Amid their struggles last season, the Washington Wizards managed to qualify for the playoffs. One huge reason was obviously Bradley Beal's impressive campaign — a performance that earned him his third All-Star appearance and a spot in the All-NBA Third Team. Fans were in awe of his loyalty, too. After all, much of his scoring outbursts didn't always lead to wins. A slew of rumors circulated that Beal wants out of Washington — reports that he downright dismissed. Beal wants to stay and believes that he can win with the Wizards.
The front office should not take this as a signal that they can rest and relax, knowing that their franchise star wants to stay. Rather, they should take this offseason as a reward for Beal's loyalty and ultimately, build a team that can compete for the title. Given the relatively tense atmosphere regarding several teams and their franchise players, the Wizards should take this as an opportunity to lure a brand new star alongside Beal. All eyes are on the Portland Trail Blazers and Damian Lillard situation. The Wizards might actually be the last team on Lillard's mind as his next destination. However, the Wizards can still arrange a deal that can benefit both sides.
Wizards' Best trade offer for Damian Lillard
Russell Westbrook, Deni Avdija, 2022 First Round Pick, 2024 First Round Pick, 2023 Second Round Pick in exchange for Damian Lillard and Derrick Jones Jr.
This is the most viable trade package the Wizards can offer for Damian Lillard. Russell Westbrook, for all his amazing stats and feats, is on the tail-end of his career. Analysts have even spotted signs of the athletic guard slowing down. As such, his trade value isn't as high as it used to be. The Wizards need to insert Avdija and some future picks for the Trail Blazers front office to even consider their offer.
The Trail Blazers, for their part, are off to a great start with regard to making Lillard happy. Their hiring of Chauncey Billups sparked some controversy. But outside of that, analysts believe that Billups (particularly his penchant for defense) has what it takes to finally guide the Blazers to a deep playoff run. However, this does not mean that the Lillard will stay. Some roster tweaks should be in order and even if Lillard chooses to don the Blazers jersey at the beginning of the 2021-22 season, this doesn't mean that he'll continue to wear it until the end.
If the six-time All-Star requests for a trade then a list of preferred destinations will likely follow. Sad to say that the Wizards won't likely be on that list. Lillard, who's well within the prime of his career, would want to be part of a team that can win a title in the next two or three years.
However, this does not mean that the Wizards have zero chance at landing Lillard. After all, the team has a bunch of selling points that can make Lillard believe in the Wizards' chances. The most obvious selling point is Beal who just came off the best season of his nine-year career. The numbers speak for themselves. It shows how desperate Beal wants to win. And who wouldn't want a teammate who's willing to put everything on the line for that W?
Apart from which, the Wizards actually have some good players who can mesh well with Lillard's style. There's Davis Bertans, the Latvian Laser, who can shoot lights out from deep. Of course, there's Rui Hachimura who's good on offense and has also made strides on defense. Center Thomas Bryant, too, who played just 10 games last season due to an ACL tear, should be back next season. Both Hachimura and Bryant can turn out as defensive beasts — something that was lacking in Lillard's Blazers teams.
As of this writing, the Wizards are still hunting for a new coach. Assistant coaches have reportedly been included in the shortlist of candidates: Dallas’ Jamahl Mosley, Milwaukee’s Darvin Ham and Charles Lee and Denver’s Wes Unseld, Jr. This might be the ultimate deciding factor for Lillard. Since what's the use of the Wizards' talented core without a great coach to guide them?
Follow Us
Subscribe