NBA Rumors: The Washington Wizards could be one of the big winners at the NBA Trade Deadline after making a smart gamble during the offseason.
When it was announced that the Washington Wizards were signing free-agent center Jonas Valanciunas to a three-year deal during the offseason, it was naturally a move that everyone began to question. In fairness, Valanciunas didn't fit the timeline of the Wizards as they were clearly pivoting toward a complete rebuild of their roster. Nevertheless, the Wizards still felt the desire to make such a signing.
Looking back, it could end up being considered one of the best moves of the offseason. If the recent reporting is accurate and the center market will be booming ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, that will likely make Valanciunas one of the most sought-after players on the block. Already linked to a handful of teams in need of a center, there's a growing chance that the Wizards are going to cash in big time after their offseason gamble of signing Valanciunas.
With the way the demand for centers on the trade block is trending, you can't count out the possibility of the Wizards landing a future first-round pick for Valanciunas at the deadline. If that does end up being the case, it would be a huge win for this front office.
The Washington Wizards are expected to be active at the trade deadline
Even aside from trying to find the right deal for Valanciunas, there's reason to believe that the Wizards are going to be active on multiple fronts at the trade deadline. Not only could they reasonably move Valanciuas but they could also end up trading Malcolm Brogdon and/or Kyle Kuzma before the deadline.
Heading into trade deadline season, the Wizards have put themselves in a pretty great spot. At this point, you have to credit the team's front office. If Washington can turn Kuzma, Valanciunas, and Brogdon into two first-round picks and perhaps a couple of second-round picks, it would immediately help this team as they look to jump-start the rebuild. On top of all that, the Wizards are also on pace to finish with the best odds to earn the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
For as many mistakes as the Wizards have made in the past, it's hard to criticize the front office as they've certainly made lemonade out of lemons over the past couple of offseasons. Washington is in a good position as they look to put the rebuild in overdrive.