Inside The Wizards

Wizards Staying Committed to Rebuild

The Washington Wizards continue to be one of the worst teams in the NBA.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 21, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Taurean Prince (12) drives for the basket against Washington Wizards guard Corey Kispert (24) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Taurean Prince (12) drives for the basket against Washington Wizards guard Corey Kispert (24) in the fourth quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are on a path to figuring out their identity, and while they don't know what their long-term look is, they are certainly aware of who they are at this moment.

The Wizards are embracing their role as a rebuilding team and they know that path is the best one to move forward at this moment in time.

Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus praised the Wizards for staying committed to the lottery.

"The Wizards know their priorities. The team is not good, but the results wouldn't be that different even if it played every game to win. The coach and players are probably trying to win. It's not a team designed to win in the NBA," Pincus writes.

"Washington has some young and talented but raw pieces. It will be some time before the Wizards are competing for the playoffs. With that in mind, it's all about the 20024 draft lottery."

Through 26 games, the Wizards have won just four of them. That gives them the worst record in the NBA, which will guarantee them a top-five pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. In a draft class that's as talented as the upcoming one, that's a good place for the Wizards to be.

The Wizards will also have a tie for the best odds for the No. 1 overall pick, which is almost certainly expected to be Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg. If the Wizards could land a player like Flagg or even one of the other top prospects, they could have the cornerstone of the franchise.

The Wizards won't lose every game, but they won't mind the result of a terrible season if it leads to someone who could salvage the franchise in the long run.

The Wizards return to the court tomorrow to take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. ET.

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

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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