It wasn't long ago that the Washington Wizards were the laughing-stock of the NBA. A failed attempt to build around Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole only scratched the surface of Washington's dysfunction, as it's gone seven years since it last finished above .500.
In the span of just 12 months, however, the Wizards have transformed themselves into one of the most promising teams in the NBA.
Washington made surprising moves during the 2024 offseason that appear to have set the stage for what's since transpired. It acquired veterans Malcolm Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas, and remained active during the regular season, trading Kyle Kuzma for a return that centered around Khris Middleton and a 2028 first-round pick swap.
Washington would go on to swap Valanciunas for Sidy Cissoko and two second-round picks, and added Marcus Smart in a separate deal.
That opened the door for offseason activity that has officially cemented the Wizards' status as a franchise on the rise. They traded Poole in what became a three-team deal that ultimately brought in C.J. McCollum, Kelly Olynyk, Cam Whitmore, and a 2027 second-round draft pick.
Compounded by the selection of Tre Johnson at the 2025 NBA Draft, the Wizards have turned two of the most puzzling contracts in the Association into a genuinely strong core.
Wizards are suddenly one of the most promising teams in the NBA
Not every move Washington has made has been a success, with the decision to trade Deni Avdija continuing to haunt it. It's made necessary changes, however, by committing to veteran leaders and a complete reset of the core it had in place.
Washington now has locker room leaders and tradable assets in McCollum, Middleton, and Smart, as well as a deep assortment of young talent.
Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and Alex Sarr epitomize the modern emphasis on having versatile players at multiple positions. It's reasonable to believe that not all will realize their full potential, but each have shown flashes of brilliance in their own respective ways.
The remaining hurdle, however, was finding players who could step in to carry the scoring load as that quartet of 21-and-under players found their identity in the NBA.
Thankfully, Washington completed that crucial step on both the veteran and up-and-coming fronts. McCollum and Middleton are proven commodities in the scoring department, capable of at least pacing the team along with reliable production—assuming they aren't traded, of course.
More importantly, the Wizards have also added two players who can anchor the offense for years to come in Johnson and Whitmore.
Tre Johnson gives the Wizards a clear path forward
When Washington selected Johnson at No. 6 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, the franchise breathed a sigh of relief. No longer did they have to ask their well-rounded up-and-comers to change their game and become something that wasn't naturally appearing in their path of development.
With Johnson, a three-level scoring threat with a 6'10.25" wingspan, a lights-out jump shot, and the shot creation to thrive at the next level, Washington finally found its go-to scorer of the future.
The reluctance to express excitement rested in the simple belief that overburdening an incoming rookie with a No. 1 scoring role could turn out poorly. It's an admittedly fair concern, especially when one considers how effective Johnson is working off of ball screens.
As a freshman in 2024-25, Johnson shot 54.8 percent on threes off of screens and better than 40.0 percent on catch-and-shoot opportunities.
With this in mind, the Wizards needed to find a way to create for Johnson—and, more specifically, lighten the workload. His teammates are talented enough to help in that arena, but the harsh reality remained that a heavy scoring burden awaited him in 2025-26.
Faced with that reality, and potentially looking to trade the veterans who could help, the Wizards brought in Whitmore—one of the purest scorers in the NBA.
Cam Whitmore has the tools to be a special scorer—immediately
Houston selected Whitmore in the first round of the 2023 NBA Draft, but its obscene depth at forward inevitably limited his playing time. He averaged just 17.4 minutes per game between two seasons with the Rockets, thus inevitably struggling to post the numbers some might typically look for.
What Whitmore successfully displayed, however, was an uncanny ability to pour in points at a near star-caliber per-36 level.
Despite playing just 17.4 minutes per game, Whitmore managed to average 10.8 points per contest in Houston. That translates to an eye-opening 22.3 points per 36 minutes, which he managed on a respectable slash line of .449/.357/.707.
Whitmore also averaged 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes, and shot 75.0 percent at the free throw line in 2024-25.
In 2025-26, the limitations should be lifted in terms of Whitmore's playing time and scoring opportunities. He has all of the tools to immediately emerge as the Wizards' go-to scorer, and should be able to strike chemistry with Johnson based on their complementary skill sets.
With a deep and balanced rotation that blends veteran guidance with untapped all-around potential and two new young scorers with absurd upside, the Wizards are no longer the laughing-stock of the NBA.