WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Upon drafting franchise big Alexandre Sarr in addition to Carlton Carrington and Kyshawn George in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and after trading Deni Avdija to Portland on draft day, the Wizards resume their full-blown youth movement in the nation's capital by prioritizing the 2025 NBA Draft by trading Corey Kispert to the Grizzlies in return for their 2025 lottery-protected first-rounder. Although he is only currently 25 years old, it is clear that the Wizards are thinking younger than him and are prioritizing youth moving forward. Bilal Coulibaly will only be 20 to open the 2024-25 NBA season and Alexandre Sarr is 19. Therefore, with the mindset of prioritizing the upcoming draft, as the 2025 NBA Draft is projected to be strong, the Wizards accept this return from Memphis. The Wizards should get a top 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and should prioritize Cooper Flagg, Airious Bailey, Dylan Harper, and Nolan Traoré as key options to target as it pertains to the 2025 NBA Draft. Now, the Wizards will have the following starting lineup to open the 2024-25 NBA season, with their eyes set on a top 5 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft:
Jordan Poole - Carlton Carrington - Bilal Coulibaly - Kyle Kuzma - Alexandre Sarr
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Memphis uses one of their traded player exceptions in order to fill the SF gap by adding Corey Kispert to their roster in exchange for their lottery-protected first-rounder in the 2025 NBA Draft. He is the ideal wing shooter to maximize the amount of spacing in Memphis. Desmond Bane and Corey Kispert form a sharpshooting wing duo in Memphis. Both of them add three-point shooting to accentuate the slashing of star PG Ja Morant. Furthermore, Corey Kispert fits the timeline in Memphis, and complements the Grizzlies' homegrown trio of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. long-term. After the season that they had last year, the Grizzlies will look to bounce back with Ja Morant's return when it comes to their goals and expectations for the 2024-25 NBA season, which should involve a return to long-term title contention and resume the trajectory that they were on prior to the 2023 NBA Playoffs and last season. Memphis will now look to be major players in the Western Conference next year, and should make the 2025 NBA Playoffs with the following starting lineup, after drafting Zach Edey 9th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft:
Ja Morant - Desmond Bane - Corey Kispert - Jaren Jackson Jr. - Zach Edey
The Wizards get a first-rounder in the 2025 NBA Draft, which will most likely convey given the Grizzlies will likely make the 2025 NBA Playoffs as it pertains to the 2024-25 NBA season. On the other hand, the Grizzlies fill the SF gap using one of their TPE's and get the ideal wing shooter in Corey Kispert to address the SF gap long-term in Memphis. Both teams profit from this trade, in accordance to their respective directions.
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