The Washington Wizards are in the early stages of a total rebuild. They have dumped multiple pieces and are trying to start from the ground floor. Washington had three first-round draft picks in 2024 and has a plan to make those young talents building blocks. It will be a long and difficult road, but the Wizards can look around for plenty of inspiration.
The Thunder tore things down and built themselves back to being the top team in the West. Memphis went through a short rebuild from the Grit-and-Grind era to their current iteration with Ja Morant. The Mavericks had a few down years before Luka Doncic arrived and pushed them to the NBA Finals. The common thread is drafting All-Stars, but Washington should look to a different role model.
The Spurs haven’t made the playoffs since 2019, but their time is coming. They have the best young star in the world and will soon be back in the mix. San Antonio is building a sustainable winner around Victor Wembanyama by using a tactic Washington should emulate.
Wizards should get involved in trades like the Spurs to build their asset base
Since the start of the 2022-23 season, the Spurs have been involved in 13 different trades. They are not afraid to deal a draft pick for multiple future selections or jump in as the third team to increase their asset base.
Brian Wright and the front office help play matchmaker in exchange for potentially juicy future picks. The Spurs are not afraid to take on a negative asset or deal away a starter if they are being properly compensated. San Antonio was just the third team in a DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade where they picked up Harrison Barnes and received a 2031 first-round pick swap from the Kings. The Spurs got the best asset in the deal for being willing to take on some money.
The Wizards traded Deni Avdija for Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th overall pick in 2024, and three future selections, including one first-rounder before the draft. It was a Spurs-like move where they dumped a potential starter for significant assets. Washington may be able to flip Brogdon for even more before the deadline.
Getting involved in trades as a third team should be part of the plan moving forward. The Wizards should be developing Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George as they look to accumulate assets. Washington can never have too much draft capital as it is a golden trade chip for when the franchise is ready to return to contention.
The Washington Wizards do not need to reinvent the wheel. They should be focused on stockpiling draft capital and young talent to build a sustainable contender. Things could change in a heartbeat by following the Spurs' plan, and it may even mean getting Cooper Flagg to be the Wizards’ version of Victor Wembanyama.