How crazy week of trades could affect the Washington Wizards’ draft

The past week has seen the Washington Wizards make headlines a few times. From blockbuster trades to player options, even a suspenseful hour of ‘will they, won’t they’ with a Kristaps Porzingis trade, the Wizards have done it all this week.

This has given the Wizards not only new trade assets, but also potentially a new approach for the draft. They no longer need to worry about fit alongside Bradley Beal or the star forwards. Now all the front office needs to worry about is who do they want to build their future around.

Now, this question may not sound like much, but it will change the future of the Wizards forever. Do they go for a raw player with lots of potential? Do they go with a safer option that still has room for growth? Should the Wizards move up in the draft? These are the questions that Michael Winger and co will need to have answered by the time they are on the clock.

Prior to the complete overhaul of the roster, the best two choices would have been Anthony Black and Cason Wallace. Two point guards who are elite defenders and can play off of Bradley Beal perfectly. Now, it’s not so certain.

The Washington Wizards have something they normally don’t this year: options

In years past, it’s always been ‘win now’ and ‘find a player who can contribute right away’ and more about how they want to make the playoffs. Now, the Washington Wizards could select a player with truckloads of potential but won’t be effective for a few seasons and it wouldn’t hurt them.

These trades likely inspire the front office to look more towards players with high potential rather than players who can come in and post amazing numbers from the beginning. The same mindset that kickstarted the rebuild for the Milwaukee Bucks, the Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs in the early 2010s.

There are a few names that immediately come to mind here that could be available Cam Whitmore, Ausar Thompson, and most of all, Bilal Coulibaly.

Each of these players are elite athletes who specialize on the defensive end. Thompson is the best of the three right now and probably has the most potential. He is an elite playmaker and, like the other two, has a lot of work to do on his jumper.

These names are definitely players to watch for the Washington Wizards come time for their selection. Although, there is still a strong shot they draft Anthony Black with the eighth pick. They could still trade for a second lottery pick to take one of the three forwards listed above.