Projecting the Wizards Starting Lineup and Rotation After the NBA Draft

The Washington Wizards have a better idea of which players they'll routinely deploy entering this upcoming season following the NBA Draft.

Jun 25, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards first round draft pick and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa speaks to the media during a press conference at InterContinental Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Despite the NBA Draft's prominence at the centerpiece of most squad's summers, a lot of offseason still remains to endure between now and the start of autumn's regularly-scheduled matchup calendar.

A team like the Washington Wizards, for example, already clinched the primary objective of their team-building to-do list. They locked in AJ Dybantsa at No. 1 in the recently-past NBA Draft to secure their franchise face of the future, and while many of their league-wide peers now turn to free agency in rounding out any remaining roster holes, the already-constructed Wizards' young corps is rapidly running out of vacancies to fill.

Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA Commissioner poses with the first pick in the 2026 NBA draft selected by the Washington Wizards, BYU forward AJ Dybantsa at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Dybantsa, along with second round draftee Felix Okpara, will join the Wizards as hand-picked draft prospects Nos. nine and 10 in further rounding out the ready-to-ascend platoon of untested pieces. They, along with a few carefully-selected veterans, will go on to make up the 2026-27 locker room -- now, how they'll handle the minute battles remains to be seen, but judging from last spring's results and how the front office is already discussing the Wizards' newest additions, we have some ideas as to who'll play and who should start preparing for comfortable spots along Washington's pine.

The Wizards' Yet-to-be-Revealed Starting Five

The top prospect out of BYU will have no problem moseying into Washington's opening lineup between now and the fall. Even if the politics surrounding the best utilization of the No. 1 pick weren't relevant, he's too dynamic an athlete and too enticing a playmaker to be treated like a secondary priority.

AJ Dybantsa puts up first career triple-double 🔥

33 PTS | 11-13 FG | 10 REB | 10 AST | 36 MINS pic.twitter.com/quHn7dqkCQ

— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) December 23, 2025

Trae Young and Anthony Davis can similarly prepare for immediate starting gigs as known quantities, having combined for 14 All-Star appearances between Young's passing touch and Davis' two-way game-wrecking. Even if Washington did acquire both of the household names at lulls in their NBA-wide valuations, neither Young nor Davis has proven much to suggest they're out of their primes.

Alex Sarr, too, can expect a spot within the Wizards' prized five-man group as the most alluring non-Dybantsa member of the organization's young talent collection. He took big steps forward in adding more consistency to his offensive bag between his first and second seasons, and seems poised to thrive with Young feeding him lobs while Davis dominates alongside the fellow big man on defense.

Feb 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) looks up during a free throw against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

That leaves one starting slot remaining for every other Wizard to fight for, but this is where some of Washington General Manager Will Dawkins' easy-t0-miss post-draft quotes on Dybantsa should receive the focus they deserve.

The 6'9 Dybantsa is too dangerous and versatile a ball-handler, slasher and creator to get lumped into a simple catch-all position group, and Dawkins sounded all-in on utilizing that unique skillset in jumbo lineups. "I think we're most dangerous when you have multiple decision makers and multiple size and length on the floor," he commented. "Adding him, we're the tallest group of guards in the league."

If he's set to join Young's back court, that leaves an open spot along the wings to squeeze between the guards and the towers fortifying the paint. Enter Kyshawn George.

The forward took advantage of last season's wide-open on-ball reps to rise into the clear-cut second-best full-time member of the 2025-26 Wizards, strong enough to burrow his way to his spots in the midrange and behind the 3-point line while smoothly pulling up and shooting from wherever he wants to inspiring success.

Feb 28, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) shoots the ball while being fouled by Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

His defense will come in handy next to an unproven stopper in Dybantsa, as will his jump shot in a Young-led offense dependent on outside play-finishers. He won't enjoy the same usage rate luxuries he saw last year alongside so many other qualified scorers, but Washington's raw size with George alongside the centers could be good enough to offset defensive doubts begged by the back court.

Who'll Regularly Support the Starters?

Outside of former star sophomores George and Sarr, the rest of the Wizards will walk into the upcoming seasons as off-fitting mysteries.

Some more necessary presences make fans wonder for a lack of recent information. Young, for instance, suited up just five times a Wizard before his injury-riddled season met an early end, while the famously brittle Davis never actually touched Washington's court between his sudden trade to D.C. and end-of-season media availability.

Mar 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Injured Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (M) watches from the bench against the Utah Jazz in the first halfat Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

But at least we know what they'll provide at their best in a competitive situation. We watch the playoffs every year; we've seen time and time again how Young's playmaking gravity raises floors and what raw damage AD can do with his firm defensive versatility and scoring mastery.

The same can't be said of the remaining Wizards cast members. The bench is a general who's-who of intriguing prospects with spark plug scoring and defensive effort to offer, leaving tertiary chances wide open for the taking for whoever best capitalizes on their opportunities.

As far as favored reserve hands go, though, we can pencil in a few names.

Bilal Coulibaly, for one, can expect quick calls into halves, especially given the Wizards new identity atop the depth chart. He's a quick defender capable of salvaging some of Young's shortcomings on that end of the floor and an athletic off-ball athlete to replicate some of Dybantsa's above-the-rim flair, giving him a shot at staggering possessions with the newest star wing.

Bilal Coulibaly STOCKS reel pic.twitter.com/1D3VldVaQJ

— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) June 4, 2024

Those same attributes will surely win Justin Champagnie appearances of his own. Coulibaly's raw intrigue dangles the potential of a higher ceiling compared to the sturdier forward, but he's a firm stopper and dogged rebounder on a team that needs help on the boards.

He's had to deal with slow starts to seasons over past campaigns, but he's proven enough to begin this upcoming season an off-the-bench regular.

Jan 11, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) with guard Will Riley (27) against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Rising sophomores Tre Johnson and Will Riley can help make up for those offensive limitations with ease, even if they, too, should expect fewer pays drawn up specifically for them. Johnson, the lights-out shooter, can thrive as an always-lingering catch-and-shoot weapon and creative closeout-punisher off the dribble, while Riley remains content with leveraging his pace and eye for passing in locating good shots for all involved.

Those four contributors remain a step down from the talent and flexibility tied to the starting faces, but they're each appealing and needed enough to see plenty of opportunities on a nightly basis. Bub Carrington and Jamir Watkins, too, have plenty to demonstrate, just maybe not on the same near-20 minute per night expectations.

Carrington is going to have to get used to life as Young's backup point guard, as despite last season's outlier attendance numbers, the star handler is normally quite available. The Wizards' own iron man may not be much of a threat to crash the rim on his own scoring attempts, but that 40% hit-rate from 3-point land will be tough not to try exploiting.

Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) looks on during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Watkins, in his own right, functions as a mini-Champagnie. His jumper is even more of a work in progress, though he's strong enough to body up on offense and defense, specifically as a pass-picker. Wizards head coach Brian Keefe will never say no to more disruptors, and Washington management's choice to sign Watkins through next season seems to indicate they'll take what he's selling.

Wizards Stuck Outside Looking In

Deeper on the bench remain a number of score-first options looking to make the most of their marginal minutes.

Tough shot-makers like Cam Whitmore and Jaden Hardy can't be completely ruled out for their stronger driving archetypes, especially considering the blood clots that prematurely ended Whitmore's season and Hardy's strong close to the schedule. Their streaky jumpers and respective willingness to buy into a team-wide defensive culture will dictate how often they're featured alongside the major players.

Oct 24, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) celebrates with Washington Wizards forward Cam Whitmore (1) during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Another layer even deeper into the fringes remain a few question marks that have yet to be resolved by the Wizards' shot-calling suits. D'Angelo Russell will stay on Washington's books until he's offloaded while Anthony Gill awaits his next free agency move, leaving a mishmash of third-string bigs to contend for the role of Davis' and Sarr's go-to understudy.

Tristan Vukcevic seems like the next man up, at least if we're judging purely by the Wizards' hierarchy of experience, but his lack of any positive defensive impact as a shot-happy seven-footer makes his inconsistent results that much harder to stomach as a rotational regular. Julian Reese will hope to factor into the rebounding department in whatever opportunities he can scratch and claw his way to, assuming he gets re-upped on another two-way deal, as will the Wizards' second rookie in the rim-running Okpara.

I asked Wizards second rounder Felix Okpara how he envisions working/w Trae Young, and he sounded pumped.

“I love catching lobs, I like dunking the ball… I think the first ever lob I’m gonna catch, you might see a big smile on my face.”

“Mine, too,” Will Dawkins added. pic.twitter.com/jg54amPyxI

— All Wizards Talk (@AllWizardsTalk) June 26, 2026

In the Wizards' perfect world, Okpara can quickly come into his own as Young's next fast-break rim-finisher, though another free agent big may have to earn consideration between his long road to major NBA minutes and availability concerns already surrounding the front court.

The only factor interfering with the pitch for yet another added contributor is the team's crowded on-court payroll rundown. That's 18 players I've named, and the NBA caps full big-league deals at 15 per organization.

Sure, if we assume Gill's a goner, we're down to 17, just like Reese and Okpara figure in as assumed G League relegation candidates. But that just puts us back at 15 without making any new signings, setting the stage for trade season. Russell, as well as any prospect deemed expendable, may be on the move in the name of clearing roster room, an understandable effort given the Wizards' inexperienced assortment of up-and-comers.

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