As the start of the 2024-25 NBA season creeps up on the Washington Wizards, fans are divided. Some can’t help but wonder how the team will perform following their worst season in franchise history, while others argue that a calculated plan has been in place all along.
General Manager Will Dawkins outlined the team’s rebuilding strategy in a press conference during the Wizards’ training camp, emphasizing the long-term nature of their plan.
“There’s the deconstruction phase. There’s the laying-the-foundation phase. There’s the building it back up, and then there’s fortifying what you build,” Dawkins said. “We’re still focused on deconstructing and laying that foundation.”
Yet, the Wizards ended the 2023-24 season with a franchise-breaking 15-67 record, and are expected to be just as lackluster again this year — if not worse. So, what’s their plan?
For at least the next season, the Wizards actually don’t mind being bad. While there is a long season ahead for fans and players alike, the Wizards aim to maximize their chances in the 2025 NBA draft lottery, hoping to secure a top-talent player who could lead them to a championship by decade’s end.
Does this story ring a bell? It should since this is a movie all Wizards fans alike have seen before. In 2012, the Wizards drafted Bradley Beal, the third overall NBA draft pick. Beal played in Washington for 11 years, with a career average of 22.1 points and 4.3 assists per game.
After trading him to the Phoenix Suns in 2023 in exchange for a package — which included four first-round pick swaps, six second-round picks, Chris Paul and Landry Chamet — the Wizards entered their “deconstruction phase.” Now, at the very least, they need to draft another Beal-level player, if not better.
By design, the Wizards likely lack the talent to surpass last season’s 15 wins. However, they have promising young players that can help to turn the direction of the franchise around.
The Wizards concluded their recent NBA Summer League stint in Las Vegas, Nev., with a 3-2 record, gaining valuable insights into individual players’ potential contributions for the upcoming season. With the second pick in the 2024 NBA draft, the Wizards selected Alex Sarr, a 19-year-old rookie from France. Sarr played in four of the five Summer League games and made an impressive league debut in his first game against the Atlanta Hawks — with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 blocks.
However, Sarr had trouble connecting with the basket in the next three games, finishing the Summer League with a 19.1% shooting average from the field on 47 total attempts and averaging 5.5 points. Despite his offensive struggles, his defensive ability shone through an average of 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.
Kyshawn George, a second rookie from Switzerland, scored efficiently in the Summer League, taking few but selective shots in the flow of the Wizards’ offense. Over the course of the five games, George shot 51.7% from the field and 47.6% from three.
Wizards fans found hope in Carlton “Bub” Carrington, a 19-year-old point guard from Baltimore, Md., who showcased a well-rounded game in Las Vegas, delivering impressive performances across all 5 games. Beyond the stat board, Carrington’s ball handling and competitive spirit shone on the court, positioning him as a potential franchise-altering rookie for the Wizards.
In the upcoming season, the Wizards aim to maximize the potential of their promising rookies while leveraging the experience of veterans like Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole and Malcom Brogdon.
The plan to tear things down and construct something new from the ground up offers a silver lining for the Washington Wizards, though not without another season of heartache on the stat line. The 2025 NBA Draft will hope to feature big names like Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers’ Airious “Ace” Bailey.
Drafting even one top recruit has the potential to change the fortune of Wizards’ fans overnight. The lottery is a game in itself, though, as the league’s 2019 reforms left the three worst teams in each season with equal 14% chances of winning the first pick.
Nevertheless, with a season of reform on the horizon for the Washington Wizards, fans continue to wait patiently with the hopes of one day bringing home a trophy or even a winning record.
