While Matt Modderno and I poked a little fun at the Wizards penchant for almost getting terrific players — Donovan Mitchell being the latest — on his Bleav in Wizards podcast, the truth is the Wizards were never a serious option. The reason is simple: they don’t have the assets to swing a deal of that magnitude.
What the Mitchell traded underscored for me is the opportunity the Wizards missed with Bradley Beal. The deal — interesting young players, a rookie with potential, three first round picks, and two pick swaps — is exactly the kind of trade the Wizards should have made with Beal two years ago.