The Washington Wizards‘ rumors are beginning to pick up steam heading into draft night. With rumors and reports arising about potentially trading some rotational pieces, the Wizards have firmly inserted themselves in the chaos. The front office is pushing to become ultra-aggressive throughout the offseason. According to Grant Afseth at RG Media, the Wizards have been offering some interesting names to move up in the draft.
Wizards Willing To Trade “Surprising Names” To Move Up In Draft
It’s not a secret that the Wizards were dealt some bad luck on lottery night. Sliding from second to sixth, it was hard to imagine the Wizards wouldn’t try to move up slightly. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to analyze two things. Who are the so-called “surprising names,” and who would Washington be targeting if they were to move up?
Who Are The “Surprising Names?”
Afseth wasn’t clear on who the surprising names that could be available in a trade are. ”
Surprising could mean different things to different people. From an outside view, Jordan Poole could be seen as surprising.
After arguably his best season in the league, his value is certainly higher than when the Wizards traded for him. He could provide any team picking ahead of the Wizards an instant boost in their offense, both in scoring and his evolving playmaking abilities. However, Poole isn’t as surprising in retrospect. He’s been in the NBA rumor mill since the beginning of last year, and seems to consistently find himself in the center of all Wizards rumors.
With this in mind, there are two more candidates that could be seen as “surprising”. While it’s all speculative, they provide a decent amount of trade value and could open the door for further discussions with certain teams.
Bilal Coulibaly
The first name, Bilal Coulibaly, has been heavily mentioned to be one of the players in trade talks. Coulibaly, while coming off an injury, is arguably the best young player in Washington. Not only does he have one of the highest ceilings from the 2023 NBA Draft, but his numbers should only keep improving.
This season, he improved in almost every statistical category except for his shooting splits and blocks average. There is no doubt Washington views him as a potential cornerstone of the franchise. However, if the Wizards are that high on this draft class, his name would almost have to be thrown in some trade negotiations to move up. He’s capable of growing into an even better defensive powerhouse and becoming a more complete and consistent offensive threat.
Alex Sarr
The second name, being slightly less valuable, is Alex Sarr. Sarr is coming off an average first season in Washington. Sarr is poised to make a sophomore jump similar to, if not better, than Coulibaly. He’s the most complete player in Washington from this year’s rookie class, and capable of becoming a decent two-way threat.
He has great defensive intangibles already, and only lacks physicality on that end of the floor. Offensively, he does need to improve, but showed this season he was capable of doing so. Behind Coulibaly, he has the second-most trade value on this Wizards’ roster. While the front office isn’t eager to get rid of him, for the right price, no one is considered untouchable.
Who Are the Wizards Rumored To Be Targeting?
While Washington players who would be in a trade-up deal weren’t mentioned, Afseth did mention, however, why the Wizards were in pursuit of a higher pick.
“Washington’s front office, led by general manager Will Dawkins, remains committed to a youth-driven rebuild centered on upside and player development. Finding stability at point guard has become a central focus, with the organization prioritizing a player who can grow into a foundational piece.”
To be certain, Washington wants to rebuild through the draft, Dawkins has made that clear. However, with the recent Ace Bailey news, the Wizards’ trying to move up seemed less likely. Washington wants a true point guard. With that, there are two players the Wizards’ front office have had their eyes on for awhile, and it seems they are ready to make a move to get one.
Dylan Harper has been linked to the Wizards since they finished with the second-worst record after the regular season ended. However, now needing to trade up and get him, Afseth reported that the San Antonio Spurs are uninterested in making a deal. To go along with this, the Wizards’ second choice, Jeremiah Fears, has boosted his name to the top-five in some mock drafts with Bailey sliding. It seems Washington may need to move up regardless to claim one or the other. Afseth stated,
“San Antonio, which holds the No. 2 pick, has turned down overtures from both Washington and Philadelphia and remains committed to using the selection. Fears has also drawn top-five interest, leaving it unclear whether he will still be available when Washington is on the clock.”
Harper is by far the better pick. However, Fears still provides that true and stable point guard the Wizards’ are looking for. The Spurs seem set with taking Harper at two. Additionally, Fears very well could be picked by the time Washington is on the clock.
With all this being said, there is one clear question that the front office needs to answer. Is trading up for Fears worth trading Coulibaly or Sarr? Fears could very well drop to sixth.
Risk vs. Reward for Fears
Fears is certainly not going first, that’s reserved for Cooper Flagg. Harper has basically locked up the second pick, which means the three other teams decide the fate of Fears. Those three teams: Philadelphia 76ers, Charlotte Hornets, and Utah Jazz have bigger holes in their rosters than at the point guard position. That means Fears could have a chance to be available at sixth.
If Washington is to make a trade involving either young star, they must be sure Fears would be picked inside the top-five. If not, Washington would be wasting a potentially beautiful opportunity. To have your big, forward, and guard of the future all no older than 21 is certainly a nice future to hold. While Fears would take time to develop, having all three of these positions filled out for the future, Washington could build around their strengths and weaknesses easily.
The Last Word
Washington has found themselves in a crucial situation. Do you trade a young star in order to get a guard heavy with potential? Or, do you hope Fears falls to you and potentially waste an opportunity at your franchise’s point guard of the future? Time will certainly tell, but for now, there are plenty of eyes on Washington. Either way, don’t expect these Wizards’ rumors to slow down until Adam Silver announces their selection.
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