Getty Washington Wizards forward Otto Porter
Following the eye-opening report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Washington Wizards may be open to trading All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal, there’s plenty of speculation. Obviously, Wall and Beal are the two headlining names, but they may not be the most appealing trade targets (at least not the former, due to his contract).
In the eyes of the New Orleans Pelicans, their sights may be set on another Wizards player in forward Otto Porter. To be clear, although Wall’s contract is massive, Porter’s is pretty big in its own right, pushing him to the point of being labeled as “overpaid.” But the Pelicans could easily overlook his contract, especially if they envision Porter as an ideal fit.
As The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor revealed, that may be the case, as he cites that the Pelicans may have interest in adding Porter as a piece next to superstar Anthony Davis.
“There are whispers that New Orleans is interested in Wizards forward Otto Porter Jr., who is in the second year of an enormous four-year, $106.5 million contract. Porter’s role has dwindled in Washington; he’s averaging only 28 minutes and has lately watched fourth from the bench as Jeff Green and Kelly Oubre Jr. have finished games. Porter is overpaid, but he’s proven to be an effective two-way player. He could thrive in Alvin Gentry’s up-tempo offense and add another versatile defender at forward for the Pelicans.”
Otto Porter’s Potential Fit With Pelicans
As O’Connor also goes on to detail, the Pelicans would need to fork over roughly $20 million in exchange for Porter to make the deal happen. That could be an obvious hold up in talks, but it still makes for an interesting pairing. Porter’s style of play and New Orleans’ offensive focus could actually make a lot of sense for this season and years to come.
The Pelicans have remained active in trade rumors/talks around the league, largely due to the fact that they’re pushing to build a core around Davis. In turn, the hope is that the team can push their way up the Western Conference and prove to the 25-year-old that they have the pieces to contend for a title. After missing on a potential Jimmy Butler trade, the focus has shifted, and the Wizards’ potential interest in wheeling and dealing could benefit the Pelicans.
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