Grade the trade: Wizards buy low on a potential defensive star in a proposed deal
By Cem Yolbulan
Wizards receive: Jonathan Isaac, Chuma Okeke, Detroit’s 2026 second-round pick
Magic Receive: Tyus Jones, Mike Muscala
The deal proposed by the Bleacher Report has Tyus Jones and Mike Muscala head to Orlando while Washington receives Jonathan Isaac, Chuma Okeke, and a second-round pick. This is a high-risk, high-reward type of deal for the Wizards.
For Orlando, Jones fills in an immediate need. They have a surplus of young guards like Jalen Suggs, Markelle Fultz, and Anthony Black, but none of them has the experience or the shooting that Tyus Jones possesses. For now, they are all defense-first athletic guards. They need a table-setting floor general if they want to take a step forward next season. Jones not only provides that, but he can also be a mentor to their young guards.
Muscala also fits in Orlando as a floor-spacing center. As an excellent shooter for a big man, Muscala will make things easier for the likes of Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, and Anthony Black.
In return, the Wizards get Jonathan Isaac, whose star doesn’t shine as bright as it once did. Dealing with recurring injuries, Isaac has only played in 11 games in the last three seasons. However, he is only 25 years old and displayed intriguing length, athleticism, and defense when he was available. He could be a rehabilitation project for the Wizards.
Chuma Okeke is another defensive-minded combo forward. And just like Isaac, he is likely to get squeezed out of Orlando’s slew of frontcourt talent. He would likely get more playing time in Washington as the Wizards need size and athleticism in their forward positions. The 24-year-old Okeke has shown intriguing defensive playmaking ability in his three years with the Magic.
Additionally, the Wizards receive Detroit’s 2026 second-round pick. Considering where the Pistons are as a franchise, that has the potential to be a valuable pick in the first half of the second round.