Wizards Need Several Trades to Patch Many Needs

Bleacher Report laid out three realistic-enough trade targets that every team should think about before the midseason trade deadline, pushing forth the option of acquiring useful role players from elsewhere across the league. It's something the Wizards haven't done much, but they could certainly benefit from a few undervalued helpful hands across the NBA.

Big Bodies Worth Bringing Aboard

They aren't being told to change up their strategy of taking on excess money along with valuable draft capital, as several front court options like John Collins and Jonathan Isaac can arrive as financial assets while actually helping what the Wizards are trying to accomplish on the court.

Collins was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers with the intention of alleviating the older squad with some rim-running, shooting and regular season inning-eating, but their flat start to the season has already invited the need for change. His floor-spacing and rebounding would certainly be helpful alongside Alex Sarr, as the three-win Wizards couldn't hurt from bumps in either category.

The journeyman forward wouldn't be expensive to implement, though involving more moving pieces could make things really interesting.

"Acquiring him straight-up shouldn't demand an asset depending on what's going out," Dan Favale wrote. "It's a different story if the Los Angeles Clippers are looking to duck the tax by offering Collins and Bogdan Bogdanović for CJ McCollum and Malaki Branham."

Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic may similarly be looking for a new home after nine off-and-on seasons with the team, and his defense would go appreciated with the league's worst band of stoppers. A nonstop slew of injuries have robbed him of much of his upside as one of the most disruptive shot-blocking big wings in the NBA, and as Favale points out, dangling a shooter like Corey Kispert to the struggling spacers in Orlando may help get the job done.

Locating That Necessary Table-Setter

As tantalizing as those veteran power forwards are, the Wizards are less-desperate in the deep frontcourt. After all, they're already led by one of the most promising young centers in the game in Alex Sarr, with rangy forwards like Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly each regularly making their own cases to be implemented into Washington's long-term core.

What they most desperately need is a true distributor, someone to help organize their offense. CJ McCollum's taken on the mantle as the primary ball-handler, and he's usually looking for his own shots first, and while George's playmaking has raised eyebrows, he's still taking it easy in slowly stepping into a primary role.

It's the sort of alpha position that they could gain a lot out of in the draft, should they be so fortunate to find the point guard of the future. That player likely isn't out there and available for trade on another team, but Favale offers an intriguing placeholder in the short-term.

Tyler Kolek is on the edge of the New York Knicks' rotation, and even though he's seeing a gradual uptick in his minutes as his injured teammates cycle in and out of the lineup, he's clearly not playing a crucial part in the contenders' master vision.

The second-year pro leaves some to be desired as a shooter, especially for someone who creates many of his advantages with his multi-level pull-up jumper, but his career-7.9 assists per 36 minutes would be such a lift to an offense that occasionally lacks order. Kolek, like the other potential trade targets, may or may not be that guy, but he's a worthy swing if the price is right.