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The Washington Wizards have been a team in the middle of the pack for many years now. After years on this treadmill of mediocrity, the Wizards decided to hire former Los Angeles Clippers general manager Michael Winger as the new head honcho to run the show, replacing the fired Tommy Sheppard. Winger immediately went to work by taking Washington in a new direction, unloading stars Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis in trades.
The expectation is for the Wizards to focus on player development and the draft for the next couple of seasons. Jordan Poole, Tyus Jones, and Kyle Kuzma will be the key cogs for Washington during this rebuilding period. While it can be tough to trade away star talent, Wizards fans should be ecstatic that the new front office is picking a lane and trying something new.
Bradley Beal, Kristaps Porzingis trades
There was no point for Washington to extend Kristaps Porzingis even if he opted out of his player option. He had a fantastic 2022-23 campaign, but it was more individual success because it did not result in a lot of victories for the squad. The Bradley Beal supermax extension with a no-trade clause was a massive mistake, and Winger didn't want to double down on the future with this core after they couldn't even make the play-in tournament this past season.
Starting with Beal, the immense contract he earned along with the no-trade clause turned out to be a huge negative for the Wizards. When they were scouring the market for deals for Beal, teams knew that he could reject a trade to a team that he did not prefer. Thus, the choices were limited to the franchises that could compete for an NBA championship, so he ended up landing with the Phoenix Suns.
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The Suns acquired Beal without giving up a first-round pick. It was not reported what other packages Washington had on the table, but getting rid of Beal's contract for Chris Paul and Landry Shamet's contracts were beneficial for their long-term flexibility. Additionally, Paul was shipped to the Golden State Warriors for assets who fit more in their timeline.
Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and Ryan Rollins are calculated risks for a squad that must focus on the development of youthful individuals. Poole and Kuzma will be the leading scorers of Washington, and the front office will be able to gauge if they can be part of the future outlook of the Wizards. If not, their contracts can be tradable before the deadline or during the offseason.
For Porzingis, the Wizards added the best backup point guard in the association in Tyus Jones. He will be the catalyst of Washington's offense and had been seeking a larger role, which is why the Memphis Grizzlies were looking to trade him. Jones is up for an extension soon, and Washington knows it can bank on him for stability and playmaking. The veteran point guard should get a nice payday.
Wrapping up the offseason additions of the Wizards so far is No. 7 pick Bilal Coulibaly, who will also be one of the franchise cornerstones in Washington and is a big swing in the draft. They are still far from competing with the best in the East, but the key first step has been completed by Michael Winger and the crew.
