Wizards Need to Address Big Front Court Issue

Despite the Washington Wizards showing really positive signs nearly halfway through year three of a grueling rebuild, there is still a glaring hole that remains unattended to and will need to be fixed.

Through all of the positive strides Washington has made, there have been an equal number of problems that have arisen, with the largest being the big-man spot.

Washington Wizards Center Alex Sar — Jan 14, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) and center Brook Lopez (11) defend Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Wizards will likely never have to worry about finding their staple piece there, as second-year big man Alex Sarr has done more than enough to cement himself as one of the brightest young pieces in the entire NBA. However, despite the 7-foot Frenchman’s undeniable talent, he still has his fair share of flaws, with arguably none being more glaring than his lack of physical strength.

To this point, Sarr has been able to mask many of his faults and rely on his talent to produce at a high level, reflected by the clear improvements he made from year one to year two. However, Sarr has been exposed at times by bigger, stronger players who are able to move him around on the inside and assert their will.

To further drive this point home, look no further than Washington’s most recent game versus the Los Angeles Clippers, as big man Ivica Zubac was able to physically overpower Sarr on the interior, out-rebounding him 12 to six. Sarr was still able to assert himself using his skill, feel, and touch, finishing the game with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, but when the going got tough, Sarr was exposed.

Wizards young core today:

Alex Sarr:
28 PTS | 6 REB | 10-19 FG | +11

Kyshawn George:
18 PTS | 6 AST | 6 REB | 3 STL

Bub Carrington:
17 PTS | 7 AST | 6 REB | 7-12 FG

Tre Johnson:
15 PTS | 5 AST | 6-12 FG | +14 pic.twitter.com/3BpO1LTauX
— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) January 19, 2026

With 5.9 seconds remaining in the game, Clippers guard James Harden was sent to the free-throw line holding a 108–106 lead, meaning that if he hit both free throws, Los Angeles would be up two possessions and virtually win the game. However, things didn’t go as planned for Harden, as he missed both free throws, leaving a window open for the Wizards.

On the second free throw, however, chaos occurred as Zubac was able to bury Sarr under the basket and tip the rebound out to a teammate, leading to another pair of free throws—which weren’t missed this time. Sarr’s rebounding and physicality struggles have been exposed all year, reflected by him posting a rebounding rate of just 14.2% despite standing 7-feet tall.

Luckily for the Wizards, the solution to this problem has already been laid out. Multiple other bigs in the NBA with similar skill sets to Sarr have also struggled with the same issues, holding their teams back in the short term. However, if front offices identify the flaws early and act on them, the problem can be fixed.

To see proof of this, look no further than the Cleveland Cavaliers pairing Evan Mobley with Jarrett Allen, or the Oklahoma City Thunder pairing Chet Holmgren with Isaiah Hartenstein.

Realizing the problem is far easier than fixing it, as physically imposing bigs who are skilled in their own right are hard to come by. However, if Washington plays its cards right and finds the correct partner to pair next to Sarr, it could be the final step needed to truly maximize the already endless ceiling of the 20-year-old big man.

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