Wizards May Be Further Along Than We Thought

Not too long ago, the Washington Wizards were 1–15 and on the verge of breaking a franchise record for the longest losing streak. Vibes in the District were at an all-time low, leading fans to question the validity of the front office and its judgment on how the rebuild should be handled.

Guard Kyshawn George Washington Wizard — Dec 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) shoots the ball over Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Seemingly everyone except Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George was underperforming, and young players weren’t getting opportunities to prove themselves. To make matters worse, Washington didn’t have many serious lingering injuries, meaning the team was performing that poorly night to night with a mostly complete roster.

However, just a few weeks later, the Wizards have found themselves on their hottest stretch of the season, going 3–3 in their last six games. Although a .500 record is far from impressive—and for good teams is more a sign of poor play than success—for a rebuilding Wizards team, it’s one of the highest achievements that can realistically be reached.

Don’t look now, but the Wizards are 3-3 over their last six games, with two of those wins by 19+ points.

It’s not the most impressive record over a 6-game span, but for a team which started the season 3-20, it’s certainly a step in the right direction. pic.twitter.com/YZq0qr84DB
— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) December 27, 2025

Over this recent stretch, Washington’s young core has shined. George and Sarr have been their usual selves, generating offense at a high clip while anchoring the team defensively. The real improvements in overall performance have come from players who were either underperforming early or weren’t getting opportunities.

Bub Carrington sits at the top of that group. Early in the year, Carrington struggled to find his groove after being thrust into a more on-ball role he wasn’t ready to fill. As the season has progressed, he’s reset. Carrington has settled back into a combo-guard role, allowing him to focus primarily on scoring while handling playmaking duties in spurts.

Tre Johnson and Bilal Coulibaly have also started to find their footing. Coulibaly has been in a tough spot all season, battling injuries that forced him in and out of the rotation. That inconsistency has led to mixed offensive results, but he brings a level of perimeter defense that no one else on the roster can replicate, keeping his value steady.

Don’t let the nba uni clones fool you the wizards future is dark pic.twitter.com/Jt0LdxVHWy
— TreMuse (@TreJohnsonMuse_) December 27, 2025

Johnson has been in a similar situation, dealing with injuries early on. However, when he’s been on the floor, he’s been impressive, showcasing elite shot-creation ability along with intriguing playmaking feel. There are still kinks to work out if he wants to maximize his value, but for a rookie, it’s hard to ask for much more.

It’s hard to imagine Washington sustaining this stretch for the rest of the season, but even so, it has brought a sense of hope that the Wizards may be closer to their end goal than previously expected.

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