The Washington Wizards are trying to put a clean finish on preseason, and they’ll get one more shot at it Thursday night when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans. Washington comes in at 2-1, with its only preseason loss coming against the Brooklyn Nets, while New Orleans also sits at 2-1.
The two teams head into this matchup from very different places. The Pelicans are being pegged by multiple major outlets as one of the league’s worst teams this season, while the Wizards are carrying the kind of early optimism that has people talking about a team on the rise. This final preseason game gives both sides one last look before the real thing begins.
For Washington, AJ Dybantsa has been one of the biggest storylines. He has looked every bit the part of a difference-maker, and then some.
His offensive skill set has shown up right away, but what’s turned heads is how well he’s defended. That part of his game has drawn attention because he’s clearly been better on that end than some draft evaluators expected.
His passing has also stood out as stronger than advertised.
The Wizards have also had to live with too many giveaways. They’re averaging 24.7 turnovers per game, which ranks second-worst in the preseason, even though they’re also putting up 25.7 assists a night. A lot of that comes back to Trae Young, who is averaging five turnovers per game and needs to clean that up.
New Orleans, meanwhile, still looks like a roster searching for its centerpiece. Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen are two young players who could grow into important starters, but the Pelicans still don’t have the obvious building block they need.
Around them are useful pieces, and that’s why Herb Jones and Trey Murphy keep popping up in trade conversations. Both can give you 15-20 points on a night and both defend well.
They just aren’t stars. The same uncertainty hangs over Zion Williamson, a player who arrived with enormous expectations and still hasn’t matched the hype.
There are also injury notes to track. Dejounte Murray is listed as a game time decision for the Pelicans because of a toe issue. For Washington, Anthony Davis and Khris Middleton are game time decisions for rest, while Tristan Vukcevic is out with a hip injury and Jamir Watkins is out with an ACL tear.
The projected Pelicans group features Jeremiah Fears, Trey Murphy, Benedict Mathurin, Zion Williamson and Yves Missi. For the Wizards, the expected starters are Trae Young, AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr and Deandre Ayton.
The game tips at 8 PM EST at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans and will air on Monumental Sports Network. Washington is a 2.5-point favorite, with the total set at 230.5 and the Wizards listed at -130 on the moneyline.
In Other News...
Wizards Opening Night Debate Could Change Kyshawn Georges Role
The Wizards still have one obvious opening to sort through before the season tips off, and it sits at shooting guard. Brian Keefe has not locked in his starting five, even with a projected lineup that already features Trae Young, AJ Dybantsa, Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr, which leaves room for Tre Johnson to enter the conversation because of the shooting and floor spacing he brings.
Johnsons candidacy matters because it could ripple beyond one spot in the lineup and into Kyshawn Georges nightly role. George has a strong case of his own, but the staffs decision on how much spacing it wants around the core could determine whether he stays with the starters or slides into a larger secondary role where he handles the ball more and influences the offense in a different way. [Read more 🡒]
Will Riley's Wizards Role Already Looks Tougher Than Fans Expected
The Wizards have spent the preseason sorting through a crowded group of young wings, and Bilal Coulibaly has already carved out a steady bench spot in the mix. That leaves Will Riley in a different kind of fight. After showing promise last season and again in Summer League, the rookie is still trying to turn that momentum into something more concrete as Washington weighs versatility, defensive value and long-term upside when it maps out the rotation.
For now, Riley is not on the same track as some of the other young options the Wizards are leaning on, even as the staff continues to evaluate who fits where. That is the tricky part of a rebuilding roster: the path to minutes can be less about talent alone and more about timing, role fit and whatever opening the season eventually provides. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Just Got Another Reason To Believe In AJ Dybantsa
The annual NBA general managers survey offered another reminder that AJ Dybantsa arrives in Washington with plenty of league-wide respect. The Wizards No. 1 overall pick was among the rookies singled out in the poll, with executives viewing his athleticism and skill set as the kind of combination that can shape a draft class over time. For a franchise trying to build momentum around a young core, that kind of recognition matters even before he plays a regular-season minute.
Dybantsas early buzz also comes with a familiar caveat for a player landing in Washington: the talent is one thing, the rookie-year context is another. GMs placed him behind a couple of other top first-year names in the Rookie of the Year conversation, a reflection less of doubt about his ceiling than of the situation he is stepping into. Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson were also part of the survey discussion, but for the Wizards, the encouraging part is simple enough - league evaluators still see Dybantsa as one of the class most intriguing long-term bets. [Read more 🡒]