THE The Washington Wizards are going again be one of the worst teams in the 2024-25 NBA season. That being said, let’s do some Wizards Predictions for 2024-25 Season.
The team is in good hands with Head Coach Brian Keefe. As the Wizards prioritize player development as part of their rebuild, the 48-year-old’s track record shows he’s the right man to lead the charge in the U.S. capital. Keefe has mentored the likes of Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Serge Ibaka as an assistant coach with the Seattle Supersonics/Oklahoma City Thunder.
Durant vouched for Keefe Back in 2016via Bijan Todd of Monumental Sports Network.
“He taught me everything I know about work ethic, about being a pro,” Durant said. “He wouldn’t take credit for it, but he taught me everything I know about how I approach shooting, how I approach practices, how I approach games, how I approach workouts, just everything. He changed my mindset.”
Teaching Durant “everything he knows” is impressive, considering he’s one of the greatest players to ever step on the court. Now the key will be to repeat that level of success with Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George.
Let’s move on to our 2024-25 Wizards predictions as the season approaches.
Wizards’ young core will dominate minutes by year’s end
This will be Keefe’s first full year with the Wizards after taking over as interim coach midseason. However, he has already earned the trust of the organization, with players like Corey Kispert benefiting from his development program.
“That was one of our main pillars and central themes this year, player development and improvement, and everyone delivered,” winger Kispert said in his exit interview in April, via Todd.
Last year, Keefe implemented a system where each player worked with 10 specialists to improve their fitness and health. Expect that to do wonders for Sarr and the other youngsters, who will likely dominate the rotation if veterans like Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon are traded.
Keefe explained how he is doing Developing the 2024 draft classvia Chase Hughes of Monumental.
“The first thing is to develop good habits,” Keefe said. “I said the same thing last year with Bilal: you have to teach them good work habits and how to work in this league. The only way you’re going to get better is to have consistent work habits and a consistent approach to everything you do. That’s going to be our focus for these guys.”
Sarr made headlines for shooting 0-of-15 in a Summer League game, so he still has some growing to do offensively. However, the 6-foot-4 should be able to contribute immediately on defense, as he is known for his basket protection and positional versatility.
Sarr, meanwhile, will be at least third in the team in minutes played by the end of the season, with Carrington and George also expected to be regular substitutes by then.
While Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma will lead the Wizards early, both could be traded to contenders before the Feb. 6 deadline.
Keefe mentioned how his experience as a video coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs in the late 2000s exposed him to a winning culture that shaped his development philosophy.
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“You have to care about people, treat them, put in the work every day. That’s where you see how the Spurs do it. ‘Pound the rock,’ as they used to say. You don’t compromise, you work hard every day, you treat people right. The professionalism you learn from them and the players is a great lesson for a young kid in this business,” Keefe said.
If Keefe can accomplish a fraction of what Gregg Popovich accomplished in San Antonio, Wizards fans will collectively jump for joy.
Wizards Will Fail Enough to Land Another Lottery Pick
Washington needs at least one more season at the bottom of the standings to set itself up for long-term success. Fortunately, the team is still bad enough for that to happen.
The Wizards’ lack of talent will prevent them from winning more than 25 games, which would allow them to secure a top-five pick in the 2025 draft. While it’s difficult to predict which prospect will land in Washington so soon, the team is likely to be able to land Duke power forward Cooper Flagg, French point guard Nolan Traore, Rutgers guard Dylan Harper or fellow Scarlet Knight Ace Bailey.
Additionally, the team will gain additional 2025 draft picks through a trade, as none of its veterans will be needed for the long-term rebuild. Fielding a team full of developmental players is a great way to flop in the NBA, as it guarantees losses while allowing them to gain experience.
