The Washington Wizards are coming off a disappointing season as they finished with the second-worst record in basketball. Following their 15-67 season, the Wizards offseason could make a trade or two this offseason.
Washington has already made a big offseason move by hiring interim Brian Keefe as their new head coach. Keefe took over midseason for the Wizards, who went 8-31 in those games.
It's evident that the Wizards have a long way to go in their rebuild. Last offseason, Washington traded away Bradley Beal in a deal centered around Jordan Poole. Poole was set to become the centerpiece of the Wizards franchise, but he struggled mightily.
The 24-year-old averaged 17.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. Poole was very inefficient, shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from three.
He has three years remaining on his four-year $128 million deal. Poole still could produce as a solid player, but Washington shouldn't view him as the future of their franchise.
The Wizards' biggest building block is 19-year-old Bilal Coulibaly. Washington drafted Coulibaly with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft, and he had a solid rookie campaign. He averaged 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and almost a steal and block per game.
Coulibaly shot 43.5 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from behind the arc. He is a lengthy forward who can play well on both ends of the floor. With Coulibaly as a building block, Washington will need to build around him through the draft, free agency, and trade.
All that said, let's dive into three early Wizards trade targets in the 2024 NBA offseason.
Wizards trade for Jarrett Allen
One potential trade that the Wizards could make is for Jarrett Allen. The Cleveland Cavaliers could be an active team this offseason, with rumors swirling around Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Allen.
If Allen is made available, he could be a solid addition to Washington. The Cavaliers would likely move Evan Mobley to center, which would leave a forward spot open. The Wizards could trade Kuzma in a potential Allen deal, giving Cleveland a quality player who would fit if they retool.
Allen is only 26 years old and is one of the best centers in basketball. He is a great rim protector and rebounder, and he has shown improvement on offense this season. He averaged 16.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game while shooting 63.4 percent from the field.
Allen's two-way play could help the Wizards roll out a solid young squad alongside Coulibaly, possibly Poole, and whoever is selected with the second overall pick.
Wizards acquire Josh Giddey
Josh Giddey is a young guard the Wizards could pursue. The 21-year-old is a talented all-around player but struggled throughout the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff run.
If the Thunder are interested in adding Kuzma to their core, Giddey would be their trade chip. Giddey averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 47.5 percent from the floor and 33.7 percent from downtown.
The young guard is talented and could excel as the lead guard for the Wizards. In Oklahoma City, Giddey has been the secondary ball handler to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
There were off-the-court concerns about Giddey this season, but with the Newport Beach Police Department and NBA closing their investigations, it seems everything is behind him.
If the Thunder are interested in acquiring Kuzma, the Wizards should target Giddey, as he could be a building block as a lead guard.
Wizards bring in Ziaire Williams
The Wizards could take a chance on Ziaire Williams, a young forward who was a former first-round pick. He has struggled in his first three seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, and it will be tougher to crack the rotation next season.
Memphis was without many key rotational pieces this season due to injury, which gave Williams an opportunity for more minutes.
The 22-year-old averaged 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists, shooting 39.7 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from behind the arc. His inefficient shooting makes it tough to see a role next season in the Grizzlies' rotation, which could make him available.
Williams has shown flashes of being a quality two-way role player. Washington could take a chance on the young forward and give him a spot in their rotation.
The Wizards have many decisions to make this offseason. They can establish a young core with Coulibaly, the 2nd overall pick, and a player like Allen, Giddey, or Williams via trade.
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