The Washington Wizards have made ample trades in the last few years while attempting to rebuild their contention levels of the 2010s. From trading away franchise greats to their latest All-Star double-dip, the front office has been constantly making deals. All in efforts to try and build a cohesive unit of young talent. Now, after the trade deadline, Washington is ready to compete next season. While multiple moves led to where the Wizards are now, let’s highlight three that got them there.
3 Wizards Trades That Led To Acquiring Their New All-Star Duo
Since General Manager Will Dawkins arrived in D.C in 2023, the Wizards have been making chess-level moves. All in an attempt to recapture what had been lost when Washington traded John Wall, their competitiveness. There are a few major moves that led the Wizards to where they are now. There are three that stand out as the most important, so let’s dive in.
Franchise Face Departs For Phoenix
Dawkins wasted no time building the team once he secured his position. After not even a month of being with the Wizards, in June of 2o23, Washington would trade franchise legend Bradley Beal. They would send Beal to the Phoenix Suns for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and multiple draft assets, including a pick swap for the 2024 NBA Draft. They would also land Bilal Coulibaly from the Indiana Pacers in exchange for a Jarace Walker and a second-round pick.
However, Paul wasn’t around in D.C long. He was shipped out almost immediately for the 2022 NBA Champion Jordan Poole. The Wizards would receive Ryan Rollins and a protected first-round pick in 2030 and a second-round pick in 2027 from Golden State.
Aging Veteran Joins The WizKids
Washington, after another few down seasons, would ship out a major piece of their starting lineup: Kyle Kuzma. After back-to-back 20+ seasons, Kuzma’s production in the 2024-25 season was at an all-time low. In Milwaukee, the Bucks were looking to maintain an edge in the wide-open Eastern Conference and decided to take the trade bait from the Wizards.
Washington sent Kuzma and a 2025 second-round pick to the Bucks. In return, getting three-time NBA All-Star Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, and a 2028 first-round pick swap. The Wizards gained a great veteran presence for the young core, along with an athletic but unproven guard. Kuzma was falling, and his trade value would’ve tanked further had he stayed in D.C.
NOLA And D.C. Swap Lead Guards
After a down campaign in 2023-24, Poole completely rebuilt his trade value in the following season. The 2024-25 season saw Poole average career-highs in multiple categories. With that development, Washington decided to take advantage of his newfound value on the trade market. Heading into the 2025 NBA Draft, the Wizards pulled the trigger.
Poole would be sent to the New Orleans Pelicans along with Saddiq Bey and the 40th selection in the draft (Micah Peavy) for CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a 2027 second-round pick. McCollum came to Washington and provided a similar production level to Poole, while Poole has once again dropped to a substantially lower impact role.
Full Circle
Now, after the trade deadline, these three Washington deals have come full circle. McCollum went to Atlanta along with Corey Kispert for four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young, while Middleton and Johnson both were included in a hefty package for five-time All-NBA selection Anthony Davis.
Washington didn’t only get their new superstar duo, but bought into contention for a bargain. The front office didn’t have to give up a single one of their own draft picks and got to keep their elite young core intact. Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, and Bub Carrington remain in D.C for what seems to be the long term. With the depth they received in the Davis trade, Washington seems fully ready to contend in the Eastern Conference next season.
Featured Image: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images
