Wizards Preview: Full Rebuild Is On As Front Office Keeping Focus On Future

October 17, 2024

Wizards Preview

A look at the Washington Wizards entering the 2024-25 season …

Coach: Brian Keefe
Last Season: 15-67 (failed to make the playoffs)
New Faces: Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, Jonas Valanciunas, Malcolm Brogdon, Saddiq Bey
Key Losses: Deni Avdija, Tyus Jones, Landry Shamet, Eugene Omoruyi, Jules Bernard, Hamidou Diallo

Overview

The Wizards are officially in teardown mode, and they’re not even pretending otherwise. New leadership under Michael Winger, Will Dawkins, and Travis Schlenk has made that much clear.

Dawkins himself said it before the season even tipped off — they’re still in the “deconstruction” phase of the rebuild. In other words, it’s a full-scale demolition job, and they’re taking this thing all the way down to the foundation, if not further.

The coaching staff reflects that, too. Brian Keefe was named the permanent head coach after his interim stint last year, but the bigger focus has been on bringing in development guys. Translation: teachers.

That’s exactly what you need when the goal isn’t to win now, but to shape raw, young talent into future NBA contributors. Keefe’s job is to teach these kids how to play, not turn this team into a contender overnight.

On the roster front, the Wizards made more moves to get younger and stay flexible. Gone are Deni Avdija and Tyus Jones — both shipped out for draft picks and veteran placeholders. Jones ended up in Phoenix on a bargain deal, and Avdija was dealt to Portland for two first-rounders and Malcolm Brogdon, a veteran who probably won’t be sticking around long. Brogdon’s a nice player, but he’s not part of the long-term plan. He’s trade bait, like pretty much every other veteran on this team.

Let’s not kid ourselves: this isn’t about wins and losses right now. This is about the lottery and building for the future. The Wizards are embracing the tank, plain and simple. That’s why they picked up young prospects like Alex Sarr and Carlton “Bub” Carrington in the draft, along with Kyshawn George. All three have upside, but don’t expect them to make Washington competitive in the short term. These kids are projects, and this team is all about patience.

But it’s not like the Wizards are going to stand pat on what they’ve got. Kyle Kuzma, Brogdon, Jonas Valanciunas — they’re all veterans who will be shopped around the league. The goal is to flip them for even more picks or young assets.

Heck, even Jordan Poole could be on the move if he shows any signs of bouncing back from last season’s disaster in Golden State. Right now, Washington needs players with potential, not established vets who can help them win meaningless games.

It’s a similar story with guys like Richaun Holmes and Marvin Bagley III. They’re not game-changers, but in the right scenario — say, a team dealing with injuries around midseason –they could net Washington a future pick or two.

Corey Kispert? He’s another name that could be moved, assuming the Wizards don’t lock him into a longer deal first.

Here’s the truth: this team won 15 games last year, and they might not even hit that mark this season. And that’s just fine with Winger, Dawkins, and Schlenk. They’re not trying to win; they’re trying to position themselves for the future, and that means being bad now to be better later.

With an eye on the 2025 draft, the Wizards want to be in the mix for a high lottery pick. The worse they finish, the better their odds of landing a franchise-changing player.

So don’t expect a sudden turnaround in Washington. This is a process, and it’s going to take time.

But if everything breaks right, and the young guys develop while the vets are flipped for more assets, the Wizards could be laying the groundwork for something special. Just don’t hold your breath waiting for it this season.