The Washington Wizards are in year one of a total rebuild. Bradley Beal is gone, and the front office should attempt to maximize their draft capital before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Kyle Kuzma is drawing interest from several teams, and Tyus Jones has been mentioned in rumors.
Washington pulled off a small trade to acquire Marvin Bagley III on Jan. 14. It could be a precursor to an active deadline. The Wizards got two second-round picks, and they signaled a willingness to take on long-term money in exchange for draft capital.
They have won seven of their first 38 games and figure to finish in the bottom three in the standings. Washington will have tied for the best odds at getting the number one pick in the lottery. It will likely be a rough stretch run after moving on from Jones and others at the deadline. What can the Wizards get back for their starting point guard?
5. Tyus Jones heads back to Minnesota
Jones started his NBA career on the Timberwolves as Minnesota traded three second-round picks to move up to 24th overall to draft him. He was their backup point guard for four years before leaving for Memphis in free agency in 2019. The Wizards acquired him in a 2023 offseason trade. Jones has gotten his first opportunity to be a full-time starter, and he has taken his game to another level.
Washington wants a first-round pick for Tyus Jones, but the Wolves do not have one to offer. They can give them a handful of seconds and a future pick swap in a trade that looks like this.
The Wizards should demand Naz Reid in return. The 6’9 big man is averaging 12.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks in just 22.5 minutes per game playing behind Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. Reid could blossom in a larger role and is under contract for $13.9 million next season.
The Washington Wizards likely pass on this trade because they do not get a first-round draft pick, but the Timberwolves are far from the only team interested in Tyus Jones.
4. Wizards capitalize as 76ers try to keep options open