Wizards finally have foundation in place, but bigger decisions await

For years, the Wizards were collecting draft picks, clearing cap space and searching for a direction.

Now comes the harder part. As in, winning.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Washington enters the offseason with something it hasn’t had in a long time — a legitimate foundation.

The Wizards still finished just 17-65 this season, but the roster looks dramatically different than it did a few years ago.

Trae Young and Anthony Davis headline the veteran core, while Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson remain key pieces of the franchise’s future. Washington also owns the No. 1 overall pick in this month’s draft and is expected to choose between highly regarded prospects AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson.

The challenge now is turning potential into results.

Washington won consecutive games only four times all season and never managed a winning streak longer than two games. The Wizards also finished near the bottom of the league on both offense and defense.

This offseason could help determine how quickly that changes.

Young faces a decision on his $49 million player option, while Davis becomes extension-eligible later this summer. The organization is also expected to continue building around a young core that includes Coulibaly, who has emerged as one of the team’s most promising long-term pieces.

For the first time in a while, the Wizards aren’t focused solely on acquiring assets. They’ve already done that. Now they have to prove they can build a winner.