Over the past few seasons the Washington Wizards have been one of the worst teams in the NBA. Could that be set to change?
The only reliable thing about the Washington Wizards in recent seasons has been their desire to embrace tanking. The franchise hit a low-point last year when Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in a 150-129 win for the Heat against them.
It all paid off in the end for the Wizards as they landed the number one pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, and selected AJ Dybantsa.
Having also acquired Anthony Davis and Trae Young in trades late last season, while also retaining previous number two pick Alex Sarr and a host of other talent, the Wizards now seem primed to compete.
Outspoken ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins argues that the Wizards could secure a top six spot in the East.
Perkins told NBA Today: “First of all the Wizards are making the playoffs. Not the Play-In Tournament, they are going to be a top six seed in the Eastern Conference. They are going to be one of the best offensive teams in the entire league.
“AJ Dybantsa is going to have zero pressure because you are playing alongside two elite prolific scorers in Anthony Davis and Trae Young, who are going to put you in position to be successful.”
Many expected the Wizards to flip Davis in a trade after he was acquired, but the former Lakers and Mavericks star is ready to embrace his new home, for now at least. The main question, as always, will be around his health.
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Preseason encouragement and new rules
The Washington Wizards have looked bright in preseason, with wins against the Knicks and Pistons. They also dropped a loss to the Nets. But they have at least shown they could be competitive.
Dybantsa is averaging 13 points across his three games, and looks primed for a starting role when the season tips off.
The new NBA rules are also significant for the Wizards. New regulations have been introduced to disincentivize tanking. The bottom three teams will see their lottery odds slashed.
There is now extra reason for the Wizards to utilize their core of stars and start building. For the fans, it is long overdue. Washington last made the playoffs in 2020-21.
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