NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 offseason targets for the Washington Wizards

1. Derrick Favors

Acquiring Derrick Favors would require much of the same salary cap calculus involved in the DeMarcus Cousins sign and trade scenario. Favors is more realistically attainable for Washington at this point though. He also might be less of a chemistry risk on and off the court. The Wizards could offer the expiring of Gortat and a future pick (perhaps a second rounder or a very heavily protected first) in a sign and trade for Favors, throwing in any necessary filler salary to make the deal work. That trade doesn’t make the Jazz any better in the immediate future, but it would help them keep a clean salary sheet in the summer of 2019; re-signing Favors would impact their ability to maintain max space next summer.

Though he’s often played the role of super sub for the Jazz over the past few years, Derrick Favors is more than capable of starting at the five spot. He’s a solid all-around player that did so many little things for Utah last season. On defense he guarded stretchy fours on the perimeter when playing alongside Rudy Gobert and then took over rim protection duties when playing as the lone five man.

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On the other end, Favors was effective despite playing in some spacing-challenged lineups. He crashed the glass at a good rate all season contributing garbage man buckets. Favors’ post game ebbed and flowed, but he frequently took advantage of mismatches down low. And though his jumper isn’t lethal, he can go to it when he needs to.  Adding Favors into the mix in Washington would improve the team on both ends of the floor. He’s skilled and versatile and would be a great partner for John Wall in the pick and roll.