Because the Washington Wizards finally deserve our attention

For over a decade, the “trusted” phrase has divided the waters inside the NBA sphere.

The term, popularized since mid-2010, Philadelphia 76ers when they have clearly meandered, refers to a construction strategy of the roster that emphasizes the drafts and young people while de-enhancing old and expensive veterans.

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The idea is simple. By loading a list with young players and elite prospects, the chances of making someone burst, instead of having a veteran team blocked in the first round of the playoffs every year, since young players do not have the opportunity to develop.

As soon as a star emerges – or more stars -, the teams can recalibrate and push for the dispute.

If that strategy seems vaguely familiar, it is because the Oklahoma City Thunder followed the path of the Sixers and won the 2025 title after half a decade of loading on young players.

(Philadelphia found an MVP in Joel EMBIID and also drafted more stars. While the 76er process never led to a championship, part of this was also due to the intervention of the League, leaving the project dissatisfied.)

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Even with more probability of the longer lottery in a place, as well as the NBA that installs as many safe tracks as possible to avoid similar approaches to the construction of the roster, more and more teams have found logic in the approach.

The Utah Jazz did not make the secret of their plans to be absolutely terrible in the next season to potentially take a franchise player among the first three of the draft next year.

And then there are the Washington Wizards, who would also like to select next year to avoid giving up their choice to the Knicks if it falls outside the first eight. But they are not all the magicians.

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In fact, their process seems more deliberated and more careful, with a heavier emphasis on the development of talents than simply a raw volume of young players.

Goodbye to the old man, hello to the new

Two years ago, the magicians knew they were not going anywhere. They had just completed a three -year section of 35, 35 and 34 victories with players such as Russell Westbrook, Kristaps Porziņģis, Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma and, of course, Bradley Beal. Nothing was working and in the end they pulled the plug, even if it probably should have been pulled a year or two before.

Despite a no-trade clause, Beal and The Wizards agreed on a picture that would have sent the former All-Star guard to the Phoenix Suns. Porziņģis was sent to Boston, where he won the title in his first season there. Westbrook was sent to a package that reported Kuzma, who was exchanged with Milwaukee in February last season. Poole concluded his mandate of magicians in this offseason, while he was exchanged with New Orleans.

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All in all, the magicians cleaned the house, despite not having received a plethora of choices in return. The value of their activities was, at best, modest. While most teams are not interested in exchanging players to the lowest point, Washington has decided to swallow his pride and make offers to go on.

During this process, the magicians continued to make their selections of drafts with an eye to the future. They chose Alexandre Sarr according to last summer and were exchanged for the 14th choice of Bub Carrington and the 24th selection to Kyshawn George.

The previous year, they carried out a trademaker trade to guarantee the rights of Bilal Coulibaly, and this year they moved away with three Johnson and Will Riley as their main pieces.

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The Wizards are loading young talents, according to the Trust-The-Process playbook. But while they did, they moved away so slightly bringing more veterans that they are both expensive and rather old.

The Sana Foundation

One might think that veterans will block young people from evolution. In some cases, it is absolutely true. In the case of Washington, however, not so much.

Khris Middleton, acquired in the Kuzma trade, is no longer a 30 -minute player. It is larger, he has undergone more injuries and his time to facilitate has come, regardless of how good he still is still.

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CJ McCollum, acquired in the Poole trade, is also approaching his mid -1930s. While he can certainly play over 30 minutes per game, he is not a player who will dominate the ball and take away the opportunities from others.

Both players are boys of elite changing rooms who take younger players under wings and will provide comfort and encouragement.

This is a choice deliberated by the magicians and which has a large amount of meaning if you see through the lens of the development of the players. By installing two very respected players who are former star and bring the right type of ego to the team, there is a possibility that accelerates and improves the development of young talents.

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In essence, the Wizards have invited to establish a culture in which responsibility and having the right type of leadership are priority.

Will it work?

Of course, there are no guarantees in this business, even if your approach to a new process has followed until the end.

Sarr may not develop in the large multiple star that has been invoiced to him. Coulibaly, which should lose the beginning of the season after the thumb surgery, could complete as a good appetizer and never make an all-star team. Carrington could find himself as an eternal combined guard who never can find a permanent point. Johnson could become the next Jordan Hawkins instead of the new Ray Allen.

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A lot of problematic problems and developments may appear. There are no guarantees that the magicians, despite their best efforts, will transform this process into something sustainable.

But at least they are trying.

At least they decided to rotate and make a real effort to travel a different path. At least they have not resigned to years of irrelevance like the Chicago Bulls. At least they are trying to write their story and lay the foundations for a future with hope.

We will see in the coming years how everything will take place. But don’t make mistakes: Washington Wizards finally deserve our attention.