Deal of the Day: Wizards make a reclamation trade with the Knicks

Deal of the Day, Salary cap rules may be bent but hopefully not broken. We already broke some.

Today’s Deal: A Reclamation Trade with the Knicks.

The Wizards trade point guard Ish Smith, center Moritz Wagner and guard Jerome Robinson to the New York Knicks in exchange for guard Elfrid Payton, a 2021 second round pick (originally Detroit’s) and guard Dennis Smith.

Why do the Knicks do the deal?

New Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau and the new front office want to dramatically reshape the back court. They acquire Smith to stabilize the second unit and deliver consistent performance.

They’ll use some of that FA money to land their veteran starter. Robinson provides a young two-way scoring guard. Wagner could give the Knicks some perimeter shooting if he gets his range/strength back. MSG will go nuts over his charge drawing skills.

Dennis Smith fell out of favor quickly when he got to New York, and Thibs doesn’t want him either. He needs a fresh start in DC.

Why do the Wizards do the deal?

This is a strategic shift for the future of the back court. Payton, who turns 27 in February, is a slasher more than a shooter. He’s also a crafty creator for his teammates. A key differentiator between him and Ish is size and the ability to defend at the point of attack. No one is confusing Payton with Gary Sr. or even Gary II. (Elfrid is not related to Gary “The Glove” Payton.)

Payton provides more starter experience and a younger lead guard for those nights when John Wall’s load is being managed.

Dennis Smith gets the opportunity to earn a role as microwave scorer off the bench. It’s his if he can improve his efficiency and find his stroke playing with Troy Brown Jr. Similar to Payton, Smith’s skills will be needed more on nights when Wall isn’t in the lineup.

Wizards would still have #9, #37 MLE and the BAE:

• John Wall - Elfrid Payton - Dennis Smith
• Bradley Beal - Troy Brown Jr. - Garrison Mathews (RFA)
• Isaac Bonga - _______ - Admiral Schofield
• Rui Hachimura - Davis Bertans (UFA)
• Thomas Bryant - _______ - Anzejs Pasecniks (camp guarantee)

Trade Resources

TradeNBA

ESPN Trade Machine

CBA FAQ

Stathead.com

Want to request a trade target or send a challenge? Email me at Jheiser3@gmail.com and include your Bullets Forever screen name.