NBA 2018-19: 3 Players the Wizards need to trade away
The Washington Wizards began the season confident that they could challenge in a historically weak Eastern Conference. Despite the pre-season optimism, the team has quickly unravelled both on and off the court and the Wizards currently sit 10th with an 8-14 record.
Due to the lack of competition in the East, the Washington franchise could still make a playoff push in the second half of the season. Nevertheless, to make a late run, the team will need to make a number of personnel changes, so here are three players who could soon be traded.
#3 John Wall
John Wall is a regular NBA All-Star, who is also the Wizards best player on the roster. Despite this, the franchise has failed to make a sustained challenge for the NBA Championship with Wall leading the team, and the time has now come for the Wizards to move on.
The Wizards have the opportunity to go all in on Wall's younger teammate Bradley Beal, who last season demonstrated his ability to lead the franchise in the absence of Wall. If the organization can get a mix of draft picks and players in return for Wall, then it is time for the Bradley Beal era in Washington.
#2 Markieff Morris
Markieff Morris was this week reported to be the most likely of all of the Washington Wizards to be traded. The 29-year-old has been a reliable performer for the Wizards this season, averaging 11.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, although it appears that the player doesn't want to stick around in Washington.
Morris becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019, and no progress has been made regarding an extension. If the Wizards chose to move Morris now, there will be interest from playoff-chasing teams, so the team should look to get something in return for the player before he leaves for free in 2019.