Wizards Receive Grim 2025-2026 Record Prediction

The Washington Wizards are perfectly comfortable running on their own clock.

They're playing with as little pressure to make the playoffs, Play-In Tournament or even win games as any franchise in the NBA, completely committed to what's required of "The Rebuild." While they've lacked good fortune by routinely missing out on the transcendent prospects at the top of the NBA Draft, they've played the numbers game by enhancing their odds at finding that guy and maximizing how many prospects they can take home during each draft cycle.

They're not only providing their raw pieces with as much time as they need to find their footing in the league, but also have no incentive to push in their chips just yet. As wide open as the Eastern Conference is, the Wizards owe next summer's unprotected first-round pick to the New York Knicks, which they can earn back with a top-eight finish in the 2026 draft lottery.

Those tanking incentives went noticed by the Bleacher Report crew, who didn't need to think long before yet again placing the Wizards towards the back of the pack in another edition of their regular season win-loss predictions.

Andy Bailey isn't exactly bullish on the ability of Washington's young guys to start turning on the jets. While FanDuel's setting the Wizards' line at 20.5, he doesn't even think they'll get that far, predicting a second straight 18-64 finish.

"Like Utah, the Washington Wizards figure to spend significant chunks of this season playing with lineups as old as some college teams," he wrote. "Tre Johnson, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Cam Whitmore, Bub Carrington, Kyshawn George, AJ Johnson and Will Riley are all on rookie deals. And while there's a hint of veteran experience from CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton, both seem like prime trade candidates ahead of February's trade deadline.