NBA Draft 2024 Rumors: Wizards Expected to Try to Trade for a Third 1st-Round Pick
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMay 13, 2024
Kena Krutsinger/NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards currently hold the Nos. 2 and 26 selections in this year’s NBA draft as they fully embark on a rebuilding phase of the organization.
But despite this year’s draft class generally being considered a weak one, Washington reportedly “will look to acquire another first-round pick in the draft,” according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
General manager Will Dawkins began Washington’s rebuild last season, trading away Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, Kristaps PorziÅÄ£is to the Boston Celtics and sending Chris Paulāwho was acquired in the Beal dealāto the Golden State Warriors in a deal that netted the team Jordan Poole.
At the draft, he landed Bilal Coulibaly in the first round and Tristan VukÄeviÄ in the second.
It was a tough season in Washington. The team went just 15-67, Poole was more notable as a meme than an effective player and Coulibaly (8.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG) showed flashes but was inconsistent before a fractured wrist ended his rookie season.
Shaqtin’ a Fool @shaqtinJordan Poole is the #Shaqtin Midseason MVP! šš pic.twitter.com/SsUam1Rgnf
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There are some young, potential building blocks in Washington.
Coulibaly and VukÄeviÄ have room to grow into solid players. Deni Avdija and Corey Kispert look like solid NBA role players. Any team that has Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma as its top two options is going to suffer, but the Wizards should continue transitioning into a younger team and build around the draft.
Still, trying to acquire more draft capital this year feels like a curious choice. As ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported after the lottery, Alex Sarr is the only prospect widely considered to be at or near the top on most draft boards, and behind him is “chaos.”
He continued:
“Team officials expect several teams might investigate the return for trading down a few slotsāonly to have trouble finding a trade partner eager to deal meaningful assets to move up.”In the weeks leading to Sunday, even officials from teams who stood to potentially lose their first-round picks depending on the luck of the drawātheĀ Toronto Raptors,Ā Utah JazzĀ andĀ Golden State WarriorsĀ among themāseemed indifferent to the results.”So the Wizards would definitely be zigging while the rest of the NBA zags if they make a serious push to land a third first-rounder in June. But the counterpoint is that if they identify a few players they really love, trying to get back in the first round may never be cheaper.
