The Wizards are struggling early in the season and rumors of coach Scott Brooks being on the hot seat have surfaced. There’s still time for Washington to turn around the season and making a trade could be the answer.
Let’s take a look at five trades that could help the Wizards this year while also fitting into their long-term plans.
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Trade #1: Knicks Send Frank Ntilikina to the Wizards
- To Washington: Frank Ntilikina
- To New York: Ish Smith, 2024 second-round pick
Ish Smith has been the ultimate pro for the Wizards, stepping in when their top guys are out and mentoring the younger players since he joined the franchise back in the summer of 2019. However, the vet will be a free agent at the end of the season and defensive ability simply is no longer there, and with Raul Neto in the fold, Smith becomes expendable as the veteran backup point guard.
Taking a chance on Frank Ntilikina, who is currently nursing a knee injury on the sideline for the Knicks, might be worthwhile for the Wizards. Tommy Sheppard & Co. have shown a propensity to take low-risk gambles on former first-rounders in the past (Moritz Wagner, Jerome Robinson, etc), and Ntilikina, who went No. 8 overall in the 2017 draft, is someone who already has the defensive ability to help the Wizards and could also be a long-term piece if he grows other parts of his game.
Trade #2: Washington Acquires Hawks Forward John Collins
- To Washington: John Collins
- To Atlanta: Troy Brown Jr., 2021 first-round pick swap, 2025 top-10 protected first-rounder
With Thomas Bryant out for the season, the team doesn’t necessarily need to bring in another big man. Washington signed Robin Lopez during the offseason and Moritz Wagner will have a chance to solidify a spot in the rotation, though both centers will be free agents at the end of the year.
Collins, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, has flashed All-Star potential since coming into the league as the No. 19 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Re-signing him won’t come cheap but the team should be able to move around some salary to lock down the 23-year-old long-term (possibly a Davis Bertans trade next summer).
Collins, who has essentially split time between power forward and center this season, would immediately help the Wizards this year as they attempt to climb out of the Eastern Conference basement while also providing the franchise with another long-term piece.
Trade #3: Washington Uses DPE to Trade for JaVale McGee
- To Washington: JaVale McGee
- To Cleveland: Second-round pick (2024), Second-round pick (2027)
The Wizards have applied for a Disabled Player Exception worth roughly $4.2 million with Bryant going down for the season and coincidently, McGee, who was traded to Cleveland this offseason, makes $4.2 million this year in the final season of his contract. The former Wizard has been solid on the defensive end of the floor for the Cavs this season and could seriously help his former franchise on that end of the court.
Trade #4: Washington Sends Isaac Bonga to Sacramento for Hassan Whiteside
- To Washington: Hassan Whiteside
- To Sacramento: Isaac Bonga
Whiteside hasn’t been an elite rim protector but he’s a plus defender and would provide some help on that end of the floor. The center hasn’t had a consistent role for the Kings, seeing at least 10 minutes of action in just six of 10 games thus far. If the Wizards can swap Bonga, who similarly has had an inconsistent role, for the big man, it would give a boost to the club.
Trade #5: Wizards, Pistons Swap Josh Jackson, Troy Brown Jr.
- To Washington: Josh Jackson
- To Detroit: Troy Brown Jr.
Jackson has seen fewer minutes lately for the Pistons, though he has the ability to be a defensive stopper on the wing.
This trade couldn’t be completed until February 5 since Jackson signed with Detroit as a free agent back in November. Once he’s eligible to be traded, the former No. 4 overall pick would fit nicely alongside either Bradley Beal or Deni Avdija in the wing rotation, and unlikely TBJ, he’s under contract after this season.
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