The Washington Wizards are the future of the NBA. Promising rookie players and battle-tested veterans are forging this team into the next dynasty. The Wizards have been making some “under the radar” moves that don’t seem significant, but can build into something special. It looks like 2025 is shaping up to be the most important year for the Wizards’ future. This year’s trade deadline and upcoming draft will determine how the Wizards will affect the league. Let’s have a look back on the trade deadline leading up to the NBA draft and see how it affects the future of the Wizards.

The 2025 NBA trade deadline had a surprising outcome for Wizards fans. Fans expected very little noise from the Wizards’ front office at the deadline, but the Wizards flipped those expectations up on their head. First, the Wizards traded away their star player, Kyle Kuzma, to the Milwaukee Bucks for Khris Middleton. Middleton was an aging star who was way past his prime and Kuzma was a younger and better player. This might seem like a disastrous move on the Wizards part, but getting the better player was not their goal. Khris Middleton is an experienced player that has been an all-star and champion. Middleton was acquired to mentor the young and inexperienced players on the roster. The Wizards struggle at the forward positions, so Middleton’s expertise will help the young guys succeed as players. Players that will especially benefit from Khris Middleton on the roster are Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George. Both are players drafted from the two previous drafts and struggle with their offensive consistency. Middleton was a high-scoring player in his hayday, so he can guide them into what the Wizards need to win. The upcoming draft class also has many promising forwards, mainly being Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey, so Khris Middleton will pass on his knowledge to these players if they happen to end up in D.C.

Another big trade of the deadline was the Wizards’ acquisition of Marcus Smart. Smart was a Defensive Player of the Year, an award rarely won by a point guard, and a key part of the Boston Celtics’ NBA Finals run in 2022. After losing in 2023, the Celtics decided to trade smart to the Memphis Grizzlies for Kristaps Porzingus. It was a heartbreaking move, but a necessary one in the end. The Celtics went on to win the NBA championship in 2024, while Marcus Smart sat on the Grizzlies roster without hope. Smart’s big contract made it so the Grizzlies couldn’t sign new players. The Grizzlies decided to send Smart to the Washington Wizards in a lopsided deal to save money. The Wizards sent off Marvin Bagley III and Johnny Davis to the Grizzlies. Davis and Bagley were recent draftees that didn’t pan out at the NBA level. The Grizzlies made this move, which intentionally worsened their roster, to save money and build for the future. The Wizards wanted Marcus Smart to help on the defensive end and teach the young guards on the roster. Carlton “Bub” Carrington was a lottery pick in the recent 2024 draft and a scrappy, defensive-minded guard. Smart was the perfect mentor for him, as well as for other guards on the roster that lack defensive skills. Smart could also mentor upcoming draft prospects Dylan Harper and Kasparas Jakucionas if they get drafted to the Wizards.

The 2025 NBA draft is nearing, and many interesting draft prospects are up for grabs. The consensus first overall pick is Cooper Flagg. Cooper Flagg was a player that scouts have eyed for years. His excellent play through highschool, college, and olympic events have gotten him the attention of the league. The Wizards current record gives them the best odds for the first pick and guarantees a top five pick at least in this upcoming draft. Although they hope for the first pick to draft Flagg, other options like Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and VJ Edgecombe are high ranking prospects. According to the 2025 NBA Mock Draft by Bleacher Report, the top five picks will be Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Kasparas Jakucionis, Ace Bailey, and Tre Johnson. All of these players will be suitable on the Wizards because they are looking for pure talent at the moment. The NBA draft lottery is on May 12th, and will reveal what pick in the draft the Wizards have. The 2025 NBA Draft is on June 25-26th and the Wizards will draft their next star to dominate the league.

The Washington Wizards are looking forward to the coming years. More moves will be made during free agency, next season’s trade deadline, and the 2026 draft. The Wizards hold many draft picks from themselves and the Phoenix Suns, so they will have multiple first-round draftees in the upcoming seasons. Other trades involving the Wizards happened at the 2025 trade deadline like Jonas Valančiūnas to the Kings and Jared Butler to the 76er’s, but these were some of the smaller moves. Only fate decides what the Wizard’s future holds, but the odds are in their favor.