The Washington Wizards have spent the last few seasons doing exactly what a rebuilding team should do. They lost a ton of games, added young players, took swings in the draft, and waited for something that could actually change the franchise’s direction.
That finally happened.
Washington landed the No. 1 pick and used it on AJ Dybantsa, who I think has a chance to make the same kind of immediate impact Cooper Flagg had in Dallas last year. They also enter this season with Trae Young and Anthony Davis
available after acquiring both last season, while Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Will Riley give them one of the more interesting collections of young talent in the East. NBA.com specifically pointed to Washington’s mix of established veterans and young players as the reason this should finally be the year the win total starts moving upward.
Washington Wizards: Over/Under 35.5 wins
Over: -105
Under: -120
To win NBA Championship: +15000
To win Eastern Conference: +6500
To win Southeast Division: +1700
Last season: 17-65, 15th in the East
Key additions: AJ Dybantsa, Deandre Ayton, Tre Mann, Khris Middleton, Felix Okpara
Key losses: Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Whitmore
The case for the over
I love a lot about this Wizards team.
For the first time in years, the roster actually feels like it is starting to fit together instead of simply being a collection of young players waiting for the next draft.
Dybantsa is obviously the biggest reason why. Washington took him first overall after his one season at BYU, and I think he is ready to help immediately. He is 6-foot-9, can create his own shot, attack the rim, defend across positions, and play with or without the ball. He scored 27 points in his Summer League debut and followed that with 23 points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two blocks two games later before Washington shut him down.
I do not think this is a normal rookie who needs two or three years before he affects winning. I think he is that good.
The fit with Trae Young is also really interesting. Trae gives Washington something every young team needs: someone who can actually organize an offense. Dybantsa doesn’t have to become the full-time creator immediately; Sarr should get easier looks around the rim, and Washington’s young wings can spend more time attacking advantages instead of trying to manufacture everything themselves. The Wizards clearly believe in that pairing too, giving Young a four-year deal this summer.
Then there is Sarr.
He quietly averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and two blocks last season, and I think another step from him makes this roster much more interesting. Add in Tre Johnson, Coulibaly, George, Carrington, and Washington, and you suddenly have real depth around your stars instead of just theoretical upside.
The wild card is Anthony Davis.
I will get to the fit concerns, because I have plenty, but a healthy Davis is still a really good basketball player. Even if he misses games, Washington is not asking him to be the entire team. That matters.
They won 17 games last season.
Getting to 36 would require a massive improvement, but this is also nothing close to the same roster. Trae played only five games for Washington last season, and Davis never played one after being acquired. Now they add Dybantsa on top of that.
I think the Wizards are too talented to stay in the teens or low 20s again.
If Dybantsa is as ready as I think he is, this could get interesting quickly.
