Does this trade make sense for the Washington Wizards?
When analyzing particular trade scenarios, it’s vital to understand the context of the idea. In this instance, the Washington Wizards would be moving Bradley Beal via trade. The objective would then shift for the Wizards from surrounding Russell Westbrook and Beal with talent to finding a suitor for Westbrook’s contract.
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The Lakers are a challenging trade partner for the Wizards when considering the type of pieces they have to offer in a trade scenario. Washington has spent their prime NBA Draft capitol in recent years adding forwards like Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija, so that strongly diminishes the value of landing Kyle Kuzma.
Washington experienced a real success with Daniel Gafford after acquiring him midseason from the Chicago Bulls. He has provided a needed dirty work presence on the interior and could be re-signed for a solid value in NBA free agency. That makes landing Montrezl Harrell in a trade scenario an underwhelming outcome.
From a pure trade value standpoint, this is certainly a fair deal in a vacuum. If other NBA teams weren’t lining up to take on Russell Westbrook’s contract, then the Wizards need to take what they can get and this deal would be solid in that regard. If there are options to choose from, entertaining other options would be ideal when considering the post-trade context.
