The Toronto Raptors head into Washington trying to make it 2-0, and their first road test of the season comes against a Wizards team still sorting itself out after a busy start to the year.
To get a better read on where Washington stands, we checked in with Washington Wizards On SI publisher Henry Brown. His outlook centered on the same two headliners that are starting to define this version of the Wizards: Anthony Davis and Trae Young.
Davis still looks every bit like an All-Star in year 15. Against the Milwaukee Bucks, he was able to score and rebound almost whenever he wanted, and Washington is leaning on that kind of production to steady the rest of the roster.
The difference now is that he is not carrying the load alone. He and Young are both in full-time roles, giving the Wizards two proven scorers who can also handle playmaking duties and keep the offense from becoming too one-dimensional.
That setup matters because Washington’s younger pieces are still being developed around them. Players such as Kyshawn George, Justin Champagnie and Bilal Coulibaly are expected to provide the kind of two-way support that can swing a game against a tougher opponent like Toronto. If the Wizards do pull off the win, it figures to come through that depth, with those wings and helpers turning defense into transition offense.
The bench group is part of that equation too. Reserve guards Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington had a rough shooting night in the opener, and Washington went just 6/28 from 3-point range. A few more of those open corner looks dropping would go a long way toward making the Young-led offense look cleaner and more dangerous.
One major absence looms over Friday’s game: AJ has been ruled out, leaving fans around the league waiting a little longer to see the reigning No. 1 pick show off the burst and finishing touch he flashed in the preseason.
Still, the Raptors arrive with the kind of defensive wing depth that makes this a difficult matchup. Kawhi Leonard and Scottie Barnes can both match Young and Davis as creators when needed, and Toronto’s rotation looks built to make life uncomfortable for Washington’s younger players. Brown didn’t sound bullish on the Wizards’ chances, and a 127-112 Raptors win would hardly be a surprise.
In Other News...
Wizards Linked To Former First-Rounder With Intriguing Two-Way Upside
Dalton Knecht is back on the market after the Los Angeles Lakers waived the former first-rounder before the 2026-27 regular season, and the early buzz around his next stop has been plenty of familiar-name teams. Multiple reports have linked Knecht to the Knicks, Timberwolves, Kings and Raptors, with Washington also mentioned as a possible landing spot as clubs look at a player who still carries real two-way upside.
For the Wizards, it is the kind of low-risk swing that fits the broader search for young talent with room to grow. There is no official deal yet, and the market around Knecht could move quickly once teams sort through their two-way spots, but the fact that Washington is even in the conversation says something about how a fresh start might appeal to both sides. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Davis Gave Wizards Fans A Reason To Believe Again
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The win over Milwaukee also offered a first look at what the reshaped roster might look like when it clicks, with Trae Young adding 20 points and 13 assists to help steer the offense. For a fan base that has spent plenty of time searching for signs of progress, Davis arrival provided one of the clearest yet, even if the bigger question is how high this group can climb once the pieces settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Bub Carrington Already Gives The Wizards Something They Clearly Need
Bub Carringtons first appearance in a Wizards uniform gave an immediate glimpse of why the front office was intrigued. In 19 minutes off the bench, he scored 10 points and handed out four assists, while also providing a perimeter threat that Washington had been short on for stretches last season. His shot profile already points to a useful role, especially for a team trying to create more spacing around its offense.
Carringtons value is tied less to force at the rim than to what he can do from deeper areas, and that part of his game is supposed to help the Wizards right away. He shot 40.8 percent from three-point range last season, and even with some questions about his finishing inside the paint, that kind of shooting gives Washington another piece it can build around as it looks for cleaner possessions and more reliable scoring options. [Read more 🡒]