Prior to the beginning of the season, Glen Rice Jr. was expected to become a major contributor in the nation’s capital. Fast-forward a few months, and the second year player is on his way out of town, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post:

With a gluttony of wing players and limited financial flexibility, the Washington Wizards intend to trade Glen Rice Jr. before his contract becomes guaranteed on Jan. 10, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

Rice was coming off an MVP run in the NBA Summer League, which ultimately sparked optimism around the fan base and organization.

The Wizards had acquired Glen Rice Jr. in a draft-day trade with the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round.

Following a few off-court issues, Rice did not complete his college basketball career at Georgia Tech and opted to play professional basketball in the NBA D-League instead.

Some thought Glen Rice Jr. would end up sneaking into the first round, given how well he had performed in the D-League.

Washington gave Rice a shot to play at the beginning of the season, but his performances left much to be desired. He was seen arguing with head coach Randy Wittman on the sidelines against the Toronto Raptors. Rice was eventually replaced in the rotation by Rasual Butler. He’s spent the majority of the season back in the NBA D-League as a result.

So, who will be interested in Glen Rice Jr? It’s simple. Someone who thinks they could develop young talent or someone who needs scoring off the bench.

Last season, the New York Knicks were reportedly interested in acquiring Rice, but the Washington Wizards decided to keep him. I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Philadelphia 76ers express interest in Rice, given their need for young talent.

I wouldn’t necessarily consider this a failure by the Washington Wizards, since we all knew that they had taken a chance on Rice in the first place.

Washington had just gotten rid of all of their “knucklehead” players, but decided to acquire Glen Rice Jr., thinking he had matured during his time in the NBADL. Besides the fact that he did argue with Wittman during a game, there is no information available to us that would indicate that’s the reason Rice will get traded or waived.

If the Wizards can’t find a trade for Rice, they’re going to release him. He’ll then become available to teams via waivers.

Glen Rice Jr. is just in his second season and it’s way too early to write him off. He’s obviously talented enough to contribute, but has to find a way to stay consistent.

Washington prefers to play veteran players at this point and keeping him on the roster wouldn’t make much sense. Wherever he lands, let’s hope Glen Rice Jr. makes the most of the situation. At least we’ll always have his awesome mohawk.