TORONTO, CANADA – NOVEMBER 23: Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Washington Wizards shoots the ball during the game against the Toronto Raptors on November 23, 2018 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
An Eastern Conference foe looks poised to blow things up. Here’s how the Raptors could benefit from a potential Wizards fire-sale.
The Washington Wizards are off to a nightmare start. Washington currently sits 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 7-12 record. This is a less than ideal start for a team that was predicted to be a contender for the Conference lead.
Meanwhile the Toronto Raptors sit atop the Conference. Will the Raptors be buyers of what their rival is reportedly selling?
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stated Monday that according to a source “No Wizards Player Exempt From Possible Trade Talks. This includes both Bradley Beal and John Wall.
At this point in time that Raptors would be foolish to trade for either Beal or Wall. For starters, the Raptors already have their franchise point guard in Kyle Lowry. Secondly, the Raptors would most likely have to give up one of Pascal Siakam or OG Anunoby.
Another crucial reason why the Raptors should not trade for either star is because of their cap hits. John Wall has a current cap hit of $19 Million which will increase to $37 Million when his extension kicks in next season. Wall’s 2019-20 base salary will increase by $3 Million each of the next three years.
Bradley Beal currently carries a $25 Million cap hit. Beal’s salary will increase to $27 Million next year. The 25-year old will earn $28 Million during the 2020-21 season before becoming a UFA.
The Raptors should pursue one of Washington’s two superstars on one condition: if Kawhi Leonard guarantees to re-sign with the team. However, it seems highly unlikely that they could get that guarantee.
In the meantime, the Raptors should stay away from Beal and Wall. However, there are still other assets that the Wizards posses that could help bolster the team’s roster for a deep Playoff run. Two players in particular come to mind.
