Why the Wizards Should Ignore their Former Star's Draft Advice

As suddenly as the NBA Draft Lottery can change a franchise's trajectory, most rebuilding organizations spend year(s) planning the welcoming process for the game-changing prospects they hope to implement into their vision.

The Washington Wizards, for instance, hadn't lucked out in a long time entering last month's live draft order reveal. A long history of watching their picks hold pat or drop compared to where they expected to land may have frustrated their fan base, but the intriguing draftees and general team-building moves they decided on in the meantime set the stage for this upcoming cycle. The 2026 Draft stands mere weeks away, and the Wizards control the first pick on the board.

AJ Dybantsa, the general favorite to lead off the class, would be arriving in D.C. at the perfect time assuming Wizards management decides to pull the trigger on the BYU forward. The team is done with focusing so much on summer drafts, now approaching a fourth round of talent evaluation, and their pre-picked assortment of fellow draftees and veterans profile as the ideal infrastructure for a game-changing accelerant.

That context makes one former Wizards star's advice that much more confounding. Dybantsa made a stop at "Gil's Arena," a podcast hosted by former Washington All-Star Gilbert Arenas, and he made a drastic evaluation in thoughtfully declaring "If you're gonna be on the Wizards, I'm trading everybody."

Gilbert Arenas says if AJ Dybantsa is going to be on the Wizards they should trade everybody:

“The reason I say that is you are the number one pick and you have the personality. You are a star and since you are the star, I need you to take over instantly. So I don’t need any… https://t.co/2gWGcnNqws pic.twitter.com/dDfq62ouXZ
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) June 2, 2026

Even Dybantsa was visibly floored by Arenas' assessment, but Arenas moved forward in his detail. "You have the personality, you are a star and since you are the star, I need you to take over instantly. So I don’t need any other ex-stars or anybody who wants to still be a star there. I need full spotlight on you.”

He's correct in pinpointing Washington's need to prioritize Dybantsa, but that's about where Arenas runs out of helpful input to the conversation surrounding the star prospect's fit as a Wizard. Unplugging the ongoing re-tool for the umpteenth time wouldn't just up-end the years of progress the organization has subtly enjoyed; it would also do real potential damage to the team's new centerpiece.

The Wizards' Set Foundation

Arenas' concerns are pointed. His comment about "ex-stars" is a clear jab at relatively-recent trade acquisitions in Trae Young and Anthony Davis, supposed threats to infringe upon Dybantsa's ascent, and anyone who "wants to be a star" is clearly made to signify the importance that the draft headliner assert himself above Wizards draft picks past.

There are a few loose ends involved with Arenas' plan for a self-inflicted demolition that he's failed to tie up. Notably, it would completely waste the last three years of internal development, tough seasons in which the Wizards made up for hefty loss columns by repeatedly locating and developing worthwhile prospects. Sure, there may be a slight case of too-many-wings, but none of the deferential shooters, passers or bigs would get in the ball-handler's way.

The role players are there to propel winning, and no member of the young corps, save for Kyshawn George, is capable of even approaching Dybantsa's combination of playmaking, scoring and positional versatility.

Washington Wizards Forward Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George — Dec 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) celebrates with Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) after scoring while being fouled by Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (not pictured) in the final seconds of the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Young and Davis similarly have plenty to offer Dybantsa and the Wizards aside from chasing the shadows of their All-Star primes. Neither of the former franchise icons are cooked goods, each having plenty of on-court production to offer in a winning environment despite getting traded at respective low points; while Young can spell some of the first pick's handling and playmaking burden, Davis is plenty qualified to ease up Washington's defense as a rotating shot-blocker.

They'll still get their production in, and that's okay. Dybantsa's yet to play an NBA minute, let alone get officially or publicly claimed by the Wizards, and there's no reason to believe that he's already ready to push everyone else out of his way.

Arenas' Need for Reflection

Those familiar faces received the brunt of Arenas' concerns, but he failed to see the irony in his words between the barbs. Another barren roster would effectively recreate the situation that the last promising era of Wizards basketball had to field, one that Arenas directly contributed to.

Former Washington Wizards Guards Gilbert Arenas and John Wall — Oct 5, 2010; Dallas, TX, USA; Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas (9) talks with guard John Wall (2) in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

John Wall and Bradley Beal walked into a desolate Washington situation in the early 2010s, with Wall particularly exposed to its lack of leadership. After a year of Arenas' infamous decision to facilitate a locker room gun show-and-tell hanging over the organization, he was dealt to the Orlando Magic two months into Wall's Wizards journey, leaving the star guards with about as little to work with as Dybantsa should look forward to in the podcaster's hypothetical.

Whoever the Wizards land on in their first whack at the No. 1 overall pick since Wall should take centerstage in management's schematic, no doubt. But for a front office who's becoming known for sticking to their strategy, playing the long game and making well-thought out moves, Arenas' impulsive plans strays too far from the status quo for anyone to be realistically worried that this is the play.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!xfteam

Add us as a preferred source on Google