Inside The Wizards

Wizards Linked to Lakers PG

The Washington Wizards could acquire a point guard from the Los Angeles Lakers in a trade.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Dec 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell (1) dribbles against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are a team to look out for on the trade market this season due to the fact that they have the worst record in the league.

This means that they are a candidate to take on hefty contracts of players that are on good teams in the hopes that some draft capital will be attached to them.

Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus lists the Wizards as a potential landing spot for Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell.

"The team has been listed as a possible destination for many on this list, and Russell is the primary expiring contract needed to get a deal done. The Lakers have a couple of future first-round picks that may be the true draw, more so than Russell as a player," Pincus writes.

"The veteran guard's skills are diminished this year for the Lakers, as LeBron James and Austin Reaves have taken on the primary ball-handling responsibilities. Perhaps a team wants Russell for what he does on the court, but his short contract may prove more valuable in trade than his on-court skills."

The Lakers have been linked to a few of the Wizards trade targets including Kyle Kuzma and Jonas Valanciunas. Putting Russell in a trade for one or both of them could give the Wizards a point guard option for the rest of the season that could help set up the rest of Washington's young core for success.

Russell likely won't re-sign with the Wizards beyond the season, but having him for the latter part of the year could bring on some value along with whatever future draft capital the Lakers would be willing to include in a trade.

The Wizards are back in action tomorrow night as they host the Charlotte Hornets at 7 p.m. ET.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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