacher Report wrote a piece suggesting a trade for each team in the NBA that is not in the Finals right now. His trade idea for the Washington Wizards was:
Washington Wizards receive: G Tyrese Maxey, F Tobias Harris, SG Furkan Korkmaz, F Danuel House Jr., 2029 first-round pick
Philadelphia 76ers receive: SG Bradley Beal, F Kyle Kuzma (via sign-and-trade)
Moving Beal without giving up future draft picks is a big plus for the Wizards
This sort of deal is a huge win for the Wizards. Getting out of Bradley Beal’s remaining four-year, $208 million contract without giving up future assets would be a big triumph. If Kuzma is the only piece Washington has to attach to Beal’s leviathan deal to trade him, they should take that deal immediately. Furthermore, if they are the side receiving the first-round pick like this proposed trade, that is as no-brainer as it gets.
The only teams that the Wizards can realistically trade Beal to are championship contenders. Beal’s no-trade clause in his contract gives him veto powers over any deal. Beal would presumably approve of a trade sending him next to MVP Joel Embiid to contend for titles for the rest of his contract.
There is also additional value in Tobias Harris’ expiring contract. He is overpaid but nevertheless is a valuable player that the Wizards might have an interest in re-signing next summer.
The Wizards should be thrilled to get a potential future All-Star in Tyrese Maxey
The blue-chip asset the Wizards receive in this scenario is Tyrese Maxey. Maxey would immediately become the most important young player on the Wizards’ roster. Despite being only 22 years old, Maxey is already a 20-point scorer with above-league-average efficiency. He is electrifyingly fast in transition, has one of the quickest first steps in the league, and shoots over 41 percent from three for his career. Getting a young and dynamic offensive weapon with a huge upside would give the Wizards a solid building block to start their rebuild.
Danuel House Jr. is a 30-year-old two-way wing that the Wizards could rehabilitate his value and deal him again to a contender come the trade deadline. Wings that can be in a playoff rotation are hard to find.
Furkan Korkmaz is another wing that is worthy of a flyer. Having fallen out of favor in Philadelphia this past season, the 25-year-old Turkish shooting guard can still help a team with his shooting and secondary playmaking. The Wizards need to take chances on such players on value contracts to see whether they can make them long-term rotation pieces.
Bradley Beal’s future with the Wizards is still unclear. The Wizards front office are reportedly going to be active, and a roster overhaul is a possibility. This doesn’t mean Beal is immediately on the trading block, but if an offer like this one is on the table, the Wizards have no choice but to take it.
Is a Jaylen Brown-for-Bradley Beal trade actually feasible?
The Boston Celtics might look to move on from Jaylen Brown this summer. The "Bradley Beal plus the no.8 pick for Jaylen Brown" idea may work for both teams.