The Washington Wizards walked into the 2026-27 season as one of the NBA’s most intriguing stories. Washington combined two midseason additions in Trae Young and Anthony Davis with the No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. As far as role players, the Wizards wield ascending youngsters like Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr, and Tre Johnson.
Fans could forecast what might come next with the new lineup and new expectations. The Wizards will unlock a reliable pick-and-roll game. They can put the paint on lockdown. Dybantsa will create a needed second offensive layer.
Eight games into the season, the Wizards are 4-4 and have fit their expected mold.
Trae Unlocks His Teammates
Washington is used to having the luxury of great distributors. Take a decade of John Wall, a season of Russell Westbrook, or even Rod Strickland in the 1990’s as evidence. The Wizards were starved of that in recent years. Trae Young has brought it back.
He showed glimpses of it through five games in the nation’s capital last year, but has cemented it in 2026-27. Young is averaging 9.5 assists per game, tied for first in the league, and brings control to the half-court.
Davis and Deandre Ayton have benefited the most from Young’s presence. As pick-and-roll partners, they flow effortlessly with Young, who can turn his dribbles into a floater if the defender drops or a lob if they meet him. Young also demands so much attention in the paint on these two-man actions that it leaves shooters with more space. He has assisted 40% of his teammates’ made shots this season.
Young is also adept at recognizing mismatches with throw-ahead passes in transition. He’s been quick to send 40+ foot passes to Davis and Ayton whenever they flash to the paint with a smaller defender on them.
Dybantsa Has Stepped Up
Wizards fans had to wait an extra week before watching their first No. 1 overall pick since 2010 make his debut.
Dybantsa injured his ankle during Washington’s last preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Oct. 16 after missing a jumper. Instead of lacing up in the season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Oct. 21, he was sidelined for seven days until the Wizards traveled to Cleveland.
Dybantsa’s first bucket was no surprise: a full-streamed drive that led to free throws. He totaled 19 points on hyper-efficient 66% shooting. Production has followed since. Dybantsa is averaging 16.5 points per game and is shooting 46.2 percent — the highest mark of this draft’s electric top six picks.
His shot diet has looked very similar to his college days at Brigham Young. He’s met defenders with jab steps and aggressive crossovers into wild layups at the rim. If he’s not attacking the basket, Dybantsa is stopping on a dime and pivoting into a turnaround.
Perhaps most importantly, he’s been a defensive hound and used his length to be disruptive. One of Dybantsa’s few criticisms entering the league was effort on the other end of the ball, but many projected growth come October. He’s fulfilled that so far.
Ice Cold From Distance
Besides the starting five’s sheer height, there was something else that stood out before the season opener: They can’t shoot. Sarr and Dybantsa shot 33% from 3-point range in their respective latest seasons. Davis shot it at just a 27% clip his final year in Dallas, and Young hadn’t shot above 34% since the 2023-24 season. The spacing would be unideal, and the paint packed.
Those worries have translated this season. Washington stands at second-to-last in the NBA in 3-point percentage, making just 29.4% of its attempts. The Wizards have refrained from the long ball as well; they only take 29.8 shots on average. The last time NBA teams shot around just 29 threes a night on average was the 2017-18 season.
Washington’s inability to stretch the floor has hurt it. Opponents have been loading up in the restricted area, making the Wizards’ only bread and butter that much harder. D.C.’s dedicated shooter, Tre Johnson, would ideally lessen the blow. But even he is shooting just 26.7% from three in seven games.
When Washington features mid-range-heavy players like Dybantsa and Davis, 3-point shooting teams can slowly outgain the Wizards because of their shot diet. This was evident in their 120-105 loss to Atlanta on Nov. 4. The Hawks took 49 threes and converted 39% of them. Nickeil Alexander-Walker made six threes. Washington as a whole made six.
The District is meeting expectations, for better and for worse.
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