The Washington Wizards broke the NBA world last season, trading for a pair of former All-Stars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Not only did these moves completely shift their rebuild timeline, but they also put the Wizards in immediate contention in the rapidly-changing Eastern Conference. Young looks to be all-in on leading the young Wizards, while Davis seems on the fence about even playing for Washington next season.
With the NBA landscape seemingly changing by the minute, the Wizards could take a giant leap of faith ahead of the franchise’s newest era. According to Shams Charania and Kevin O’Connor, the Golden State Warriors want Davis to entice LeBron James to sign with the team, and a deal could get done as soon as this week.
Could the Wizards Make Another Giant Move With Anthony Davis?
While Young could certainly use Davis as a co-leader of this young team, not all hope would be lost. Davis is known for his poor health over the past few seasons, and with his massive $58 million contract next season, the Wizards could get a great haul while setting up yet another contender in the Western Conference warzone.
O’Conor outlines a potential trade with the Warriors using Jimmy Butler as the main piece. The contracts line up nearly perfectly and would give Washington a great replacement. However, that’s only if Butler can come back, as he’s still recovering from his torn ACL. Would this move make any sense for the Wizards? Let’s dive in.
Pros of Trading for Butler
On paper, there aren’t great outlooks for a 37-year-old returning from a long-term recovery. Butler is an aging superstar, but he’s got experience matched by few in the NBA. Any team could use a player like Butler, even in his old age. The talent will always be there, and surrounding him with strong offensive talent like Young, Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, and first overall pick AJ Dybantsa could offload lots of pressure from the veteran forward.
For rising stars like Kyshawn George, Butler is one of the best players he could learn from. Butler is one of the best two-way talents in league history and could teach George how to become an even better version of himself. George’s point-forward two-way mentality is the same role Butler had during his time with the Miami Heat.
Cons of Trading for Butler
Washington’s moved into a win-now position after securing a four-year future with Young. With Davis, Washington has lots of cards on the table. The Wizards easily have two of the best two-way bigs in the NBA to go with their elite offensive backcourt. The combination of Sarr and Davis is one of lethal offense and elite rim protection.
With that being said, Butler can’t provide that, and there’s truly no guessing how he’ll come back from his injury. At 37, Butler is in the twilight of his career, and returning from an ACL injury is hard on someone of any age. Butler could easily come back at full strength or come back as a completely different player.
His explosiveness won’t be the same, which would hurt his offensive game exponentially. Defensively, replacing Davis with Butler would hurt their rim protection and likely make Butler guard the other team’s best perimeter forward at all times. Returning from injury and immediately being relied on as a primary scorer and defensive juggernaut could be too much for the six-time All-Star.
Butler’s Contract
One massive win for Washington would be the forward’s contract. Butler is entering the last year of his current deal and would give the Wizards front office some flexibility next offseason.
If he plays well enough, Washington could bring him back on another one or two-year deal with a smaller price tag. If he doesn’t contribute at his expected levels, there shouldn’t be an issue leaving him out in free agency. Alternatively, he could opt to retire after this upcoming season, putting no pressure on D.C to bring him back.
The Last Word
Should the Wizards do this deal? There are two ways to look at it. If Washington believes Davis will commit to their future and try to contend in the Eastern Conference, they shouldn’t even pick up the phone. However, if Davis is still on the fence, bringing in Butler and potentially some draft capital could be a solid backup plan in the short-term.
Either way, the Wizards hold all the cards in a potential deal. They don’t need to make any quick decisions ahead of what could be an exciting first season with a Young-Davis-led team. Look for them to try to get the best package possible, especially with Golden State being the aggressors in this situation.
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