With a rebuilding season complete in DC, we take a look at three things we learned from the Washington Wizards during the 2025-26 season
The end of the Washington Wizards season has officially come to an end with all eyes set on how the Wizards can turn the page from the rebuilding stage of the franchise. With Brian Keefe set to return as head coach in 2026-27, we take a look at three things we learned from the team's third consecutive sub-20 win season.
The Trae Young experiment will make the Wizards better
It was a much shorter stint than many hoped for, but the glimpse into the Trae Young era in DC fueled optimism for what's to come. The former Hawks guard notched at least five assists in all five appearances, along with at least six in four of his five games, while also finishing in double figures scoring each appearance. It's an encouraging sign given Young was on a minutes restriction, playing no more than 24 minutes and usually subbed out for the night by the middle of the third quarter.
Though the Wizards lost all five games Young appeared, including three by single digits, there was an element of playmaking that he added to the floor that the team has lacked since John Wall while flashing his shooting touch after shooting nearly 60% from the field and 43% from three. Tre Johnson may have struggled shooting while paired with Young, but the floor spacing was evident given Young's outside threat as Bilal Coulibaly capitalized with a pair of 20-point games. Only two of Young's appearances came alongside Alex Sarr, who was also on a minute restriction at the time, while Kyshawn George was unavailable for all five games before ultimately being ruled out for the season.
The pairing of Anthony Davis and Sarr with Young adds to what could become of the Wizards 2026-27 offense, but the signs of optimism lived up to expectations in the limited showings.
Will Riley elevates the Wizards' ceiling
After Tre Johnson dazzled to begin the season, Will Riley was the one to end the season as maybe the most intriguing of the three rookies drafted by the team. Riley finished seventh among rookies in scoring after the All Star break where he seemingly elevated expectations with each passing week, eventually amassing seven 20-point games and consecutive 30 point games in a pair of weekend losses in the final weeks of the regular season. How he did it may have been most impressive after showing his outside scoring touch is paired with efficiency around the rim, adding intrigue to a stacked wing rotation.
Riley may not be a starter on the Wizards 2026-27 roster, but he remains a key piece and could be viewed as the biggest X-factor in the rotation. With a chance to add instant scoring, what his sophomore development materializes into could be what elevates the Wizards' possible lineup pairings and potential as a playoff contender.
Defense needs to be the top priority
After bringing in a wave of young pieces, creating professional habits while rebuilding the team's culture has been the point of emphasis over the last three seasons. The next piece will be about developing a culture of sustained success, something that the veteran presence of Anthony Davis or Trae Young could help to add given the 14 combined All Star appearances and Davis' Championship ring they add to the roster. Yet in order to take the next step, the emphasis needs to be on defense.
Sure, some of it should be improved given the presence of Anthony Davis paired with Alex Sarr, who missed 34 games in 2025-26. But that can't be the only fix.
The Wizards ended the season outscored by an average of 11.9 points per game, the worst in the NBA, while allowing the second-most points in the league behind the Utah Jazz. Washington also allowed opponents to score at least 140 points in ten games, including at least 150 points twice.