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 NBA on paper, but things have not started off well for Washington.

Washington has not been successful early on in the year when both Westbrook and Beal play, which could be slightly concerning for the Wizards’ front office. They invested a lot of money and draft assets in order to get Westbrook and if things do not turn around quickly, they could be looking to trade away Russ! 

It sounds crazy to believe, but Washington wants to win now and if Westbrook cannot get the job done alongside Beal, they may look elsewhere for someone to come in and play well alongside Beal. Here are 3 teams who should be watching the Wizards throughout the season and potentially trade for Russell Westbrook.