There's no denying that the Washington Wizards are trending in the right direction.
Over the last few years, Washington's front office has assembled a roster filled with an abundance of young talent, all of which each prospect has an extremely high ceiling.
However, Washington still isn't prepared to make a run for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, at least not yet.
After adding four-time All-Star Trae Young in a blockbuster trade with the Atlanta Hawks, the Wizards' ability to find a reliable playmaker to run head coach Brian Keefe's offense helped them take one major step forward in their pursuit of returning to contention.
Still, Washington has some work to do before they're ready to make the next leap in their rebuild.
Fortunately for the Wizards, the final piece to the puzzle could be found this offseason; that is if they're able to secure a top-8 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
With the Wizards owning the rights to their first-round pick if its top-8 protected, tanking has never been more important for Washington, especially when considering the prospects available in this upcoming draft class.
However, it's not just due to the amount of talented prospects in this draft class, but the fact that Washington's missing piece could be sitting atop the draft this offseason.
Wizards must secure one of these 2 players
As of now, Washington's chances of earning a top-8 pick remain high, but the Wizards have plenty of reason to aim higher than just a top-8 pick.
Headlining the NBA Draft, the likes of prospects like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa and Cam Boozer find themselves as some of the most intriguing players in the 2026 NBA Draft class.
Prior to the Wizards decision to land Young, Peterson seemed to be a player that could be atop the team's draft boards, but that has likely changed with the team's ability to land a star guard in the midst of his prime.
Now, the focus has shifted on Washington landing a premiere talent to pair alongside Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George in the frontcourt.
Although Dybantsa and Boozer differ in playing styles, both prospects offer a unique skilset that could immediately help the Wizards and fill a giant hole in the team's future plans.
If Washington is able to land either Dybantsa or Boozer, that hole would without a doubt be filled and the Wizards will be one step closer to competing in the East.