There’s been a ton of buzz around LaMelo Ball being traded, and it seems like every team has been brought up as a possible trade partner at this point. One team that hasn’t been talked about much is the Washington Wizards.
In Ricky O’Donnell’s recent article for SB Nation, he wrote about three trade ideas for Ball. One of those included the Wizards.
O’Donnell would explain that, “The Wizards could thread the needle by trading for Ball now and still hoping for lottery luck by dealing Khris Middleton’s expiring salary…This trade would allow the Hornets to say they got a first-round back for Ball while also immediately wiping his salary off the books with Middleton set to expire.”
Middleton isn’t the only player being moved in this deal, but that’s the premise of this trade. Below, we’ll analyze if the Wizards should make this move and if it’s realistic for Ball to be traded from the Charlotte Hornets for this package.
This is a PREDICTION, not a REPORT.
More NBA Content From TWSN
The Milwaukee Bucks Are The NBA’s Most Surprising Team
It’s Time For The Dallas Mavericks To Blow It Up
Trading For Ja Morant Is A Colossal Mistake
Charlotte Hornets Trading LaMelo Ball to the Washington Wizards
Now, to get a better idea of what that trade would actually entail, here are the full details. The Wizards would give up Middleton, Will Riley, and a first-round pick.
Riley was selected 21st overall last year, so it would be about two first-rounders of value for Ball. That would be a fine starting point if the main player wasn’t Middleton.
The Wizards don’t need veterans as they have a 1-14 record on the year. They’re clearly in a deep rebuild. Due to Middleton’s contract, it’s not as if they’re going to be able to just trade him at the deadline either.
If the Hornets were to trade Ball, they’re going to want a player of value that matches his salary. Ideally, the player who makes the money work is the most valuable piece in the deal, and the first round picks are on top of that.
In this case, though, Middleton doesn’t add any value to the Wizards. Due to the fact that Ball is on a massive contract, it just seems unlikely that both sides will be able to find a fair deal.
Does LaMelo Ball Fit with the Dallas Mavericks?
While the value of this deal likely won’t make sense, the thought of sending Ball to the Wizards isn’t a bad idea at all. This Wizards franchise hasn’t won more than 40 games since the 2017-18 season.
Even though there are questions about whether Ball’s playstyle translates to winning games, he would provide this team a spark for better or worse. At this point, you would think the Wizards should be ready to take that chance.
Ball is just 24 years old as well, meaning he’s a perfect fit for a deep rebuild. If the Wizards decide to commit to Ball in a trade, he would be their cornerstone piece for years to come as they rebuild.
LaMelo Ball Stats
When you look at the stats for Ball, the main concern is clearly his availability. Other than that, his numbers are phenomenal. So far this season, Ball has played in nine games (stats recorded before the LA Clippers game) where he’s had 21.6 PPG, 6.9 REB, and 9.6 AST.
All things considered, the idea of sending LaMelo Ball to the Washington Wizards sounds like a great idea, the logistics of it will likely make it too hard to get a deal done with Charlotte.