Official Trade Thread Part XLVII

[Frichuela]

I posted this in the 2025-26 line up thread...

If I was Dawkins I'd push for the following 3-team trade:

POR gets Kispert
WAS gets Robert Williams + 2026 WAS pick unprotected back from NY
NY gets Champagnie + 2 2nd rounders from POR + 1 2nd rounder from us.

This way:

1) We solve the glut at forward.
2) We get another body at center (Robert Williams who has 1 year left of contract).
3) We can go for it and win as many games as possible with our young core not worrying we'll lose the pick. Remember we also have the PHX swap, so regardless of overachieving expectations we have odds for a good pick in the 2026 lottery.

New line-up:

McCollum/Bub/Branham
Tre/Will Riley/AJ
Bilal/Kyshawn/Jones
Cam/Middleton/Watkins (2-way)
Sarr/R. Williams/Bagley/Tristan (2-way)

In this set up, all young wings have a chance of minutes.

[payitforward]

Wow... we get worse, while Ny gives up a pick they aren't going to have anyway while getting back a really good young player snd 3 draft picks.

Meanwhile, Portland moves Williams and 2 picks in order to acquire Kispert....

no thanks...

[Frichuela]

Wow... we get worse, while Ny gives up a pick they aren't going to have anyway while getting back a really good young player snd 3 draft picks.

Meanwhile, Portland moves Williams and 2 picks in order to acquire Kispert....

no thanks...

Well, this may be the case if we unashamedly tank. But what if the youngins are clicking better than expected and we are teetering with a bottom 8-10th worst record? There is a risk we lose the pick. For example, if we drop to the 8th worst record, there is a sizeable 39% probability we lose the pick...

Also, we have an obvious glut of forwards. If we don't do this trade, where are the minutes going to come for the likes or Riley or even Cam Whitmore? Bilal, Kyshawn and Middleton are likely to get 24-32 minutes a game each. Add Kispert and Champagnie to the mix and we have a saturated roster at the 3-4 spot.

Look, I love Champagnie and would love to retain him but can't see Corey Kispert as a potential rotational player in a playoff caliber team. His defense is that bad. I'll be willing to trade him for nothing just to give the minutes to our younger wings.

[GoneShammGone]

Wow... we get worse, while Ny gives up a pick they aren't going to have anyway while getting back a really good young player snd 3 draft picks.

Meanwhile, Portland moves Williams and 2 picks in order to acquire Kispert....

no thanks...

Well, this may be the case if we unashamedly tank. But what if the youngins are clicking better than expected and we are teetering with a bottom 8-10th worst record? There is a risk we lose the pick. For example, if we drop to the 8th worst record, there is a sizeable 39% probability we lose the pick...

Also, we have an obvious glut of forwards. If we don't do this trade, where are the minutes going to come for the likes or Riley or even Cam Whitmore? Bilal, Kyshawn and Middleton are likely to get 24-32 minutes a game each. Add Kispert and Champagnie to the mix and we have a saturated roster at the 3-4 spot.

Look, I love Champagnie and would love to retain him but can't see Corey Kispert as a potential rotational player in a playoff caliber team. His defense is that bad. I'll be willing to trade him for nothing just to give the minutes to our younger wings.

The problem with trading Champagnie is that he is almost certainly undervalued around the league. Just look at the contract he signed with us... it was for almost nothing! If other teams around the league recognized what I think we on this board recognize, why in the world would he have signed that deal? He could have just gone on the market in the summer and gotten something much better than league minimum. Now maybe he and his agent made a mistake, but I think its also possible that he is the kind of player that slips through the cracks. Other teams look at him and say, "Oh he's not super-young, and he is kind of undersized, he is putting up numbers on a bad team in limited minutes... pass". Until we give JC a full season of regular rotation minutes, I don't think other teams are going to understand how good he really is, so if you trade him, you are selling short.

I can see the appeal of getting back our pick from NY, but how much would it really take? As PIF points out, I doubt the Knicks really expect it to convey...

[payitforward]

...I... can't see Corey Kispert as a potential rotational player in a playoff caliber team. His defense is that bad. I'll be willing to trade him for nothing just to give the minutes to our younger wings.

Oh, I'd love to trade Corey. For sure....

[dckingsfan]

I posted this in the 2025-26 line up thread...

If I was Dawkins I'd push for the following 3-team trade:

POR gets Kispert
WAS gets Robert Williams + 2026 WAS pick unprotected back from NY
NY gets Champagnie + 2 2nd rounders from POR + 1 2nd rounder from us.

This way:

1) We solve the glut at forward.
2) We get another body at center (Robert Williams who has 1 year left of contract).
3) We can go for it and win as many games as possible with our young core not worrying we'll lose the pick. Remember we also have the PHX swap, so regardless of overachieving expectations we have odds for a good pick in the 2026 lottery.

New line-up:

McCollum/Bub/Branham
Tre/Will Riley/AJ
Bilal/Kyshawn/Jones
Cam/Middleton/Watkins (2-way)
Sarr/R. Williams/Bagley/Tristan (2-way)

In this set up, all young wings have a chance of minutes.

Maybe flip it so that Portland gets Champagnie I kind of like Portland now that Deni is there - what an awful thing to do to them

BTW, Williams will probably play less than 500 minutes this season and is a crucial expiring contract for Portland.

[payitforward]

...Look, I love Champagnie and would love to retain him but ....

The problem with trading Champagnie is that he is almost certainly undervalued around the league. ...so if you trade him, you are selling short...

I don't think there's much chance we trade him, and doing so would be foolish for the reason you state and b/c guys like him are extremely difficult to find.

Justin will have a long career as an elite role player, & we have him tied up for 1/3 of his career!!

In the end, of course, every player should be available in a trade, but there would need to be some unique situation, something we can't envision abstractly from where we are now, for Will to send him out.

[payitforward]

Moving away from the above... is there nonetheless one more move to come before the season starts, I wonder? If so, what might it be?

Someone might want Middleton now, I guess -- a team that thinks it can challenge this year? Say... Minny? the Clippers? Maybe even GS?

It's not inconceivable, but I can't come up with any concrete ideas.

As to Kispert, maybe if a contender has an injury that gets them looking around for more firepower...? Obviously, a buyer wouldn't have to give up much, so....

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Here's an idea that gets rid of Kispert, eases the SF glut, and returns a serviceable, young PF/C.

Washington trades SF Corey Kispert and SF Dillon Jones
Washington receives SF Dalton Knecht and C/PF Jalen Smith

Chicago sends C/PF Jalen Smith
Chicago receives SF Corey Kispert

LA Lakers send SF Dalton Knecht
LA Lakers receive Dillon Jones

Smith has a cheaper deal and comes off the books one year sooner than Kispert. Jalen hasn't been the pro I thought he would be. However, he's experienced enough and mature enough to lead by example on this team. At worst, he's an average NBA player.

Knecht looked good before the Lakers dangled him in trade talks. At worst, he makes a lot less than Kispert and he's a good offensive player off the bench. I suspect he just lacks confidence.

The Lakers should jump on this. Dillon Jones played on OKC and he knows how to rebound and score.

Chicago will experience a lot of turnover. I don't think they want to extend Heurter at his salary. Kispert has an appealing contract moving forward.

Thoughts?

[payitforward]

I like it!
No down side, really -- & Smith in a Wizards uni is a little attendance boost.

[JAR69]

Playing with some of the DEN/WAS trades proposed here and on the Trade Board. How about:

To WAS: Nnaji (into one of our exceptions) + 2026 FRP swap (likely 2-3 spots, could be more with injury) + 2023 SRP
To DEN: Branham (into one of their exceptions + phantom SRP

Wizards pick up two more years of Nnaji = $10 million or so in salary. Take a flyer on a bigger body in exchange for an unneeded guard.
Denver gets enough below the 1st apron to sign a minimum player (maybe two), can stretch Branham if they want more space.

[nate33]

Playing with some of the DEN/WAS trades proposed here and on the Trade Board. How about:

To WAS: Nnaji (into one of our exceptions) + 2026 FRP swap (likely 2-3 spots, could be more with injury) + 2023 SRP
To DEN: Branham (into one of their exceptions + phantom SRP

Wizards pick up two more years of Nnaji = $10 million or so in salary. Take a flyer on a bigger body in exchange for an unneeded guard.
Denver gets enough below the 1st apron to sign a minimum player (maybe two), can stretch Branham if they want more space.

I assume that 2026 FRP swap is with our existing OKC pick.
What did you mean by 2023 SRP? Did you mean 2033?

Overall, this makes real good sense for Denver. Spotrac has them at $400K over the luxtax line, so by saving $3.2M this year, they save they also save $1.2M in tax payments and they become eligible for tax redistributions, which should make them another $7-10M in cash. So that $3.2M saved actually saves them $11-14M.

We spend an extra $3.2M this year to move up a little in the draft, that part seems fair. I'm just not sure we are being compensated enough for eating $8.1M in Nnaji's 2026-27 contract. Maybe throw in an additional FRP swap sometime way down the line.

[JAR69]

Playing with some of the DEN/WAS trades proposed here and on the Trade Board. How about:

To WAS: Nnaji (into one of our exceptions) + 2026 FRP swap (likely 2-3 spots, could be more with injury) + 2023 SRP
To DEN: Branham (into one of their exceptions + phantom SRP

Wizards pick up two more years of Nnaji = $10 million or so in salary. Take a flyer on a bigger body in exchange for an unneeded guard.
Denver gets enough below the 1st apron to sign a minimum player (maybe two), can stretch Branham if they want more space.

I assume that 2026 FRP swap is with our existing OKC pick.
What did you mean by 2023 SRP? Did you mean 2033?

Overall, this makes real good sense for Denver. Spotrac has them at $400K over the luxtax line, so by saving $3.2M this year, they save they also save $1.2M in tax payments and they become eligible for tax redistributions, which should make them another $7-10M in cash. So that $3.2M saved actually saves them $11-14M.

We spend an extra $3.2M this year to move up a little in the draft, that part seems fair. I'm just not sure we are being compensated enough for eating $8.1M in Nnaji's 2026-27 contract. Maybe throw in an additional FRP swap sometime way down the line.

Yes, I meant the existing OKC pick in 2026, And I meant DEN's own 2032 SRP - must learn to type.

We would be eating more than Nnaji's 26-27 contract (which is for $7.46M) - he has a player option for 27-28 (also $7.46M). While getting under the luxtax is important to DEN, I don't think it is worth two FRP swaps, when they can almost certainly find another way to get under the line. The additional value to them, I would think, is getting far enough under it to sign 1-2 decent minimum players. But I still don't think they would give two FRP swaps for that, which is why I went for the 2032 SRP. But if we can get it, sure.

As for whether it is worth it for us, I think so, though it is marginal. DEN has gotten deeper, but is always one Jokic injury away from a mediocre season. I'd buy that lottery ticket.

[nate33]

Playing with some of the DEN/WAS trades proposed here and on the Trade Board. How about:

To WAS: Nnaji (into one of our exceptions) + 2026 FRP swap (likely 2-3 spots, could be more with injury) + 2023 SRP
To DEN: Branham (into one of their exceptions + phantom SRP

Wizards pick up two more years of Nnaji = $10 million or so in salary. Take a flyer on a bigger body in exchange for an unneeded guard.
Denver gets enough below the 1st apron to sign a minimum player (maybe two), can stretch Branham if they want more space.

I assume that 2026 FRP swap is with our existing OKC pick.
What did you mean by 2023 SRP? Did you mean 2033?

Overall, this makes real good sense for Denver. Spotrac has them at $400K over the luxtax line, so by saving $3.2M this year, they save they also save $1.2M in tax payments and they become eligible for tax redistributions, which should make them another $7-10M in cash. So that $3.2M saved actually saves them $11-14M.

We spend an extra $3.2M this year to move up a little in the draft, that part seems fair. I'm just not sure we are being compensated enough for eating $8.1M in Nnaji's 2026-27 contract. Maybe throw in an additional FRP swap sometime way down the line.

Yes, I meant the existing OKC pick in 2026, And I meant DEN's own 2032 SRP - must learn to type.

We would be eating more than Nnaji's 26-27 contract (which is for $7.46M) - he has a player option for 27-28 (also $7.46M). While getting under the luxtax is important to DEN, I don't think it is worth two FRP swaps, when they can almost certainly find another way to get under the line. The additional value to them, I would think, is getting far enough under it to sign 1-2 decent minimum players. But I still don't think they would give two FRP swaps for that, which is why I went for the 2032 SRP. But if we can get it, sure.

As for whether it is worth it for us, I think so, though it is marginal. DEN has gotten deeper, but is always one Jokic injury away from a mediocre season. I'd buy that lottery ticket.

You make "two FRP swaps" sound like a really big deal when we all know that 2026 pick swap is practically nothing. It's moving down from #26 or so to #30. That might be incentive to absorb a few million dollars of their 2025-26 cap and get them under the tax, but it's not much incentive for swallowing another $15M in 2026-27 and 2027-28 money. For that I would need a swap that has REAL upside. And the 2031 Denver FRP at least has a chance of a 35-year-old Jokic having some injury problems, not to mention Gordon and Murray losing a step by then.

[penbeast0]

Trying to work out a Kuminga deal, I thought about what the Wiz would give up for him. The answer for me was CJ (or Middleton but CJ worth more) plus a couple of our young players who are not in the rotation yet . . . Cam Whitmore (who is a potentially similar player though Kuminga seems to play better defense) and AJ Johnson (who is blocked by drafting Tre Johnson and who looked like the scoring ability he showed last year isn't complemented by PG skills). Kuminga signs a 30 million a year declining deal so he can say he got his bag but is tradeable in the future, GS sends Moody with him to make the salaries work.

[gambitx777]

Trying to work out a Kuminga deal, I thought about what the Wiz would give up for him. The answer for me was CJ (or Middleton but CJ worth more) plus a couple of our young players who are not in the rotation yet . . . Cam Whitmore (who is a potentially similar player though Kuminga seems to play better defense) and AJ Johnson (who is blocked by drafting Tre Johnson and who looked like the scoring ability he showed last year isn't complemented by PG skills). Kuminga signs a 30 million a year declining deal so he can say he got his bag but is tradeable in the future, GS sends Moody with him to make the salaries work.

They have no leverage and we are short on guys who can rebound at the 4 so I would wold pat and force a favorable deal or let them walk.

Sent from my SM-S926U1 using RealGM mobile app

[penbeast0]

Trying to work out a Kuminga deal, I thought about what the Wiz would give up for him. The answer for me was CJ (or Middleton but CJ worth more) plus a couple of our young players who are not in the rotation yet . . . Cam Whitmore (who is a potentially similar player though Kuminga seems to play better defense) and AJ Johnson (who is blocked by drafting Tre Johnson and who looked like the scoring ability he showed last year isn't complemented by PG skills). Kuminga signs a 30 million a year declining deal so he can say he got his bag but is tradeable in the future, GS sends Moody with him to make the salaries work.

They have no leverage and we are short on guys who can rebound at the 4 so I would wold pat and force a favorable deal or let them walk.

Sent from my SM-S926U1 using RealGM mobile app

I thought that WAS a favorable deal.

[payitforward]

Kuminga is NOT a good player. Full stop. I wouldnt trade Cam for him straight up.

[Frichuela]

So, according to the Athletic we are not allowed to trade with NY to get our 2026 1st fully back, unless we surrender our PHO pick swap. Therefore, it is a 100% fact that we will aim hard for a bottom 4 record as this fully guarantees we are at 8 or better after the lottery.

“ Long story short: If the Wizards reacquire their 2026 conditional first-round pick from the Knicks, the Wizards would upset the original terms of their pick swap with the Suns. Therefore, to strike a deal with the Knicks, league sources said the Wizards first would have to proactively decline their 2026 first-round pick swap with the Suns.”


https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6526077/2025/07/31/wizards-2026-first-round-pick-knicks-suns/?source=user_shared_article

[nate33]

Kuminga is NOT a good player. Full stop. I wouldnt trade Cam for him straight up.

Kuminga and Whitmore are similar players in that both guys are very athletic and know how to score, but struggle to fit in with team concepts both offensively and defensively. The main difference between the two is that Kuminga scores by slashing while Whitmore scores by shooting.

If you project that both guys eventually will figure out the team game, then Kuminga has a higher upside because a guy who can get to the rim AND pass can be a star. If you project that neither guy really figures out the team game, then Whitmore is the more valuable player because a shooter who doesn't pass can still help a team offensively when he doesn't have the ball by spacing the floor.

The other obvious difference is that Kuminga wants $30M and Whitmore is being paid $3.5M. Kuminga is also nearly two years older than Whitmore.

The age and salary factors easily make Whitmore the better asset. And I don't see room on the roster for both guys when we already have Coulibaly and Kyshawn at the position (not to mention Champagnie and Riley)