Piece by: Zach Milaszewski
After trading for Russell Westbrook before the start of the season, it seems obvious that the Wizards’ plan is not going to be successful. They sit at 3-11 as of January 28th. Bradley Beal and Westbrook are putting up solid numbers but it is not translating to wins.
So where do they go from here?
Bradley Beal is visibly frustrated with the teams lack of success this season. He’s averaging 35 points a game this season which leads the league. He is not the sole blame for their struggles, but he also is their best player.
Any team looking to improve should be making phone calls to Washington. The Beal era of Washington was fun while it lasted but it’s time to call it quits.
Potential Suitors:
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics don’t have the best trade bait to offer Washington. But as we’ve seen with Kyrie and KD teaming up in Brooklyn, friends want to play with each other. Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal are good friends, they both attended the same high school in St. Louis. Danny Ainge would be a fool to not pick up the phone and at least make an offer. Could Kemba Walker be available? Maybe. But everyone aside from, Tatum, Brown, and probably Marcus Smart should be available along with any and all of their future draft picks.
Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis is locked up in Milwaukee, the Bucks need to keep him happy. They have stalled out in the playoffs the past two seasons. Giannis can be contained enough to win a 7 game series. Beal adds another level to their offense. Khris Middleton is a great player, but he could be even more impactful as a third option. Beal and Giannis controlling the ball would allow for Middleton to get a lot of open looks. Milwaukee should be offering any of their role players, Donte DiVincenzo or Jrue Holiday to go along with any of their future picks.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors were at their best when they were a three star team. Getting Klay Thompson back next year, and adding Bradley Beal would most likely enter them into the contender conversation. They have the assets to get the deal done, Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre jr., and a bunch of young players. The spacing between Curry, Thompson, and Beal would be unreal when you consider they also have Draymond Green and James Wiseman on the floor.
Now what about Russell Westbrook?
Westbrook will absolutely be a tougher player to trade than Beal. We have seen him traded twice and his return has been decreasing in terms of value. His numbers look great on paper but he hasn’t been able to be the star player that impacts winning. For Washington, that means they either try and build around him (probably a bad idea) or they accept that they won’t get the value out of him they would like to.
Most teams will avoid Westbrook. A team like the Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, or the Sacramento Kings may be interested in giving up a first round pick and some salary filler for Westbrook. They are bottom of the pact teams who might just be looking for someone to get to them to the middle of the pact.
Westbrook may be looking at some time coming off the bench. Not for bad play, but as to not mess with the chemistry of what these teams have built. He would bring a ton of energy and scoring off the bench. Would he accept that role? Probably not. It’s a shame that Westbrook’s career has taken this path. He has so much talent left, but in today’s NBA his play style isn’t ideal for teams looking to win.
What players should the Wizards deem untouchable?
Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija, and Thomas Bryant. That’s it. Everyone else should be available for trade. Hachimura and Avdija are their last two first round draft picks. Thomas Bryant is an extremely talented center when he is able to stay healthy. These are players that can impact winning in the future.
It may be an ugly few years rebuilding in Washington, but if they can get a solid return for Beal and Westbrook they should be looking to get back to the playoffs soon.