Following a string of underwhelming seasons with numerous different approaches from both a coaching and front office perspective, it may be time for the Washington Wizards to cut their losses with the current core.
While it’s unlikely that Bradley Beal is traded unless he explicitly requests a change of scenery, the Wiz still have Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis who they can move on sign and trade deals. Both of these players are at the peak of their trade value following a breakout season for Kuzma and a healthy season for Porzingis.
That just leaves the question of what package could the Wizards receive in return for their stars. No rebuilding teams will be looking for star talent like the star forward duo, so this leaves teams with championship aspirations.
Looking around the league, the best targets for youth on those types of teams are either Jordan Poole or one of the other young Warriors over in Golden State, the third pick from the Portland Trailblazers, and the tenth pick from the Dallas Mavericks.
Poole is incredibly inconsistent and has a tendency to make rough plays, plus the Warriors have a few different forwards on their roster already. The Trailblazers will likely be looking for more than what the Wizards can offer for their pick. This just leaves the tenth pick from the Mavs.
What could a trade for the 10th pick look like for the Washington Wizards?
While most Wizards fans will groan at the possibility of seeing Davis Bertans back in DC, it may be the best way for this trade to happen. It will save the Mavericks money to incentivize them to make the deal and it would get the Wizards another high draft pick for their newly reorganized front office.
Luckily, Bertans only has two more years on his contract, making it possible for a rebuilding team to just eat his contract in an effort to get a star talent. This part of the deal is the least savory part for the Wiz, but they can still make it work.
The Wizards could use their two lottery picks to kickstart a rebuild by drafting the players with the highest ceiling or drafting culture guys who can contribute to winning next to a superstar to wait until next year for their star. This would be similar to what the Detroit Pistons have done recently by taking Killian Hayes, Isaiah Stewart, and Saddiq Bey before drafting Cade Cunningham first overall.
If they decide to pursue the first option, they could go for Cam Whitmore or one of the Thompson twins. In case of the latter option, they could draft a combination of Anthony Black and Jarace Walker. All of these players have the potential to be stars, but Black and Walker both seem like players who would be best next to another star.
This seems like the perfect move for the Washington Wizards to boost a potential rebuild while also ensuring Kyle Kuzma gets his deserved pay day. This is a trade that would benefit both teams in what should be their goals for next season.