The deal
Pelicans get: Markieff Morris, 2023 second-round pick
Wizards get: Wesley Johnson
Get more trade grades for every deal here
Washington Wizards: B-
Having gotten down close to the luxury-tax line by trading Otto Porter Jr. to the Chicago Bulls earlier Wednesday, the Wizards got underneath it with this move, which cuts their team salary by $2.5 million.
Even if Washington still hopes to contend for a playoff spot the rest of the season, Morris wasn't likely to be a big factor. He has been sidelined since Boxing Day due to a neck injury and the Wizards picked up a couple of power forwards (Jabari Parker and Bobby Portis) in the Porter deal, shifting their talent toward the frontcourt. Given Washington's bloated payroll, Morris probably wasn't coming back this summer as an unrestricted free agent, so this was a reasonable time to move on.
The Wizards did have to give up yet another second-round pick to make the move, having already traded their second-rounders in 2020 and 2022 as part of the process of cutting their luxury-tax bill this season. Washington now has no second-round picks prior to the 2023 draft, though the Wizards did manage to get one from Chicago for Porter.
New Orleans Pelicans: B
The Pelicans appear to be making this deal for the draft pick. With their playoff hopes apparently already dashed, they don't have much use for Morris in the last season of his contract, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him bought out.
Though he has had a down campaign, making just 33 percent of his 3-pointers before the injury after hitting at an above-average clip the previous two seasons, Morris could help a contender off the bench if he indeed takes a buyout.