At 6-33, the Washington Wizards aren't looking to make any short-term moves at the NBA trade deadline. If they do pull off any deals, it'll be to accelerate their rebuild.
The best way to do so, of course, is to acquire draft capital and/or young players. This means that they'll most likely have to give up at least one of Malcolm Brogdon, Kyle Kuzma, and Jonas Valanciunas.
While all three veterans provide value as mentors to the team's young players, dealing them could be beneficial in multiple ways. Not only could they yield a good return in the trade market, but their absences would also open up more playing time for less established players.
Who should Washington target as the Feb. 6 deadline approaches?
Draft picks and/or Cam Whitmore

While stockpiling as much draft capital as possible is a sound approach for rebuilding, landing a cheap youngster doesn't hurt either. The Wizards are only in their second season with their new regime, and the roster is far from playoff-caliber. Drafting and trading for promising players on rookie contracts are the most cost-effective ways to maintain a steady improvement as the operation develops.
Washington is already in a good position, as it's on pace to land another lottery pick in a draft class that's headlined by Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey. All three players have the potential to be “The Guy” the Wizards build the franchise around, although they're not guaranteed to land any of them.
That's in addition to already having developing pieces like Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George. Coulibaly has taken a step forward in his sophomore season, as he made ESPN's list of the 25 best NBA players under 25 years old. Meanwhile, Sarr could win Rookie of the Year after earning Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors in December.
At this moment, it makes the most sense to move Brogdon for one or more draft picks. While Kuzma and Valanciunas are under team control through 2027, Brogdon's contract expires at the end of this season. The 32-year-old is a good “culture builder,” but he's likely to sign with a playoff contender in the offseason. The Wizards should get a return for him while they still can.
Brogdon's $22.5 million salary does make him hard to move, but there are several ways to get something done. One valid trade scenario is sending the former Rookie of the Year and Washington's 2028 first-round pick to the Houston Rockets for a 2025 second-rounder, Cam Whitmore, and Steven Adams, via Fanspo's NBA Trade Machine.
This trade would work well for both parties. Getting Brogdon gives the second-seeded Rockets (27-13) veteran backcourt depth as they push for a deep playoff run. The former Milwaukee Buck is averaging 13.8 points on 44.3% shooting with 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists across 24.8 minutes per game this season, and would instantly become Houston's best bench guard. He'd probably want to re-sign in the summer too, considering the team's quality.
Meanwhile, Whitmore has taken a step back in his sophomore season and could use a change of scenery. The 20-year-old is averaging 10 points on 45% shooting with 2.9 rebounds and just 0.6 assists across 15.9 minutes per game, all down from last year. Going to the Wizards could not only get the Maryland native more playing time, but it would also be a homecoming. Most importantly, Washington would get another talented young player to develop.
Additionally, dumping Adams' $12.6 million salary would keep Houston under the first tax apron threshold of $178,132,000. As a “hard-capped” first-apron team, the Rockets aren't allowed to exceed that payroll mark this season, via Spotrac. This trade would keep them at $4.2 million under the tax and would shed the 31-year-old's expiring contract.
Finally, acquiring Houston's 2025 second-rounder would give the Wizards an extra pick they can use to take another player at the back of the next draft or use in another trade. While the Rockets aren't desperate for more draft capital, getting Washington's 2028 first-rounder evens out the deal considering that they'd give up a pick and two players.
However, the Wizards should be a playoff contender by '28, so it's unlikely to be a premium pick. They also have another '28 first-rounder via the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, or Phoenix Suns, which will probably result in a high draft choice.
Washington may make a move similar to this or stand pat at the deadline. The important aspect of any potential deal they make is to get long-term benefits. The Wizards have the assets to execute a methodical rebuild over the coming years, but it's imperative to maintain discipline and not forget the overall goal as the losses pile up.
The worst thing a rebuilding team can do is deviate from the plan and make short-sighted moves before the process is complete. The good news is that Washington general manager Will Dawkins and team president Michael Winger have kept their eyes on the ball thus far.