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Nov 1, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe yells at officials from the bench against the Orlando Magic in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

How Wizards Can Begin Turning Season Around

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Owen Jury | Last updated Nov 2, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The somewhat encouraging momentum that the Washington Wizards had built through the first few games has been killed after their demoralizing 125-94 loss to the Orlando Magic.

The hype that the Wizards' young core was able to build through the first few contests has died down, along with the trust that fans have in Washington's organization. Nobody was expecting the Wizards to be a playoff team this season. However, a lack of commitment to playing young talent, and an overcommitment to underperforming veteran talent, have left fans confused on the direction of the team. Despite that, there are still things that Washington can do in order to spin a positive light on this season.

Lean Into Young Talent

Whether the Wizards choose to prioritize young talent or not will likely not make a huge difference on the team's success this season. If the early season performances are any indication of what's to come, then the Wizards faithful don't have much to look forward to in regards to team success.

With that knowledge in mind, consistently playing dwindling talent that doesn't fit the timeline of the rebuild feels counterproductive. If Washington wants to maximize this season, then they should invest fully into the development of young talent.

Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Washington has a few different ways that they can go about that approach. One way would be to select a group of young players and give them the keys to the team. It may be difficult to watch at times, as no Wizards are ready to lead a successful team. However, the minutes and attention that they will receive leading a franchise at a young age will be wildly beneficial in the long run.

Another way Washington can go about it is to just play their young talent all of the minutes. Doing that may require the Wizards to move on from a few select pieces, but it will clear up the space needed to play young talent. As of now, guys like AJ Johnson, Jamir Watkins, Will Riley etc., aren't being given much opportunity to prove themselves. Moving guys like Khris Middleton, Corey Kispert and CJ McCollum could clear up enough space to give the younger guys a chance to prove themselves, along with getting valuable reps at the NBA level.

Go All in on Winning Games

This approach is far less sensible in regards to the team's long-term outlook, but it is still something that NBA general managers do in order to keep fan engagement high. Despite Washington not being a great team, they clearly have a plethora of young talent that will be highly coveted from other teams around the league. Although most would not approve of it, trying to trade a few young pieces in order to get a star player in town could be something the Wizards do to win games this season.

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

As of now, the Wizards' season has no direction. Although some young talent has shown impressive development to this point, others minutes are being sacrificed because of contractual obligations to older talent. The only options for the Wizards this season is to either lean into the tank and develop young talent in hopes of future success. Or choose to go all in in hopes of sneaking into a play-in spot and maximizing ticket sales. Either choice they make will be better than the trajectory the team is on now.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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