Wizards trade Moritz Wagner and Troy Brown to Chicago
Given that all-star guard Bradley Beal is expected to remain the franchise cornerstone at least through the season, Washington’s front office felt confident in its core roster approaching Thursday’s 3 p.m. deadline, even as the team stands 13th in the Eastern conference at 15-27. People in the league and within the organization said earlier this week the Wizards would probably not sign off on costly trades just to make a run at the play-in tournament this year.
With Beal squarely at the center of the picture, Washington turned its attention to the margins of the roster.
In Gafford, Washington acquired a 6-foot-10 big man who averaged 4.7 points and 3.3 rebounds in modest minutes in 31 games with the Bulls this season. The Arkansas product is under contract for two years beyond this season.
Hutchison, a 6-foot-6 wing, lands with the Wizards the more unknown quantity. A first-round pick in 2018, Hutchison has played just 79 career games and has played for the Bulls just seven times this year, last playing on Feb. 5. He averaged 1.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in his scant time on court this season.
With Chicago, Brown and Wagner — two players who never quite found stable footing in Washington despite valuable elements to their games — get a chance at a fresh start.
Trading Brown meant Washington shed a player who struggled to find his place in the organization since arriving as a first-round pick three years ago.
The 21-year-old played limited minutes in 21 games this year and averaged 4.3 points shooting 37.1 percent from the field and 30 percent from three. Brown, according to multiple people in the league with knowledge, was regarded as one of the Wizards’ more intriguing assets at the trade deadline as a young shooting guard with perhaps some untapped potential.
The Wizards declined to pick up Wagner’s fourth-year option earlier this season before the 23-year-old worked his way into starting 13 games. He averaged 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and filled a void as Washington’s energy source in the wake of starting center Thomas Bryant’s ACL injury in February.
