Aug 8, 2026 10:00 AM
The first, unofficial chance to watch the Washington Wizards has been announced with the four game preseason schedule finalized
The Washington Wizards will unofficially kick off the next chapter of the franchise one month from today.
The NBA announced the 2026 preseason slate on Friday afternoon with four games on the schedule.
The Wizards will return to the floor on Thursday, Oct. 8 when they travel to face the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden with tipoff set for 7:30 PM. With a chance to kick off the slate against the defending NBA champions, it will also serve as a homecoming for Patrick Ewing after arriving as one of the newest assistants under head coach Brian Keefe. Ewing, a former Knicks star, previously served as an ambassador for the Knicks during their championship run.
The unofficial home opener will then come on Saturday, Oct. 10 when they host the Detroit Pistons for a 7 PM tipoff. Washington will then return to Capital One Arena two days later to host the Brooklyn Nets for a 7 PM tipoff, featuring a game with two lottery picks as Mikel Brown Jr. heads to town to face AJ Dybantsa. Washington will close out the preseason slate with a road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center set for Friday, Oct. 16 for an 8 PM tipoff. The finale also marks a reunion against a pair of former teammates at both St. Frances Academy and the University of Maryland when Wizards forward Julian Reese battles against Pelicans forward Derik Queen.
The Wizards also announced that all preseason games will be available to fans within the DMV on Monumental Sports Network, along with streamed on both the app and website. Radio will be available on the official Wizards app, The Team 980 and WFED 1500, per release.
How much the primary starters and rotation ends up playing through the opening games will be a question that head coach Brian Keefe answers later, or whether star center Alex Sarr will be available after undergoing surgery in mid-June after suffering a fractured right foot during offseason workouts.
Still, it will mark the first chance for the new-look roster to begin meshing as the Wizards look to begin putting the pieces together for a hopeful postseason run.
In the first of likely several moves ahead of training camp, Washington also signed former Wizards and G League guard Alondes Williams to an Exhibit 10 deal as general manager Will Dawkins still has an available roster spot to fill. Veteran wing DeMar DeRozan was once again tied to the Wizards on Friday afternoon alongside three other teams during his search in free agency.
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