NBA Rumors: Eastern conference minnows looking to trade lottery pick in upcoming draft

The 2021-2022 NBA season is slowly coming to its conclusion. The Boston Celtics and the Golden State Warriors are currently tied 2-2 in the finals, which means the season will officially end in less than 10 days.

Since the season is over for all but two teams, many organizations are already planning some big moves to make over the summer. The next big event in the league is the 2022 NBA draft, which will take place on Thursday, June 23.

The Washington Wizards might be looking to make big moves on draft night, according to the latest rumors.

The NBA's Washington Wizards could be a much better team next season

The Washington Wizards have been a mediocre team for the past few decades. Despite having some incredible players over the years, such as Gilbert Arenas, John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Wizards haven't achieved much postseason success.

In fact, the last time they made the finals was in 1979 when their name was the Bullets. As the Wizards, Washington has never even made it to the Eastern Conference finals.

Fortunately for fans, things may change soon. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Wizards are exploring options for trading their first-round pick in the upcoming draft. The Wizards have the 10th overall pick, which is a valuable asset.

If the right trade comes along, we could see them trade the lottery pick for a player that would help them become better next season. The Washington Wizards won only 35 games last season, missing both the play-in and playoffs.

This was their first season under Wes Unseld Jr. Despite having a new head coach, it is obvious that the Wizards need to make some big roster moves.

Bradley Beal's future with the team

Bradley Beal is one of the most talented players in the NBA. Beal averaged 23.2 points per game last season, despite injuries. In the two seasons before, Beal averaged 30.5 and 31.3 points per game, respectively.

Beal has established himself as one of the deadliest scorers in the league, but his future with the team may be uncertain.

He has a player option on his contract, and if he accepts it, the Wizards will pay him $37.2 million next year. If he decides to opt-out, the team could offer him a five-year deal worth $245 million.

When the Washington Wizards traded for Kristaps Porzingis earlier this year, Beal finally got some help. The big man, who was traded from the Dallas Mavericks, averaged 22.1 points and 8.8 rebounds in 17 games with the Wizards.

Porzingis has a guaranteed contract for next season and a player option for 2024.

If the Wizards end up trading their draft pick, they should get someone who can make an immediate impact on the team. Considering both Beal and Porzingis are the final years of their contracts, they could both end up leaving the team if the situation doesn't improve.

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