As the NBA trade deadline approaches, the Washington Wizards continue to be a team to monitor with their abudnance of veterans on the roster that could immediately bolster the depth chart of contending teams and even playoff hopeful squads.
Between Kyle Kuzma, Jonas Valanciunas, Malcolm Brogdon and even Jordan Poole, Washington will continued to be mentioned in nearly every possible blockbuster trade as the February 6th deadline looms.
Whether the Wizards serve as a seller or a facilitator, there's no doubt that general manager Will Dawkins could be very active in the coming weeks.
As a result, Washington has been involved in yet another hypothetical trade proposal. That said, let's grade the trade and look at why the Wizards may make this deal, and why they may not.
Wizards trade Poole & Valanciunas to Western Conference in this mock trade
Jonas Valanciunas is a top candidate from the Wizards to be traded at the deadline considering his age and desire to compete for a championship down the back half of his NBA career.
In addition to Valanciunas, one player that's not mentioned in all trade rumors, but continues to be a dark horse candidate to be moved at the deadline is Jordan Poole. The Michigan product is 25-years-old and while his talent has led to arguably most of the Wizards wins on the season, the problem is the team only has six wins on their record.
Considering the financial burdens each player carries, it could be a no-brainer if they received an offer that allowed them to offload both players in the same deal, especially if it broke back a return that made sense.
Here's a look at a potential trade package for the two Wizards that was mentioned in a recent episode of the Bill Simmons podcast.
This deal would essentially allow the Wizards to move off both of their veterans to bring in another young guard in Tre Jones, front court depth with former Gonzaga star Zach Collins and a first-round pick that arguably may be the most coveted asset in this deal for Washington as they navigate a rebuild.
The two Spurs have seemingly been moved out of the rotation as they've taken a step back this season on San Antonio's retooled roster. However, both players could be interesting pieces for a young Wizards squad moving forward. In addition, they could both carry value in potential deals for the Wizards in the offseason.