The Washington Wizards have spent the last few seasons living at the bottom of the NBA, but that era may be starting to crack. After years of tanking and one especially brutal night when Bam Adebayo poured in 83 points in a 150-129 Heat win, Washington now has a very different look.
The biggest shift came through the draft and the trade market. The Wizards landed the number one pick in the NBA Draft Lottery and selected AJ Dybantsa.
They also brought in Anthony Davis and Trae Young in deals late last season, while keeping previous number two pick Alex Sarr and adding more talent around them. That has sparked real optimism about what this team might be able to become.
Kendrick Perkins is all in on the idea that Washington won’t just improve - it can jump straight into the postseason conversation. Speaking on NBA Today, the ESPN analyst said: “First of all the Wizards are making the playoffs.
Not the Play-In Tournament, they are going to be a top six seed in the Eastern Conference. They are going to be one of the best offensive teams in the entire league.
“AJ Dybantsa is going to have zero pressure because you are playing alongside two elite prolific scorers in Anthony Davis and Trae Young, who are going to put you in position to be successful.”
That is a bold call, but it comes with some logic behind it. Dybantsa should be walking into a far easier situation than most top picks, and Davis and Young give Washington a legitimate scoring backbone.
The uncertainty, as ever with Davis, is health. Still, the idea of him staying put in Washington is at least on the table for now, even though plenty expected him to be moved again after arriving from the Lakers and Mavericks.
Preseason has offered a few encouraging signs, too. Washington has beaten the Knicks and Pistons, with a loss to the Nets mixed in, but the more important point is that the team has looked competitive. Dybantsa has averaged 13 points over those three games and appears set for a starting role when the season begins.
There is also a new league backdrop working in Washington’s favor. The NBA’s updated rules are aimed at discouraging tanking, and the bottom three teams will now see their lottery odds reduced. For a franchise that has leaned into losing for too long, the message is clear: start using the talent, start building, and start moving forward.
The Wizards last reached the playoffs in 2020-21.
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 🡒]