Wizards Slammed With Brutal Ranking

The Washington Wizards were hit with a rough ranking heading into the upcoming NBA season.

Mar 12, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (33) reacts during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards won just 15 games last season, so it's not surprising that they aren't exactly landing favorable predictions for the 2024-25 NBA campaign.

However, they were just hit with a ranking that was particularly brutal.

Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey recently ranked all 30 starting lineups in the league, and he had the Wizards' unit of Jonas Valanciunas, Alex Sarr, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole and Malcolm Brogdon dead last.

None of the above are even fringe All-Stars right now, though," Bailey wrote. "You might argue Brogdon, Kuzma or even Valančiūnas have been at that level at certain points in their careers, but they're not now. And a handful of players starting mostly by default (and because of age as much as talent) doesn't inspire a lot of confidence in this lineup's potential to jell and win."

On paper, the lineup doesn't look horrendous. However, Brogdon is injury prone, Poole has largely been disappointing and Valanciunas is getting older.

Of course, the upcoming season for the Wizards isn't about the veterans. It's about the young players like Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert and rookies Sarr and Bub Carrington.

Washington seems likely to trade at least a couple of vets, anyway. Kuzma's name has endured endless trade speculation, and even though the Wizards signed Valanciunas over the summer, it's almost a shoo-in that they will attempt to move him midseason.

The good news is that Washington is in rebuilding mode right now, so the team shouldn't take rankings such as these too personally.

But given that the Wizards play in the same conference as squads like the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets, it still stings regardless.

Washington has made the playoffs just once since 2019 and has not posted a winning record since the 2017-18 campaign. Taking it a step further, the Wizards have not registered a 50-win campaign in almost 50 years.

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