It has been two NBA seasons since the Washington Wizards were last in the playoffs, and while that may not seem like too long ago, this organization has drastically changed over the years. Back in 2017, the Wizards had a core of John Wall, Bradley Beal, Otto Porter Jr. and Kelly Oubre Jr. This team looked like they were going to be a force in the Eastern Conference for the foreseeable future, but now, the core is Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal and rookie Deni Avdija.
The Washington Wizards were one of the most aggressive teams this offseason as they pulled off the biggest trade of the year, acquiring former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook from the Houston Rockets in exchange for John Wall and a lottery-protected 2023 first-round pick.
Not only did the Wizards win this trade by a wide margin, but they may finally have a solid backcourt partner with Bradley Beal that can finally get the Wizards back to their winning ways. Pairing Russell Westbrook with Bradley Beal gives the Washington Wizards one of the best backcourts in the entire NBA and a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.
Entering the 2020-21 NBA season, Bradley Beal will have a chip on his shoulder to prove all of his haters wrong and with one of the league’s top point guards by his side, he should have no problem achieving what he has set out for himself. The Wizards also drafted highly-sought out draft prospect, Deni Avdija, who has all the potential to be a Rookie of the Year Candidate this season.
This Wizards franchise has gone from bottom-of-the-pack to being a legit playoff team in the Eastern Conference and all they need is a legit big man in the frontcourt to solidify themselves as a threat in the East. Thomas Bryant and Moritz Wagner are two young, solid big men, but neither of them is All-Star level talents that Westbrook and Beal need to play with.
If the Wizards were to target a former NBA All-Star center like Andre Drummond of the Cleveland Cavaliers, there is only one logistical trade that would potentially work given that Westbrook and Beal are owed a combined $70M this year. Let’s take a look at a trade that could send Andre Drummond to the Washington Wizards in exchange for a young sharpshooting forward.
