Perfect Trade Partner Does Exist for Wizards

Essentially, the Wizards traded one former NBA champion for another. Perhaps they could pull off a similar swap with a potential partner on the opposite coast.

The Golden State Warriors have a different dilemma with their roster. After a shocking trip to the Western Conference Semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Warriors look to add more pieces to their roster with multiple openings available, making Golden State the perfect trade partner for Washington.

Another former NBA champion for another and more to help the Wizards.

Kuzma won the 2020 NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Middleton won it the next year with Milwaukee. On the last year of his current contract, the former Bucks forward makes for an ideal trade candidate.

Golden State is looking to re-sign or extend Jonathan Kuminga. Washington has quite a few wing players, even without Middleton. The Wizards have a pair of 21-year-olds in Kyshawn George and Cam Whitmore.

They also have Corey Kispert and Bilal Coulibaly. Of those four, Kispert is the more expendable player. Especially since Coulibaly and George are still playing on their rookie contracts, and Whitmore was just added to the Wizards this summer.

Kuminga is 6'7'' but slides in as a power forward with versatility. He averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds. With four seasons to his credit, the former NBA G League Ignite player earned an NBA championship in his rookie season.

Allowing the Warriors to sign-and-trade Kuminga to the Wizards in exchange for multiple players helps fill Golden State's roster and gives young but established talent in Washington, while clearing up cap space. A fresh start for Kispert may be beneficial after going down last season in mid-March.

Thus, an agreement from the Washington Wizards to send Middleton, Kispert, and another player or future second-round pick to the Golden State Warriors for Jonathan Kuminga. The Warriors gain of a second-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft would be big, since the Charlotte Hornets currently Golden State's.

Should Kuminga play on a qualifying one-year tender with the Warriors, a midseason swap involving Kuminga for Kispert and the second-round draft capital could suffice.

If under team control by the Wizards, they can partner Kuminga and Alex Sarr. Washington could then start McCollum and Bub Carrington as the two guards and Coulibaly as the other forward. That potentially is a golden fit for the Wizards.