Brian Keefe doesn’t seem to have a simple answer for his starting five, and that’s exactly why the Wizards’ preseason has looked so promising.
Washington has gone 2-1, and the close wins over the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons have only added to the buzz around a team that suddenly looks a lot more dangerous. The play has been sharp, the energy has been high, and Capital One Arena has sounded more like a playoff building than a preseason stop.
The expected core is obvious enough. Trae Young, AJ Dybantsa, Anthony Davis and Deandre Ayton or Alex Sarr figure to be part of the picture, with Ayton starting the first and third games in place of Sarr and Davis. The real wrinkle has been Kyshawn George.
George wasn’t supposed to be the question mark in the lineup. He’s certainly earned his way into the conversation.
Last season, the third-year wing took a clear leap, averaging 14.8 points per game while also finishing second on the team in assists. He shot efficiently, flashed real playmaking chops, and held his own defensively.
At 22, he gave Washington every reason to believe he belongs in the long-term plan.
That’s the kind of development Brian Keefe and general manager Will Dawkins can build around. George looks like a player the Wizards want to keep in the fold and see thrive in Washington.
But this is where the roster starts to feel unusually crowded. The intrigue isn’t whether George can play - it’s that there are simply a lot of playable pieces here.
Keefe has more than five guys he can reasonably trust in a starting role. Along with Young, George, Dybantsa, Davis and Sarr, there’s Ayton, fourth-year wing Bilal Coulibaly, second-year sharpshooter Tre Johnson, former NBA champion Khris Middleton, Justin Champagnie and Will Riley, who has continued to impress. Bub Carrington and Tre Mann also belong in that group, since both have started plenty of games in their careers.
That depth is new territory for Washington, and it’s a good kind of problem. Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs have benefited from that sort of flexibility for years. The Wizards are only now getting to see what it looks like when there’s real competition for minutes and roles.
After the first preseason game, Keefe was asked whether George had locked down a starting spot. He kept it open.
“No, it’s still early in camp. We’re trying different combinations and seeing what works. Those decisions haven’t been made yet.”
Three straight preseason games with George in the starting group might sound like it says plenty already, but with this many options, Keefe’s answer makes sense. Washington has enough depth to keep testing, and enough quality to make every lineup decision feel meaningful.
Even in Monday’s loss to the Nets, the bigger story wasn’t the result. It was the way George, Tre Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly stood out.
Coulibaly’s jumper looks smoother. Johnson keeps showing off his shooting range.
George continues to put together the kind of complete game that makes him so easy to believe in.
Add Will Riley into that mix, and the message is clear: the Wizards have a roster full of players who can push each other. That kind of internal battle can sharpen everyone involved, and it gives Washington a chance to keep raising the level before the games start counting for real.
In Other News...
Wizards Just Got A Harsh Reminder Of Anthony Davis Importance
Anthony Davis has already given the Wizards a quick glimpse of why he matters so much to what they are trying to build, flashing scoring, defense and playmaking in the first two preseason games. Washington has also been experimenting with a double-big look that features Davis alongside Deandre Ayton and Alex Sarr, a size-heavy approach that could change the shape of the rotation if it starts to click.
The problem is how thin everything can look when one of those anchors is missing, especially in a roster still working through offensive flow and defensive transition issues. The preseason loss to Brooklyn served as a blunt reminder that the Wizards are still searching for the right balance, and just how much the lineup leans on Davis to steady both ends when the group starts to wobble. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Young Core Is Creating A Real Anthony Davis Trae Young Dilemma
The Wizards have spent the early part of this reset trying to make two timelines work at once. Anthony Davis and Trae Young give the franchise the kind of established star power it has lacked in recent seasons, but the preseason has also offered a look at why Washington is suddenly worth watching beyond the names at the top of the roster. AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr have all flashed enough development to suggest the next version of this team may not look the same for long.
That creates a tricky balancing act for Washington as it tries to climb back into relevance. Veterans can stabilize a team that has struggled, but the young core is pushing for real minutes, real touches and a bigger role in the offense sooner rather than later. The Wizards do not have to choose their long-term answer right away, but the way they sort out that hierarchy in the weeks ahead could shape whether this rebuild feels like a shortcut or a true handoff. [Read more 🡒]
Bilal Coulibaly Just Raised The Stakes For A Wizards Decision
Bilal Coulibalys preseason has turned into one of the more important subplots around the Wizards as the regular season nears. The rookie forward got off to a quiet start in camp, but his third preseason game offered a much better snapshot of why Washington values him, with a 19-point night that also included impact work on the defensive end.
Even with that progress, there is still a contract question hanging over the front office. The Wizards have until Monday, the day before the season opens, to sort out long-term deals with their draft prospects, and Coulibaly is among the names still waiting on a resolution. His recent step forward only makes the decision more interesting, because it adds another layer to what Washington has to weigh before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]