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The Washington Wizards have been in the NBA gutter for a couple of years now. While they were able to make the playoffs last year, the teams have been unconvincing and some personnel decisions were odd.
John Wall, even though he has a massive injury history and some glaring flaws, was given a massive extension in 2017. He missed a ton of time since then and was traded to the Houston Rockets for Russell Westbrook in 2020. Westbrook was then also traded and the Wizards now, rather than having a dynamic duo in the backcourt, do not have much when it comes to NBA quality. In their fight for the playoffs, there are some potential trade candidates that might help them get there.
The roster is full of talent with chips on their shoulders. Kyle Kuzma, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Montrezl Harrell all come from the Lakers where they were blamed for their shortcomings in the postseason. Spencer Dinwiddie is returning to basketball after an ACL injury and he must be eager to show his worth to the Wizards faithful. To top it all off, Davis Bertans had a poor season last year and is looking to bounce back.
The Wizards might have a terrible season or surprise everyone with a great year, but with these two possible trade candidates, they would be the talk of the league – Ben Simmons and Jusuf Nurkic.
Wizards trade candidates
Jusuf Nurkic
Starting off in the center position, the Wizards would not have the need for Nurkic if it was not for an unfortunate injury. Thomas Bryant, an up-and-coming center who exploded in Washington, unfortunately tore his ACL. The 24-year-old is probably not going to play at least until around January and Nurkic is right there for the taking. The Wizards need some stability in the middle and while Harrell is a good option, he is definitely not a true center.
With Nurkic, the Wizards would be getting a two-way phenom ready to show his worth. He had an unfortunate leg break in 2019, bounced back somewhat in the bubble but had an awful season last year.
Now, it is time for the Bosnian Beast to really ball out, as he is in his last year of his contract. As it is widely known, players, especially in Nurkic's position, typically overachieve in their contract years.
This would be the second biggest contract of his career and the last one where he can really get paid. With his injury history, it would be difficult to assume that when this next contract expires, he would not be an even bigger liability. The Wizards would not have to invest a lot of resources into him, as he is an expiring contract. Also, they would have time to figure out whether he is worth the money he would be seeking in free agency after the year.
Additionally, the Wizards would get someone who does not seek a lot of the ball in the offense and can be a great playmaker. Nurkic, when deployed and used properly, has great court vision and can reward cutting guards and wings with precise passes. In a squad with Bertans, Rui Hachimura, and Deni Avdija, who all need some shot creation, Nurkic would fit in perfectly. It would be a no-brainer for the Wizards to trade for the former Nuggets center.
Ben Simmons
This would be another no-brainer. While his attitude is definitely something that will turn off a lot of the teams that could potentially trade for him, Simmons is still above and beyond the average NBA player. His attitude and some flaws aside, any team that gets Simmons would be getting him for cents on the dollar and would be getting a future All-NBA player. The Wizards should be in line to offer something to the Sixers for his services.
Once again, his attitude towards the club and his inability to shoot beyond ten feet are red flags. However, the Wizards are in a position where they are already risking a lot with this team. They are risking the contract given to Dinwiddie, trading for Kuzma, Caldwell-Pope, and Harrell, and this risk is worth taking. After it dawns on coach Doc Rivers and the rest of the 76ers front office that Simmons does not want to play for them again, his price will be minuscule for his skill set.
Simmons is an elite defender, an elite passer and ball distributor, and someone who can get his whole team involved. With all possible respect to Dinwiddie, it is absolutely true that the Wizards simply do not have a quality playmaker outside of Bradley Beal. Dinwiddie is a great point guard, a great clutch player, and a solid scorer, but he is not the distributor that will get the team involved. Simmons brings that, with solid inside scoring and rebounding.
The Australian is not a hot commodity only due to two things – his play against the Atlanta Hawks and the way he is handling this crisis. However, what the Sixers have as a crisis, the Wizards should see as an opportunity. A player of Simmons' stature does not become this available often and the Wizards simply do not have the draw to get them in free agency. They should look past the negatives and take the risk – it might just pay off.
