The Washington Wizards may have their future centerpiece in AJ Dybantsa, but he is not the answer to their biggest current problem.
Washington has opened the season sitting 29th in 3-pointers made, and the numbers around them are just as ugly. The Wizards are in the bottom three in 3-point makes, attempts, and percentage, a clear sign that the roster is short on shooting. Dybantsa brings elite scoring ability, but expecting the number one overall pick to fix the spacing on his own is asking too much.
That’s the tension here: Dybantsa can score, but he is not walking in as a finished long-range shooter. The 19-year-old led the NCAA in scoring last season at 25.5 points per game and showed flashes of that same punch in the preseason.
At 6’9 and powerful, he gets downhill, attacks the rim, and finishes in transition. But Washington cannot count on him to jump from 33.1 percent from 3-point range on the shorter college line to above average in the NBA right away.
The Wizards want to contend, and they plan on making the playoffs with Dybantsa playing a major role. That’s a big ask for a rookie, even one with his talent.
He is expected to make an immediate impact once he returns from his ankle injury, and there’s little doubt he can become an elite rookie scorer. What he won’t do is erase Washington’s floor-spacing issues the moment he’s back.
In fact, history suggests the opposite.
Dybantsa has the tools to be a high-volume scorer from day one, especially with Anthony Davis and Trae Young alongside him. Davis will pull defensive attention, and Young gives the rookie a creator who can put him in good positions to finish. The 6’9 forward should have plenty of chances to score right away, and that could push him into the conversation with the league’s most productive rookies.
Since 2017, six rookies have averaged more than 20 points per game, including Cooper Flagg last year. Zion Williamson leads that group at 22.5 points per game.
Dybantsa may end up surpassing that mark. With the Wizards offense sputtering while he recovers, it’s fair to expect him to show off his scoring chops as soon as he’s cleared.
But long-range shooting is a different story.
All six of those 20-point-per-game rookie scorers shot below league average from deep. The jump to the NBA line is real, and so is the challenge of getting shots off against closeouts from better defenders. Dybantsa is more likely to land around 30 percent from 3-point range than he is to suddenly become an above-average shooter in year one.
The preseason offered a preview. Over four games, the teenager hit two of 11 attempts from beyond the arc. He was willing to fire, but the shots didn’t go in.
That matters for a Wizards team that already has a spacing problem. A second below-average shooter playing major minutes only makes the lane more crowded. Dybantsa will still create stress for defenses because of his scoring threat, but opponents will continue to pack the paint and force Washington into jumpers.
If the Wizards want to act like a contender, the front office has to treat their shooting need like one.
Washington is not going anywhere serious if it is making just 9.3 3-pointers per game. Even the worst team in the NBA made 10.3 per night last season.
The Pistons won enough to reach the playoffs at 11 per game, but their lack of spacing eventually caught up to them in a second-round upset. The Spurs, Thunder, Knicks, and Cavaliers all finished in the top 16 in 3-pointers made last season, and all four reached the conference finals.
The message is clear: shooting is no longer optional.
The Wizards can’t rely on their young players to suddenly become knockdown shooters. If they want to fix this, they need to find a veteran who can stretch the floor before the trade deadline. Luke Kennard and Rui Hachimura could be available, and either one would give Washington a major lift in both spacing and offense.
A deal won’t be simple. General managers don’t like getting fleeced, and Washington has to balance development with its push toward the playoffs.
But if the drought is going to end, the roster needs help around Dybantsa. The top pick will shine, yet he won’t solve everything with his jumper in year one.
That responsibility falls to the front office before Feb. 11.
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Wizards Get A First Real Glimpse Of Their Future In Cleveland
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More importantly for the franchises bigger picture, AJ Dybantsa is expected to take the floor and give Washington its first real in-game look at the top pick from the recent draft. After sitting out the first four games, his debut adds another layer of intrigue to a trip that already carries some weight for a young roster trying to establish what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
AJ Dybantsa Puts Wizards Spotlight Squarely On Cavs Game
AJ Dybantsas next step is at least on the board for Washington, even if it is far from certain. The Wizards rookie is listed as questionable for the upcoming matchup with the Cavaliers after sitting out the first four games of the season, leaving the club to keep one eye on his status as tipoff gets closer.
The injury traces back to the preseason, when Dybantsa went down with a left ankle sprain and has yet to make his regular-season debut. Washington has not said whether he will be available against Cleveland, so his condition will be monitored closely before the game. [Read more 🡒]
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For Washington, the frontcourt piece is especially worth watching because Anthony Davis is available and still settling into his role after the deadline deal that brought him to the Wizards last season. Cleveland has its own interior test waiting in Evan Mobley, who has been productive early and has the kind of game that can tilt the night if he gets rolling again. Pair that with Trae Youngs strong start to the season in the broader conversation around the East, and this one has enough star power to feel bigger than a midweek stop on the schedule. [Read more 🡒]