Washington Wizards face big questions as the NBA season begins

The Washington Wizards will be unlikely to compete for anything other than a possible No. 1 overall pick this season. Everyone knows that.

However, that doesn’t mean the Wizards are exempt from improving or providing clear direction.

Washington has a lot of questions to answer as the 2024-25 NBA season begins, and Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes has revealed what the team’s biggest question is: How will it position rookie big man Alex Sarr for success?

“Washington does not have the personnel to surround Sarr with quality support, and it actively weakened its defense when it traded Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers,” Hughes wrote. “This move presented a conundrum for the Wizards, as it made sense for their overall plan to hoard rebuildable assets while increasing the burden on Sarr’s shoulders.”

The Wizards selected Sarr at No. 2 overall, which has received a rather lukewarm response from fans and experts.

His talent is undeniable, and with the NBA leaning heavily on versatile big men who can do a little bit of everything, the 6-foot-5 Sarr could end up being a cornerstone in Washington’s rebuild.

The problem, however, is that he doesn’t have much support in the nation’s capital when it comes to the complementary players around him.

“Sarr’s development is absolutely critical in Washington, but he will be difficult to build with so little support around him,” Hughes concluded.

Sarr is part of a young Wizards core that also includes Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert, Saadiq Bey (who is recovering from a torn ACL) and fellow rookie Bub Carrington.

While Washington has a few good veterans, there’s a good chance the Wizards will trade at least one or two of them over the course of the regular season.

Be sure to bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, movie recaps and more!