Three Winners and Three Losers from the Wizards' Ongoing Offseason

By just about every estimation and metric, the Washington Wizards look poised to take a big step forward from their humble rebuilding days this upcoming fall.

Granted, simply outpacing last season's league-low 17-win clip will impress no one considering just how gnarly the Wizards' 2025-26 campaign got to looking, but this team has its eyes on a much more competitive nightly product than anything they've angled over recent years. Big-swing draft picks and time-sensitive signings and trade acquisitions continually suggest that the Wizards have a lot to gain from finally surrounding their talented prospect pool with the talent needed to remain afloat in the bolstered Eastern Conference.

Washington Wizards Guards Trae Young and Tre Johnson — 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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Long-suffering fans dying to watch a major player bloom from the rubble of the rebuild are in luck, as are some of the players hoping to benefit from the organization's revealed priorities. But just as the shuffled rotation creates a few big winners, plenty of other contributors will have to spend the coming months attempting to win Washington's executive decision-makers over.

Winner: Trae Young Secures His Bag

Coming out of the 2025-26 season's scheduled festivities and in anticipation of the Wizards-headlined NBA Draft, all eyes fell to how the Wizards planned on managing their new highly-paid assets in Trae Young and Anthony Davis.

First up to the negotiation table was Young, who had a lucrative player-option standing in the way of his attempt to lock down some long-term security following his sudden trade from the Atlanta Hawks. He'd end up predictably-waiving that option in entering free agency, swiftly re-inking to Washington to the tune of a four-year $212 agreement that blew most outside expectations out of the water.

TRAE YOUNG HIGHLIGHTS TODAY:

21 POINTS (7/10) - 5 ASSISTS - 3 THREES (21 MIN)

TRAE IS TAKING US TO THE PROMISED LAND pic.twitter.com/xeSYz6isdQ
— WizardsMuse (@WizardsMuse1) March 17, 2026

That financial offer invited some criticism unto Washington's front office, with doubters immediately asking who they were bidding against for the undervalued guard's services while flagging some of the ways in which he can disrupt the Wizards' internal development. He can be inflexible as a hands-on distributor with his fair share of defensive limitations, but as team General Manager Will Dawkins confirmed, he's more interested in Young's inherent uplifting skills than outside market valuations.

The newly-paid point guard has a lot to look forward to beyond the paycheck, now armed with a slew of tertiary creators, shooting threats, defensive specialists and rim-rollers to diversify the Wizards' attack of the future. But unfortunately for Young's biggest-named co-star, not everyone earned the compensation they were looking for heading into this summer.

Loser: Anthony Davis Will Have to Wait Before Joining Young

Fellow former All-Star Davis is on a less-taxing timeline than the dilemma the team faced with Young, but that just means the acclaimed big man will have to wait a little longer before making his own trip to the bank.

Washington Wizards Guard Trae Young and Forward Anthony Davis — Apr 2, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) looks to pass as Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) defends during the fourth quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He was angling to sign an extension as soon as possible, playing into his inherent intrigue despite having yet to suit up for the Wizards since his February trade. Davis is eligible for a four-year agreement to be tacked onto his own lucrative 2027-28 player-option, but the Wizards, understandably unwilling to devote even more money to an asset who's yet to fully prove his long-term value to his new front office, are reportedly tabling contract talks until he puts sneakers to hardwood.

Following the blowback they received for their Young commitment, Washington's patience went acclaimed given their refusal to back down against Davis' powerful agency. He's still on the hook for years 15 and 16, and the Wizards are making the wise move in taking their time and placing the pressure on the decorated, if oft-injured star.

Winner: AJ Dybantsa Lands Alongside Plenty of Talent

Outside of those security-seeking names, the Wizards are mostly recognized for their prospect-heavy lineups. The amount of unproven, still-green talents lining their depth chart continue holding oddsmakers from going all-in on their playoff chances, but some of their young guns already look safer than others.

AJ Dybantsa, more than anyone, has earned as much good will as any recent draftee in Washington in anticipation of his NBA debut to come. He went first-overall in this summer's draft without hearing much in the way of disapproval, with the prospect's blend of second-to-none athleticism, instinctive length, offensive creativity and a winning mindset backing up his numbers and hype to the Wizards' evaluators.

Will Dawkins fresh out of Washington’s draft war room, and he gave some thoughts on the “calming” position his Wizards were put in when they landed the first pick, as well as how he’s already begun characteristically challenging AJ Dybantsa pic.twitter.com/OyQPtFwwBv
— All Wizards Talk (@AllWizardsTalk) June 24, 2026

Now, he's set to join a slew of respectable teammates capable of easing the do-it-all burden he may have faced alongside a lesser supporting cast, providing him with the bandwidth to develop and get comfortable while acclimating to the pros.

The amount of wanting ball-handlers and initiators at Dybantsa's sides may look like a complication for him to overcome in seizing the squad's reins, but the luxury to go where he's needed will help fortify his ancillary skills while he begins his track to stardom. He's a natural favorite to clinch the upcoming season's Rookie of the Year award, and his aiding the long-dormant franchise's return to positive relevance may make for his ideal present context.

Loser: Bub Carrington's Continued Grasp to Maintain Favor

Dybantsa is exactly the kind of player whom any lucky drafter would roll the red carpet out for: outside of his obvious talent, he represents the franchise's new era at a timely junction, with the organization finally readying for competitive hoops after years of the "deconstruction phase."

On the other end of the totem pole, though, sits Bub Carrington, one of the most fitting representatives of the past few lean years. He's been dependable as an always-available 3-point shot-maker, but already-brewing questions surrounding how much he's worth in a more competitive environment continue bubbling amidst talks of the team's desired ascent.

Washington Wizards Guard Bub Carrington — Mar 29, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) is introduced before the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Carrington's already been drifting in the direction of a perimeter-based scoring specialist with some passing juice, and the Wizards' have only continued ladling pressure onto his plate with a few of their recent offseason maneuvers.

Outside of their limiting his minutes with a bolstered rotation, their Tre Mann addition read to some fans as a direct challenger to Carrington's backup point guard opportunities. He'll have to troop on without old friends Cam Whitmore and Julian Reese- consequences of the Mann acquisition- at his side, leaving him to prove himself alongside his rapidly-improving peers without that same in-house support system.

Winner: Brian Keefe can Enjoy a Finally-Stacked Deck

There are several head coaches who've caught more flack than Brian Keefe over the last few NBA seasons, but that's partially because no one's ever payed him any mind. The only time that the regularly-ignored veteran of the game earns any attention seems to be during the anonymous player polls, where he's regularly trashed as one of the least popular at his position.

Washington Wizards Head Coach Brian Keefe and Center Tristan Vukcevic — Feb 26, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe reacts with forward Tristan Vukcevic (00) during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Keefe, who'd never enjoyed such a role prior to his midseason elevation back in 2024, lacks a positive sample size pre-Washington to elicit any benefit of the doubt, but he's a much more sympathetic character than his all-time Wizards record suggests. He's toughed out the near-entirety of the rebuild in the name of long-term development, consistently attempting to applaud the little wins while his franchise prioritizes draft capital.

He's grown into a beloved character in the eyes of his young corps after two and a half seasons guiding the ship, and his organization is similarly-faithful in Keefe's capabilities as the game manager of the future. Judging by the Wizards' recent star-caliber additions, he'll finally get his chance to prove himself to the masses this fall.

The job won't be easy considering the odd fits he'll have to manage within his quietly-crowded bed of playable options, but that's just the setting that distinguishes whether he's ready for whatever's up next.

Loser: Jamir Watkins' Unfortunate Career Pause

This one doesn't need the the same contextual cues to explain that most of the aforementioned contributors have required. Jamir Watkins, the defensive standout whom the Wizards snuck out of the second round in the 2025 NBA Draft, suffered a torn ACL during his NBA Summer League debut to end his sophomore year before it began.

Darryn Peterson crosses Jamir Watkins, who slips and tears his ACL, 102 seconds into a Summer League game.
Watkins immediately clutched at his left knee, and shortly after, intentionally fouled Peterson in order to get subbed out.
He was subbed back in 68 seconds later.
He played… pic.twitter.com/o6CE55m6H4
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) July 31, 2026

He was one of the bigger winners from this past campaign, slowly endearing himself to the fans with a level of dogged hustle that few teammates could match before eventually earning a full-time call-up to the show. Having entered the league at 24-going-on-25, he offered a level of mature role-understanding that a younger piece may not have flexed, but he did everything he had to do in preparing for niche fringe-rotation opportunities entering the next phase of his team's build.

Watkins fittingly went out like a trooper, shredding his knee almost immediately in the Wizards' Las Vegas tip-off against the Utah Jazz before putting the clamps on opposing star Darryn Peterson through the remainder of the outing. Even while physically hampered with an injury that everyone underestimated in the moment, he still provided a game-warping flavor that only a defender as disrupted and dedicated as he is could invite.

Jamir Watkins ALREADY starting to work his way back from his torn ACL 💪💪💪

(via @mirwatkins0\IG) pic.twitter.com/mkzD6iA5ys
— SleeperWizards (@SleeperWizards) August 22, 2026

For now, he'll have to wait for another calendar page to turn before re-joining his teammates on the floor. They'll miss his presence in the meantime, hurriedly attempting to round out their back court defense while he burns through the two-way contract he'd already signed.

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