Tommy Sheppard acknowledges the Porzingis trade came up close to the deadline, wanted to bring more positive morale into the Wizards’ locker room

On Friday afternoon, Washington Wizards President of Basketball Operations Tommy Sheppard gave a press conference to the media regarding their trades yesterday, most notably the Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans for Kristaps Porzingis trade. In addition, Ish Smith is coming back to D.C. from the Charlotte Hornets in a separate deal that involved Montrezl Harrell.

Before he began the presser, Sheppard acknowledged the players who left, including Dinwddie, Bertans and Aaron Holiday, thanking them for their service.

Of all the moves Washington made at the deadline, it was clear that their goal was to upgrade their roster with an All-Star player like Porzingis who could play alongside Bradley Beal, hopefully, next year. But also, to Sheppard’s credit, the Wizards were able to get Porzingis without trading away any future draft picks. In fact, they are getting a future second round pick in the Porzingis deal!

Like many players the Wizards have brought in over the years, Porzingis was on the Wizards’ radar, dating back to his time when he was playing in Spain before he came to the NBA.

The Wizards were also involved with the Mavericks in trade negotiations, perhaps for other players. But the Porzingis deal specifically came late in the process.

Sheppard hopes Washington’s moves shake up the roster for the better. And he stated clearly that he is not afraid to make significant changes when things are working. He noted that the Wizards’ morale was noticeably off for some time after their squandering of a 35-point loss to the Clippers lingered last week as a significant time.

With Dinwddie now in Dallas, the Wizards brought back Ish Smith. Sheppard pointed out the positive mentality he would bring to the locker room, noting his impact last season.

What are your reactions to the front office’s statements on their trade deadline moves? Let us know in the comments.