For all of the question marks that may exist, the Washington Wizards have a fascinating combination of star power and untapped potential. Anthony Davis and Trae Young form an exceptionally talented duo at the top of the proverbial food chain, while the likes of A.J. Dybantsa, Kyshawn George, and Alex Sarr lead a talented group of up-and-comers.
Though the Wizards have a balance of veterans and young players, their offseason priorities have seemingly pointed toward prioritizing the former. They need to change their mentality.
Washington's big offseason splash was drafting Dybantsa at No. 1 overall, but its free agency moves have focused more on veterans. That's understandable, as the Wizards need proven players who can step in and provide quality on a more consistent basis than an up-and-comer might be able to.
With a trade for Deandre Ayton and the signing of Khris Middleton, Washington certainly created valuable depth with proven and productive contributors.
The latest rumors to emerge signal that the Wizards offered a two-year deal to point guard Russell Westbrook. They also suggest that Washington could make a run at high-scoring wing DeMar DeRozan, who's an unrestricted free agent.
For as intriguing as the Wizards' pursuit of veterans may be, they can't afford to bury the younger players down the depth chart for a somewhat irrational hope of contending in 2026-27.
Wizards need to prioritize up-and-comers if they want to help stars
With Davis, Dybantsa, and Young, the Wizards certainly have an intriguing trio of talented players to build their offense around. With Ayton and Middleton, they also have productive veterans who can step in and at least put points on the board.
The harsh reality of what Washington is doing, however, is that Davis' injury history and Young's defensive woes prevent them from being safe bets to build around.
Davis has missed at least 30 games in four of the past six seasons. Young is widely regarded as one of the worst defenders in the NBA. Their ceilings are remarkable, but they're also players whose teams need to have insurance for their potential downsides.
For Washington, their best protection from wasting two first-round picks and three second-rounders on a potentially brief Davis era is to continue developing their up-and-comers.
Anthony Davis, Trae Young can't guarantee success on their own
Ayton is a productive center, but Alex Sarr is already a competitive defender who has improved tremendously on offense. He should thus be the priority at the position, especially after he made the leap from .394/.308/.679 shooting as a rookie to .482/.333/.692 during year two.
Along those same lines, rather than finding another veteran to play the role they wanted for Westbrook, Washington should make a final assessment of Bub Carrington.
Furthermore, the Wizards need to find meaningful minutes and touches for a number of exceptionally talented young players with major question marks. That list includes defensive specialist Bilal Coulibaly, dynamic scorers Tre Johnson and Will Riley, and do-it-all wing Kyshawn George.
It's admittedly likely that not every young player will prosper, but Washington needs to develop its future alongside the players it believes can represent its present.
Davis will turn 34 in 2026-27 and needs players who can improve while he inevitably faces an athletic decline—a result of Father Time, if nothing else. It's also distinctly possible that he won't be a long-term member of the organization. Keep in mind: Davis will be eligible for free agency in 2027.
Rather than risking the future for an uncertain present, the Wizards must prioritize internal development and stop looking for veterans who would deprive key up-and-comers of minutes.
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