The look on Ashley Smith’s face said it all. The Jazz co-owner stared into the distance as she sat on stage at the NBA draft lottery, a look of distress flashing through her fake smile.
After losing the most games in the NBA, Utah had failed to secure even a top 4 pick, landing 5th in the 2025 draft. Dreams of the draft’s most highly-touted players faded out of reality.
A year after Utah’s nightmare scenario, the Washington Wizards face a similar possibility, after losing the most games in basketball. With the unpredictability of the lottery, there’s a good chance the Wizards could end up in a similar place.
The saving grace for Utah was the fall of wing Ace Bailey, who looks like a key cornerstone for the team. But the success rate for mid-lottery picks is generally much lower, depending on the draft. For every Bailey, a bust like the Bulls’ Patrick Williams exists.
Could Washington find success if they slip in this year’s lottery, or will their dream offseason crumble down once again?
Here are some players to watch for the Wizards if the worst-case scenario plays out.
F Jayden Quintenance, Kentucky
Washington’s biggest need in this draft is likely a wing, looking for a player to fit right into their new look starting 5. A slip in the draft may cause the Wizards to reconsider, though, looking more towards their future.
At the moment, Quintenance wouldn’t be a fantastic fit, given his limitations on offense, combined with the decline of Anthony Davis as a shooter. But with the uncertainty surrounding Davis’s future in Washington, the fellow Kentucky big man could be a piece to draft and stash.
Quintenance stands out as an excellent defender, using his physicality and athleticism to guard all 5 positions with ease. His offense still needs work, but his rebounding skills and finishing abilities at the rim project well at the next level.
If Davis were to decide not to be a part of the team’s long-term plans, or the team felt worried about his injury history, Quintenance could slide right in next to Alex Sarr as the team’s starting center for the future. The Kentucky big man could be a smart investment, even without superstar talent.
F Nate Ament, Tennessee
Ament has been one of the hardest players in the draft to evaluate, because of his inconsistencies in college. The wing has shown enough flashes, however, to be in serious consideration for Washington if they slip.
Standing at 6’10, Ament carries the potential to be a seriously impactful player on offense. The wing has shown flashes as a stellar passer for his size, as well as the ability to score, both as a slithery driver and a talented shooter.
The issue so far has been the Tennessee star’s ability to deliver on these abilities consistently. Ament was under 40% from the field and just 33% from 3-point range a season ago. He also had a tendency to turn the ball over, still developing as a decision-maker.
The pieces are there for Ament to be a great fit in Washington, though. It’s easy to imagine his 3-level scoring capabilities next to the team’s guards, a potentially dangerous player in the pick-and-roll.
The Wizards’ decision to bet on the forward will depend on their confidence in his ceiling, relative to his rather low floor. It would be a controversial pick, but one that could pay off for Washington, if forced to make the choice.
G Brayden Burries, Arizona
It’d be hard to imagine Washington drafting a guard, given their glut of talent at the position. The Wizards have selected guards in each of the past 3 drafts, along with trading for star Trae Young.
Burries would be an interesting fit in Washington, though, given how different he is from those other players. The Arizona guard is an excellent catch-and-shoot player, also serving as an impressive on-ball defender.
Washington ranked just 24th this season in 3 point field goal percentage allowed, and in the bottom half of the league in 3-point field goals made. Adding another 3-and-D player wouldn’t hurt, giving the Wizards much-needed depth.
Drafting Burries would be an unconventional strategy for Washington. But his talents would fit right in with Washington’s future, making him an intriguing option if they were to slip.
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