Where Will Wizards Finish in Southeast Division?

Who are the Wizards better than in the Southeast Division?

The Charlotte Hornets are another team that hasn't figured things out the past couple of years. If it weren't for the Wizards, then the Hornets would be at the bottom of the Southeast Division standings the past two seasons.

Another thing the Hornets have in common with the Wizards that neither team has finished better than third in the past five seasons. The two teams will meet for Washington's home opener on Sunday, October 26.

The Hornets head coach, Charles Lee, has more championship experience than the Wizards' Keefe. Though Lee was not on the sidelines coaching Charlotte to the 2025 Summer League Championship in Las Vegas, he was apart of the Boston Celtics coaching staff two seasons ago during their NBA Finals run.

Still, the Wizards have a better roster on paper than the Hornets. The same could be said for the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks are the third team in the Southeast Division to miss the playoffs last year. Even though Trey Young and the potential emergence of French forward Zaccharie Risacher, it remains to be seen if Atlanta is a threat to the Wizards' playoff hopes.

Atlanta has earned 36-43 wins in each of their past five seasons. However, they only have one postseason trip to show for it. If Washington's young roster can gel well in a full-season with both McCollum and Middleton, the Wizards might be able to put a spell on the Hornet and Hawks to keep them at them bottom of the Southeast Division.

... and, who are they not better than in the Southeast Division?

Most of the predictions about the Wizards' fortune seem bleak. Someday, they will have to eventually catch up to what the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic have done in recent years.

While the Miami Heat will always be the Miami Heat, what the Orlando Magic did this offseason was impressive. They are all-in on this season and are saying their title window is now. With the addition of Desmond Bane, the Magic's biggest glaring hole of three-point shooting has been corrected.

The Wizards struggled against teams' shooting guards last year. Bane and the Heat's Tyler Herro could have their way when they face Washington four times each this season.

CJ McCollum and his new team will face the Magic for the first time this year early on, also at home in the nation's capital. With two games against Southeast Division rivals, Washington needs to win their third game way before their 18th loss if it wants to do better than last season.