The Washington Wizards have had an active offseason, both in the draft and free agency. During the draft, they finished the night with three first-round picks and two in the lottery: Alex Sarr (#2), Carlton Carrington (#14), and Kyshawn George (#26). They also traded Deni Avdija to Portland for Malcolm Brogdon and the rights to Carrington. Furthermore, they signed veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas during free agency. These are good moves, considering that the Wizards are still in a rebuilding stage. However, recent news indicates they had an offer from Los Angeles to acquire a high-profile guard, only for the team to express minimal interest.
Wizards Wary of “Space Cadet” Backcourt Pairing
Anthony Irwin’s Trade Intel
According to a report from Anthony Irwin, who works for Lakers Daily, the Wizards are not interested in All-Star guard D’Angelo Russell, who has emerged as a top trade target from the Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 41.5% from three. These are stellar numbers that made him almost too good to trade at the deadline.
But, his production in the playoffs seriously dropped, which has some questioning his value. In the Lakers first-round exit against the Denver Nuggets, Russell averaged 14.2 points and 4.2 assists while shooting 31.8% from three. With him having one year left on his deal after opting into his player option, it makes sense for the Lakers to try and trade him. Unfortunately, the response from the league indicates they value Russell more highly than most.
In his article for Lakers Daily, this is what Irwin said about Russell:
Portland has no interest in Russell, according to sources close to that situation. League sources also say Washington is wary of pairing Russell with fellow space cadet Jordan Poole. Toronto and Brooklyn are more open to acquiring the nine-year veteran, but more for his expiring contract than for what he’d do on the court.
Yikes. Irwin also went on to say why Russell is in such a complicated trade situation: at 29 years old, he’s too good for a tanking team, as he’ll win them too many games in the regular season. However, as shown by his playoff performances, he’s not impactful in that part of the season to help a team that’s contending for a championship.
Report: Wizards ‘wary’ of pairing D’Angelo Russell with ‘fellow space cadet Jordan Poole’https://t.co/3Of4jnh244
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 6, 2024
Are Poole and Russell Space Cadets?
The nickname is understandable. Jordan Poole has had quite a season, and not in a good way. Even away from the spotlight of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Golden State, Poole has attracted a lot of attention for his lowlights. He even won the coveted Shaqtin’ A Fool MVP award. Still, I believe Poole’s environment and the Wizards’ team culture affected his play more than we are aware. The entire knew they were rebuilding/tanking, and weren’t trying to win a lot of games.
This mindset can be particularly damaging, for both young guys and players who have already won championships (like Poole and Kyle Kuzma). When The Ringer’s Chris Vernon went to watch the Wizards, he claimed that they didn’t run any plays and that he had seen more organized basketball teams at local gyms.
Poole may be a bit of a space cadet on the court but has proven off the court that he’s a genuine guy invested in his community. Russell as a space cadet is the flip version; on the court, he’s well-proven but isn’t so much off the court. Yes, as the 6’3″ guard his focus and effort on defense, however, Russell has also developed a bit of a reputation as not the best guy to have in your locker room for a…variety of reasons.
Pairing the two together would not be a good combination on or off the court for the Wizards, and could result in their rebuild going in the opposite direction as planned. The team has at least three new rookies joining the squad, and they need good role models and players that will help them grow in the locker room.
Where Will Russell End Up?
If Russell the “space cadet” isn’t going to end up on the Wizards, then where will his next home be? As Irwin stated above, the Raptors don’t have interest in Russell Two suitors that do appear interested are the Nets and Raptors, but that’s because of Russell’s trade value. He has one year left on a decently sized contract, which could help both teams move assets at the trade deadline.
Additionally, both of those teams will want to give as little as possible to get Russell from the Lakers. As Irwin states, the general feeling about the Lakers organization around the NBA is that they’re desperate, and have to make a move soon. If so, then they may be open to a deal that isn’t the most beneficial to them.
Honestly, the Lakers would be best off keeping Russell. Even though he’s not the best in the playoffs, he’s a solid regular-season presence and their starting point guard. The team doesn’t exactly have anyone else coming to take that job; Austin Reaves is a shooting guard, and Bronny James and Dalton Knecht aren’t coming in as Day One starters. If the team had signed Tyus Jones instead of him going to the Suns, then they would have their point guard for the season and be free to trade D’lo to whoever. But alas, it appears the Lakers and Russell will be together for one more season before he finds a new home.
