The Washington Wizards seem poised to land Cooper Flagg throughout their trying season.
For the Wizards and their fanbase, the light at the end of the tunnel was the possibility that they could finally land a generational talent of their own to put them in the mix in a loaded Easten Conference.
However, those dreams were shattered when NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum revealed the Wizards as the team who would be just outside the top five looking in selecting at No. 6 overall.
Immediately Bub Carrington who was representing the Wizards at the NBA Draft Lottery, the team's fanbase and the front office could feel that deflating feeling from tremendous hope to the realization that their rebuild may not be as fast-paced as it could have been with a talent like Flagg in D.C.
Still, general manager Will Dawkins remained optimistic about the team's long-term plans and suggested that Washington remained in a good place despite the disappointing lottery spots.
Throughout the offseason, the team's front office has continued to express the same confidence that they held post-lottery as they feel they could still land a top prospect at No. 6.
And while they very well could, there's no secret that Flagg and Rutgers' standout Dylan Harper were the two clear blue chip prospects in this upcoming NBA Draft class.
Behind them? An abundance of talented player, but not all of which have that same "star" factor that the two top picks possess; at least that's the consensus as of now.
Although it's not impossible for the Wizards to land a star in this draft class, the challenge they face at No. 6 overall surely makes things more difficult.
That alone, is exactly why the team's front office has seemingly embraced the fact that this rebuild will take time and while fans want quick results, sometimes patience is a virtue.
According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, the Wizards plan to continue evaluating its young core through the end of the 2027-28 season.
By then, this Wizards roster could look completely different with multiple talented and young players added to the mix.
However, it's important to understand that this doesn't mean Washington has any plans to remain at the bottom of the NBA standings.
Instead, it's as simple as the fact that the Wizards don't have any plans to package any young players too early solely to acquire a win-now veteran.
The Wizards could be on pace with an Oklahoma City Thunder rebuild, but they could also be looking at a timeline of the Charlotte Hornets rebuild.
Regardless, Washington's front office is willing to play the wait-and-see game to make sure they don't make a move like the LA Clippers, who dealt Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to acquire Paul George and are now forced to reap the consequences.