Three Things Wizards Must Focus on Post All-Star Break

The All-Star festivities have ended, which means it is time for the final stretch of the NBA season, and the Washington Wizards have some areas of focus for the final few games.

Feb 11, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Washington Wizards guard Jaden Hardy (8) celebrates his three-point basket in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The All-Star festivities have now happened and faded away, which means the dog days of the regular season are ahead. This is the time when many fringe playoff teams make a push to make the playoffs, and when contenders fight for home-court advantage. The Washington Wizards are in neither of those categories, as they have draft aspirations.

The Wizards currently sit at 14-39, with only 29 games left in the season. This record is currently the second-worst in the league, with the Sacramento Kings having the worst at 12-44. There could be so many areas the Wizards need to focus on post-All-Star break, but here are the three most important for the organization heading into the final two months of the season.

1: Lose, Lose, and Lose

Feb 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Tristan Vukcevic (00) reacts after having a technical foul called against him against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

It is not very often that losing is a goal for any team, but with the NBA lottery, it has become the norm. Recently, teams have faced punishments for tanking, such as the Utah Jazz being fined $500,000. The Wizards, though, are lucky enough to be so young that they can lose while not sitting players. The only two players with major injuries at the moment are Trae Young and Anthony Davis, both of whom might play rarely this season, if at all.

So, this means that the young guns of Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, and Alex Sarr will have to lead the way. The problem is that all three players have had lingering injuries, and Sarr is already injured and will be reevaluated after the break. This gives the organization the perfect time to create a gap in the lottery odds and finish with around a 20-52 record. The goal should be to have the worst record, as that would keep the Wizards from falling lower than fifth overall in the draft.

2: Development

Feb 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat during the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

We have a clear sign of what players George, Sarr, and even Johnson will be, but the book is still unwritten for other young guys on the roster. Bub Carrington is entering a crucial season next year; with Young on the squad, it seems Carrington will have to settle for being a backup. This final stretch of games should be all about developing his chemistry with other bench players, like Justin Champagnie.

Others also need some developmental time, like Bilal Coulibaly and Will Riley. Coulibaly is about to enter the final year of his rookie deal and needs to give the team a reason why he should not be traded to create time for other players. Riley also has a skillset the team could use off the bench, but they will not know how to properly use him without increased minutes. Some two-way players will also be focused on, like Tristan Vuckevic, who will no longer be eligible for a two-way contract after this season.

3: Figure Out the Plan with Anthony Davis

Jan 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts after being fouled against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

When the Wizards traded for Davis, it was a move that came out of nowhere. It was reported just mere minutes before the trade was announced that the Wizards checked in about Domantas Sabonis. Although Davis is one of the NBA's best big men of all time, what exactly is his role in Washington?

The only way the Wizards can figure this out is by seeing him play with the current squad. It is still in the air whether Davis suits up at all this season, but if he does, the entire roster should play. The team needs to determine if they will trade him again, let him walk in free agency, or try to sign him to a friendly deal.

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