Wizards give promising rookie new 2-year contract

The Washington Wizards have been in full tank mode as of late, with several players, including trade acquisitions Trae Young and Anthony Davis, sidelined due to supposed injuries. The Wizards are pushing all their chips to the center of the table in order to try to secure a top draft pick, and as a result, some lesser-known players are getting a chance to show off their skills for the rest of the season.

One of those players is rookie Jamir Watkins, and on Thursday, it was revealed that the Wizards will be committing to the young guard for the long term.

“The Washington Wizards are signing two-way guard Jamir Watkins to a new two-year contract, agents Drew Morrison and Sam Rose of CAA Sports tell ESPN. Watkins has averaged 13.2 points and one steal in his last six games,” reported ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania on X, formerly Twitter.

Watkins was drafted by the Wizards in the second round in 2025 after finishing up his college career at Florida State. While Watkins is older by rookie standards at age 24, he has still flashed an intriguing skillset during his playing time with the Wizards so far, as well as the ability to defend on the perimeter, which will be an area of significant need for the team heading into next year.

Washington is hoping to re-enter the playoff mix next season, as they will look to add a blue-chip prospect from the 2026 Draft to pair alongside Young, Davis, center Alex Sarr (who is also currently out of the lineup), and some of their other intriguing young players.

In a weak Eastern Conference, that core may well be enough to turn the Wizards into a formidable team for the first time in nearly a decade.

In any case, the Wizards will next take the floor on Thursday for a game against Young’s former team, the Atlanta Hawks.