The District’s out-of-left-field move shocked the NBA world, as the Wizards surfaced as a contender in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, leaving competing teams like Toronto and Atlanta in the dust.
A day before the highly anticipated trade deadline, the Washington Wizards unexpectedly made headlines. They traded Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, Malaki Branham, two first-round draft picks, and three second-rounders for Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy, and Dante Exum.
Along with having acquired Trae Young in January, two All-NBA stars are now at the helm of Washington’s once unassuming roster.
The transaction made one thing clear regarding the rebuild: they are done laying the foundation and are ready to build up.
The Deconstruction Phase Is Over
The Wizards have not looked pretty the past several years. The last time they were above .500 was the 2017-2018 season. In more recent years, Washington was stuck in the forbidden middle ground. In the shortened 2020-2021 season, they won 34 games. Then, in the two years after, they won 35 each.
Then, in 2023, new management arrived along with a new vision. President Michael Winger and General Manager Will Dawkins oversaw a complete roster overhaul to redirect the team’s future.
They traded away their stars, moving Bradley Beal’s expensive contract and replacing him with Jordan Poole. They also traded Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. Washington began to embrace their newfound young identity and the tank.
The losing worked in their favor, landing promising players like Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, and Tre Johnson in the draft.
This stage of this renovation project is what Winger called the “deconstruction phase.”
But now, the phase is over, and Washington is ready to ascend.
How Are the Wizards Going to Close the Season?
While the deconstruction is complete, a few finishing touches remain. The Wizards are 14-38 and tied for the fifth-worst record in the league. And with talent filled to the brim in the upcoming draft, Washington is hoping the ping pong balls will shuffle in their favor for a high pick.
Their first-round pick is owed to the New York Knicks if it falls out of the top eight in the lottery selection. This means the Wizards need to keep losing and out-tank the likes of Sacramento, Indiana, and Brooklyn to keep the pick.
As mock drafts project Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer to be the first three picks, Washington has a luxury of options at the top of the board. But it won’t be a cakewalk to the bottom of the standings, as the tank-off for a packed draft class has proven to be highly competitive.
But with Davis and Young sidelined with injuries for most of the season’s final stretch, Washington’s efforts to nosedive should be easy.
The next few months will serve to not only position the team well for the lottery but also showcase what the young core has to offer. Not just the aforementioned starters, but the quieter members of the Wiz-Kids.
The quieter members of the Wiz-Kids, Sharife Cooper, Will Riley, and Tristan Vukcevic, put up statement performances in Washington’s recent win against Detroit. Cooper scored a career-best 18 on 66% shooting, Riley added a career-best 20 points on 64% shooting, and Vukcevic lit up the rim with 14 points in just 11 minutes.
What Does Next Year Look Like?
Like all good things, all bad things must come to an end.
Washington’s front office accumulated talent through the draft and came out of nowhere acquiring stars, deciding it’s time to finally end the years of refurbishing.
Not every rebuild process has to take forever, though teams would love to emulate Detroit’s slow revival. Washington’s three-year tank has landed them the pieces to the rebuild puzzle. Eventually, you have to get back to winning games.
These moves don’t put them into contending territory next season. It does get them out of the Eastern Conference’s basement. Their success will bank on Davis’ health, which has been the story for years. But, barring injuries, the image looks a bit clearer.
Two of the best at their position, Young and Davis spearhead a roster along a promising mix of Sarr, Johnson, George, Carrington, and Bilal Coulibaly, which is a competent lineup.
How Do the Wizards Look Long-Term?
One hard-to-ignore part of acquiring Davis is his age. Turning 33 next month, Davis is nearing the closing stretch of his career, which does not align with Washington’s timeline.
And with insider Chris Mannix sharing AD’s unhappiness with the move, Washington may or may not extend him when the time comes, though that’s not anytime soon. While having your top talent unhappy isn’t ideal, it may ultimately serve Washington’s long-term vision.
Once again, the blueprint isn’t to raise a banner next year, it’s to build up towards that glory. Davis could be a stepping stone to reach it. If he is unsatisfied, the Wizards could build his value back up through consistent performance and move him for needed pieces. After all, Washington bought extremely low on him.
When the aging star got traded, it didn’t feel like his last stop. With his clock ticking down, he probably doesn’t want to waste time losing either.
In the coming years, the Wizards could be a genuine force in the East, with Davis aiding that rise, and possibly shaping their future beyond his time in D.C.
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