NBA Scout: Wizards’ Dynamic Duo of Anthony Davis and Trae Young Could Be a Problem

Editor’s Note: For the upcoming Sports Illustrated 2026–27 basketball preview magazine that will hit newsstands in October, SI spoke to anonymous scouts around the NBA about all 30 teams.

With a little lottery luck, the Washington Wizards will enter the new season with some juice. AJ Dybantsa’s arrival as the top pick adds a massive piece to an already intriguing young core. Dybantsa’s first NBA game also marks the first potential look at the Anthony Davis-Trae Young pairing in Washington.

The Wizards made a splash at last season’s trade deadline to form the new star pair. However, with the team already out of contention and both players amid injury struggles, it was an upside play for the future. Young played in just 15 games last season and only five for his new team. Shortly after Davis was acquired from the Mavericks, news broke that he was expected to miss the rest of the year as he recovered from hand and groin injuries.

Over the offseason, Washington committed to Young with a massive four-year, $212.8 million contract. Although Davis heard his name in trade rumors once again, the fact that he remains with the team signifies that the front office wants to see how the duo looks on the court. When you pair one of the league’s best passers with an elite lob threat and defender, it should get exciting.

“Davis and Young could be really good together,” an anonymous NBA scout told Sports Illustrated. “Pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop, Trae will get AD some lobs. If both are healthy, they will be dynamic. But that’s the question—how many games is Davis going to play?”

Davis has had a laundry list of injury issues over his career, while Young struggled to stay on the floor last year with due to an MCL sprain and quad issues. If health issues persist and either misses considerable time, the Wizards still have plenty to be excited about with Dybantsa and the rest of their young core.

“I really like some of their young guys,” the scout said. “I’m a big Bub Carrington fan. Kyshawn George, too. They're young athletes that can play and have upside. They can play with the ball. Carrington is a smooth-handle athlete, point guard. George, just on the wing, his ability to show upside and his skill set with his size. I just think they're young players that can grow. The fear has to be that it’s going to turn into an AD-Trae show that nobody else develops. Trae just loves to dribble, dribble, dribble, and it's going to be those two guys getting the majority of shots.

“Alex Sarr was better last year. He really has to get physically stronger. But he did show more than I thought he would last year, which was positive in his development. He still needs to get that offensive skill set. He needs to get more physical. He needs to play hard. Just the physicality and just the strength is something that ... if he gets it, he'll be able to take strides. But if he doesn't, I don't see how at that position how you can really be that impactful.”

Sarr took a step forward as a rim protector last year and has been solid defensively over his two NBA seasons. As the scout pointed out, though, he needs to add to his frame to grow into a truly elite last line of defense. The crown jewel of Washington’s young core is now Dybantsa, though. As a rookie, he steps into a nice situation: A low pressure environment with a nice mix of veteran stars and young contributors that fit his timeline.

NEXT: Predicting the 2026–27 NBA Award Winners: MVP, Rookie of the Year and More

Dybantsa was a prized prospect out of the prep ranks and shined in his only season at BYU, averaging 25.5 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Now the first team All-American enters the NBA with the potential to make an immediate impact on a growing team as their No. 1 option for the long haul. “Dybantsa is going to be really good. I see him as a Chris Webber type of player. He can score in the half court and take it coast to coast in transition,” the scout said.

The issue could be his growth alongside the usage that Young and Davis will inevitably gobble up, however. Washington will certainly ensure that Dybantsa gets his reps. He’s the No. 1 pick and the future of the franchise, but with Young conducting the offense and a lot of mouths to feed, you have to wonder how it will look.

“[Dybantsa] needs a ball in his hands if that's how he plays,” the scout said. “How do you do that with Trae? Because Trae needs the ball like Cade Cunningham needs the ball. [Head coach] Brian Keefe is going to have his hands full designing an offense that keeps everybody happy.”

Anonymous scouts break down each Western Conference team: Clippers | Grizzlies | Jazz | Kings | Lakers | Mavericks | Nuggets | Pelicans | Rockets | Spurs | Suns | Thunder | Timberwolves | Trail Blazers | Warriors

Offseason recap

Who’s in: AJ Dybantsa (draft), Trae Young (re-signed), Anthony Gill (re-signed), Deandre Ayton, Tre Mann, Khris Middleton
Who’s out: Jaden Hardy, Cam Whitmore

The biggest moves of the offseason for the Wizards came from the draft and within the organization’s own walls. Washington’s decision to commit to Young was considerable. He’ll make near around $50 million for each of the next three seasons, then he has a massive $58.4 million player option for the 2029–30 season. It’s a contract that the team could regret and be stuck with as the team grows and it has to make decisions on paying its younger players.

Outside of the Young contract and the Dybantsa pick, Washington brought back Khris Middleton who went to Dallas in the middle of last season in the Davis trade. He’s another vet who can make buckets when the youngsters need it. Deandre Ayton is now on an expiring contract, and he’s a nice addition as a depth center behind Sarr.

SI’s prediction for the 2026-27 Wizards

Record: 32–50 | Predicting the 2026–27 NBA Standings: Which Teams Will Rise, Fall and Surprise?

The Wizards are a difficult team to project because of how much of their success depends on Young and Davis’s health. Plus, the franchise could decide to move on from Davis ahead of the deadline. If they remain available and Dybantsa contributes, Washington could surprise. With all the uncertainty and prior health issues, however, we can’t assume everything will click and the Wizards will compete in a loaded Eastern Conference. They should be much better than last year, which resulted in an NBA-worst 17–65 record. Nearly doubling last year’s win total and getting to striking distance of the play-in tournament isn’t bad, though.

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