The Washington Wizards are clearly still in the beginning phases of their long-awaited rebuild as general manager Will Dawkins continues to stack up young talent on the roster moving forward.
There's no denying that the Wizards aren't nearly the most talented team in the league, let alone the Eastern Conference, but the recent additions to the roster this offseason are starting to put them in a category where they're being viewed as a sleeper team in the East heading into next season.
No, that doesn't mean that the Wizards are going to be representing the East in the NBA Finals next June although stranger things have certainly happened.
Instead, it means that considering the surplus of talent on the roster between the healthy mix of veterans and young talent, Brian Keefe has an underrated depth chart at his disposal that could win enough games to put them in position to be in the playoff picture down the stretch of the season.
You're probably wondering, how does a team that finished tied for the worst record in the league this past season turn things around that drastically in one year?
Well, the additions the team has made this season have truly put them in the position where they can both focus on the future and still be competitive in 2025,
Landing veteran CJ McCollum to man the backcourt may be the most talked about move of the Wizards offseason, solely because of his steep contract. And while that's a conversation of its own, the guard is still playing at a fairly high-level.
McCollum's addition on its own could pay dividends to the development of Bub Carrington and newly drafted Tre Johnson, who's looking every bit of the part during summer league play.
In addition to the team's overlooked draft haul, the most underrated move of the Wizards offseason may be acquiring Cam Whitmore from the Houston Rockets at arguably a ridiculously cheap cost.
The talent is without a doubt there for this team to gel together and be competitive on a nightly basis and with the East essentially wide open with the injuries around the conference, there is a legitimate chance that the Wizards could be in the mix down the stretch next season.
Not only do I believe that, but NBA minds around the league including Jason Timpf have similar beliefs.
One thing for certain, the future in D.C. is certainly looking bright.