Washington Wizards' Top 3 Priorities During 2026 NBA Offseason

The 2025-26 NBA season will be remembered as a pivot point for the Washington Wizards.

After aimlessly meandering down the rebuilding road, the franchise finally picked a path: Tanking as hard as anyone ahead of the potentially loaded 2026 draft, but also snagging discounted stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young in an attempt to return to competitiveness as soon as next season.

The degree of that competitiveness is far from settled, though. Ditto for Washington's commitment to this freshly paved path. A lot will hinge on the offseason ahead, which might deliver a difference-maker and a better locked-in core. But that's only if the Wizards draw a fortunate hand and play their cards right.

To that end, let's dissect the top three items on the team's to-do list for the summer ahead.

3. Extension Talks with Bilal Coulibaly

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In a perfect world, Coulibaly, the No. 7 pick in 2023, would've used this season to cement his spot with Washington long-term and balled out ahead of his extension-eligibility this summer.

In reality, that's not at all what happened. While his physical tools make him a safe bet to remain a defensive asset, his offensive arsenal seems about as raw as when he first arrived. His aggression comes and goes, his shooting touch is shaky at best and he has shown little (if any) chops for creating shots for himself and his teammates.

So, no way the Wizards extend him, right? Well, he's still only 21 years old, so time is on his side. And because his skill set shines brighter with dirty-work little things than more glamorous task, it may have been hard to craft his ideal niche on a team that really hasn't tried to win at any point of his tenure.

He might well be worth keeping—at the proverbial right price, of course. But godspeed to those tasked with calculating that amount. Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus opined that "a team-favorable deal" might work for Washington but said Coulibaly is more likely a "'wait and see' candidate" since his value could be a lot clearer this time next year.

2. Financial Decisions for Trae Young and Anthony Davis

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Given Washington's dearth of star power in recent years, acquiring both Young and Davis in the same season feels like a big deal. Remember, though, the Wizards probably only made those moves because they didn't carry big-deal prices: financial flexibility for Young, salary-fillers, a couple late firsts and three second-rounders for Davis.

This feels a bit like a test run for the Wizards: a chance to see how this young core looks with legitimate star-level talent around it. Both stars have availability concerns, obviously, but their healthy versions could be really helpful. Washington desperately needs an offensive organizer, and the defense is begging for more interior deterrents.

The logic behind both acquisitions sounds simple enough. Where things could get complicated, though, are the financial commitments to both. Young holds a $49 million player option for next season, while Davis, who has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28, becomes extension-eligible in August.

There have already been rumblings about a possible new deal for Young—perhaps at a younger salary with more guaranteed years—and skepticism about anything getting done with Davis right away. Washington would presumably prefer to see how this roster looks in total before making any major decisions, but Young's handling of his player option could force the team to tackle at least one big-ticket item before that happens.

1. The 2026 NBA Draft

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While this tank race could come down to a photo finish, the Wizards have as good of odds as anyone at landing a top pick. That doesn't guarantee it will happen, of course, but things look as promising as they can on that front for the moment.

And they better. So many possibilities could come to light for Washington if it maximizes its upcoming lottery pick. With a little luck, the Wizards could brighten their outlook several times over by bringing a blue-chip prospect like BYU swingman AJ Dybantsa or Kansas combo guard Darryn Peterson to town.

The lower they land, though, the trickier this gets. Especially if Young's arrival enters the equation. Because once Dybantsa, Peterson, Duke forward Cameron Boozer and North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson come off the board, the next prospect tier appears overloaded with point guards—and perhaps roster redunancies with Young.

"Young's presence is the main consideration because it might (and should) prevent Washington from targeting a true point guard in the draft," ESPN's Jeremy Woo opined. "Young and his max contract are expected to be in the fold for the foreseeable future, which likely rules out players such as Kingston Flemings (Houston), Darius Acuff (Arkansas) and Mikel Brown (Louisville) from Washington's plans."

The Wizards have to be careful about reaching to fill a need. Unless they're fully sold on Young being their floor general of the present and future, they should be very careful about scratching anyone off of their list based on their fit with him.

Hopefully, though, that's an unnecessary debate in the District. Because if the Wizards are weighing point guard prospects ahead of the draft, that'll mean their campaign-long commitment to tanking failed to produce the desired lottery result.