NBA Trade Rumors: Washington Wizards Would Be Crazy to Deal JaVale McGee

The Washington Wizards can't afford to trade away talented young players if the team plans on becoming playoff contenders again anytime soon. JaVale McGee certainly falls into that category, which is why the Wizards would be crazy to move him.

He's continued to show improvement in each of his four seasons in the NBA and is still just 24 years old. Despite that progress, Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports the Wizards are no longer ruling out dealing the talented center.

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The Wizards have resisted inquires about JaVale McGee for several years, but it now appears that the supremely athletic 7-foot-1 big man could be had in the right deal. According to multiple NBA front office executives, the Wizards are open to moving McGee, who will be a restricted free agent this summer.

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Players with McGee's combination of size and athleticism don't come along often. Any team that's lucky enough to have one shouldn't deal him unless their hands are tied, similar to what's going with Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.

The Wizards aren't in that situation. They will be able to match any offer given to McGee during the offseason. Although he might be a potential target for a team that misses out on Howard, the Wizards are still in control.

So far this season, he's averaging 12 points, nine rebounds and nearly three blocks while playing just 27 minutes. If his playing time were to increase, his numbers would much better represent his actual value.

Washington should view him as a potential franchise cornerstone along with John Wall. Every team needs at least one reliable big man to have any hope of hanging in the playoff race, and McGee will develop into that relatively soon.

Giving up on him now for anything less than a king's ransom would be a massive mistake. The chances of the Wizards being able to find somebody with as much upside to replace him are low.

Sometimes all it takes is a little patience. McGee is still a couple years away from entering his prime. By the time he reaches it, he should have enough experience under his belt to take his game to an entirely new level.

If the Wizards dealt him now, the front office would look back in a handful of years and wonder why they let him get away. It's not like they are chasing a postseason spot and need an instant upgrade, so they should be focused on maintaining their potential stars.

Hopefully general manager Ernie Grunfeld figures that out before McGee gets away.