Washington Wizards
Has the time finally come in Washington? After years of mediocrity hanging around the playoff/play-in mix without ever threatening of any more, the Wizards could be set to blow it up with new General Manager Michael Winger now in charge.
Earlier in the week The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the franchise and star guard Bradley Beal were coming together to find a trade for the three-time All-Star. With Kyle Kuzma a free agent and Kristaps Porzingis holding a player option for next season, they may now be headed down the path of a proper rebuild.
What better way to start that than with Kuminga — a prodigious two-way talent craving increased opportunity in a younger team. Kuzma and Porzingis currently occupy two of their frontcourt positions, and the departure of at least one of them could open the door for the former seventh overall pick to slide into a starting role.
There’s also a number of ways a trade could materialise from each team’s perspective. Would the Warriors still hold interest in Beal having done so in the past — a starting package involving Kuminga and Jordan Poole would start conversations. Do Golden State really need another guard though? If not, perhaps Porzingis comes into play with the same Poole/Kuminga deal.
The Wizards also hold the number eight pick in next week’s NBA Draft. They can absorb Kuminga’s salary and just flip the Warriors that pick in return, although Golden State may have to throw in their own first-round pick (19) to complete the deal.
Either way, there’s a multitude of avenues the teams could go down to orchestrate a trade. If Washington are truly serious about a rebuild then Kuminga presents as a ‘gettable’ young player with unlimited upside.