THE 2024-25 Washington Wizards season The schedule is now known, and while it’s difficult to predict a team’s final record, it’s even more difficult in this case. The club is one of the top candidates league-wide for in-season trades, with a veteran player likely on the way out The great Jonas Valanciunas.
The Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Golden State Warriors are the leading contenders to sign the 32-year-old once he becomes eligible. processed on December 15via Sean Deveney of Heavy.
“The Lakers have been linked to Valanciunas many times, but LA has also been reluctant to give up any of its tradeable draft picks,” Deveney reported. “If and when Valanciunas hits the market, there will likely be plenty of competition. He is, after all, a legitimate 6-foot-2 center who averaged 12.2 points and 8.8 rebounds last year.”
Trading Valanciunas would make the most sense for a rebuilding the Wizards team which could steal assets from a competitor seeking central assistance.
“And the Wizards were wise to sign him to a three-year, $30 million deal to open free agency,” Deveney continued. “Washington is expected to begin looking for a deal for Valanciunas in December, when he becomes trade-eligible. Expect some competition, though.”
While Valanciunas, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole and/or Malcolm Brogdon could all be traded to secure future draft capital, the Wizards’ schedule presents some interesting matchups regardless. How will Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and the rest of the young core mesh throughout the NBA season?
Wizards’ first 10 games will be important for rookies
Washington opens the season hosting the defending champion Boston Celtics on Oct. 24, before facing the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs to round out the season. the first 10 competitions, via the team website.
This year, the Wizards won’t just be about winning games. Player development will be the focus, as Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George will all be starting their careers in this first half, providing insight into their current skill levels.
Bilal Coulibaly’s strong sophomore season is also crucial to the organization’s rebuild. The 20-year-old was buried at the bottom of France’s rotation during the Olympics but played 21 minutes in the gold medal game against the United States, scoring six points on 3-of-5 shooting with one rebound and one assist. If he can make an impact against a group of future Hall of Famers with the world watching, there’s no reason he can’t have a promising NBA campaign this year.
The Hawks matchups will be particularly interesting, as they will feature the No. 1 and No. 2 picks from the latest draft. Atlanta, of course, selected French great Zaccharie Rissacher before Washington selected Sarr, another great of the same nationality. Those two matchups, along with the NBA Cup East Group C matchup between the two teams on Nov. 15, will show where each player is in their respective development stages.
Wizards should be in full tank mode by the end of December
With the 2025 draft stocked with elite talent like Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey, Washington should be at the bottom of the NBA standings by the New Year to position itself for a top-five pick. With the trade deadline set for Feb. 6 this season, expect the club to preserve its veterans to keep them healthy for potential trades.
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Depending on how the trades play out, the aforementioned core of youngsters as well as 20-somethings like Corey Kispert could get the lion’s share of playing time. Matchups against the Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder and back-to-back games against the New York Knicks to close out the calendar year will show how Sarr and his team stack up against contenders after playing a few weeks of NBA action.
Final record prediction
The Wizards will finish the season with a 20-62 record. That would be a five-game improvement over last year, but it would still be their second-worst campaign since the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season, when they finished 20-46.
This would be an ideal outcome for Washington, as he would most likely end up with another lottery pick while gaining an extra year of experience for younger players. A slight improvement would show progress after a rock-bottom 2023-24 season, but too many wins would hurt his draft positioning.
If the Wizards sell their veterans for more draft capital while seeing their young players have strong seasons, 2024-25 will be a success. Once they select another elite prospect, they will be in prime position to start competing by 2027.
