The Washington Wizards are entering a new era. After starting the rebuild process in 2023, the Wizards threw themselves into the deep end and lost…a lot. They dropped at least 64 games for three straight seasons and won just 17 in 2025-26. But through the dark years, Washington has gained young talent, the No. 1 pick, and stars for cheap.
It acquired Trae Young for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert a month before the trade deadline. The next month, Washington brought home Anthony Davis and others for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, and draft capital. Young played five games in Wizards colors, while Davis is yet to suit up.
The Wizards used their first No. 1 overall selection since 2010 on AJ Dybantsa. The BYU forward led the nation in scoring and did it through unique athleticism and jump shooting. They also used the offseason to bring in some complementary pieces to add more depth to the roster.
Last season wasn’t pretty, but the pieces are in place to ascend and leave the reconstruction chapter; 2026-27 will answer if playoff basketball returns to the capital.
Wizards’ Biggest Offseason Loss: Cam Whitmore
Washington traded Cam Whitmore to the Cleveland Cavaliers and received Tre Mann and a 2027 second-round pick in August. Whitmore’s departure being the biggest hit to the Wizards’ roster says something.
He played just 21 games off the bench for Washington as he was limited by a blood clot injury in his right shoulder. In Whitmore’s 16.9 minutes on the floor, he averaged 9.2 points per game on 45.6% shooting — solid production. But in a depth chart with Dybantsa, Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley, and Kyshawn George ahead of him, Whitmore wasn’t going to be utilized. Cleveland waived him and Denver picked him up.
The move wasn’t extremely popular among Wizards fans. Mann played just 66 games in the last two seasons. Last year, he competed for 12.6 minutes per contest and shot an unideal 36% from the field. He has shown flashes of potential, like his 14 points per game for Charlotte in 2024-25, albeit in just 14 appearances.
Losing Whitmore for Mann and a second-rounder may not have been a step forward, but it may not be a step back either, depicting how positive Washington’s summer was.
Wizards’ Biggest Offseason Addition: AJ Dybantsa
Questions surrounded who Washington would select at No. 1 this June. While it wasn’t clear who would have their name called, there was no doubt they’d be a generational talent. That’s exactly what Dybantsa is.
Washington may be starting the beginning of a historic chapter in the franchise’s history from day one of Dybantsa’s career because of his sheer talent. The forward averaged 25.5 points per game on 51% shooting in his lone year as a Cougar.
His playstyle drew scouts’ and fans’ attention for a reason. Dybantsa can break down his defender on the perimeter with a hesitation or crossover, then choose his options from there: beat his next man with a sidestep to the lane, or fool him with a pivot and fadeaway jumper.
He scored at least 30 points eight times, two of which he scored at least 40. His 40 against Kansas State broke Kevin Durant‘s Big 12 Tournament freshman single-game scoring record. Dybantsa took the acclaim to the league, where he scored 27 points in his Summer League debut. That tied the most ever by a No. 1 pick.
He has the frame and athleticism of the all-time great scorers and is projected to rise near that level.
Dybantsa could win Rookie of the Year this season, which says a lot with the class he’s competing with. First-year players of his caliber come in and change things in an instant, often making their team look brand new.
He doesn’t just benefit Washington in 2027, but for years to come.
Wizards’ Best-Case Scenario Outcome
Washington is an unproven team that looks incredible on paper. It has phenomenal pieces, but they’ve never been laid out on the board together. Can they fit to solve the puzzle that is the Wizards? The best-case scenario assumes they all do.
That means both chemistry and individual performance fall in line. It could look like Trae Young blending with Alex Sarr and Davis in the pick-and-roll while returning to efficient jump shooting. Or Davis’ spacing working with Sarr’s and keeping healthy. Even Dybantsa being able to contribute ROTY figures while Young and Tre Johnson still put up shots.
What follows is the quieter Wiz-Kids finally putting it together: Bub Carrington learns how to drive and defend, Coulibaly finds his shot, and Will Riley unlocks his brewing potential. Lastly, head coach Brian Keefe substantiates his position at the helm of the Wizards. The only years he’s coached, Washington aimed to fail in. A productive season shows he has the answers to his first real test.
If all bodes well, Washington makes the playoffs for the first time in six years, and its ceiling is as high as the fifth seed. The Wizards could upset the fourth seed in a grinded-out seven games, barely coming out alive to advance for the first time since 2017. In the end, Washington falls to the powerhouse first seed in four or five games, proving it’s made progress but has a ways to go.
Wizards’ Worst-Case Scenario Outcome
For everything to go wrong, the Wizards’ assortment of aging stars and untried youngsters must wither under raised expectations and fail to mix.
Young would have to get banged up, something he’s not unfamiliar with, and contribute empty stats that look pretty but don’t change results. Davis suffers an injury that sidelines him more than half the season, and his limited time on the court reflects a shell of himself from years ago.
Sarr hits a slump after a productive jump the year before, dropping his efficiency and stalling more defensive growth. Dybantsa looks like an overestimation, struggling to score anywhere outside the restricted area while Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer thrive.
With names piled on the injury list and promising prospects turned long-term projects, Washington drops to the 14th seed, just one place above its standing last year. It gets unluckier when, under the NBA’s new draft lottery system, it is awarded the No. 12 pick in the draft following a poor year of trial and error.
Wizards’ Biggest Question Heading Into 2026-27 Season
While neither hypothetical is likely to be realized, there is one common thread that makes them possible: Anthony Davis’ health. Can the 33-year-old, who has played a total of 71 games in the past two seasons, stay on the court?
It’s hard to deny his production when active, even with the accumulated physical toll on his body through the years. Teams are better on both sides of the floor when he’s on it because of his All-NBA caliber talent. But how regularly will he lace up his game-day shoes?
Davis is the key to the Wizards’ 2026-27 season success.
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