Wizards Continue Careening Towards Secure Draft Pick

The Washington Wizards are looking likelier than ever to hold onto their top draft asset.

Feb 20, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) drives against Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (7) during the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

There was one a time when the Washington Wizards seemingly couldn't seem to stop winning.

Occasional victories aren't much for any contending team to hang their hat on, but that's not the Wizards' problem quite yet. Their interest lies in holding onto their top-eight protected first-round pick, an asset that could be secured well ahead of the lottery drawing by locking down a bottom-four record. And much to the fan base's chagrin, the Wizards spent a few weeks between late January and early February winning six of 11 games, threatening the chance of their walking into the offseason with a guaranteed swing at the summer's top prospects.

Jan 24, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Darryn Peterson (22) looks to pass against BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) during the first half at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Their last slew of wins, a successful back-to-back sweep of the Indiana Pacers in Washington, started really alarming fans. After all, the Pacers were one of the few teams capable of out-tanking the Wizards, and used that end-of-week push to surge deeper into their own push for the game's worst record.

But that was a month ago. Feb. 20 was when the Wizards won their last game in a blowout at Indiana's expense, and they've added 14 consecutive losses to their record in plunging to 16-53. They have a clear shot at the second-worst mark in the NBA with 13 games remaining, and just a few outside operations stand in their way of spurning the New York Knicks and prevailing on to the lottery in a few months.

Racing the Pacers

Even if the Wizards make franchise history and lose out to finish the 2025-26 regular season, the Pacers still hold an edge with their own 15-55 standing and their own loss-based initiatives. Outside of them, the Wizards' prime tank rivals are the Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings. Washington's done with their Kings matchups for the season, but one more visit to Brooklyn remains on their horizon.

Their emptied rotation can look on a nightly basis for beleaguered fans, and the ugly is intentional. Trae Young and Alex Sarr remain on strict minutes restrictions while Anthony Davis and Kyshawn George are expected to miss whatever's left of the season, leaving reserves like Will Riley and Bub Carrington to step into starting roles while deeper cuts in Sharife Cooper and Anthony Gill eat whatever minutes remain.

Mar 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Will Riley (27) takes a shot during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz currently stand as the fifth-worst team, and considering their 4.5 game lead on the Wizards, Washington would need to win a half-dozen games to exit the bottom-four and lose the guarantee that they'll hold onto their pick. The tank is still full steam ahead, and assuming current trends continue holding against a tough scheduled close to the season, they'll continue losing down the stretch to finally put their fans at ease.

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