It's been way too long since the Washington Wizards were postseason locks. However, it's evident that they have no intention to rebuild right now, as they paid Bradley Beal a big chunk of money while also trading for Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis.
Still, there's a shortage of talent in the nation's capital. That situation could be solved if they decide to be sellers at the trade deadline, with stars like DeMar DeRozan potentially available in talks.
With that in mind, Bleacher Report's Zack Buckley believes the Wizards should be on the phone with the Chicago Bulls right now. In this case scenario, they could get DeRozan in return for Will Barton, Rui Hachimura, Johnny Davis, and a future first-round pick (top-five protected).
NBA Rumors: Chicago Bulls Could Trade DeMar DeRozan To The Washington Wizards
(via Zack Buckley - Bleacher Report)
"DeRozan and Beal can copilot the offense, and both are good enough passers to make sure the others stay involved, too. There are defensive concerns, sure, but the offense might be good enough to overcome them. Plus, the four feel flexible enough to take on different looks in different matchups.
(...)
The Bulls, on the other hand, feel like they're running on fumes. Maybe a healthy Lonzo Ball could pull them out of their funk, but who has any clue when we'll see him on the hardwood again? Their offense is depressingly bad (26th in efficiency), their Big Three too often steps on one another's toes, and there's zero indication a leap from Patrick Williams is happening any time soon. Or at all.
Chicago could be ready for a change, and this deal would start to sketch out some long-term direction."
The Bulls swung for the fences and missed. Ball's injury was a major roadblock, and their Big 3 just isn't a good fit together; it happens. Now, it's time to hit the drawing board again instead of wasting more time trying to build around something that's not going to happen.
As for Washington, the Wizards are just a piece or two away from being at least a postseason threat. So even though parting ways with a future first-round pick and the reigning 10th overall pick could be a steep price to pay, the potential reward is worth it.
