The Washington Wizards sparked the NBA trade season with their blockbuster acquisition of four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young, and they could be in pursuit of yet another massive deal as the February 5 deadline rapidly approaches. According to Wizards insider Josh Robbins, Washington’s next play could pivot them towards another former All-Star.
Wizards Insider Thinks Washington Could Trade For…
The Wizards have a long list of young and hungry talent, but one position that severely lacks depth is power forward. Khris Middleton has played there the most, but he’s not going to be rejoining the team after the season, and may be moved out sooner than that. Anthony Gill and Will Riley have both played there, but lack substantial minutes on the court. Kyshawn George isn’t a bad option, playing 49% of his season at the four slot, but he would be much better off in his small forward role long-term. With the NBA trade season firmly at hand, it’s Washington’s ideal time to begin searching for an answer.
However, there’s a name that’s been circulating trade rumors for some time. New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson, who Robbins thinks could, in a “long shot” situation, be playing for Washington by the time the deadline passes.
Robbins’ Thoughts
Obviously, Washington is still in rebuild mode. With no clear debut date for Young and the prospect of losing their lottery pick, the Wizards are firmly in a tank race. With that being said, they are still an opportunistic team. One major move could mean contention next season, and the front office knows that. They won’t buy high, but for the right price, there isn’t much they wouldn’t do. Robbins describes:
“With the Young trade as the template of a low-cost trade for a distressed asset, league sources speculated that New Orleans Pelicans big man Zion Williamson would be someone the Wizards would have to consider if the price is right. The Pelicans reportedly have told teams they’re not going to trade Williamson, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, Derik Queen or Jeremiah Fears. As it pertains to Williamson only, however, league sources expressed skepticism to The Athletic about that report.”
Robbins then states league sources “cannot envision” the Wizards giving up a 2026 first-round pick. However, they may use one of their other draft assets to entice the Pelicans.
“But one source speculated that a pick owed to the Wizards, such as the least favorable of the Houston Rockets’ (top-four protected), LA Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2026 first-round picks, might satisfy the Pelicans’ goals.”
Even though Robbins deems the trade an “extreme long shot,” one could see this benefiting Washington in the long term.
Potential Williamson Fit
Health problems aside for a moment, Washington is in desperate need of a true power forward. While smaller than George, Williamson outweighs him by over 80 pounds and is a physical force in the paint. Additionally, Williamson has gotten better defensively over the years and finally seems to be taking his health seriously.
Williamson fits the rebuild timeline. At 25 years old, he would be a veteran with plenty of ups and downs to share with the younger core members. His contract isn’t exactly team-friendly, but the team has already made moves around that. The Wizards have several expiring contracts and have already re-signed six of their core players.
A Williamson-Young pairing isn’t likely, but it’s an interesting thought to be had. However, while he does fit Washington’s squad in multiple ways, there are some things worth talking about that may have the front office stopping in its tracks.
Negatives To Williamson Trade
Now, let’s first hit on injuries. Williamson has only played 42% of all his possible NBA games, including missing the entire 2021-22 campaign due to injury. He’s only played 60+ games twice in his career, with a majority of seasons falling around the 30-game mark. The potential package for Williamson would be massive, losing young talent and some draft capital. Is that worth giving up for an injury-riddled talent?
Additionally, Wiliamson’s declining three-point shot would be a serious concern. It’s gone from a declining percentage and shots to only attempting three so far this season. This would seriously impact the flow of the offense and would clog up the paint for Washington’s athletic game. Not only would Alex Sarr be affected, but imagine what a pairing of Williamson and Bilal Coulibaly would look like. Defenses would sag off two players completely, giving the Wizards absolutely no chance of scoring inside 15 feet.
Another piece to the negatives as well, albeit small. Williamson would take up a vast amount of minutes, bringing potential All-Star numbers in. Young players like Riley, George, and Cam Whitmore, who have all played at least 30% of their minutes at the four slot, would lose positional minutes. In turn, development would slow or alter, changing the course of their career and possibly their futures in D.C.
The Last Word
The NBA trade season is upon the league, and names like this aren’t exactly a hot commodity these days. Don’t expect Washington to chase Williamson around. That being said, Robbins did mention there were enough sources saying a deal could happen for the possibility to be ignored.
Essentially, rumors are rumors, but they can have real weight to them. The Wizards don’t want to overpay, but for a good deal (like the Young trade), you may see Williamson playing in the nation’s capital if NOLA decides it’s time to move on.
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