Wizards trade Admiral Schofield to OKC in Cassius Winston deal originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Wizards' trade with Oklahoma City for the second-round pick that landed them Cassius Winston did not become official until the following day; and when it did it included a surprising piece of news. Admiral Schofield is now off to join the Thunder in a trade that swapped 2020 second-round picks between the teams and brought the Wizards a 2024 second-round selection.
Schofield was the Wizards' second-round pick just one year ago out of the University of Tennessee. They took him with hopes he could become a P.J. Tucker-like defender who could spread the floor with his three-point shot.
Schofield may end up realizing that potential, but he struggled as a rookie in Washington, playing as many games in the G-League as he did in the NBA. He wasn't given many opportunities and didn't take advantage of the limited playing time he was offered.
RELATED: NBA Draft 2020: 5 things to know about second-round pick Cassius Winston
After one NBA season, it is a question whether Schofield can find a long-term role. He often appeared lost or out of position and rarely played with the assertiveness required to overcome his lack of size. Schofield isn't fast enough to be a guard and is short for the forward spot.
That doesn't mean he can't make it work at the NBA level, as positions aren't as defined as they used to be. He just couldn't settle into a role during his brief time in D.C.
Now Schofield gets a fresh start in Oklahoma City with an organization that has a knack for developing young players. They hit the jackpot with Lu Dort, an undrafted rookie last season who has a similar build to Schofield. Maybe he can follow the same path and become a key contributor.
