Those who grow up in the DMV area as sports fans quickly become accustomed to the Washington Wizards. While Wizards basketball is prevalent in the area, unfortunately, this is a franchise that has spent decades in the basement of the NBA.
During my time in the DMV area, the 1980s, the Washington Bullets (now Wizards) were a team that just wasn’t competitive, and fans often went to see the visiting team.
Altogether, the franchise has been around for 65 seasons, with 30 playoff appearances since 1961.
In that time, the Wizards have won a single NBA title, with legendary center Wes Unseld, Elvin Hayes, and former head coach Dick Motta leading the way. Beyond that, there hasn’t been much success to speak of.
Things haven’t changed this season; currently, the Wizards’ record is 14-39.
Beyond being a perennial member of the NBA Draft Lottery, the Wizards have also developed a reputation for being a franchise where stars go to end their respective careers.
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Michael Jordan returned from retirement in 2001 and signed a two-year deal with the Wizards.
The Air Jordan we knew during his championship seasons in Chicago, where he averaged 31.5 points per game, was a stark contrast to what we saw in Washington. To put it lightly, he was a shell of himself, averaging 21.2 points per game across two seasons.
Age undoubtedly played a role in Jordan’s declining play, but this remains one of many examples of Washington being the place where stars end their career.
Fast forward to today, well over 20 years since Jordan hung ’em up for the final time, and we’re still seeing the same thing in Washington.
With the Wizards’ recent struggles, desperation trades were made before the NBA trade deadline for Trae Young and the often-injured power forward Anthony Davis.
With plenty of financial flexibility, at least before the trades, the Wizards wanted a veteran presence to pair with a young core to compete for the NBA Playoffs in 2027 and beyond.
The Washington Wizards were projected with $80 million in cap space for the 2026 offseason.
It’s all gone now as they make Anthony Davis and Trae Young their big pre-agency acquisitions.
With one last lottery pick on the way, they’re set to end the rebuild and compete in 2027. pic.twitter.com/RbDGwNzXSp
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) February 4, 2026
What does not make sense is trying to force Davis to play the center position, as he has been adamant about playing power forward.
The decision to keep Davis at the five tells me the Wizards will get Davis’s worst, and he’ll force a trade out of Washington, further continuing the trend of the Wizards being the NBA’s graveyard.
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