Despite suffering a huge disappointment in the 2019-20 NBA season, the Washington Wizards are seriously considering running it back again next year. Still, rumors continue to swirl around All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal and his future with the team. Instead of seeing them stuck in mediocrity , most people believe the Wizards are better off trading Beal and undergoing a full-scale rebuild in the 2020 offseason.
One of the most intriguing trade partners for the Wizards in the potential deal involving Beal is the Golden State Warriors. In a recent appearance on ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption , Mike Wilbon explained why the Wizards should consider sending Beal to Golden State in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 Draft.
“If I was Washington, and I could get Andrew Wiggins and a pick, I might do it,” Wilbon said, as transcribed by Alex Didion of NBC Sports . “Andrew Wiggins on the Warriors is the fourth-most important player. He’s a hell of a player when he’s the fourth most important player, not so much when it’s first or second. It changes the dynamic completely for Andrew Wiggins.”
Trading Beal to the Warriors for Wiggins and a lottery selection would make a lot of sense for the Wizards, especially if they finally decide to take a different route this fall. At 25, Wiggins could still be the centerpiece of a rebuilding team. Though he has gone through plenty of ups and downs in his career, being traded to a team that could give him more playing time and a significant role on the offensive end of the floor could speed up his development into a legitimate superstar in the league.
Aside from Wiggins, the Wizards could further solidify their young core by using the No. 2 overall pick to add another talented prospect to their roster. Some of the most interesting targets in the 2020 NBA Draft include Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, Killian Hayes, and LaMelo Ball.
Meanwhile, sacrificing Wiggins and their own 2020 first-rounder to acquire Beal would be a no-brainer for the Warriors, as it would enable them to add a fourth superstar to their lineup. With his ability to excel in an off-ball capacity and efficiently shoot the ball from beyond the arc, Beal would likely find it easy co-existing with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, and familiarizing himself with Coach Steve Kerr’s system. Once the core of Beal, Curry, Thompson, and Green find the perfect chemistry, the Warriors would no doubt become one of the heavy favorites to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy next year.