Previewing the Washington Wizards for the 2026-27 Season
The Wizards have been going through a rebuild, but there is definitely some optimism surrounding the team heading into this season. They have had a good amount of young talent over the last few seasons, and those players are continuing to get older and develop. Adding AJ Dybantsa also gives the team a potential franchise player to build around going forward. Anthony Davis is expected to be healthy alongside Trae Young. This team definitely has the talent to be a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference, but it is extremely difficult to make such a massive jump after finishing as the 15th seed with a record of 17-65. We will see if that can change this season.
The Roster
Point Guards: Trae Young, Carlton Carrington, Tre Mann
Shooting Guards: Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, Jamir Watkins (Two-Way Contract)
Small Forwards: AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George, Khris Middleton
Power Forwards: Anthony Davis, Will Riley, Justin Champagnie, Anthony Gill
Centers: Alexandre Sarr, Deandre Ayton, Tristan Vukcevic, Felix Okpara (Two-Way Contract)
The roster is pretty similar to last season, with the additions of AJ Dybantsa and Deandre Ayton headlining the team's biggest changes. Dybantsa is obviously the biggest addition, as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft will most likely start for the team. There is also so much young talent on this roster that should continue to improve this season and beyond. Deandre Ayton was another nice addition and should be a very good bench piece for the team's frontcourt rotation.
Biggest Questions
The biggest question I have for this team is simple: Can they actually be competitive this year? The Wizards certainly have enough talent to earn a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference, but it is extremely difficult to make a jump like that from where they were a season ago. Health will also be a major factor in the team's success. I think the Wizards are in a similar position to the Utah Jazz, as both are younger teams that have been rebuilding for the last few seasons and are now ready to at least try to start competing. Time will tell if this Wizards team can be different from the last few seasons and actually start building a winning culture.
Another question I have is about head coach Brian Keefe. Keefe has not shown much as a head coach so far, but he also hasn't really had a fair opportunity. This season is his chance, and he needs to prove himself a little bit, or he might not be the team's coach for much longer. I think what puts him on the hot seat even more is that if the Wizards' job opened up next offseason, it would most likely be one of the best openings in the league. A roster loaded with young talent and Trae Young would be extremely intriguing for potential coaching candidates.
The last major question surrounding this team is how good the frontcourt duo of Anthony Davis and Alexandre Sarr can be. Sarr will be entering his third season and has shown a lot of potential so far, and we all know how good Anthony Davis can be when healthy. This is also a frontcourt that could be short-lived if the team struggles early and throughout the season. There is no question that Davis could become a major trade candidate before the deadline if things aren't going well. This frontcourt has the potential to be a top-10 frontcourt duo in the NBA if both players can put everything together, but that is still a big question mark. Time will tell how well they fit alongside each other.
Prediction Markets
Win Total: 34.5
To Win the NBA Finals: +15000 (21st Best Odds)
To Win the Eastern Conference: +7500 (12th Best Odds)
To Reach the Conference Finals: +2500 (12th Best Odds)
To Reach the Conference Semifinals: +1000 (12th Best Odds)
To Win the Division: +1600 (5th Best Odds)
To Make the Playoffs: +330
To Miss the Playoffs: -390
To Participate in the Play-In Tournament: +215
To Win the NBA Cup: +6500 (20th Best Odds)
These odds put the Wizards toward the bottom of the league. They suggest Washington will finish somewhere between the 11th and 13th seed in the Eastern Conference. That would still be a major improvement from where the team has been over the last few years. The Wizards definitely have the talent to do better than that, but as I mentioned earlier, making such a massive jump in one season is rare. With the Eastern Conference being so balanced and competitive this year, it will be even harder.
Final Prediction and Outlook
I think we will definitely see some improvement from the Wizards this season. With the amount of talent on this roster, it is hard to imagine them not getting better. I could see Anthony Davis being a trade candidate throughout the season, regardless of how well the team is playing, but especially if they struggle early in the year. Ultimately, I believe the Wizards are not quite ready to take that next step and will need some more time before becoming a legitimate playoff contender. However, I do expect to see improvement from the organization this season.
Final Prediction: 33-49 | 12th Seed
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