The NBA is Turning the Wizards Turn Into a Super Team

The NBA is making some changes to the draft lottery to stop tanking, but what they just did is going to create a super team.

Mar 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) celebrates with guard Tre Johnson (12) during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

If you ask the majority of NBA fans which team has been one of the worst in the past decade or two, they would more than likely say the Washington Wizards. Although this is not what fans would want to hear, it is the truth. Washington has been one of the worst teams since 2020 and has had very few successful seasons since the start of 2010. This narrative of Washington being one of the worst teams is about to change, as they are on the verge of having a super team thanks to a recent draft change.

Wizards Escaped Tanking at the Right Time

May 10, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Mark Tatum the NBA Deputy Commissioner and Washington Wizard (left) guard John Wall pose for photos after Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery at Navy Pier. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

The NBA recently changed the draft lottery system. The odds have now flattened even more, and the worst three teams no longer have the best odds at first overall in the draft. Instead, the three worst teams have only a 5.4 percent chance of drafting first. They now only have a 16 percent chance to draft in the top three of the draft. The lowest these teams can also drop is 12th overall.

If this were implemented this season, the Wizards would most likely have fallen outside the top eight based on odds alone. This alone would kill any chance this team has of finding their franchise star in the draft. Luckily, they are getting out at the right time after landing the first overall pick. Some teams won't be so lucky under other rules, though.

In addition to the flattened odds, the remaining teams not in the play-in or playoffs will have an 8.1 percent chance to land the first pick. Teams can also not draft first overall in back-to-back years. The biggest addition, though, was not allowing teams to draft in the top five three years in a row. This rule would have meant the San Antonio Spurs would be without Dylan Harper, a key reason they made the NBA Finals.

Why The Wizards Benefit

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

Strangely, the Wizards are the biggest winners from these new lottery changes. The first reason is that this was the first year the team drafted first overall or in the top five with these new rules. This means that if the Wizards are a play-in team (which they are likely to be), they still have a great chance of landing a top-five pick. This alone will add to their future depth off the bench.

The second reason is the picks and swap rights they own from other teams. From 2028 to 2030, the Wizards either own another team's picks or have the right to swap them. The most notable picks the Wizards own are from the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns. While both squads were play-in teams this year, the future may not be so kind in the tough Western Conference.

The year when this new rule will be huge for the team's future is 2029. The Wizards will receive the second-most favorable pick from the Trail Blazers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Boston Celtics. Every single one of these teams could see themselves in the play-in, or even miss the play-in, that year. The Celtics are going to run into financial problems, the Bucks are about to lose Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Trail Blazers have to fight with teams like the Spurs, Utah Jazz, and Oklahoma City Thunder, all teams with bright futures.

This means there is a world where next season the Wizards receive another top five pick, then in 2029 have their odds reset to land the first pick and be in the top five. Meaning that by 2030, the Wizards could be rostering two second-overall picks, the first overall pick, and another top-five pick. Not to mention all the depth they have from talent they find at the end of the first round.

Although the new rule has been met with criticism, the devil on the Wizards' shoulder is saying to embrace it. If they do, the Wizards could become a super team and, in turn, be the best team in the Eastern Conference. Of course, this is all hypothetical, but the new lottery will only help the Wizards.

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