NBA Rumors: Three Players Who Could Form Wizards’ Big Three With Bradley Beal & Russell Westbrook Next Season
The Washington Wizards made one big move this offseason by sending John Wall and a 2023 first-round pick to the Houston Rockets in exchange for Russell Westbrook. By swapping the injured Wall with a healthy Westbrook, the Wizards improved their chances of returning to the playoffs in the 2020-21 NBA season. However, to have a realistic chance of fully dominating the Eastern Conference and bringing home the Larry O’Brien Trophy next year, they should continue to find ways to surround Beal and Westbrook with a quality supporting cast.
In a recent article, Brett Siegel of NBA Analysis Network included the Wizards on a list of teams best positioned to pull off the next star trade. He also named some big names that Washington could target on the market before the 2021 trade deadline. These players include Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Blake Griffin of the Detroit Pistons, and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers.
“The Wizards will need to add another big name player if they are to make some noise in the Eastern Conference and that may be exactly what they plan on doing. The competition has become quite strong with other rising powers in the conference, so more firepower is needed. Washington D.C. is a lucrative market for any All-Star talent and could be even more attractive with Westbrook and Beal in the backcourt. Three big names that come to mind for the Wizards to target are Kevin Love, Blake Griffin, and Myles Turner.”
Targeting All-Star caliber big men like Love, Griffin, and Turner would make a lot of sense for the Wizards. Acquiring any of those players would significantly improve their frontcourt without paying a king’s ransom.
Love would give Washington an All-Star power forward with plenty of championship experience. He may have gone through plenty of ups and downs since LeBron James left him in Cleveland in 2018, but he could still help an aspiring contender like the Wizards. Though he remains a defensive liability, he would be an incredible fit alongside Westbrook and Beal on the offensive end of the floor. Aside from his capability to excel in an off-ball capacity, he also has experience playing for a team that already has two superstars on the roster.
Turner would also be an intriguing addition to Washington. He may not be as experienced as Love, but he would give the Wizards a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a quality rim protector, and floor-spacer. Last season, Turner averaged 12.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN.
Meanwhile, targeting Griffin would be a huge gamble for the Wizards. He’s coming off a knee injury and is owed $75.4 million over the next two seasons. However, once he returns to 100 percent health and regains his All-Star form, Griffin could form a lethal trio with Beal and Westbrook next year.
