The Washington Wizards have turned October into a statement month, and the biggest surprise is that the early success hasn’t come from just one corner of the roster. The veterans have helped drive the surge, but the young players have had their fingerprints all over it too. Still, not everybody has come out of the opening stretch looking sharp.
Trae Young has done enough to pass, even if the report card isn’t spotless. His passing has been almost spotless, and he leads the NBA in assists.
There’s also been a noticeable step forward on defense. The one area dragging him down is his three-point shooting, which keeps him from climbing even higher.
If that part comes around, he’d be the clear top player on the team.
Anthony Davis is also in the passing lane, but just barely clearing it. He’s shown what he can do on offense, though too much of his game has drifted into isolation.
The defense remains a strength, but the rebounding has not been where it needs to be. In fact, his offensive rebound percentage is the lowest it has ever been, and his total rebound percentage is the third-lowest of his career.
That’s the part that is failing him.
Alex Sarr is scraping by. The fit hasn’t looked clean, and he appears lost at times.
His role still isn’t fully defined, and it has the feel of a player who hasn’t been put in the best position to settle in yet. There have been flashes, which keep him from sinking further, but he needs to find his place on this team soon.
Kyshawn George had a rough opening half of the month, then flipped the script. Early on, he was turning the ball over too much and missing shots.
By the end of October, he was lighting up defenses and bringing real value on the other end of the floor. If that late-month version sticks, November should be a much better grade.
Bilal Coulibaly lands in the same neighborhood as George for different but related reasons. His three-point shot still isn’t at George’s level, even after all the buzz around his shooting mechanics over the summer. But his defense has been outstanding, arguably top ten in the league, and that carries serious weight in his evaluation.
Tre Johnson is on thin ice. He came into the season with a reputation as a shooter, but he has been the worst long-range shooter to start the year.
Since he isn’t making up for it elsewhere, it’s getting harder to justify his minutes over other options. His defense has been a little better, but not enough to cover for the cold shooting.
Bub Carrington has been one of the bright spots. There were real questions about where he fit and what his future looked like heading into the season, and he has answered them in a big way.
The threes are still falling at a strong rate, and the defense has taken a major leap. This is the version of Carrington the Wizards have been chasing for years.
Deandre Ayton has already made his case as the best move of the offseason. Washington gave up very little to land a major contributor, and having a starting-caliber center come off the bench has mattered a lot for the defense. The rebounding has been solid, though that remains the one area that could be better.
And then there’s AJ Dybantsa, who has looked like a revelation. The word that fits best so far is “wow.”
He has the kind of talent that points toward future MVP potential. His driving is already among the best in the league, his mid-range game is strong, he’s rebounding well, and his defense has been better than scouts expected.
The Wizards appear to have something special here, and he has been dominating from the jump.
In Other News...
AJ Dybantsa Is Already Raising The Wizards Ceiling
AJ Dybantsa has wasted little time making the case that Washingtons ceiling is higher than advertised. The No. 1 overall pick has already been a factor on both ends of the floor, giving the Wizards a real jolt in recent wins with his scoring touch and his willingness to do the unglamorous work defensively. For a team still sorting out its identity, that kind of early impact matters, especially when a rookie is already affecting games in ways that go beyond the box score.
What has stood out most is how quickly Dybantsa has fit into Washingtons plans as a versatile stopper. The Wizards are already looking at lineup combinations that could maximize that flexibility, and the possibility of pairing him with Anthony Davis gives the front office plenty to think about. If Dybantsa keeps making life difficult for opposing scorers, Washington may have found a piece that changes not just the rotation, but the shape of the roster around him. [Read more 🡒]
Brian Keefe Is Giving The Wizards Something They Desperately Needed
Brian Keefe has spent three seasons as Washingtons lead assistant, and early in the 2026-27 campaign he is giving the Wizards something they have badly lacked: a steadier defensive identity. With the roster working through injuries and other availability issues, the team has still opened 4-3 and shown real signs of growth on that end, with Keefe helping guide the rotations and keep the group organized from game to game.
What stands out is how quickly Washington has been able to adjust on the fly. Keefes approach has helped the Wizards get more from the players available, and the early returns suggest the defense is not just surviving the absences but improving around them. For a team trying to build something more sustainable, that kind of structure can matter as much as any single win. [Read more 🡒]
Deandre Ayton Is Changing The Wizards Frontcourt Faster Than Expected
Deandre Aytons arrival has already given Washington a different kind of look in the frontcourt, even if the role has been a modest one so far. Acquired in a deal for Jaden Hardy and two second-round picks, Ayton has settled in behind Anthony Davis and Alex Sarr, logging limited minutes while still giving the Wizards useful production off the bench.
The early sample has been enough to hint at a bigger impact than the move might have suggested at first glance. Ayton has already stepped into a starting role when Sarr was unavailable, and his per-36-minute numbers point to the kind of steady center play that can change how a rotation functions, even before the workload grows. [Read more 🡒]