The Washington Wizards are going all in with the idea of rebuilding over the next few years. The organization traded away its two pillars, Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. On top of that, Kyle Kuzma has opted out of his $13 million player option for the 2023-24 season to enter free agency.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the two big trades that the Wizards have made over the last few weeks – Beal to the Phoenix Suns and Porzingis to the Celtics.
Bradley Beal Full Trade Details
Wizards Received: Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, 2024, 2026 Pick Swaps, Six Second-Round Picks
Suns Received: Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin
Kristaps Porzingis Full Trade Details
Wizards Received: Mike Muscala, Danilo Gallinari, Tyus Jones, 2023 Second-Round Pick From Boston
Celtics Received: Kristaps Porzingis, 2023 First-Round Pick From Memphis, 2024 First-Round Pick From Memphis Via Golden State
Grizzlies Received: Marcus Smart
Even after trading two All-Star caliber players, the Wizards didn’t get anything significant in return. One would have expected them to get at least a few solid players or a load of future assets in return.
To be honest, it’s very embarrassing to see the downfall of the organization over the last few decades. The Wizards (known as the Washington Bullets then) won the 1978 NBA Championship and advanced to the NBA Finals in 1979. But that was the peak for the organization.
Since then, the Wizards have never even reached the Conference Finals. Over the last 44 seasons, the franchise has reached the postseason just 17 times. As of now, the Wizards are in a two-year playoff drought that’ll most likely extend to multiple years.
With all that said, let’s take a look at the Wizards’ roster for the 2023-24 NBA season. They will pretty obviously tank to increase their chances of landing a lottery pick next season. So don’t be surprised if they finish last in the Conference even though they have the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
PG: Chris Paul
SG: Landry Shamet
SF: Deni Avdija
PF: Danilo Gallinari
C: Mike Muscala
Bench: Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Delon Wright, Johnny Davis, Corey Kispert, Daniel Gafford, Anthony Gill, Xavier Cooks
It’s obvious that the Wizards do not have a great roster. Moreover, they are expected to trade away Chris Paul before the season begins. CP3 is keen to join the Lakers or Clippers to bolster his chances of winning a ring.
Last season, the Wizards had a 35-47 record and finished the season as the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference. Now, remove Beal, Porzingis, and Kuzma from that roster, the Wizards will barely be able to get to 20 wins next season.
Overall, the Wizards have made some pretty questionable trades. Even if they wanted to rebuild, getting multiple first-round picks would have made things easier for the organization.
If you are a Wizard fan, get ready for multiple years of agony. The team is far from good, and it could take them years to become competitive again.
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