Wizards' Management Taking After Winning Executive Style

Washington's own GM, Will Dawkins, didn't receive any podium votes, but the general public has been happy with his work over his first two years on the job. He's trying to build something with long-term goals and consistent scouting strategies, not unlike Presti did in constructing the 68-win 2024-25 Thunder for his first ever win at the award.

It's no coincidence that Dawkins has hit a lot of the same beats Presti did when building the juggernaut Thunder of the 2020s, winners of the Western Conference's #1 seed two years running. After all, Dawkins did spend 15 years in OKC's front office starting in 2008, only breaking away when the Wizards job opened up.

He's a clear graduate of the Presti school of team-building principles. It's evident in the majority of their moves, even if the Wizards are at a different point in their trajectory.

Understanding the Value of Tanking and Rebuilding through the Draft

It wasn't too long ago that the Thunder were just another team lingering near the bottom of the standings, turning up like regulars at each season's lottery draw. They finished with wins in the low-20s for two straight years before approaching .500 in 2022-23, eventually taking the next step into contender status.

The Wizards are starting from a lower point than the Thunder had to, as Presti's spent the last few years dining off of the historic Paul George trade return he swindled the Los Angeles Clippers out of in 2019. But they, along with Washington, understand the importance of maximizing draft odds by embracing tanking culture until they're ready to try and win games.

Asset Hunting and Future Management

Oklahoma City got to ease into the tank after Chris Paul's resurgence with the Thunder gave the team one more playoff appearance before disappearing into the NBA's basement, continuing to collect assets back for their players and hoarding dozens more picks than they themselves earned.

Assets can come in many forms, whether it's a lottery pick that was later used on a young All-Star in Jalen Williams, or a promising prospect who just so happens to develop into this season's like MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Dawkins has spent the last two deadlines flipping any veterans he can for future playthings, converting on two of the savvier midseason deals in the Kyle Kuzma swap to Milwaukee and the Marcus Smart trade with Memphis. The Wizards walk into this upcoming draft with a guaranteed pick in the top six with the best odds at rising to the #1 spot, the Grizzlies' pick at #18, and a Phoenix second-rounder they nabbed in the Bradley Beal trade in Dawkins' first summer on the job.

Maintaining Core Prospect Values

Presti first made a name for himself as one of the better scouting eyes in the league, calling his shot with two of the better draft picks of the last 25 years in stealing Tony Parker late in 2001's first round and successfully banking on Russell Westbrook's upside in 2009.

Dawkins has yet to produce any MVPs, but he, too, operates with clear values in mind when evaluating players.

Look no further than the four first-round pieces he's taken as the shot-caller. Bilal Coulibaly, Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George all fill out different positions on the court and play different roles, but they each offer length, defensive versatility, advanced feel for the game, offensive potential and the effort to pursue that room to grow.

The Thunder have made their mark as one of the best defensive teams of all time, staffing a ridiculous amount of switchable stoppers, pickpockets and shot blockers. They developed draft picks in Williams, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins and Chet Holmgren, found value where no one else was looking in Lu Dort and Isaiah Joe, and used their asset trove to trade a former draftee, Josh Giddey, for Alex Caruso, signing Isaiah Hartenstein with the cap space they freed up.

There's a clear blueprint for Dawkins to follow, and you don't have to hit the jackpot by landing an undervalued future MVP. The Wizards are drafting with purpose, maximizing their chances with picks by tanking and adding to the asset haul, and finding good role players both in the draft and on the street. There's real reason to be excited about the future of the Wizards for the first time in a long time.