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Jan 29, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (22) looks on during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Wizards Trade Rumors: Separating Reality From Fiction

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Bryson Akins | Last updated Jan 31, 2026 1:03 PM ET

The NBA Trade Deadline is less than a week away, yet no team has made a move besides the Washington Wizards. There are all these rumors circling around all 30 teams in the league, but nothing has happened. It was thought that once the Wizards traded for Trae Young, the market would open up. Instead, the trade completely reset the market.

Still, with rumors come discussions amongst fans. Who should the team trade for? Are the Wizards actually going after certain players to be rumored trade targets? What is actually happening? Well, here is where we distinguish between the reality of these trade rumors and complete fiction.

Fiction

At one point, so many players were linked to the Washington Wizards. Domantas Sabonis was once a player heavily linked to Washington. Now that front has died out, as the Wizards have no incentive to trade for Sabonis. Recent reports from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype show that the Wizards no longer have interest in the center, even though fans may say otherwise.

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Zion Williamson is another player fans have speculated about. Although it has been talked about, there is no concrete evidence that the Wizards are interested in the former first overall pick. The organization has the assets to get Williamson; there is no question about it. However, with the upcoming draft, Williamson would then come off the bench instead of starting next season. With that in mind, trading for Williamson is unlikely to happen, and all the rumors are just that, rumors.

Other than that, no players are rumored to be going to Washington. Some fans continue to speculate about role players. One that should be mentioned is Guerschon Yabusele of the New York Knicks. He has almost no role in New York, and the Wizards know the Knicks could benefit from a player like Marvin Bagley. Although the idea sounds feasible, there is no evidence that Yabusele is a target for the Wizards to trade for.

Reality

The reality is that not many players are linked to Washington. The only one that came recently was of Lonzo Ball of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype recently reported that "the Wizards are among teams that have checked in on Ball."

David Richard-Imagn Images

Trading for Ball does not seem far-fetched and makes sense. The former second-overall pick is having a decent season as a role player and is on a cheap contract. After this season, he will have one year left, making $10 million. Makes it easy to trade for and brings in a veteran to help mentor these young players. He also provides depth if the team tries to make the playoffs next season.

Other than that, the reality is that the Wizards will be looking to acquire more draft capital by trading role players. Khris Middleton could be shipped off, but his contract makes that challenging. Instead, Bagley would be the only player potentially traded, and contenders are more than likely showing interest in him.

Bagley has had a resurgence in Washington and has shown he is one of the best backup centers in the NBA. He holds his own on defense, provides some valuable rebounding, and works very well as the screener on a pick-and-roll. Teams interested in a center, like the Houston Rockets, which recently lost Steven Adams, or the Oklahoma City Thunder, which is rumored to be looking for a center, are teams to monitor for Bagley trade interest. Other than that, those are the only real talks of trades going on with the Washington Wizards.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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