ESPN Has Negative Outlook on Wizards' Future

The Washington Wizards are in the midst of a lofty rebuild.

The team is coming off yet another disappointing season, finishing with an 18-64 record that came in near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

They remained one of the busiest teams in the offseason, trading Jordan Poole to the New Orleans Pelicans for CJ McCollum and alao acquiring Cam Whitmore via trade with the Houston Rockets.

Despite an impressive offseason, one that saw the team continue to stack draft picks, create cap Flexibility, and build on their youth movement, the team ranked near the bottom of ESPN's NBA Three-Year Outlook Power Ranking, coming in at 26.

"If we were basing the FPR on draft assets and cap flexibility, Washington would rank near the top. The Wizards could have up to $80 million in cap space next summer, and over the next seven years, the franchise boasts 10 firsts and 13 seconds. The Wizards are in the bottom five, however, largely because of a roster that features a league-high 10 players on first-round rookie contracts, including Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr. If the former first-round picks take a big step in development, we could see the Wizards take a jump on this list."

Wizards fans are hopeful that one of their young core players can take a massive leap next season. The franchise has spent the better part of the past few years drafting inside the top ten in the NBA Draft most recently selecting the No. 6 pick of the draft selecting Tre Johnson. Last season they took French big-man Alex Sarr with the No. 2 overall pick hoping the two could be the cornerstones for the franchise year to come.

Sarr is coming off of a productive rookie season, one where he averaged 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks.

Apr 13, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) defends Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) during the second half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Other young players, such as Keyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington have shown encouraging signs for Wizards fans.

The team has managed to clear cap space also by trading away established stars like Poole and Kyle Kuzma.

While the team may not be ready to compete in the NBA immediately, it's clear that they are trending in the right direction and could rise higher on this list within the next three years.

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