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Apr 9, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson (5) dribbles the ball as Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona (30) defends in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Where Wizards' A.J. Johnson Can Improve This Season

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Owen Jury | Last updated Oct 18, 2025 7:00 AM ET

On a Washington Wizards roster filled with young talent, second-year guard AJ Johnson stands out as a particularly intriguing player. Washington acquired Johnson on the cusp of last year's trade deadline, in part of a deal that sent Kyle Kuzma to the Milwaukee Bucks, and Khris Middleton to the Wizards.

Johnson was viewed as a ‘boom-or-bust’ prospect going into the 2025 draft, and leading up to the trade, he hadn't shown much. Johnson had just seven NBA games under his belt with Milwaukee, and had spent the majority of the season in the G-League with the Milwaukee Herd. Despite his lack of experience, the Wizards took a flyer on him and so far, it's paid off.

The trade to Washington opened up a profusion of opportunities for Johnson. He started in 11 of the 22 games he appeared in for the Wizards, averaging 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.1 assist and .5 steals a game. Johnson's shooting touch was a bit dissonant, posting splits of 38.1% from the field, 24.7% from three and 88.6% from the free throw line.

However, Johnson was solid as a finisher — considering he was a 160-pound rookie — shooting 57.4% at the rim. His finishing numbers and free throw percentage give a lot of hope for future shooting development.

David Banks-Imagn Images

Johnson's Improvement and Where They Can Show

Johnson showed solid processing last season, which was enough to get him on the court. His quickness both off the catch and off the bounce are truly second-to-none in today's NBA. Johnson pairs quickness with a strong handle, allowing him to get past defenders at will. He proved that he could keep up with NBA speed and athletes as a rookie. The next step is building upon his skillset and frame.

It's difficult to gauge what kind of improvements Johnson has made heading into his second season. Johnson has dealt with a leg bruise throughout training camp, which refrained him from playing in any of the Wizards preseason games. The last time we saw Johnson was in the 2k26 summer league. Summer league is far from a true NBA setting, making it difficult to see where a player is in their development. With that said, Johnson still flashed some intriguing progress.

One of his more apparent points of development in summer league was his ability to play off the ball. With Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington handling the majority of the on ball reps, AJ Johnson was left relegated to an off ball role. Johnson proved he had the ability to punish defenses as a tertiary playmaker, doing the majority of his work in transition and off the catch. He also showed improved pace in the half court, especially when operating in pick-and-rolls. His 3-point shot was still wildly inconsistent, but months have passed between summer league and now, giving him plenty of time to evolve.

Washington's roster construction hints towards them being in no rush to make a playoff push. Johnson and other young Wizards alike, will be given a long leash to experiment within their skillsets, inherently making expectations for their production rather low. Wizards fans should remain patient with Johnson this year. Steps in the right direction for his frame and shooting touch should be his main focus. If Johnson can continue to improve in that regard, then the rest of his game will follow suit.

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

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