Inside The Wizards

Wizards Need to Trade Veteran Center

The Washington Wizards should flex their potential at the center position.

Jeremy Brener

Mar 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) shoots a free throw against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Mar 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) shoots a free throw against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards have a roster full of young players, but there is a veteran or two sprinkled into the mix.

One of those veterans is center Richaun Holmes, who was acquired by the Wizards in the deal that sent Daniel Gafford to the Dallas Mavericks just before last year's trade deadline in February.

Holmes, who just turned 31 earlier this week, averaged 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game in 17 appearances for the Wizards down the stretch last season. This year, Holmes is expected to take on the backup center role at the beginning of the season with free agent signee Jonas Valanciunas starting.

Given the fact that he signed a two-year extension over the summer, Holmes cannot be traded until Dec. 15. Usually players who sign new deals aren't meant to be traded soon, but the Wizards have reason to look to move Holmes.

Simply put, Holmes does not fit the current timeline for the Wizards. He is not expected to be part of the team's long-term plans, and he signed a team-friendly deal so that the Wizards could eventually move him to a contender. While he has the second year on his contract, he is only guaranteed to make $250,000 of his $13.2 million, which can be fully guaranteed if he is on a roster on Jan. 10, 2026.

The chances of him being with the Wizards by then are slim, but it gives Washington a chance to try and trade him at February's deadline or the offseason if the team is unsuccessful in finding a solid deal for him in the middle of the season.

While Holmes is with the team, he'll eat up some minutes at the center spot, giving the team a presence in the paint, but don't expect him to play more than 10-15 minutes a night.

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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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