4 young stars the Wizards should trade Bradley Beal for

The Wizards should trade for Jaden Hardy

Jaden Hardy has the lowest Q-rating of any player on this list, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be the starting point for a trade. That’s in part because of his own talent, and in part because of what the Dallas Mavericks would need to attach to Hardy to make a trade viable.

The former top recruit had a shaky pre-NBA season with the G League Ignite, and that dropped him into the second round. The Mavericks grabbed him and saw him blossom as a rookie, first dominating the G League and then working his way into the rotation.

Hardy can absolutely score, and he shot 40.4 percent from 3-point range last season. His per-36-minute averages, while not gospel, were solid: 21.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists, hitting 3.2 3-pointers per game. He’s not a defensive maestro and his upside is still murky, but he has plenty of potential to continue developing.

Beal, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic would be a tremendous offensive trio, with all three able to shoot. The Mavericks would have a lot of pressure to surround them with defensive talent, but that’s at least feasible when you have three offensive stars.

Any deal with Hardy would need to include a lot of matching salary, and it would also have to include the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft. That would give Washington two top-10 picks, perfect ammunition to try and move up or, if they are smart, an opportunity to take two bites at the apple to find a future starter.