Former Ohio State guard Malaki Branham is leaving San Antonio for Washington, D.C., after the Spurs traded the third-year NBA player to the Wizards July 8.
Branham, the No. 22 pick in the 2022 draft, won’t be going alone. The Spurs included fellow 2022 first-round pick Blake Wesley and a 2026 second-round pick in exchange for veteran big man Kelly Olynyk.
Branham’s point production and playing time with San Antonio has tapered since his rookie season, when he started 32 games and averaged 10.2 points. He averaged 9.2 points his second season but saw a significant drops in points (5.0) and playing time (9.1 minutes) last season. His role likely was not expected to expand this season, with the Spurs using the No. 2 overall pick to draft Rutgers guard Dylan Harper to pair with 2024 first-round pick Stephon Castle and veteran point guard De’Aaron Fox.
The Wizards likely present a better opportunity, considering they finished 18-64 last season, although Washington also has a guard-heavy roster after having recently traded for CJ McCollum and drafting Texas guard Tre Johnson.
Branham averaged 13.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists and shot 49.8% in 32 games with the Buckeyes. He entered the draft following his freshman season.
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