The Washington Wizards have long been considered one of the worst teams in the league.
However, thanks to the new front office regime of general manager Will Dawkins and President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger, change seems to be on the horizon.
Between the team's talented young core filled with high-upside prospects, a head coach in Brian Keefe, who's seemingly built something that players can buy into and the assets accumulated over the years to make bold moves, Washington has slowly but surely rising from the mud.
With the young player's such as Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and even rookie standout Tre Johnson offering confidence that the team is headed in the right direction, Washington opted to make a pair of blockbuster trades ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
One of which was the addition of Trae Young, who many saw coming considering he listed the Wizards as his preferred landing spot when his time with the Atlanta Hawks appeared to have finally run its course.
Meanwhile, the decision to take a swing on Anthony Davis certainly came out of the blue, leaving many intrigued yet surprised that the Wizards would dial up a deal to acquire a 32-year-old, who's made his intention to contend crystal clear.
In fact, the worry was that Davis wouldn't even want to be in Washington, especially when considering the current state of the team's rebuild.
Nonetheless, based on Davis' recent comment, it appears that not only. has he bought in to the team's vision, but he believes the Wizards could be closer to competing than originally thought.
AD makes bold Wizards claim for next season
In a recent interview with NBA insider David Aldridge of The Athletic, the big man opened up about his fit on the Wizards, along with some words that should offer hope for the team's fanbase.
“It’s hard to say (I would definitely stay in D.C.) without the proper plan," Davis said. "Obviously, it’s tough right now with the team. It shows with their record, but adding certain pieces, that can change. It’s year by year. They could be the No. 1 team in the East next year.”
Davis is right, in the NBA, it truly is year by year, especially in the Eastern Conference.
Obviously, the likelihood that Washington would make the jump from the NBA Draft Lottery to No. 1 in the Eastern Conference next season is slim.
Still, with the pieces the Wizards already have on the roster, and the front office's aggressive approach, one thing is clear: stranger things have happened.