It was certainly a busy day for the Washington Wizards at the NBA trade deadline. Given that they were a rebuilding squad who had plenty of veterans, Washington was expected to be big time sellers. Although their performance has been awful this year, the Wizards made the right moves toward a rebuild at the deadline. They successfully unloaded veterans like Kyle Kuzma, Jonas Valanciunas, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Jared Butler, Marvin Bagley III, and Johnny Davis. All of whom clearly don’t have a place in the Wizards’ timeline.
However, it wasn’t exactly a picture-perfect NBA trade deadline for Washington. In fact, they actually failed to move Malcolm Brogdon, a veteran who drew some interest prior to the trade deadline. As a result, the Wizards’ biggest mistake at the 2025 NBA trade deadline was not trading away Brogdon. The mistake of keeping him grew larger when the team also acquired some aging veterans like Marcus Smart and Khris Middleton at the deadline.
Expiring contract
One of the biggest reasons Brogdon was consistently on the trade rumor mill was his expiring contract. Back in 2021, Brogdon inked a two-year contract extension with the Indiana Pacers worth $45 million. Since then, he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers prior to the start of the 2023-24 season before getting shipped to the Wizards on draft night. This contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Brogdon was initially excited about taking his talents to Washington. Let’s not forget that the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner used to play for the University of Virginia. With his family also based in the area, playing for the Wizards looked like a fresh start for Brogdon. However, it hasn’t turned out that way. Due to a myriad of injuries, he has only appeared in 24 games in a Wizards uniform.
With the Wizards aiming at a rebuild, it was clear that they don’t need Brogdon’s services. To make matters worse, his expiring contract puts Washington at risk for letting him walk away without anything in return once the offseason hits. The risk is also pretty high, given that Brogdon possesses plenty of valuable assets for any playoff contender looking to beef up their backcourt.
Solid interest at the NBA trade deadline
Brogdon garnered solid interest in the trade market. This year, he is putting up 12.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per outing while converting 43.3% of his shots from the field overall. His scoring, efficiency, and size for a guard were assets that could further boost any contender’s championship hopes.
While his troublesome injury history and $22.5 million salary probably turned teams off at the trade deadline, Brogdon has the skills to bolster any team’s bench, while also having sufficient playoff experience under his belt. With a handful of potential suitors, the Wizards could’ve used him as a trade asset and swapped him for draft picks or younger talent.
At 32 years old, Brogdon clearly has no place within Washington’s rebuilding timeline. Letting him stay for the rest of the season doesn’t exactly do either parties any favors. The former NBA Rookie of the Year will be eating up minutes of the team’s younger guards, potentially stifling their development. In addition to this, as Brogdon is expected to test free agency, playing for a tanking team doesn’t exactly boost his stock.
Too many veterans on a rebuilding team
In terms of age, Brogdon isn’t the only aging veteran in the Wizards’ rebuilding roster. After a busy trade deadline, Washington also acquired Khris Middleton and Marcus Smart. Both of which are already pass 30 years old. Although having a veteran presence is important to mentor a young core, having too much is another story.
It’s clear enough that any of these three veterans would be helpful to any playoff contender. Having them play for a bottom feeder looking to improve their draft position would be a clear waste of roster space. Smart and Middleton have established themselves with their elite two-way play, with no shortage of playoff experience. With both of them already around, it should’ve been a no-brainer for the Wizards to cook up a deal involving Brogdon at the deadline.
Given that the team is looking toward the future, it makes no sense to keep several veterans on the roster. Instead, the team should be prioritizing the development of its young guns by giving them more minutes into the rotation. With the Wizards aiming for a favorable draft position, it was another missed opportunity for the Wizards’ preparation for the future by keeping Brogdon around.
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