We are officially less than three weeks away from the 2026 NBA Draft, and there's still no clarification on who will be the No. 1 overall pick at the end of June.
The Washington Wizards have a major decision to make, as their choice will all but certainly be their franchise face moving forward.
Should they put all their eggs in the basket of projected top pick AJ Dybantsa, or should they trust the preseason projections that Darryn Peterson will be the best option to select with their top pick?
Maybe they should ignore all the noise and take the swing on the safest option, whose potential is unknown in Cameron Boozer
Regardless of which direction the Wizards are leaning, it's clear that they're moving in silence for a reason, and according to CBS Sports NBA Draft Expert Adam Finklenstein, Washington has made no assurances to anyone as they continue to leave their options open.
Wizards are still undecided on NBA Draft decision
Finkelstein has heard the same about the Wizards that the rest of us have heard...nothing, and that alone speaks volumes.
"There have been no assurances by Washington that AJ [Dybantsa] will be the first pick," Finkelstein said. "They have also been in touch with Darryn's [Peterson] camp."
Obviously, Washington has plenty of time to make a decision, and given the importance of said decision, it's clear they want to make it right.
Owning the top pick for the first time since 2010 makes it clear this opportunity doesn't come around often, and considering the new NBA Draft rules, there's no telling when the team's next opportunity will be.
Still, at this point in the process, you would think that the direction in which the Wizards are leaning would have been reported by now, whether that be Dybantsa, Peterson, or even a trade down.
Nonetheless, the silence is loud and that's for a reason.
Wizards not willing to give any team leverage
Teams around the league can only speculate about what the Wizards are going to do at No. 1.
The Jazz don't know for sure whether Peterson or Dybantsa will be at their disposal, the Memphis Grizzlies can only assume Boozer will be available, and the Bulls are still deciding if a trade down makes sense for them or not.
In fact, Washington themselves haven't ruled out a trade back, and that move alone could shake up the entire draft order.
The Wizards aren't willing to give opposing teams any leverage in discussions, and while it may not seem that beneficial for them, they're not just taking their time to make the right decision, but they're also not letting anyone get the jump on offseason plans.
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