The Washington Wizards are in the midst of a clear and total rebuild. After three consecutive seasons with either 34 or 35 victories from 2020-21 through 2022-23, Washington pulled the rip cord, and that decision resulted in 33 combined victories over the last two seasons. While the Wizards did not find great fortune in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, Washington still enters the draft with two of the top 18 picks in the draft.
Because Washington is still in rebuilding mode, the Wizards should be casting a (very) wide net when it comes to prospect evaluation. In this space, we will highlight a trio of potential "home run" combinations, keeping in mind that Washington's range is quite varied.
Combination 1: Khaman Maluach and Liam McNeeley
As the draft nears, Khaman Maluach is seemingly rising on many draft boards, to the point where he could be squarely in Washington's range at No. 6 overall. The Duke center has fantastic measurables for a potentially dominant defensive center, and some believe Maluach may become a threat as a perimeter shooter on top of his appeal as a lob threat.
The counter to Maluach as the first Washington selection would be the presence of Alex Sarr, who is the Wizards' top prospect and a player who occupied the center position for much of his rookie season. However, there has always been buzz that Sarr would prefer to play the 4 long-term, and Maluach could help to keep him there. With the second pick, McNeeley would be a nice fit with Maluach and Sarr, as he is a potentially high-end shooter with wing size and five-star pedigree from the high school level.
Combination 2: Kon Knueppel and Rasheer Fleming
This variation would be the Wizards taking a swing on a wing with upside and coming back with a big, physical forward later in the first round. Knueppel was one of the best shooters in the country this season at Duke, and he has clear appeal as more than "just a shooter" at the NBA level. If not Knueppel, the pick could be Tre Johnson, but the point stands that Washington should certainly be considering the best wing available at No. 6 overall.
Fleming is probably best projected as a 4 long-term, but if the Wizards are convinced that Sarr is a center, he would make perfect sense. Fleming, a St. Joseph's product, measured with a 7'5 wingspan at the combine, and he also weighs in at north of 230 pounds. With the projection as a high-end 3-point shooter and enough physicality to defend and rebound, Fleming is appealing.
Combination 3: Jeremiah Fears and Cedric Coward
Washington does have a lead guard in the pipeline with Bub Carrington, who showed real flashes during his rookie campaign. With that said, the Wizards could certainly take a swing with Jeremiah Fears, who has fans all over the league. Washington could evaluate Fears as the player with the highest upside available, and he is a consistent threat to break the paint and force help from supporting defenders. Fears does have shooting and defensive questions, but the Wizards may see enough growth potential to justify a mid-lottery selection.
With the second pick in this hypothetical, Washington would benefit from Cedric Coward falling to No. 18 overall. Some view Coward as a potential lottery pick, even with only a tiny sample against high-end competition. If he slips, though, Coward's combination of shooting and wing athleticism and size would be appealing for any team. That is especially true for a Wizards team that is essentially a clean slate at this early stage of the rebuild.