Wizards Could Make Another Blockbuster Trade Before Deadline

Who doesn’t love some NBA trade rumors? Ja Morant seems one foot out of Memphis, Michael Porter Jr could be on the move as well as Anthony Davis, and plenty of other names are swirling around as the calendar marches to February. One name consistently mentioned in rumors is the Sacramento Kings’ three-time NBA All-Star Domantas Sabonis. After the Washington Wizards opened the trade season with the Trae Young blockbuster, could they go back-to-back?

Wizards Could Make Another Blockbuster Before Deadline

No doubt Washington has all the tools to go out and acquire Sabonis. Young talent, plenty of picks, and players who could offer the Kings financial flexibility for this offseason. Should the Wizards attempt to pull off the first-ever double-dip and grab their second former All-Star in a month?

Sabonis’ Value

Evaluating the value for Sabonis is nothing short of difficult. He’s led the league in rebounding the last three seasons, has finished in the top 10 in MVP voting twice, and was selected to the All-NBA Third team during the 2023-24 season. This season, Sabonis is averaging 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists before suffering a knee injury in November that’s kept him sidelined since.

However, that hasn’t stopped the rumors, and Sabonis has had plenty of them. The Wizards have been in these rumors for a while. Sam Amick reported in December that Washington was on a rather short list of potential suitors for Sabonis.

A potential deal would include several players, including a big contract and some young pieces. Khris Middleton would be atop the list, giving Sacramento the financial flexibility with his $33 million contract expiring after this season. As for some potential young prospects, one name that has been mentioned is Bub Carrington. Carrington is currently playing decently and would be a great back-up for Young and whoever Washington decides to start at the second guard position next year.

Would the Kings take a name like Cam Whitmore? A deal with Whitmore or another unproven young talent like AJ Johnson, Will Riley, or Malaki Branham could work, but at the cost of several picks. Carrington would provide the value of a talented young player with lots of potential in exchange for an unproven, potentially heavy talent plus a few picks. In sum, sending Carrington out may be the best bang for your buck if you really want Sabonis to move.

While Sabonis would no doubt pair well with Young, would he mesh with the rest of the roster? Does the all-around big man have a real fit with the young Wizards?

Positive Impacts For Wizards

Sabonis is an all-around machine. He’s averaged a double-double for six straight seasons and is on pace to make it seven. However, that doesn’t automatically make him a solid fit for Washington, especially with the current roster.

Sabonis would be a positive addition in two ways for Washington immediately. The Wizards are currently in the bottom half of the league in rebounds per game. Sabonis wouldn’t just come in and push Washington into the top half, but dominate the glass for them. Alex Sarr is the team’s leading rebounder with 7.5 a game; Sabonis hasn’t had a season under eight since 2017-18, his second year in the league.

Sabonis’s offensive game would also mesh well with Washington. His scoring is elite, averaging around 19 points per game the last three seasons while shooting near 60%. His three-point percentage has also climbed tremendously, although he doesn’t shoot them often. Sabonis doesn’t just score the ball, but he’s also an effective playmaker for a center. For the last three seasons, he has held a two or higher assist-to-turnover ratio, averaging at least five assists since the 2019-20 season.

The Potential Downsides

While Sabonis would certainly be a positive addition to the current Wizards roster, there are some downsides worth discussing. The first one is rather obvious, but the second could wreck the Wizards’ rebuild.

The more obvious downside is the potential misfit with the current roster. A pairing of Sarr and Sabonis would be amazing on paper. However, one has to ask who would man the middle? Sarr’s inefficiency last season was a large part of why there were so many questions about him coming into this season. Sarr shot over 40% of all his shots from three last year, while hitting on only 30% of them. Sabonis would clog the paint to say the least, meaning Washington would have to live-or-die with Sarr’s three-point shot.

This season, Sarr has been, by far, more effective. The lower volume of threes has helped his percentages move higher, and he’s hitting more often. He’s shooting, on average, two fewer threes a game, while connecting almost at the same rate as his rookie year. He’s been a beast inside; bringing in Sabonis could lead to more harm than good on that end of the floor.

Which leads to the bigger issue at hand. Sabonis getting brought in would require giving up crucial development minutes, forever damaging the young core’s potential. Sabonis would garner a significant amount of minutes, no doubt. However, who do the Wizards take time from?  Outside of Anthony Gill, the oldest player on the current roster is Young, who turned 27 just a few months ago. Sabonis will turn 30 in May, being just outside of rebuild range.

The Last Word

Is the risk worth the reward? Washington would certainly be a playoff team with the addition of Sabonis; however, at the cost of key development of its core. It’s certainly something to ponder if the front office is looking to trade for the former All-Star. Sabonis has been in NBA trade rumors since the Kings’ last playoff appearance during the 2022-23 season. The Wizards could certainly use the firepower, but shouldn’t sacrifice the development of crucial cornerstones.