Are The Washington Wizards Unethically Tanking?

After two blockbuster moves before the trade deadline, the Washington Wizards are now a major contender in the Eastern Conference starting next year. However, the remainder of the 2025-26 season will play out much of the same way as the last few: tank while letting young players develop, finish with a bad record, and draft another player with a lottery pick. While it’s certainly a way to build a roster of young players, has Washington taken it too far? Are they being unethical in their approach to building? In other words, are the Washington Wizards currently unethically tanking ahead of major contention?

Are The Washington Wizards Unethically Tanking?

The Wizards currently sit 14-37 (.275), and are in a close battle for a top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. With that being said, are they going about it the right way? Sitting players due to injury is one thing, but Washington’s strategy may be getting out of control. Are they tanking the right way? Or will they become one of the most hated franchises in the league with their antics?

Ethical Vs. Unethical

Firstly, in NBA terms, the ethical versus unethical debate revolves solely around teams tanking. When a team is actively tanking, it means they are trying to lose games for two reasons. One, to develop their young talent, giving them ample playing time and coaching. Two, attempting to get a better draft pick in hopes of building upon a foundation that has been laid. The Wizards have been ethical in recent seasons. However, they are flipping the script and are running the risk of turning league fans against them.

Just earlier this season, Washington was ethical. Players like CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton were playing lots of minutes, while the younger core members were also receiving lots of playing time. Now past the trade deadline, both mentioned players are gone, and their new All-Star pairing of Trae Young and Anthony Davis has arrived. The younger guys continue to see great minutes and lots of development, all while losing multiple games to ensure they keep their lottery pick.

On paper, it’s a great strategy. The Wizards must finish inside the bottom eight to ensure their pick rights. If they go any higher, the pick will head to the New York Knicks. Keeping this pick solidifies a potential star coming off the bench, while limiting a potential postseason team like the Knicks. It’s a win-win situation.

Washington built a young core to fit around their new duo, and now they are waiting for their opportunity to compete. However, they are no longer the ethical team they were at the end of 2025, and have no shame in letting other teams know.

Becoming A Monster