The Washington Wizards are starting to make some splashes. The team has officially decided to trade their top scorer, Jordan Poole, for some more veteran presence. ESPN’s Shams Charania dropped the news Tuesday that the Wizards have engaged in a significant trade for the future of their franchise.
The Pelicans-Wizards trade is as follows:
Washington Wizards trade: Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey, and the No.40 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft
New Orleans Pelicans trade: CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick
The Wizards have obviously decided that Poole is not part of their future plans. Despite being their highest scorer last season, Poole just didn’t show the organization enough that they wanted to build around him.
Poole’s giant contract is also surely part of the equation.
Instead, the Wizards have opted to get CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk, two established veterans.
McCollum is the record holder for the most consecutive seasons averaging 20 points per game without an All-Star nod. He now joins the Eastern Conference for the first time, which could help him reach his first All-Star game.
McCollum and Olynyk can help lead the young and raw Wizards both on and off the court. The Wizards have multiple budding young players who can learn from these vets.
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They also will have tons of cap space come 2026 when both of those guys’ contracts expire. So, although they are losing an exciting young guard in Poole, they pick up some great (and in CJ’s case, very productive) veterans and future flexibility.
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