As hard as it's going to be to fix the Sacramento Kings, that's a cakewalk compared to trying to get the Washington Wizards on track. They are in even worse shape than it seems, and could use a legit shooter right now. Lucky for them, the Kings want to move Zach LaVine as soon as possible.
The Wizards were incredibly busy leading up to the trade deadline. They made a series of moves that got them point guard Trae Young as well as an elite defender in Anthony Davis. These bold trades brought them a pair of superstars they could base their rebuild around. That was the plan, anyway.
The rumors are that Davis wants out of Washington, as he reportedly has no interest in being on a rebuilding team. That probably means he isn't interested in heading to Sacramento, either. His goal is to be on a roster that is competing for a title now. Neither the Kings nor the Wizards fit that bill.
Then there's Young, who has been sidelined by injuries for quite some time, much like Davis. While the Wizards seem to be planning around him, it remains to be seen how long he actually spends in Washington. As Atlanta found out, he's not the kind of player to get a team over the top on his own.
Zach LaVine joins the Wizards conversation
That's where Mr. LaVine comes in. While he's not much in the defense department, he is an impressive shooter when left to his business. Pushing LaVine to play defense over just shooting the lights out was a major mistake Doug Christie made in managing him in Sacramento.
If the Wizards choose to bring LaVine in, they have to let him do what he does best. That means expecting a minimal defensive presence out of him while setting him up for perimeter and mid-range shots. That's where pairing LaVine with Young starts to make actual sense.
The Wizards are not exactly known for their passing. If Young stays, he could help change that, as he is a solid facilitator. Having LaVine as a reliable outlet for him could be the basis of an offensive engine. It would at least give Washington something to build off of going forward.
As long as Washington doesn't try to force LaVine to play against type, he could be a great addition to the team. All the Kings really need out of this deal is to move on from their time with LaVine, giving them the freedom to dig deeper into their own rebuild process. And maybe a couple of draft picks.
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