The Washington Wizards have turned the Memphis Grizzlies' hope of shedding Marcus Smart's salary into a trade that has transformed the organization's outlook. Hyperbolic as that may seem, Washington walked away from the deal for Smart with a locker room leader, a promising up-and-comer, and a first-round pick.
The Wizards' portion of the deal grew stronger at the 2025 NBA Draft when they traded the No. 18 pick it acquired from Memphis for the No. 21 overall selection and three second-round selections.
With the No. 21 pick, Washington selected Will Riley—a 6' 8.25'' and 186-pound wing with a 6'8.75" wingspan who played the 2024-25 season with the Illinois Fighting Illini. The Wizards have brought Riley in to help round out a promising young core that already includes the likes of Bub Carington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and Alex Sarr.
Washington also added Tre Johnson with the No. 6 overall selection in the 2025 NBA Draft, thus giving it yet another high-level prospect to develop.
The hope appears to be that Johnson and Clayton can round a versatile core of young players into shape. The mere acquisition of their talent has given the Wizards yet another piece to develop within a rotation that's beginning to fill out with remarkably well-rounded prospects.
It's unclear what the future holds for Smart at this stage, but trading for him has become one of the best decisions the Wizards have made in years.
Wizards add Will Riley with rerouted pick it acquired in Marcus Smart trade
The Wizards have completed a remarkable restructuring of their roster and identity. They've moved on from Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, invested heavily in the NBA Draft as a resource for sustainable improvement, and brought in veterans to change the culture.
The results haven't yet translated to wins and losses, but Washington has aced the task of building a promising future—and the trade for Smart may be their magnum opus.
Washington acquired Smart at the 2025 NBA trade deadline in a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. The deal centered around Memphis acquiring former top-10 pick Johnny Davis and creating financial relief by shedding Smart's salary.
Washington made out like bandits, acquiring Colby Jones, Alex Len, Smart, and what would ultimately become the No. 18 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Smart has helped change the very nature of the Wizards' future and on-court play, setting the tone for a renewed team-wide intensity on the defensive end of the floor. That translated to Washington going from No. 29 in defensive rating before the trade to No. 23 with him on the roster.
That may seem like a marginal difference, but it was a proper reflection of how much greater the emphasis was on defensive consistency once Smart arrived.
Jones, meanwhile, quietly averaged 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.3 steals in 25.6 minutes per game with the Wizards. It was a small sample size of success, but it's a testament to Washington's commitment to the rebuild that it's found yet another promising young player..
With Johnson and Riley added to the rotation, the profound impact of the trade for Smart and Jones is only growing by the day.