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Report: Wizards interested in trade for All-Star Donovan Mitchell

By Chase Hughes

Report: Wizards interested in Donovan Mitchell originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

While the NBA offseason has slowed down with the draft, free agency and Summer League behind us, there are still several high-profile stars who could be traded before training camp opens. According to a report by the Athletic, the Wizards have expressed interest in one of them and, no, it’s not Kevin Durant.

Shams Charania of the Athletic says the Wizards have contacted the Utah Jazz about star guard Donovan Mitchell. Here is what Charania wrote Monday morning:

“Along with New York, several other teams have expressed interest to the Jazz when it comes to Mitchell, such as Washington, Miami, Toronto, Charlotte, Sacramento and Atlanta, according to sources.”

Mitchell is a three-time All-Star and he’s only 25 years old, so getting him would be a tremendous feat for the Wizards who could then pair him with Bradley Beal, also a three-time All-Star. Beal and Mitchell would form one of the best offensive duos in the NBA. Both technically play the same position at shooting guard, but they can each handle the ball and make plays for others. Acquiring Mitchell would set aside any perceived overlap and focus on the simple fact the Wizards would have two very good players to build around.

Getting such a deal done, however, would definitely be difficult. After the Jazz traded Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a collection of players, four first-round picks and a pick swap, the price for stars has seemingly been subject to inflation. The 2023, 2025 and 2027 first-round picks sent to Utah are unprotected, for instance.

The fact the Jazz were the team that agreed to that trade would suggest it’s a fairly accurate framework for what it would take to acquire Mitchell. And if they want even more first-round picks, that could put the Wizards at a disadvantage, as they still have their firsts from 2023 through 2026 tied up in protections due to the John Wall-Russell Westbrook trade.

If the Jazz wanted three first-round picks and a pick swap, the Wizards could not currently offer that. NBA teams can only trade draft picks up to seven years in the future and the next four firsts for the Wizards are currently part of the Wall-Westbrook deal.

Mitchell, though, is the type of talent that a team like the Wizards could justify getting creative for. He’s a very dynamic player and young enough to where he should have many years left in his prime. If they got Mitchell, he and Beal would likely make them a perennial playoff team with a chance to go on deep postseason runs.

There are considerable hurdles for a deal to get done, but the Wizards are evidently still trying to improve the roster and are thinking big.

Bradley Beal ‘beyond proud’ of Jordan Goodwin’s emergence during his absence

By Bijan Todd
Beal ‘beyond proud’ of Goodwin’s emergence during his absence originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonLosing your star player for a handful of games due to health and safety protocols is never a good thing. The silver lining of when that scenario became reality for the Washington Wizards and Bradley Beal, though, was the emergence of Jordan Goodwin.Goodwin was a role player on the Wizards’ G-League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, just a year ago after going undrafted out of St. Louis. He played a grand total of six NBA minutes last season in D.C. This year, though, he got the nod for a serious bench role to help cope with Beal’s absence. He made, and continues to make, the most of the opportunity.Nobody is more proud of Goodwin’s surge than his mentor and friend — the same teammate whose bout with health protocols cleared the way for him.“I’m super proud, man,” Bradley Beal said of Goodwin after Washington’s 121-120 loss to the Thunder on Wednesday. “Good is a tremendous guy. It makes me beyond proud to see his journey, being a part of his life since he was 14, 15 years old, maybe even younger. Just to see him transition to where he is now — a grown man, dad, playing in the NBA — like, who knew this would happen?”Beal and Goodwin have indeed been tight for about a decade. Beal mentored Goodwin since they both grew up in the St. Louis area. Goodwin has called Beal “a big brother” when discussing their bond.“Now he’s getting the opportunity to play, he’s getting the opportunity to showcase what he can do and taking full advantage of it. So I can’t be more proud of him,” Beal said. Goodwin quickly became the most popular guy in the Wizards’ locker room shortly after his breakout with Washington. His play on the court helped, too, as his tour-de-force came with a career night against Charlotte bookended by a few more dazzling performances. During the five games Bradley Beal missed, Goodwin stepped into a major bench role and helped power the Wizards to a 4-1 record over that span. Superb defensive play coupled with lights-out shooting (he shot 55% from the field over those five games) caught the attention of both coaches and the national media.Now that Beal has returned from health protocols and reconditioning, Goodwin’s minutes could diminish down the line. He still saw action for 20 minutes in the Oklahoma City loss, though, putting up four points and some sturdy defensive work.Goodwin’s impact on the Wizards during the early stages of the 2022-23 season can’t be understated, even if Beal’s return could relegate him to a deeper bench spot. For a player on a two-way contract, Goodwin struck while the iron was hot during Washington’s recent run, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed.“I’m always tough on him, I’m always pushing him to continue to get better, continue to not be complacent,” Beal said. “Earn your name, earn your way here, ‘cause this is an opportunity given to you. I’m proud of him, man. I’m beyond proud, for sure.” 
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