Best explanation for CJ --> WAS

[GeorgeMarcus]

What exactly were the Wiz thinking regarding McCollum? The move surprised me coming from a team so far removed from 'win-now' status. Especially knowing they lose their FRP if it falls outside the top 8! That outcome is unlikely with or without McCollum, but why even risk such a thing for modest short term improvement? Would it not make sense to let Poole play tank general 1 more season?

I can't speak to their actual intentions but IMO poll option #2 is the best strategy. CJ still scores at a high level (11 straight seasons of 20+ ppg) and can play lead ball handler as needed. Contenders will give up value for a piece like that, which I'm not convinced is true of Poole.

[Laimbeer]

Future camp relief. The wizards will have an extraordinary amount of salary cap next summer

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[jowglenn]

It's really a combination of the first three. Cap relief is probably the biggest one, but the veteran leadership is also pretty important. Having McCollum and Middleton there to set an example for the young guys is valuable. They're not going to lead to a big number of wins, but you need veteran leadership on a team full of youngsters. Having Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma setting the example was probably not what they wanted.

[jowglenn]

Don't forget, a lot of people were like "what the hell are the Rockets doing signing Brooks and Van Vleet?" and then two years later they were the 3 seed in the playoffs.

I don't expect the same outcome for Washington, but the vision is the same. You've got a team of just young guys, you need to have veterans around to set the tone, build good habits, and give the team a puncher's chance on any given night. Losing every single game gets old, and demoralizes young players. You want to at least have a shot at winning, so the guys can compete and try to win games - even if they lose most of them (they will) it gives them something to work towards.

[DusterBuster]

Yeah, seems pretty straight forward. Teams are going away from just 15 man youth rosters and are valuing having a vet leader in the lockerroom for young guys.

His contract also was very clearly valuable to the Wizards and Poole was garbage.

[DusterBuster]

Future camp relief. The wizards will have an extraordinary amount of salary cap next summer

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For what... I have no idea, but they do have a lot of it!

[GrindCityHustle]

He can help score during the dog days of late January once the season is lost. He actually still has some gas in the tank and can be a good mentor. Wizards had like the 3rd worse point differential in NBA history I believe and CJ will definitely help that as he has some dog in him still. He actually makes sense for this team at this point in his career as this team is super young and can't score.

Duncan and Hollinger questioned why New Orleans actually did this as Jordan Poole has the worse contract.CJ actually has more value because of his contract and the leadership intangibles.

Poole is looked at in a hugely negative light around the league even though he did better in his 2nd season in Washington over his first. Poole is much younger though and probably needed to be on a team where he can be a complementary piece. He isn't a main guy.

[JRoy]

Don't forget, a lot of people were like "what the hell are the Rockets doing signing Brooks and Van Vleet?" and then two years later they were the 3 seed in the playoffs.

I don't expect the same outcome for Washington, but the vision is the same. You've got a team of just young guys, you need to have veterans around to set the tone, build good habits, and give the team a puncher's chance on any given night. Losing every single game gets old, and demoralizes young players. You want to at least have a shot at winning, so the guys can compete and try to win games - even if they lose most of them (they will) it gives them something to work towards.

I really thought Vred and Brooks were big mistakes at the time.

I was really wrong on that one.

[MrGoat]

Deadline trade fodder + a veteran presence before the deadline. Jordan Poole was actually low key a lot better in his second season with Washington than his first so CJ won't affect winning too much, Poole was actually more efficient than McCollum last year and beat him in win shares, which is saying something on a Washington team with so few win shares to go around

[SHAQ32]

Option #6

Explanation: Luka Doncic

[Ssj16]

Don't forget, a lot of people were like "what the hell are the Rockets doing signing Brooks and Van Vleet?" and then two years later they were the 3 seed in the playoffs.

I don't expect the same outcome for Washington, but the vision is the same. You've got a team of just young guys, you need to have veterans around to set the tone, build good habits, and give the team a puncher's chance on any given night. Losing every single game gets old, and demoralizes young players. You want to at least have a shot at winning, so the guys can compete and try to win games - even if they lose most of them (they will) it gives them something to work towards.

I know they are vastly different circumstances but I think about Philly's route of the process that preached losing on purpose. I still think to this day, creating those bad habits early on had a negative impact on their stars such as Embiid and Ben Simmons and I believe is tied to the lack of success Philly sees today because they still have ties to the process era through Embiid.

I think it's important for any young team to start to learn importance of being professional and I think that keeps them on the right trajectory to have a chance at being a competent team one day. I think having a great veteran presence with a young team is severely underrated.

[ConSarnit]

What exactly were the Wiz thinking regarding McCollum? The move surprised me coming from a team so far removed from 'win-now' status. Especially knowing they lose their FRP if it falls outside the top 8! That outcome is unlikely with or without McCollum, but why even risk such a thing for modest short term improvement? Would it not make sense to let Poole play tank general 1 more season?

I can't speak to their actual intentions but IMO poll option #2 is the best strategy. CJ still scores at a high level (11 straight seasons of 20+ ppg) and can play lead ball handler as needed. Contenders will give up value for a piece like that, which I'm not convinced is true of Poole.

How is CJ any better than Poole at this point? NOP won 21 games last year with CJ as their starting PG.

If CJ is a risk to lift the Wiz out of the dregs of the league why didn’t he do that for NOP last year?

CJ is vastly overpaid. I’d be shocked if the Wiz could get anything for him in a trade unless they are willing to take back terrible salary.

This move got made because Joe Dumars is really dumb. This saves the Wiz a year off of Poole’s bad contract and has no impact on their wins/losses this upcoming season. It was a no brainer for them. Only dummies like Dumars/Weaver would make a deal like this to add an extra year of bad salary like Poole.

[ConSarnit]

Don't forget, a lot of people were like "what the hell are the Rockets doing signing Brooks and Van Vleet?" and then two years later they were the 3 seed in the playoffs.

I don't expect the same outcome for Washington, but the vision is the same. You've got a team of just young guys, you need to have veterans around to set the tone, build good habits, and give the team a puncher's chance on any given night. Losing every single game gets old, and demoralizes young players. You want to at least have a shot at winning, so the guys can compete and try to win games - even if they lose most of them (they will) it gives them something to work towards.

The Wiz are clearly not looking to take a leap this year. If they were actually trying to win they wouldn’t be entering this season with an atrocious front court lineup.

I agree that vet mentorship can help but I highly doubt that’s why WAS made this move. They made this move because Dumars is a moron and allowed the Wiz to get off of Poole’s contract a year early. My bet is they would have made this deal for any expiring if it got them off of Poole’s last year. The fact that CJ is a solid vet presence is just the cherry on top of this deal. The ice cream and the sprinkles are the cost savings in 2026/27.

[Clav]

I think the Wizards didn't see the future with Poole, they get off one year of his contrat. Also they did the same for Kuzma with Middleton. It's savvy because next season both of their expirings clear. Now, I do think both these guys can get another NBA contract so it wouldn't surprise me if one or both are traded to a contending team, locking that deal in is a bit harder than typing it.

CJ is a well respected vet and will give this team some structure off the court. He's a consistent scorer and can show them how to approach lulls in the game when on the court. I think CJ is probably their 1A scorer if he's in the game, but Wiz don't need to win games, so he's more akin to a 3rd option with high vet presence for the locker room.

26 Free Agency looks like WAS wants to make a splash.

[Mrakar]

There is easy explanation for the Wizards. There is no explanation for Pool --> Pelicans. Or there is, Dumars is dumb as ****

[Lucky Once]

CJ fills a similar role to Poole as a mentor that can still get a bucket. Equally as importantly he is on an expiring contract. If he shows enough that he can still help a team they might be able to move him for a longer contract + an asset at the deadline. They'll do the same with Middleton.

It's not that deep.

[Billl]

Money. The wizards aren't trying to win yet.

And yes, rebuilding teams still need vets in the lineup and in the locker room. However, you want those vets to be 1) good examples of how to play the right way on both ends 2) Interested in being a mentor.

It's entirely different to say "let's have dillon brooks teach the young guys what it means to compete defensively" vs "Let's let CJ or Poole dominate our offense because none of our young guys project as 1A scorers."

[chrbal]

There is easy explanation for the Wizards. There is no explanation for Pool --> Pelicans. Or there is, Dumars is dumb as ****

I normally would agree on Dumars being that post Pistons championship. But they got a similar player who is 26 while moving out a player who is 33 or 34. They only added one year of salary from CJ to Poole. They also managed a trade exception in the trade.

Most other moves Dumars makes will probably be questionable, but I get this one

[nate33]

As actual basketball players, McCollum and Poole aren't really that different. Both are converted shooting guards with so-so efficiency and sub-par defense. The big difference is that Poole is younger and more durable at this point, and will probably play 2300 minutes or so, whereas CJ is aging and more injury prone and likely will play something like 1700 minutes. So as actual on-the-court assets, Poole is probably a bit better.

The Wizards are happier with CJ because his contract expires a year earlier, and his fewer expected minutes of playing time is actually beneficial for the Wizards player development and tanking effort.

Also, from a veteran mentor standpoint, CJ is a more cerebral player and can presumably impart more wisdom on the younger players, making him a better fit than Poole.

Finally, given CJ's contract and his veteran experience, it's at least plausible that he could be moved by the Trade Deadline for some minor assets to a contending team with a backcourt injury in need of more playoff scoring. I don't really think Poole had any potential to be moved for value.

[GeorgeMarcus]

What exactly were the Wiz thinking regarding McCollum? The move surprised me coming from a team so far removed from 'win-now' status. Especially knowing they lose their FRP if it falls outside the top 8! That outcome is unlikely with or without McCollum, but why even risk such a thing for modest short term improvement? Would it not make sense to let Poole play tank general 1 more season?

I can't speak to their actual intentions but IMO poll option #2 is the best strategy. CJ still scores at a high level (11 straight seasons of 20+ ppg) and can play lead ball handler as needed. Contenders will give up value for a piece like that, which I'm not convinced is true of Poole.

How is CJ any better than Poole at this point? NOP won 21 games last year with CJ as their starting PG.

If CJ is a risk to lift the Wiz out of the dregs of the league why didn’t he do that for NOP last year?

CJ is vastly overpaid. I’d be shocked if the Wiz could get anything for him in a trade unless they are willing to take back terrible salary.

This move got made because Joe Dumars is really dumb. This saves the Wiz a year off of Poole’s bad contract and has no impact on their wins/losses this upcoming season. It was a no brainer for them. Only dummies like Dumars/Weaver would make a deal like this to add an extra year of bad salary like Poole.

Purely as scorers they are about the same, but CJ is smarter/more fluid and dare I say better defensively. He's no impact juggernaut but has proven himself to be a positive contributor in winning formulas over the years. Functional in his role at the very least. Poole on the other hand has demonstrated consistent negative impact on team success