Washington Wizards: Four trades that could net them an exciting young player
By Cem Yolbulan
Wizards receive: Bones Hyland, Nicolas Batum
Clippers receive: Tyus Jones
The Los Angeles Clippers are desperately looking for a starting point guard. They already tried to trade for Malcolm Brogdon this summer before the deal fell apart. In this trade, they get a starting-caliber point guard for cheap.
Tyus Jones is the table-setter the Clippers need. He doesn’t take anything off the table, can run the team’s offense, and put Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in a position to succeed. He doesn’t need to score the ball or do too much on-the-ball on the Clippers, and that is a perfect fit for Jones.
In return, Washington gets Bones Hyland, a 22-year-old shifty combo guard. Hyland was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the 2021 NBA Draft and was traded to the Clippers last season. He has potential as a microwave scorer and shot creator but he needs time, patience, and on-ball reps.
The Wizards can offer that to Hyland better than the Clippers. Hyland can explore the studio space and can show what he can do running an offense in Washington. He needs a low-stress, low-expectation environment to thrive for now and the Wizards are the right team for that.
Additionally, Wizards receive Nicolas Batum, a solid two-way veteran, mostly for salary-matching purposes. They would ideally agree on a contract buyout so that he can sign with a contender again.