What trade value do the Washington Wizards' veterans have?
According to a report Monday by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the 5-11 Wizards have given teams the impression that anyone on the roster is available for trade discussions.
Trade value can be quite different from on-court value, of course -- a player's trade value is what another team would be willing to give up.
Based on their on-court value and current contracts, let's take a look at what value Washington's players should have in a deal and what kinds of teams might be a fit.
1. Bradley Beal
Beal's availability is clearly the biggest news from today's report. As a current All-Star (having made it for the first time last season) with more than two years left on a reasonable contract, Beal would be a rarity on the trade market. Typically, players of Beal's caliber only come available if they're nearing free agency and ask out or -- like Wall -- have onerous contracts. I think the last player traded that met these criteria (two-plus years left, current All-Star) was Chauncey Billups when he went from the Detroit Pistons to the Denver Nuggets a decade ago.
We shouldn't overstate Beal's value. As a fringy All-Star -- he's no certainty to get selected this year given the Wizards' poor start -- he's closer to fairly paid at $81 million over the next three seasons than a huge bargain. Still, Beal has substantial trade value because of how easily he can fit into any setting. Beal is a plus catch-and-shoot jump shooter (his 61.7 percent effective field goal percentage on such attempts ranked 27th among players with at least 100 attempts last season, per Second Spectrum tracking) and a capable pick-and-roll ballhandler, allowing him to play either on or off the ball, depending on the talent around him.
Because of his contract, Beal would be an ideal target for a team with cap flexibility that's not a destination for free agents. Sending Washington expiring contracts (along with the necessary young talent and/or draft picks) would be the best chance of landing a star using that flexibility. Beal might be a fit for the Brooklyn Nets or New Orleans Pelicans under that logic.
2. Kelly Oubre Jr.
Because he was taken outside the lottery (15th overall) before rookie contracts for first-round picks were adjusted upward to match the growth of the salary cap, Oubre is making just $3.2 million in the final season of his deal -- the ninth-highest salary on the Wizards and a bargain for a contributor on the wing.
Unfortunately, Oubre's development as a 3-point shooter last season (when he shot a career-high 34 percent beyond the arc) hasn't translated this year, as he's down to 28 percent on 75 attempts. He probably can't yet be considered a 3-and-D role player, particularly in the crucible of the playoffs.
But Oubre provides enough defensive versatility to stay on the court with his ability to defend any of the three perimeter spots, and he could command a low-end first-round pick from a wing-needy team like the Philadelphia 76ers under the logic that his restricted status will cool his market in free agency next summer.
3. Otto Porter Jr.
Porter's perceived value suffers from the notion that a max player should provide more box score production than the 14.7 points and 6.3 rebounds he averaged last season. Certainly, any team that deals for Porter expecting a prolific source of offense will be disappointed. According to Second Spectrum tracking, he posted a 49.8 percent eFG on self-created shots last season, as compared to 64.7 percent on catch-and-shoot opportunities.
Given the right supporting talent, however, Porter can be valuable in a 3-and-D role. He's a career 40 percent shooter from beyond the arc who's also been around 40 percent in the past two seasons combined. And Porter can capably defend either forward position. Last season, the Wizards defended better with Porter at the 4, according to analysis of lineup data from NBA Advanced Stats, and such lineups outscored opponents by 6.5 points per 100 possessions.
Because of his $26 million salary, Washington could probably count more on salary relief for Porter than the star Wojnarowski reported they hoped to get. Nonetheless, a team with star talent in need of supporting pieces -- the Pelicans again seem ideal -- would be wise to pursue Porter.
A steady backup point guard with enough size and shooting ability to play alongside a point guard (as he has at times with Wall), Satoransky would be an immediate upgrade for a team with a need at the position.
Most contenders seem to have filled that spot, but if the Houston Rockets don't want to wait on Brandon Knight's return to give them insurance behind James Harden and Chris Paul, Marquese Chriss and a second-round pick for Satoransky would be a tax-neutral option for them.
5. Jeff Green
After years of disappointing teams that paid heavily to acquire him, Green has become a useful contributor at the veteran's minimum, first for the Cleveland Cavaliers and now the Wizards. He's served as Washington's backup center for extended stretches this season in small, switch-heavy lineups that have been reasonably effective.
Green probably won't fetch much in trade but could be a target if he agrees to a buyout. He'd also make some sense for the Rockets if they wanted to use him as a 5.
Morris' slow start in a contract year has been a factor in the Wizards' disappointing record. He's grabbing a career-low 15.5 percent of available defensive rebounds, one reason why Washington is 29th in the league overall in defensive rebounding. Although this surely can't be blamed entirely on Morris, the Wizards are allowing an incredible 12.6 more points per 100 possessions with him on the court this season, according to NBA Advanced Stats.
With Morris also slumping beyond the arc (34 percent), the best Washington could probably hope to do is save some money by dealing him for a non-contributor with a smaller salary.
At $12.65 million in the final season of his contract, Rivers is going to be a tough sell, particularly in the midst of a shooting slump. After hitting 37.5 percent of his 3s the past two seasons, Rivers is down to a below-average 33.3 percent so far this year. The Wizards would probably have to attach a draft pick to save money by trading Rivers for a lower-salaried player.
8. John Wall
Wall is both Washington's best player and perhaps the most difficult to trade because of his supermax extension that kicks in next season, as my ESPN colleague Zach Lowe explored in his recent Wizards column. Based on the current estimate for his salary, just three players -- Stephen Curry, Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook -- will make more than Wall in 2019-20. (James Harden will make the same amount on an identical supermax extension.)
Wall has never been a top-five player, and while other big contracts will be signed between now and then, he's exceedingly unlikely to be anywhere near that status by the end of his contract in 2022-23 at age 32. Point guards who rely more on their quickness than shooting ability tend to lose value more quickly in their early 30s, and Wall's history of knee injuries exacerbates the risk he'll be a liability by then.
So, barring a truly desperate trade partner that doesn't seem to exist right now, Washington would more likely have to include draft picks in a Wall trade than get them back.
Given how poorly the Wizards started in his absence, Howard can't be blamed for the team's struggles. However, a limited Howard clearly hasn't been the solution either. Given the bridges Howard has burned in his past stops and his $5.6 million player option for 2019-20, it's unlikely another team would deal for him.
10. Ian Mahinmi
If he hit the market as an unrestricted free agent now, Mahinmi might not get much more than the veteran's minimum after two seasons of average play for a backup center with the Wizards. Instead, because he hit free agency during the 2016 cap spike after a solid season as a starter in Indiana, Mahinmi is making $15.9 million this season and $15.5 million in 2019-20. Washington would surely have to include at least one first-round pick to shed Mahinmi's salary at this point.