NBA Releases 2026-27 Group Stage Schedule for Washington Wizards

The next batch of Washington Wizards games on the upcoming 2026-27 schedule was officially released on Wednesday after the league announced the schedule for group play in the 2026-27 Emirates NBA Cup.

Game one is set for October 30 against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena with tipoff set for 7 PM. This marks the first known meeting against the divisional opponent who is coming off a roster makeover this offseason after sending LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns, building around former lottery pick Kon Knueppel ahead of his second season. The Wizards lost all four meetings against the Hornets last season.

The first road game of the NBA Cup will also feature a reunion with the Wizards set to travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Nov. 6, marking the first time that Trae Young will potentially face off against his former team since being traded to Washington ahead of last season's trade deadline. The Wizards dropped three of the four meetings last season.

Washington will then stay on the road for game three when they take on the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 20, featuring a matchup against a pair of top-four picks as AJ Dybantsa faces off Caleb Wilson in their first matchup since being drafted. The Wizards lost all three meetings against the Bulls last season.

The Wizards are set to close out the fourth and final game of group play against the Boston Celtics back at Capital One Arena. Tipoff is set for 8 PM on NBC, marking the first known nationally televised game on the Wizards' schedule. While the matchup also gives Dybantsa a chance to square off against his childhood team, the Celtics will also enter the regular season looking to redefine themselves after trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia Sixers in exchange for Paul George. The Celtics won all three meetings between the two teams last season.

As for Washington, they will enter this year's NBA Cup looking to turn the page from a disastrous three seasons filled with results given last season's 132-113 win over the Hawks marked the organization's lone win across 12 games.

Group play through the NBA Cup will continue through Nov. 27 before the quarterfinals begin on Dec. 4, semifinals on Dec. 8 followed by the championship game set for Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.