How the Wizards Pre-Agency Strategy Shaped a Stronger 2026

When the Wizards acquired multi-time All-Stars in Trae Young and Anthony Davis during the 2025 regular season, what would come next for them became the lingering question. Would they both stick around? Could one of them be moved? Now, the answers to those questions have been revealed as both will don a Wizards uniform to start 2026. In an era where NBA free agency isn't what it once was, the team took a different approach -- and it was done with some superb foresight. This summer was supposed to be the payoff for the Washington Wizards’ patience. Washington had positioned itself to potentially enter the offseason with roughly $85 million in cap space, giving the franchise an opportunity to add pieces via free agency. Instead, they spent all of that money before anyone else could. It seemed like a pretty large gamble on the surface to have two disgruntled assets eat the majority of that cap space that was supposed to free up this summer. However, this decision came at the right time. With the NBA's new lottery reforms put in place for 2026, it forces teams to ensure they avoid a bottom-three record in the NBA, which left some rebuilding teams scrambling to add win-now talent. Acquiring Young provides an obvious floor-raiser, who should rise their offensive numbers quite a bit. The Wizards believe he can be more that.  The team inked Young to a brand new four-year, $212 million contract. The number left plenty with some sticker shock, but the Wizards see the 27-year old as the needed piece to elevate their young core. He boasts one of the best playmaking resumes in recent history and the Wizards think his ability to serve as the offensive engine was badly needed.  President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger said on the Ryen Russillo Show Young was their expected top free agent on the board. If they had waited until the summer to try and sign him, would they have been able to do so? We won't truly know the answer to that, but trading for him beforehand made this process simple. Young quickly acclimated himself to Washington's organization. The Wizards showed him from the moment they traded for him that they wanted him in the building. Maybe that belief was exactly what Young needed. After seven years as the face of the franchise in Atlanta, that relationship came to an end. The Wizards needed a floor general. Young needed a team that saw value in him. The rest is history. Washington has its point guard. If they hadn't traded for him in January, it's not a given he'd be a Wizard. The biggest problem with having $85 million in cap space is straightforward: Cap space only matters if there are players worth spending it on, and if they are willing to sign with you. Winger said as much earlier in the offseason, saying the Wizards would have run a massive risk taking all of that cap space into the offseason for what could be a less than ideal pool of free agents. For years, Washington has struggled to attract big-name free agents, and previous regimes have handed out some egregious overpays for mediocre talent. Had they not acquired Young and Davis, it may have been competing for second-rate talent. Washington could have maintained its flexibility, entered July as one of the NBA's biggest spenders and still found itself without a franchise-altering player to sign. Instead, many of the offseason's most coveted talent either remained with their teams or changed teams through trades. The Wizards recognized an increasingly important reality of modern NBA roster construction: waiting for stars to reach unrestricted free agency is no longer the best way to acquire them. After Young, elected to pursue another expensive veteran, as Washington traded for Davis, who will make  $58 million this season. Davis became eligible for a max contract extension on August 6th, but reports indicate the Wizards and Davis will not discuss a possible extension before the regular season. This is a no-brainer given Davis' age and injury history. Either way, the ten-time All-Star will play for his fourth team this season, and there's a pretty good reason why the Wizards should be getting a motivated Davis. Young and Davis playing alongside its young core of AJ Dybantsa, Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and others instantly makes them a vastly stronger squad. For the young players, it's about time they find themselves in more competitive situations so the organization can evaluate who needs to stick around long-term.  Not to mention, the entire Eastern Conference has gotten increasingly strong. Reaching a play-in game will likely require more than finishing a few games under .500. As the Wizards started aiming to be competitive, almost everyone in the East also started leveling up. For the Wizards to take a massive step forward next season, they'll need to jump some teams. Could they level up over organizations such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Brooklyn? On paper, there's reason to believe they can surpass some of those teams. Ultimately, the Wizards' decision to sacrifice their massive pool of cap space wasn't them abandoning their long-term plans; it was about capitalizing on the flexibility they created. Washington could have entered July with the NBA's largest checkbooks. Still, there was never a guarantee that the players capable of transforming this roster would actually be available, much less willing to come to Washington. Instead of waiting for free agency to dictate their options, the Wizards went out and acquired two proven stars before they'd have to compete with anyone else for them. Still, questions exist. Young has to prove he's worth his massive contract. Davis must stay healthy and prove he can still perform at an All-Star level. Most importantly, the Wizards' young core has to demonstrate that it's ready to turn potential into a real, meaningful product. Washington has finally created an environment in which those questions can be answered.