The Wizards Are Officially in Rebuild Mode, and the Draft Class of 2026 Could Change Everything in D.C.

The Washington Wizards' 2025-26 season is in the books at 17-64, and frankly, this feels like exactly where they need to be right now. After 21 trades in less than three years, the front office under president of basketball operations Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins has finally built a foundation worth talking about. The question now: what do they do with it?

A Lottery Ticket That Could Reshape the Roster

Washington holds the No. 1 overall pick in June, though they're sitting at 14% odds to land it. They also own No. 51 (via Minnesota) and No. 60 (via Oklahoma City), giving them three chances to inject young talent into a roster that's been completely overhauled in recent years. For a team that's been through this much turnover, the draft is the perfect reset button.

The Free Agency Wildcard

Things get interesting this summer when several key players hit the market. Trae Young holds a $49 million player option, D'Angelo Russell has a $6 million player option on the table, and Jamir Watkins is attached to a $2.2 million team option. Sharife Cooper will be restricted. These decisions will tell you everything about where the Wizards' front office thinks this team is heading. If they're shedding salary or making moves, the pieces are in place to do it.

What's Next

The Winger-Dawkins era is still young, but they've proven they're willing to make bold moves. Now comes the hard part: turning all those trades and draft picks into wins. The 2026 offseason will define whether this rebuild actually works.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.