Wizards Rebuild Efforts Have Concerns

The Washington Wizards don't have a full-proof plan to navigate their rebuild.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 13, 2024

Nov 11, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green (4) drives to the basket against Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (18) in the second quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are undergoing a rebuild and they have brought in several top prospects to help shape the foundation of the team.

However, Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus isn't fully convinced that the team's roster will be what is needed to get out of its current rebuild.

"The Wizards are a long way off from being a competitive NBA franchise," Pincus writes. "The concern is that the rebuild will take "forever." That's an exaggeration but an understandable one. The team has a mismatch of veterans like Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole, Jonas Valančiūnas and Richaun Holmes—and many young developing prospects, including Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Bub Carrington. So far, there are no real signs that it's coming together (outside of Coulibaly making some promising sophomore strides). The franchise just can't afford any real developmental setbacks or missed picks."

While Coulibaly and Sarr could be seen as long-term top options, neither gives off the vibe of being a true No. 1 option for a contender. However, they could be secondary or tertiary pieces. The Wizards will likely need to find their top option in the draft in the coming years, and that could come as early as next summer with Duke freshman Cooper Flagg headlining the prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft.

No matter who or when the next great Wizards prospect walks in the door, the team has to focus on who is in the building at this moment in time. The Wizards hope a few players on the current roster can be part of the next great Washington team, but in order for that to become a reality, it starts with creating and building strong habits now.

The Wizards are back in action tonight as they take on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Nov 13, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.