Wizards problem nobody is discussing (and why they aren’t close to solving it)

The Washington Wizards continue to stack young talent and draft assets alongside the team’s mixture of veteran players.

With general manager Will Dawkins stuck in between rebuild mode and retooling, the future of the Wizards seems up in the air. The team is nowhere close to contention, but they also may not be bad enough to land the top overall pick in next year’s draft. Stuck between bad in mediocre, there’s one problem nobody is discussing for the Wizards.

The Wizards NEED to find a No. 1 option for the future

Washington has their sights set on competing this upcoming season, while the team’s fans have their focus set on the upcoming NBA Draft. With Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers’ Ace Bailey headlining this upcoming draft class, the Wizards can only hope they can land one of the two in D.C. ahead of next season.

The problem is, that Washington may not be in a position to land one of the top three prospects in next year’s class with the team’s odds to earn the top overall pick flattening.

As the Wizards enter the season led by Jordan Poole and veterans like Kyle Kuzma, Jonas Valanciunas, and Malcolm Brogdon, it’s clear the team’s front office hopes to compete in some form or fashion in 2024. 

Although the motives for teams across the league to tank may not be as high as they were a year ago during the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, this upcoming draft class could alter the future of the franchise that earns the top pick.

The Wizards have taken steps towards their future in the last few years. The team has spent lottery picks on players like Corey Kispert, Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, and Bub Carrington. And while each of these players' ceilings have yet to be seen, it seems safe to say that none of these prospects can develop into a sure-fire No. 1 option.

Sarr has a chance, but he seems like he may be on course to have a career similar to Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo. A two-way star in the frontcourt, but he doesn’t have the skill set to take over and dominate a game nightly when his team needs it.

If the team can’t find a way to get their future No. 1 star, the Wizards are going to have a tough time competing against the top teams in the league who have found their answer now and for years to come.

Nonetheless, Washington has to make a choice at some point this season if their low chances of competing for a play-in spot are worth worsening their chances to turn their franchise’s future around.