Here’s another way of putting that: ESPN.com gave Washington a D for the trade. My colleague Tim Bontemps gave Washington an A-. SI gave the Wizards a B+. Bleacher Report gave the Wizards a B-. I’m sure I missed a C+ somewhere.

I can’t tell you what to think, because my only goal in life is to be so ramblingly on-the-fence that I can never be forced to eat my words. But I can think of five reasons to be moderately, wishily-washily okay with this deal.

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1) It pays respect to John Wall

I just wrote 1,000 words arguing that it’s sad and neglectful to waste a season of John Wall’s prime. If you put any faith at all in that opinion, you have to give Washington credit for attempting to un-waste this disappointing season.

Staying pat would have been the conservative move: not sacrificing future draft picks for a player a future coach or GM might not want. This season rested on the adoption of a new style, the additions of Alan Anderson and Jared Dudley, and projected growth from Bradley Beal and Otto Porter Jr. For a variety of reasons, those promises have not worked out, so maybe you punt on this season and keep your focus pointed on the offseason.

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But that feels unfair to Wall, who already slogged through three miserable seasons at the start of his career, who guts one injury after another, and who deserves at least a viable chance to field a competitive team in his sixth year. The point guard recently went so far as to say the Wizards “definitely need another big man, another physical presence, an athletic guy.” The franchise player publicly requested help, and so the front office delivered. Hard to be angry about that.

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Maybe this was a coincidence, but after Thursday’s shakeup, the Wizards put together one of their most impressive performances of the season. It was a performance that said “this season still matters.”

2) It could actually be a long-term win

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The issue isn’t whether you love Morris’s game, nor whether you’d rather have Kris Humphires and DeJuan Blair, because you wouldn’t. The issue is whether the first-round pick you’re giving up for Morris would turn into a better player for a longer period of time.

For all the talk of Morris’s risk, betting on a mid-first round pick is also a risk, especially with this franchise’s checkered drafting history. Morris seems more likely than not to provide a credible starting big man, with at least an outside shot of being slightly more than credible. Considering Washington’s first-round history, getting viable production out of the 10th or 12th or 14th slot should be considered a success. And moving up the timeframe on this acquisition — not waiting until June’s draft, and not waiting until 2018 for a teenager to develop — matches better with Wall and Beal’s career arcs, which are entering a more mature phase.

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Plus, if the Wizards do somehow surge into the playoffs, the pick could turn out to be in the second half of the first round, making the deal look even better. Morris, remember, is owed just $24 million over the next three years, while the salary cap is projected to skyrocket. That could look like a bargain a year from now, and it shouldn’t hurt Washington’s ability to make a free-agency splash. It’s hard to get significantly better without occasional gambles.

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3) These aren’t the goofball Wizards of Nick Young and JaVale McGee

Morris, you will read over and over, is a character risk, a player whose last 14 months have included an outstanding legal issue, a public trade demand, a benching, a towel-throwing episode and a confrontation with a teammate. That’s not ideal.

But he’s joining a team that has approximately zero public character issues, with a stable locker room and a few veteran leaders who know and have vouched for the newcomer.

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“I guarantee you have no problems with him here,” said Jared Dudley, perhaps the one Washington player whose guarantee would be most believable.

Which is not to say I entirely believe this guarantee. After what we’ve seen in recent years, I wouldn’t accept a guarantee that Walter Johnson won’t suddenly get in some off-the-field or out-of-the-cemetery trouble, much less Markieff Morris. Sometimes you take a risk on a guy with baggage and it works out (DeSean Jackson). Other times, it doesn’t. (Jonathan Papelbon). This just feels less scary than taking on a risk six years ago, when Washington’s locker room was filled with immaturity and nonsense.

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The risk here is that one player won’t pan out, not that he’ll bring down the entire organization. And there’s a chance that the change-of-scenery will help. After Phoenix switched coaches early this month, Morris averaged 20.6 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists. Now he’s got another new coach, so maybe the numbers will keep going up!

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4) Appearances matter

I’m not sure how much Washington’s aimless sub-.500 play thus far would chase off prospective free agents. Maybe they wouldn’t care at all.

But it’s hard not to notice the good feelings from the past two seasons draining out of Washington: the lack of national attention, the declining TV ratings, the feeling that a team on the rise quickly became a team forgotten. That’s why I don’t share the view of many that a first-round playoff loss is meaningless, and that you’d rather just bottom out. Ask the Sixers about how great it is on the bottom. Or ask the Wizards fans who tried to stick with the team in 2009 and 2010.

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Sure, the goal in sports is to win championships. And sure, the Wizards are still not fielding a championship-caliber team. But it sounds a lot different to say “this team is coming off three straight playoff appearances” than to say “this team missed the playoffs in six of the last eight years.” Those are the two choices you’re facing, and even if it’s a bit of semantics, I think it’s a real difference.

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As for championships…not to be a downer, but these are the Wizards. This team has won three playoff series in 34 years. I don’t think we’re at the point yet when the biggest worry is whether they can win four playoff series in one future spring. If they charge into the playoffs and lose a first-round series to the Raptors, yes, that would be disappointing. It would be quite a bit better than sinking back into the lottery.

5) Predicting the future is hard

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Some fans would have saved that first-round pick for a potential future GM and/or coach. They would have maintained maximum roster flexibility for a potential future GM and/or coach. They would rather give a potential future GM and/or coach a better shot at remaking this team.

That argument, then, is that the Wizards should change their GM and/or coach. Which is a fair argument. But it’s a different argument than whether the Wizards helped themselves this week.

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Washington did not appear likely to overhaul its front office in the middle of the season. Asking the roster to stagnate and the fan base to accept mediocrity to facilitate an offseason overhaul — even while staring at a soft second-half schedule and a finally healthy roster — is asking for an awful lot of patience and faith.