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Jan 14, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Jordan Miller (22) defends Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (22) as he drives to the basket in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Wizards Drop Another Game on West Coast Road Trip

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Bryson Akins | Last updated Jan 15, 2026 8:47 AM ET

The Washington Wizards have hit a slump ever since trading for Trae Young, as this is now their third loss with Young on the team. The worst part is that all of their losses have come in a row. First with the New Orleans Pelicans at home, then the Phoenix Suns to get swept in the season series and now a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers 119-105.

It is safe to say this West Coast trip is not going as planned. That is what it seems like from the outside. On the inside, this is the team's master plan being put into action. The majority of these losses, including this one to the Clippers, have been against teams currently in the lottery. This means that every loss against these teams improves the Wizards' odds at landing the first overall pick. Still, this game showed some things that offer hope for the future.

Wizards Cannot Seem to Buy a Win

This game started off horribly, and that is being humbled. Bilal Coulibaly was tasked with guarding James Harden and did well. That is, until he got injured early in the second quarter and did not return due to low back tightness. Well, good thing the Wizards have one of the best rim protectors in Alex Sarr. Actually, he also left the game early due to an ejection. So, without their two best defenders, it makes sense why the team lost.

Alex Sarr’s first technical occurred after Sarr voiced his frustration at a non-call. After the game, Brian Keefe said: “Definitely the first one was ridiculous. That was not a technical. I’ve seen much worse. [I’ve] done this for a very long time. I was shocked that that was a…
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) January 15, 2026

This just opened the way for the Wiz Kids to show off, though, and gain experience. Kyshawn George took advantage of that, as he finished with 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, while also coming away with five rebounds and four assists. It is clear that George is still slowly recovering from his injury, but each game he is getting back into top shape.

Ky is cookin' ‍

He's got 19 points so far tonight pic.twitter.com/6YDSvKOXpl
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 15, 2026

Marvin Bagley, off the bench, had a fantastic game and really stepped up in Sarr's absence. Bagley, who should have teams trying to trade for him, put up 15 points and 11 rebounds in 27 minutes of action. Overall, adding Bagley back to this team the past offseason was a great decision. With how he has played, he may have a future in Washington.

It was not all sunshine and rainbows for the young players, though, as there were some poor performances. Most notably, Bub Carrington shot 1-of-11 from the field in the loss. He was able to dish the rock well, finishing with seven assists and only one turnover. His shot has to be better, though, if he wants to have a future in DC.

At the end of the day, this loss and all the other ones recently are a good thing. Some of them are competitive games that help with development and maturity, while also increasing odds at first overall in the draft. Others also decrease your opponents' odds of getting a top pick in the lottery. The good thing, though, is that the team might be getting Trae Young back after the All-Star break, which could help with a few wins here and there.

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

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