The Washington Wizards have been rumored to be a team to monitor ahead of the NBA trade deadline,

With several veterans on the roster, an abundance of young talent and financial flexibility to make a bold move, it doesn’t come as a shock to hear the Wizards name mentioned in trade talks.

Despite that, the belief surrounding Washington as trade season nears is that if the Wizards were to get involved in any deals, it would be in efforts to offload long-term money, unwanted contracts or to help facilitate trades that could benefit them by returning a young player or draft capital.

However, Washington being linked to a former All-Star wasn’t exactly on the bingo cards of anyone; at least not this early in the team’s rebuild.

Wizards linked to Domantas Sabonis

Domantas Sabonis has been one of the biggest names rumored to be available as the February trade deadline looms.

The star big man has been a focal part of the retool for the Sacramento Kings, but after a failed stretch with the team built around the likes of Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox, Sacramento was forced to come to terms with the harsh reality that it may be best for them to pull the trigger on yet another rebuild.

With names like Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan joining Sabonis on the trade block, several contending teams seem poised to be in the mix to make a bold move for one of the available talents.

As for the Wizards, hearing reports that Washington could be a team to monitor certainly comes out of left field.

Nonetheless, according to NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Wizards previous interest in Sabonis could cause them to be a team worth monitoring as his market prepares to heat up in the coming months.

“For Sabonis’ part, league sources say the 29-year-old big man has heeded that call for patience,” Amick writes in his latest update. “His contract runs through the 2027-28 season, with a combined $94 million owed in the next two seasons, meaning his market is inevitably limited by the sheer magnitude of the money owed.”

“Teams like Washington, the Phoenix Suns and Chicago have shown significant interest in the past and are still believed to be on his short list of possible suitors, but Sabonis is prepared to remain in a Kings jersey for the foreseeable future,” the insider continued.

A move to pair Sabonis alongside the likes of Alex Sarr in the frontcourt would certainly be intriguing, but it’s unknown if the Wizards are still interested in making a blockbuster move of this caliber, especially for a player who’s age (29) is just outside of the team’s rebuilding timeline.