This offseason the Washington Wizards have ultimately turned the outlook of their long-awaited rebuild from underwhelming to excitement.
Washington has seemingly been dealt a bad hand over the last few years and as things continually seemed to go against the direction of the Wizards returning to contention in the Eastern Conference any time soon.
Since Bradley Beal's tenure in D.C. came to an end, the Wizards have fully committed to a rebuild and made nearly every move with the team's long-term future in mind.
However, the team's bad luck has constantly seemed to put a wrinkle in their plans over the course of the last two seasons.
Last offseason, the Wizards regular season struggles landed them the No. 2 overall pick. Typically, this would be something rebuilding teams would celerbate. Unfortunatey for Washington, they were dealt a top two pick in what many considered the weakest NBA Draft class in recent memory.
Ultimately, Washington landed Alex Sarr as a result, but it just goes to show how poor the Wizards luck has been throughout the rebuild.
Fast forward to this offseason, the Wizards entered the offseason tied with the highest chance to earn the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery with Cooper Flagg as the main prize.
Instead, in typical Wizards fashion, Washington not only didn't land the top pick, but the team fell completely out of the top five as a whole earning the No. 6 overall pick.
There's no denying that the team's luck has been bad, but fortunately for Washington, general manager Will Dawkins has proven that he's the man for the job.
By playing the cards the Wizards were dealt, Dawkins has seemingly assembled one of the most underrated teams in the league with a healthy mix of young players and viable veterans.
Will Dawkins best moves of the offseason:
- Land AJ Johnson as throw-in to Kyle Kuzma-Khris Middleton swap at NBA trade deadline
- Standing pat at No. 6 overall to select Tre Johnson who has shown extreme potential in Summer League
- Acquiring former first-round pick Cam Whitmore for two second-round picks
The Wizards have assembled a roster that can compete not only now, but for years to come.
Although they may not be looked at as a title contender, Washington has assembled a legitimate sleeper roster in the East and come next April, it won't be a surprise to see them in the mix for a play-in spot.