The Washington Wizards finally have a direction. The team believes they have some interesting young pieces they want to build around while maximizing future flexibility. ESPN’s Shams Charania released the Wizards news Tuesday that the team is making a significant offseason trade.
The Wizards trade is as follows:
Washington Wizards trade: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the No.40 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft
New Orleans Pelicans trade: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick
The Wizards are losing their top scorer in this deal. That being said, they are picking up an equally productive CJ McCollum. Olynyk is also a great veteran piece to help teach the Wizards' youth movement.
Overall, the Wizards are doing this trade for future flexibility. Once McCollum and Olynyk’s contracts expire in 2026, the team will have a massive amount of cap space.
With a projected $100 million or more in cap space in the 2026 offseason, the Wizards' options are endless. Imagine if some of the young pieces on the team show even more development next season, the Wizards could be an attractive free agent destination for a young star.
This trade also brings two of the more respected veterans in the league onto the roster. This will help the team beyond just the statistics. Having a load of young talent is great, but without veterans to teach them the way, it doesn’t mean much. McCollum and Olynyk will be perfect teachers for the young Wizards.
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That’s why our Wizards trade grade for this deal is a B+. The only way this goes wrong for the Wizards is if Poole becomes a star. It could happen. But if it doesn’t, getting these veterans and future flexibility is a big win.
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