Will the Wizards Lean Into Tanking or Try to Surprise in 2025–26?
The Washington Wizards enter the 2025–26 season at a crossroads. After two straight years of rebuilding through the draft and player development, the franchise has assembled a young, talented core but remains far from contention. Now the question is whether Washington will embrace another tanking season to secure more lottery talent or if the front office and coaching staff will push this group to compete sooner than expected. With promising prospects like Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and rookie Tre Johnson in the mix, the Wizards have the tools to be more competitive—but their direction will depend on how much they value wins today versus growth for tomorrow.
Washington has seen a tremendous influx of young talent over the past two seasons, and many of those players have already shown noticeable growth and untapped potential. With much of the roster being 22 years old or younger, the team remains inexperienced, but there’s now a healthy balance with proven veterans in the mix. This combination raises an important question: are the Wizards ready to try to win now, or will they continue to prioritize development? Based on how Washington closed the 2024–25 season, there’s a growing sense that the tide may be turning in the nation’s capital.
The Wizards finished last year on a much stronger note, tripling their win total after the All-Star break. On top of that, the front office added experienced leaders like CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton to help stabilize the locker room and raise the team’s floor. Even with those upgrades, Washington must keep an eye on its draft situation. Their 2026 first-round pick is top-eight protected, meaning that if the team finishes among the eight worst records, they keep it—but if they finish outside that range, the pick converts to the Phoenix Suns. While winning games is always the goal, the Wizards may be incentivized to stay closer to the bottom of the standings to secure another lottery pick, ideally one that lands inside the top 10.
Ultimately, Washington looks better positioned for growth, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll escape the lottery just yet. The roster still lacks a true franchise centerpiece, the kind of player they’d most likely need to find through the draft, as Washington has struggled to attract star free agents in recent years. That said, fans should expect to see clear progress from the young core, more competitive basketball, and perhaps a few more wins compared to past seasons. It may not yet be the year for a playoff push, but it should be a season of meaningful development.
