The Hypothetical Trade
Wizards Receive: Kristaps Porzingis
Mavericks Receive: Thomas Bryant, Davis Bertans, Chandler Hutchison, 2021 First-Round Pick, 2022 Second-Round Pick (via CHI, Detroit, or LA Lakers, most favorable), 2023 Second-Round Pick (via CHI), 2024 Second-Round Pick, 2024 Second-Round Pick (via MEM)
This trade would be well worth the cost for the Wizards. They would be giving up a talented center in Bryant and two good role players in Bertans and Hutchison, but Porzingis would be a massive upgrade for them.
Bringing in a center who can stretch the floor and post up and score would give the Wizards a new element to their offense. He isn’t a great defender and his rebounding can be inconsistent, but his offensive game would be valuable for Washington.
At just 25 years of age, Porzingis still has quite a few years left of improving his game. He is just now entering his prime. If the Mavericks are serious about moving on from Porzingis, the Wizards should be aggressive in their pursuit of him.
It has been a long time since the Wizards were viewed as legitimate NBA Finals contenders. They aren’t there yet, but they aren’t a pushover anymore either. Adding a talent like Porzingis could make them a very dangerous team in the Eastern Conference.
Expect to see a long line of teams show interest in trading for Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks may not end up moving him, but it sounds like things aren’t going well between them and the star center. If a trade happens, this could be a legitimate offer that the Wizards could make that Dallas could consider pulling the trigger on.
