5 must-see trades to shake up the 2023 NBA Draft

The Washington Wizards are under new management is the expectation is that they will be aggressive in reshaping the roster. It’s therefore surprising that Washington hasn’t been mentioned more frequently as a potential buyer on the trade market with the No. 8 pick.

Bradley Beal’s competitive window won’t stay open forever. The Wizards have been lacking a legitimate playmaker to share the backcourt and the playmaking burden with Beal for a minute. Anfernee Simons is the perfect solution — a 23-year-old who can contribute immediately while also building a bridge to the future beyond Beal.

Simons averaged 21.1 points and 4.7 assists as Damian Lillard’s backcourt partner last season. He averaged over nine 3-point attempts per game and netted them at a 37.7 percent rate. His development as a playmaker for others, combined with his elite pull-up shooting and dynamic pick-and-roll potential, make for a tantalizing complement to Beal’s own varied offensive repertoire. Trendon Watford is an intriguing young big to develop behind Kristaps Porzingis, too.

As for Portland, this trade presumably comes on the heels of selecting Scoot Henderson with the No. 3 pick. The Blazers are looking to win games next season and Henderson can help, but they run into a logjam of small guards with Lillard and Simons already in place.

The No. 8 pick can net Portland another quality young player or it can be used in a separate trade for a veteran contributor. Meanwhile, Deni Avdija is one of the best young wing defenders in the NBA and he’s starting to flash some of the offensive versatility that made him a top-10 pick in 2020. Daniel Gafford and Delon Wright are useful depth pieces.

The Blazers get deeper around Dame and Scoot, the Wizards get Beal his offensive co-star. This feels like a potential win-win.