Michael Winger, Will Dawkins go in-depth about the Washington Wizards' rebuild process
This offseason marked the hopeful start of the Wizards climb into playoff contention with head coach Brian Keefe back for a third season. Anchored by now a blend of young and veteran experience on the roster, the question now becomes what the realistic expectations for Washington in 2026-27 will be.
It's a welcomed development for Washington after watching the reconstruction phase that Winger and Dawkins warned owner Ted Leonsis could take five seasons come to an end seasons after three years, a sentiment emphasized by both executives during the 2025-26 season.
“We believe that mediocrity is frankly easily achievable, but there’s a very low ceiling of hope," Winger said back in January.
While the third consecutive sub-20 win season was routinely dubbed as tank watch by Wizards fans, 'tank' wasn't a word that was in the Wizards' vocabulary when owner Ted Leonsis turned to Winger and Dawkins to lead the franchise through a rebuilt. Instead, after leaning from Sam Presti and Danny Ferry, the process was about the vision set forth by new management.
“We didn’t say we were going to decide to blow it up. But we said if we wanted to go this route, this is kind of what it would look like," Dawkins said in an interview with Sports Business Journal. "And [Leonsis] was like, ‘Whatever route you guys think is best; that’s why I’m hiring you and trusting you.’"
Dawkins illustrated that vision through a deck presentation by describing both an average and longer rebuild while Winger cautioned the growing pains that the Wizards would have to battle through in order to get to the light at the end of the tunnel.
“I said, ‘Ted, you’ve got to understand: the fans are not going to be happy about this, we’re going to lose a lot of money, it’s going to have an effect on ratings,’” Winger says. “He’s like, ‘Yeah, I get it, but at the end of the day, I want to build this thing the right way, and I trust you to do it.’"
While the on-court results dragged, Washington put a premium on the details around the organization so that when success arrived, it was consistent throughout the organization. According to the Sports Business Journal, that included a chef on road trips, players and staff along with families getting bloodwork done for nutrition along with organizational restructuring.
That also includes 'decimal meetings', founded by Dawkins, where a player meets privately with ten to 12 staffers every ten games spanning from mental health to nutrition to coaching.
“I’m a venture capitalist,” Leonsis says. “I’m not afraid of taking risk. And a lot of times it’s: ‘Am I betting the jockey or the horse?’ … The NBA, as the horse, is rock solid," Leonsis said.
"It’s a growth stock. I looked, and I said, ‘If I can find the right jockeys to ride this horse that’s galloping…’”
Now, all eyes will be on whether Leonsis has the right jockeys to get the horse galloping with fans eager for a playoff caliber team in DC.