The Washington Wizards are one of the teams that are going to be in the market for a new point guard this NBA offseason. They currently do not have one on the roster with a guaranteed contract for the 2022-23 season.
Raul Neto and Tomas Satoransky are both unrestricted free agents. Ish Smith’s contract is not fully guaranteed, which could lead to the Wizards waiving him to save some money.
Even if they can bring back one or two of that trio, Washington should still be in the market for an upgrade. While all three are solid in their own right, they are better suited coming off the bench than being stretched as starting options.
There are a few players that the Wizards could be targeting in the coming weeks whether it is via trade or signing in free agency. But, one player that they do not have any interest in is D’Angelo Russell of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Packages To Send Minnesota Timberwolves Star D’Angelo Russell To Washington Wizards
Minnesota is expected to pursue a deal for their starting point guard, but don’t expect him to land in Washington. During a recent episode of The Scoop with Darren “Doogie” Wolfson, he revealed Washington’s stance about Russell.
“The Wizards are not interested in Russell,” said Darren Wolfson during a recent episode of his podcast. “Yes, the Wizards are looking for a lead guard, and I am told no interest in D’Angelo Russell.”
It is interesting that the Wizards would have no interest in Russell, who would fill their need for a starting-caliber point guard. He is on an expiring contract, so if things didn’t work out, they wouldn’t be committed to him beyond the 2022-23 season, either.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: 3 Trade Packages To Send Minnesota Timberwolves Star D’Angelo Russell To Washington Wizards
The price it would take to acquire Russell could be a sticking point, as the Wizards would likely have to part ways with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma to make the salaries work. They could see if Minnesota has any interest in taking on Kristaps Porzingis, but that would likely require draft capital being attached as Porzingis’ deal has a player option that runs through 2024.
Armed with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft as a bargaining chip, the Washington Wizards sound like they have different plans in place than pursuing D’Angelo Russell.
