There’s no secret that the Washington Wizards are among the list of team’s hoping to secure a high draft pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Looking at the list of prospects expected to headline this offseason’s draft, it doesn’t come as a surprise.

The chance to land a talented player like Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer could be huge for any team in the league, let alone a rebuild squad like the Wizards.

And with Washington looking at next season as a goal to return to contention in the Eastern Conference after the trade deadline additions of Trae Young and Anthony Davis, the Wizards have every reason to end their rebuild with a bang this offseason.

Currently sitting towards the bottom of the NBA standings, the Wizards have a prime opportunity to sure up their positioning in the NBA Draft Lottery this offseason before the league’s new anti-tanking rules come into affect next season.

That’s exactly why Washington has decided to use their secret weapon for tanking since action has resumed after the NBA All-Star break.

The only problem? That secret weapon is contributing more to winning than tanking.

Anthony Gill’s recent play has led to wins

Since returning to play over the last two games, the Wizards have stacked back-to-back wins with both coming against the tanking Indiana Pacers.

Both wins against Indiana shared a common denominator: Anthony Gill.

At 33, Gill’s return to the Wizards this offseason seemed to stem more on being a locker room staple rather than a part of the team’s future plans considering his age.

After six seasons in Washington, where the Virginia product has rarely seen the floor but in limited minutes, there’s no reason to believe that the veteran forward would contribute to winning if he received an opportunity to see extended minutes.

However, over the last two games, Gill has not only seen extended minutes, but he’s delivered in those minutes finishing with double digits in both matchups.

With 13 points in Thursday’s win over the Pacers and 11 points in Friday’s victory, it appears as if the Wizards’ tank commander is finding himself delivering more wins than losses.

Whether or not Gill’s extended role is here to stay or if he’s simply being given more minutes because of how shorthanded the team is in the frontcourt is unclear.

Regardless, if he continues to help Washington stack wins, the Wizards may want to rethink their strategy moving forward.