The Washington Wizards are deep into their game of ‘Capture the Flagg’ and a few moves to boost their odds could be on the horizon.
The Wizards currently have the worst record in the league at 4-21, but the 6-20 Utah Jazz and 5-23 New Orleans Pelicans are right there at the bottom of the standings with them. Washington spiraled down the standings with a 16-game losing streak that lasted for over five weeks, though they have done better recently with a pair of wins in their last five outings.
They actually won their most recent game–a gutsy 123-114 victory over the 7-20 Charlotte Hornets–where veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon returned from a four-game absence and made a major impact. The 2017 NBA Rookie of the Year and 2023 Sixth Man of the Year played 27 minutes off the bench and put up 25 points, three three-pointers, a rebound, six assists, and a steal. He gave the Wizards a semblance of stability whenever he was on the floor, yet for a team that is trying its best to improve its draft lottery odds, this is the last thing that they could conceivably want.
This was actually just Brogdon’s 10th game of the season as he has dealt with a couple of injuries, though he has indeed looked fantastic whenever he has been on the floor for Washington. Most teams would benefit from having the 32-year-old veteran on their roster and several aspiring contenders are likely to inquire with the Wizards on the availability of their combo guard. He is also on a contract that expires at the end of this season which makes him an even more enticing asset for teams.
Some of the teams in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt–the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and the Orlando Magic to name a few–could clearly benefit from the addition of Brogdon.
A few other Washington players such as Jordan Poole, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kyle Kuzma could receive interest from other teams as well heading into the February 7 trade deadline, though their value added to an aspiring title team is not as clear when compared with Brogdon.
Poole is the team’s leading scorer this season, averaging 20.6 points per game on 43.5% field goal shooting. He played a crucial role on the 2022 NBA champion Golden State Warriors as a reserve guard and could relive this with some other team in the near future. The Denver Nuggets have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring him which is unsurprising given how poorly their team, with the exception of Nikola Jokic, has played this season.
On the other hand, Valanciunas has been recently linked with the Los Angeles Lakers who have long been searching for a center to pair with Anthony Davis. Two other Pacific Division teams, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, have also been mentioned as potential destinations for him.
Meanwhile, Kuzma’s name has been floated in rumors connecting him with the Warriors and Miami Heat. Though his statistics–15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds–are the lowest that they have been since he was traded to the Wizards in 2021, he remains an attractive trade target.
The 6’9 forward has proven that he can be an effective two-way player when he is engaged and he could have a similar impact to that of P.J. Washington when he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks before last year’s trade deadline. Kuzma also has championship experience from his stint with the 2020 Lakers which should be invaluable to younger teams that are looking to take a leap.
These three players threaten Washington’s hopes of landing Flagg and it would not come as a surprise if they are dealt by the February deadline. Brogdon, Valanciunas, and Kuzma might not come off as viable starters for most contenders, but they do have the potential to make an impact in the right situations. Trade talks are bound to intensify in the coming weeks, and until a deal is struck, this trio will likely remain at the center of the rumor mill.
