5. Move Nene
The 13-year veteran out of Brazil has seen his minutes plummet this year after being relegated to the bench in favor of Jared Dudley. Nene is on pace for his worst statistical season since arriving in D.C. back in 2011 – he’s averaging career lows in points and rebounds as a healthy player, and his hulking presence on the court just isn’t as effective as it once was with more and more NBA teams emulating the Warriors and transitioning to smaller lineups.
There are still a number of teams in the league that could use a player of Nene’s size and smarts, though, and the Wizards should dangle him as possible trade bait in exchange for future picks. The Brooklyn Nets, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings, and Utah Jazz all come to mind as squads that could benefit from adding the veteran big man to their lineups, even if only in an auxiliary role.
It’s probably a pipe dream to think the Wizards could get a quality starter in return for Nene, but it’s possible they could at the very least pick up some added depth at the small forward or point guard positions if they find the right suitor. It’s worth a shot.
Next: 4. Replace Nene with Zach Randolph