Five Prospects the Wizards Should Consider Trading For

The Washington Wizards front office are no strangers to trading back into the first round and finding talent, but who are the players this year they could do that with?

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance (21) shows emotion against the St. John Red Storm in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards are no strangers to finding talent in the back end of the first round or in the second round. Two of their best players last season came from the end of the first round of their respective drafts. Kyshawn George and Will Riley look like key members of a squad exiting a rebuild, and it is also because of draft night trades. The 2026 NBA Draft has even more talent at the back end of the first round, and there are a few players the team may want. Here are the five prospects the Wizards should try trading for on draft night.

5: Allen Graves

Mar 20, 2026; St. Louis, MO, USA; Santa Clara Broncos forward Allen Graves (22) reacts after making a basket against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Although the Wizards do not need any more wing depth, it is hard to pass up on the talent that Allen Graves has. In his third college season, Graves put up 11.8 points per game on only 22.6 minutes of action each contest. His per-36-minute stats would have his scoring at 18.8 points per night. He is an amazing talent at the power forward position. Still, he is not necessarily a player the Wizards need desperately, as drafting AJ Dybantsa is the only forward the team needs.

4: Jayden Quaintance

Jan 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Jayden Quaintance (21) reacts after a play during the second half against the Missouri Tigers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Jayden Quaintance is a wild card, as scouts don't really know what he can do given his injury history. He missed most of his season at Kentucky, and there is no telling whether he will even play at all in his first season on an NBA contract. His size alone is enough for teams to draft him, and if he falls to the 18-25 range, it is a time when the front office should make a trade for the big man. This squad is going to need more size off the bench for the interior, and Quaintance has the potential to do just that.

3: Hannes Steinbach

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Huskies forward Hannes Steinbach (6) shoots a free throw against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

There is no secret that the Wizards need to bolster their center depth. As it currently stands, the center rotation is Alex Sarr and Tristan Vukcevic. Anthony Davis will play the stretch four, so he is not included in this rotation. Hannes Steinbach would be a safe bet to hedge on, given his potential to develop into a good backup to Sarr. He has the size to be an average NBA defender and rebounder, and his offensive game is impressive. Trading for pick 17 with the Oklahoma City Thunder could land the Wizards the German Hammer.

2: Morez Johnson Jr.

Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) and guard Nimari Burnett (4) celebrate after their win against the UConn Huskies in the national championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament between the and the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Morez Johnson Jr. was not the best big man for the Michigan Wolverines during their title run, but he was very important for them. Johnson has great size and is a good defender, which Washington lacks. Johnson is not the offensive player Steinbach is, but he will be a great lob threat if paired with Trae Young or Bub Carrington. Still, there is one player that is a better fit than Johnson.

1: Yaxel Lendeborg

Apr 6, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrates after their win against the UConn Huskies in the national championship of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament between the and the Michigan Wolverines at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Yaxel Lendeborg, by stats, is one of the five best players in this draft. He is going to fall outside the top 10, though, simply because he is one of the oldest players in the draft. If for some reason he is not taken in the lottery, the Wizards have to trade for pick 15 and take him. This is the kind of player who can have an immediate impact and be a solid contributor for a playoff team. Lendeborg averaged 15.1 points per game on 51.5/37.2/82.4 shooting splits last year in college. He has the size, athleticism, scoring ability, and IQ to be a very good role player for the Wizards. This organization needs to do everything they can to make Lendeborg play in a Wizards jersey on June 23.

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