5 Trades Wizards should make with No. 2 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft

As the Washington Wizards prepare for the 2024 NBA Draft, they need to keep their options open. They are at the very beginning of their rebuild, but if they can make moves to improve their future, they should.

They currently own the second-overall pick in the draft, and most people are expecting them to make a pick. But what if they don’t? What if the Wizards decide to trade the pick?

According to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, the Wizards are listening to trade offers for the second pick. The Atlanta Hawks (No. 1 pick) and Houston Rockets (No. 3 pick) are also listening to offers.

Here are five trades the Wizards should make utilizing the second pick.

1. Memphis Grizzlies

The Wizards shouldn’t trade out of the draft, but moving back and adding some extra assets wouldn’t be a bad idea. The Memphis Grizzlies want Donovan Clingan, and this deal would help them do that.

Here, the Wizards would still retain a top-10 pick in the draft, giving them the chance to select a guy like Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, G League Ignite’s Ron Holland, or Colorado’s Cody Williams.

Plus, the addition of Ziaire Williams would give the Wizards a nice young player to take a chance on and develop, which is what they should be doing right now.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies would move up in the draft to pick Clingan, who would create an elite frontcourt next to Jaren Jackson Jr. They would dominate the defensive end of the floor. 

2. Utah Jazz

It may not seem ideal for the Wizards to add win-now talent, but Collin Sexton is the type of player they could build with. Or, at the very least, build up until his trade value is even better.

The Utah Jazz have supposedly expressed an interest in trading up for Clingan as well, so giving up Sexton and the 10th pick for him would be ideal.

Perhaps the Jazz would want to get better value back in return for Sexton, but if they really love Clingan and want to snag him with pick No. 2, then this deal wouldn’t be too bad.

3. San Antonio Spurs

Trading an extra first-round pick may seem like a lot for the San Antonio Spurs, but rumblings have indicated their potential desire to trade up for the first pick. What if they did the same with pick two?

This trade would completely depend on if who the Spurs want at one is still available at two. Maybe they want France’s Alex Sarr? Maybe they want to ensure they get UConn’s Stephon Castle?

For Washington, they could add a future pick in a potentially stronger draft class while also getting a top-five pick this year.

4. Chicago Bulls

Maybe the Chicago Bulls don’t want to trade Ayo Dosunmu. That would be reasonable. But they just got Josh Giddey, and they reportedly like Donovan Clingan. This would solve some roster-building questions.

Chicago could roll out a lineup that includes Coby White, Giddey, and Clingan, which would bode very well for their future.

Simultaneously, the Wizards would land a new backcourt piece to develop. Dosunmu showed a ton of potential at the end of last season, and he’s still only 25 years old.

5. Portland Trail Blazers

Adding a guy like UConn’s Donovan Clingan or France’s Zacharie Risacher would be great for the Portland Trail Blazers, who are aiming to build around Scoot Henderson.

The Wizards would still be able to add a great talent at the seventh-overall pick, and like a previous trade, snagging an extra first-rounder in a future draft would be nice.

And again, pairing Henderson with a guy like Clingan or Risacher moving forward would provide the Trail Blazers with a brighter path heading into the future.