Washington Wizards: What to do with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 Draft

To trade or not to trade?

The Washington Wizards are in about as grey a grey area as you can get in terms of direction.

Make no mistake, the message regarding next season is very clear. Washington is waiting for John Wall to return, and then they plan on making another run in the Eastern Conference.

Beyond that lies an absolute unknown. And that all starts with Beal, who before signing his extension in October was the hottest name on the NBA trade market.

And if next season doesn’t go as planned, the expectation is that he could resurface as a target for trade, whether of his desire or the Wizards’ willingness to begin a rebuild.

All of this makes a decision centered on the No. 1 pick about as complicated as possible. In some senses, Washington is attempting to rebuild and contend simultaneously. They’ve put together a nice young core over the last few seasons in Brown, Hachimura, Wagner, and Bryant.

On one hand, drafting the top player in next year’s draft could almost expedite the rebuild process. On the other, it’d almost be a waste in regards to what they’re trying to accomplish next year. What might help in their decision is looking at what past teams have gotten in such trades.