Each McCollum ($30.7M) and Olynyk ($13.4M) will probably be on expiring contracts in 2025-26, so this transfer will considerably improve the Wizards’ projected 2026 cap room. They have been already going to have some huge cash coming off their books subsequent summer season, with Khris Middleton ($33.3M), Marcus Sensible ($21.6M) and doubtlessly Richaun Holmes ($13.3M; principally non-guaranteed) additionally on expiring offers.
Corey Kispert‘s $14M is now the one absolutely assured wage on Washington’s cap for 2026-27, although a handful of gamers on rookie scale contracts will be part of him as soon as the Wizards formally decide up their 2026-27 choices later this 12 months. The crew at present initiatives to have greater than $80M in cap room subsequent summer season, per Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron, and presumably as much as $100M, in keeping with Charania.
Along with producing future cap flexibility, the Wizards will add a pair of revered veterans who’re nonetheless taking part in fairly good basketball.
Whereas McCollum is an undersized capturing guard who isn’t an awesome defender, he put up 21.1 factors and 4.1 assists per recreation this previous season on .444/.373/.717 capturing in 56 contests (all begins). Olynyk, who was traded from Toronto to New Orleans in February, battled accidents that restricted him to 44 appearances, however posted respectable averages of 8.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG and a pair of.9 APG in 20.3 MPG and made 41.8% of his three-point tries.
Though neither participant has substantial commerce worth, each must be movable later this offseason or in the course of the season if the Wizards aren’t dedicated to conserving them for the complete 2025-26 marketing campaign.
In response to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, the second-round decide going to Washington within the deal is Chicago’s 2027 second-rounder. The Wizards have been truly already going to obtain that decide if it have been to land within the prime 50, however now they’ll get it regardless of the place it finally ends up, somewhat than the Pelicans receiving it if it’s between 51 and 60.
As for the Pelicans, they’re sacrificing some 2026 cap flexibility within the commerce however will transfer a little bit additional beneath subsequent season’s luxury-tax line and get youthful by buying Poole and Bey.
Poole, who turned 26 final Thursday, had a powerful bounce-back 12 months in D.C. in 2024-25 after a shaky first season with the Wizards. He averaged 20.5 factors, 4.5 assists and three.0 rebounds in 29.4 minutes per recreation, with a capturing line of .432/.378/.883.
Like McCollum, Poole isn’t precisely a lock-down defender, however the former Warrior been fairly efficient with the ball in his arms and may assist New Orleans exchange among the play-making the crew misplaced when Dejounte Murray tore his Achilles halfway via the 2024-25 season — Murray’s restoration course of is anticipated to increase into subsequent season.
