The Washington Wizards are in the early stages of a total rebuild. They’ve shed several pieces and are trying to start from scratch. Washington had three first-round picks in the 2024 draft and has a plan to to make these young talents basic elementsIt will be a long and difficult road, but Wizards can look to many sources of inspiration.
The Thunder tore it all down and rebuilt themselves to become the best team in the West again. Memphis had a short rebuild from the Grit-and-Grind era to its current incarnation with Ja Morant. The Mavericks had a few down years before Luka Doncic came along and pushed them to the NBA Finals. The common thread is selecting All-StarsBut Washington should look to another model.
The Spurs haven’t been to the playoffs since 2019, but their time is now. They have the best young star in the world and will be back in contention soon. San Antonio is building a sustainable winner around Victor Wembanyama using a tactic Washington should emulate.
Since the start of the 2022-23 season, the Spurs have been involved in 13 different trades. They aren’t afraid to trade a draft pick for multiple future selections or go as a third team to boost their asset base.
Brian Wright and management are playing matchmaker in exchange for potentially lucrative picks down the road. The Spurs aren’t afraid to take a negative asset or sell a starter if they’re properly compensated. San Antonio was just the third team to sign and trade DeMar DeRozan, where they got Harrison Barnes and received a 2031 first-round pick from the Kings. The Spurs got the best asset in the deal for being willing to take the money.
The Wizards traded Deni Avdija for Malcolm Brogdon, the 14th overall pick in 2024, and three future picks, including a first-round pick before the draft. It was a Spurs-style trade where they gave up a potential starter for valuable assets. Washington may be able to trade Brogdon for even more before the deadline.
Getting involved in trades as a third team should be part of the plan going forward. The Wizards should develop Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George as they look to accumulate assets. Washington can never have too much draft capital as it is a golden trade asset for when the franchise is ready to get back into contention.
The Washington Wizards don’t need to reinvent the wheel. They should focus on accumulating draft capital and young talent to build a sustainable contender. Things could change in a heartbeat if the Spurs follow their plan, and it might even mean making Cooper Flagg the Wizards’ version of Victor Wembanyama.
