The Washington Wizards are expected to be continuously active as the trade deadline draws closer. Rumors are always swirling, but when they come from a team insider, they tend to ring true on some levels. As always, take them with a grain of salt, but don’t ever be surprised when they come true. Wizards insider Josh Robbins gave fans plenty of names to keep a lookout for, but two could provide interesting debate around the league.
Wizards Insider Links Washington To Two Intriguing Talents
Several found themselves to be linked to D.C in this article, including a “long-shot”, potentially conference-shifting deal for Zion Williamson while keeping the Jonathan Kuminga possibility open as well. However, the other two names haven’t been connected to the Wizards yet and could make intriguing additions to Washington’s young core. Those talents are Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley.
Robbins gave some clarity on why Washington would take these, as he labeled, “undesirable” multi-year contracted players:
“The sources said the Wizards remain open to absorbing other teams’ multi-year contracts if potential trade partners attach sweeteners such as future draft picks or intriguing young players. That is the most likely trade-deadline scenario for Washington, league sources said. As one league source said, the Wizards could be a salary “dumping ground for assets. The notion of Washington taking on long-term money is not a major revelation. Since Michael Winger joined the organization as Monumental Basketball president and Winger hired Will Dawkins as the Wizards’ general manager, Winger and Dawkins have prioritized adding future draft picks in trades and young prospects.”
Wizards’ “Flipping Talent” Works
Washington, in recent years, has had no problem flipping talent. Just last season, the Wizards made two great trades, flipping assets for the future. After bringing in Kyle Kuzma in the 2020-21 offseason, he had two career years in D.C before being sent out for the highly athletic AJ Johnson and, now with an expiring contract, Khris Middleton. Let’s not forget the franchise-altering deal for Trae Young. That trade was a direct result of flipping Jordan Poole for CJ McCollum, then moving McCollum for Young, all in under six months.
The reason for bringing this up is simple: flipping talent works. A rebuilding squad has opportunities all around, and good talent makes the most of those. In turn, it ups their value in the trade market, making it easier to bring in draft capital or younger talent to help the roster develop. Both Grant and Quickley could work similarly if Washington chose to go down that path.
Trading For Grant
Grant has spent 12 seasons across the NBA and has provided a vast amount of one thing at every stop: scoring. He hasn’t averaged under 10 points a game since the 2017-18 season, and has shot a career average of 44.8% from the field and 36.6% from three. For his career, Grant averages 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists across his 747 career games.
Grant is primarily a power forward, which the Wizards are in desperate need of. His scoring would pair well with point forward Kyshawn George’s playmaking. He’s a sensational talent and would provide a much-needed scoring option for a struggling Washington core without McCollum, who was leading the team before the Young trade.
Grant is currently under contract until the 2027-28 season; however, he has a player option that could secure him another year. He’s pricey, making over $30 million a year, but the Wizards could bring in some more draft capital if they decide to take the hit.
Portland has a lottery-protected pick along with (possibly) multiple second-round selections in the 2026 NBA Draft. In the near future, they hold a first-round pick or swap in 2027, 2028, and 2029, with at least one pick in the second round in each of those classes.
Trading For Quickley
Quickley is now in his sixth season in the league. The guard is already a great piece in Toronto, and would be Washington’s lead guard until Young’s eventual return. His scoring ability is solid, and his playmaking would make him a great addition to a young Wizards roster. Over the course of his career, Quickley has averaged 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and four assists across 366 total games.
A Grant trade would do the current roster better for one reason. The guard room would be packed with talent. Young (once healthy), Quickley, Bub Carrington, AJ Johnson, and Tre Johnson all play out of the guard slots. In turn, either Quickley impacts development, leading to a Carrington, Quickley, or A. Johnson departure, or Quickley gets flipped as soon as Young comes back. Quickley could certainly make a name for himself in D.C, but at the risk of causing drama among the young core.
The Raptors have at least one pick in the first and second rounds for each draft from 2026 to 2029. While Quickley is a more attractive asset compared to Grant, Washington would need a pick to consider making a deal involving Quickley, unless the price was too good to pass up on.
Potential For Contention
There’s a very small pro to either of these deals. With Young in D.C, the Wizards’ window for contention starts next season. Playoff basketball will return to Capital One Arena very soon, either with or without a Grant/Quickley trade. One (or both) of these deals would cement a uber-competive roster and help boost offensive production rapidly.
The Last Word
Washington wouldn’t need to flip either player unless the right deal came along. Holding onto Grant would secure a 2-3 year window of good power forward production. Keeping Quickley could come at a cost, but could return a great backcourt option beside Young. Both trades could work in a short-term or long-term situation for D.C. It’s more about how they would go about it.
Is it a win-win either way? Absolutely not. You take a chance on a bad contract in hopes of great production. However, every risk comes with rewards, and Washington’s reward could come in bunches.
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