<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-washington-tre-johnson-1-goal-rookie-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Tre Johnson names 1 bold goal for rookie season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Washingtons-Tre-Johnson-names-1-bold-goal-for-rookie-season.jpg"><figcaption>Tre Johnson smiles while holding basketball in Wizards jersey</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards’ Tre Johnson names 1 bold goal for rookie season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-10T20:57:02-07:00">October 10th, 8:57pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-11T09:24:11-07:00">October 11th, 9:24am</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards open their preseason slate against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday, which will be their latest showcase of a potential future star.</p><p>Rookie guard Tre Johnson, whom the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-tre-johnson-washington-rebuilding-puzzle">Wizards picked No. 6 overall</a> in June’s draft, will play his first game since Summer League. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/ncaa-basketball/texas-basketball-news-tre-johnson-kevin-durant-longhorns-record">University of Texas product</a> is coming off a SEC Freshman of the Year campaign, but his mind is now on his first NBA season.</p><p>Johnson has his sights set on <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975623303848206788" rel="noopener">one statistical goal</a>.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tre Johnson told me that his statistical goal this season is to shoot 90 percent from the free-throw line. He then said to <a href="https://twitter.com/bijan_todd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bijan_todd</a> that’s because he didn’t do it in college, and he should’ve done it his whole life. <a href="https://t.co/KiqB0TdsI7">pic.twitter.com/KiqB0TdsI7</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975623303848206788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“I just want to shoot 90 percent from the free-throw line,” he revealed after Tuesday’s practice.</p><p>When asked why that’s his focus, he said “‘Cause I didn’t do it in college. I was doing it my whole life, but I got away from it in college.”</p><p>Indeed, Johnson shot 87.1 percent from the charity stripe as a freshman with the Longhorns last season after posting a 90.5 percent clip as a senior at Link Academy High School in Branson, Missouri. The 19-year-old is only two years removed from hitting 90-plus percent, but he’ll join rare air if he does so as an NBA rookie.</p><p>Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer Ernie DiGregorio (90.2 percent) is the <a href="https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/which-rookie-has-the-highest-free-throw-percentage-in-a-season" rel="noopener">only rookie in league history</a> to hit that benchmark (min. 125 free throws made per 82 team games), which he did for the Buffalo Braves (now the Los Angeles Clippers) in the 1973-74 campaign, via StatMuse. Collegiate and Pro (Naismith Memorial Basketball) Hall of Famer Chris Mullin is second-best at 89.6 percent for the Golden State Warriors in 1985-86.</p><p>While reaching that goal would be a notable achievement for Johnson, the priority is to get to the line. The Texas native <a href="https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/stats/player/_/group/23/table/offensive/sort/avgFreeThrowsAttempted/dir/desc" rel="noopener">ranked 21st in the SEC</a> with 4.2 free-throw attempts per game last season, behind peers such as Jeremiah Fears (fourth, 6.3) and Collin Murray-Boyles (fifth, 5.9), per ESPN. The New Orleans Pelicans drafted Fears No. 7 overall out of Oklahoma, and the Raptors took Murray-Boyles No. 9 out of South Carolina.</p><p>Johnson also ranked seventh in free-throw percentage and first in points (19.9), so he was still elite in other ways. But making 90 percent of his free throws while also finishing top-10 among rookies in average attempts would show that he’s improved both his rim pressure and free-throw efficiency since his collegiate campaign.</p><p>That journey starts on Sunday. While Johnson’s preseason stats won’t count toward the regular season, showing his charity stripe acumen right away would be a positive step.</p><h2><b>CJ McCollum names 1 thing Wizards are elite at</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Wizards-CJ-McCollum_19620d.jpg"><figcaption>Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Fellow guard <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-wizards-cj-mccollum-jordan-poole-trade">CJ McCollum, who Washington officially acquired</a> from the New Orleans Pelicans on July 6 for a package including guard Jordan Poole and wing Saddiq Bey, is at the other end of his career. The 13th-year veteran is on an expiring contract and likely isn’t part of the team’s future, but he brings experience to the NBA’s <a href="https://bookies.com/news/youngest-and-oldest-nba-teams-2025-26-average-age-for-all-nba-teams" rel="noopener">second-youngest squad</a>, per Bookies.com.</p><p>McCollum, who has averaged at least 20 points per game in 10 consecutive seasons, will be a safety valve for the Wizards’ offense. At the same time, the former Most Improved Player is already providing a perspective about the organization that fans can feel good about.</p><p>McCollum <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975633322928980403" rel="noopener">offered his first impressions</a> of it since arriving over the summer after Tuesday’s practice.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">CJ McCollum told me that the Wizards are one of the most “organized organizations” he’s been a part of. He mentioned their variety of resources and how they care about every player on the roster, not just the top guys. <a href="https://t.co/wlevv9WHJk">pic.twitter.com/wlevv9WHJk</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1975633322928980403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“They’ve been great in terms of communication, organization, structure. They’re probably one of the most organized organizations I’ve been a part of in terms of the cadence and communication, how the team works, everything they use, the resources they have,” he said. “The staff is here all day. They’re here from 7 a.m. till like 3 [p.m.], which is crazy.”</p><p>“Food is great, nutritionists. I did blood work early. I got my vitamins, I got everything that I need,” he continued. “All the resources that you need to be successful are here, and they care. I think that’s a really important factor, there’s a huge care factor. Not just with rotation guys and guys that make a lot of money, but they care about the two-ways, exhibit-10 guys. You can see it in how they’re treated.”</p><p>The latter point is evidenced by forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-sign-breakout-justin-champagnie-10-million-contract-extension">Justin Champagnie, who Washington signed</a> to a four-year $9.8 million deal in March after inking him to a two-way contract in 2024. The 24-year-old had a breakout season highlighted by his 12.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in December. The club then rewarded him with a long-term commitment a month before the end of the campaign, showing the current regime’s proactiveness.</p><p>McCollum also revealed whether his experience differs from what he’s heard in the past.</p><p>“In years past, yes,” the former Portland Trail Blazer admitted. “But in terms of what I’ve been hearing over the last few years, it’s been pretty consistent. Obviously I know a lot of the guys that were here, and they echoed a lot of the same things that I’m discussing now.”</p><p>That’s a testament to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/clippers-news-gm-michael-winger-leaving-kawhi-leonard-paul-george-la-for-wizards">Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger</a> and Wizards general manager Will Dawkins, who took over in the spring of 2023. They haven’t yet built a contender in Washington, but their leadership is changing the organization’s perception around the league.</p><p>Once the Wizards stack enough front-office wins, like landing elite collegiate scorers and signing breakout two-way players, the results will show in the standings. The key is that they’re on the right path after years of losing records with a veteran core under the previous regime.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Tre Johnson names 1 bold goal for rookie season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/cj-mccollum-wizards-culture-standard-young-core');   ga('set', 'title', 'How CJ McCollum has set new Wizards culture and standard for young core');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Wizards-CJ-McCollum.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>How CJ McCollum has set new Wizards culture and standard for young core</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-06T02:37:01-07:00">October 6th, 2:37am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-06T09:35:47-07:00">October 6th, 9:35am</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>WASHINGTON, D.C. — In 2023, the Washington <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-2023-offseason-recap-jordan-poole-kyle-kuzma-bilal-coulibaly">Wizards’ new regime decided to rebuild</a> with young talent after five straight losing seasons with a veteran core under the prior administration. However, it still keeps <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-wizards-cj-mccollum-jordan-poole-trade">elder statesmen like CJ McCollum</a> around to set an example for the kids.</p><p>During Wizards Media Day on Sept. 29, the 34-year-old guard <a href="https://twitter.com/chasedcsports/status/1972745359882670452" rel="noopener">shared advice he gave</a> to No. 6 overall draft pick Tre Johnson, via Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">After this video went viral GM Will Dawkins said the Wizards are trying to help Tre develop some hobbies. Here’s CJ McCollum in detail on why it’s actually pretty important: <a href="https://t.co/xMvkXYr5cD">https://t.co/xMvkXYr5cD</a> <a href="https://t.co/KgtSRL1dys">pic.twitter.com/KgtSRL1dys</a></p><p>— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/chasedcsports/status/1972745359882670452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“With the young fella from Texas, I was telling him ‘What else do you do besides play basketball?’ And I had to envision what it was like when I was 19. I was still in college, I wasn’t in the NBA,” he explained. “He was like, ‘I just sleep.’ I was like ‘Bro, you gotta find something else. You don’t play video games?’ He was like ‘No, all I do is hoop.’ I said ‘That’s great, that’s important, and that’s the type of mentality you gotta have. But you need an escape. This is about to be 82 games, practice every day, you’re only off once every six days. We’re gonna be in new cities every night. You’re gonna need something to do on that off day that’s not basketball. Massage, yoga, whatever.'”</p><p>Despite the assertive tone, McCollum wasn’t preaching to Johnson. Rather, the former NBA Most Improved Player saw his former self in the rookie guard, and he shared the lessons he learned when he was his age.</p><p>“We were just talking, and I was thinking ‘What did I do when I was 20?’ I was like ‘Damn, I didn’t have nothing,'” he admitted with a chuckle. “I played video games for a year, and then I stopped. I had my own radio show, so that was an hour out of the day where I could get away from basketball. But I said ‘It’s 24 hours in the day, you need some hobbies. I’ll send you some books, I’ll send you some stuff. But you gotta find something else that helps you escape the game. If you don’t have an escape, you’ll go crazy.’ That’s what I’ve noticed in this sport. Without balance, there’s chaos.”</p><p>Similar to Johnson, McCollum was a decorated collegiate guard who became a top-10 NBA Draft pick. The Ohio native earned AP Honorable Mention All-American honors twice at Lehigh University, set the Patriot League all-time scoring record, and became the first-ever Mountain Hawks player to enter the NBA when the Portland Trail Blazers selected him 10th overall in 2013.</p><p>On the other hand, Johnson was the SEC Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-SEC honoree with Texas last season before the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-tre-johnson-washington-rebuilding-puzzle">Wizards took him with the sixth pick</a> in June’s draft. The difference is that McCollum stayed in college all four years and graduated with a journalism degree, while Johnson went pro after just one season.</p><p>That extra time in school helped McCollum explore his passion for media, making him a well-rounded person before playing in the league. Johnson must figure out his non-basketball interests while navigating the NBA, but he luckily has a teammate who’s been in his shoes and wants to help.</p><h2><b>Brian Keefe, Kyshawn George discuss Wizards’ development style</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wizards-coach-Brian-Keefe.jpg"><figcaption>John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Johnson isn’t the only person in Washington who could learn from McCollum’s work-life balance. Head coach Brian Keefe admitted as much to ClutchPoints after Friday’s practice.</p><p>“I probably should do better in that area myself,” the second-year coach said when asked if the organization pushes its players to explore off-court hobbies. “I probably wouldn’t be a good role model for that, so…”</p><p>The fact that McCollum is already filling in one of Keefe’s blind spots despite only being with the Wizards since June shows his value. They have the basketball work ethic down, so mixing that with fulfilling non-hoop activities could help their young players avoid being overwhelmed by the NBA grind. Naturally, that will help them perform better on the hardwood as well.</p><p>On that note, second-year guard/forward Kyshawn George described how the Wizards <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1973839452511572157" rel="noopener">develop their players</a> on Friday.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kyshawn George said that he thinks Bub Carrington is even more comfortable with his midrange jumper now, which was a strength last season. “I’ve seen him work on it all summer.”</p><p>George also praised the organization for how dedicated it is to developing players. <a href="https://t.co/lKPWPHYQa5">pic.twitter.com/lKPWPHYQa5</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1973839452511572157?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“We were here on what, May 8? Working through May, June. Here for Summer League in July,” the 21-year-old said. “It just shows that we’re willing workers, and the organization is putting everything in order for us to be able to work. Coaches are here, strength and conditioning, the medical staff, everybody’s here for us to get better. They’ve done a good job of that.”</p><p>George also mentioned that he’s seen 20-year-old guard Bub Carrington’s midrange jumper improve recently, an anecdotal example of how their reps are paying off. Still, the former Miami Hurricane said nothing about non-basketball development, showing how McCollum’s philosophy is new for the Wizards.</p><p>General manager Will Dawkins was actually the first member of the organization to publicly say that it wants Johnson to <a href="https://x.com/chasedcsports/status/1973017213457318094" rel="noopener">pick up other interests</a>, which he did during his preseason presser on Sept. 24, via Hughes. At the same time, it’s different when a teammate emphasizes something than when an executive does, since players spend almost every day together. McCollum could be the locker-room “yin and yang enforcer,” ensuring that the young players maintain balance in their lives.</p><p>Johnson admitted on Media Day that he’s “not there yet” <a href="https://x.com/HenryJNBA/status/1972717735390949613" rel="noopener">in that regard</a>, via Sports Illustrated’s Henry J. Brown. On the bright side, Dawkins and McCollum have at least planted the seed, and the rookie has time to progress.</p><p>A rebuilding team trading for a veteran guard on an expiring contract isn’t the most consequential move on paper, but the former New Orleans Pelican’s influence could help Washington’s young core for years to come, even if he doesn’t stick around long-term.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How CJ McCollum has set new Wizards culture and standard for young core

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/how-kevin-durant-influenced-tre-johnson-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'How Kevin Durant influenced Tre Johnson’s game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Wizards-news-Washingtons-Tre-Johnson-makes-Kevin-Durant-admission.jpg"><figcaption>October 1, 2025</figcaption></figure><h1>How Kevin Durant influenced Tre Johnson’s game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-01T19:06:48-07:00">October 1st, 7:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-02T13:21:07-07:00">October 2nd, 1:21pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Washington <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-carmelo-anthony-kevin-durant-washington">Wizards have yet to acquire D.C.-area native Kevin Durant</a> since he got drafted in 2007, but they did get a shooter inspired by him.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-tre-johnson-washington-rebuilding-puzzle">Wizards drafted Texas guard Tre Johnson</a> No. 6 overall in June, who played for the same college as the 15-time NBA All-Star. Johnson told ClutchPoints on Monday’s Media Day <a href="https://x.com/joshvaldez100/status/1972731993483055417" rel="noopener">what he learned</a> from watching him play over the years.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tre Johnson told me that Kevin Durant influenced his game the most growing up. Watching KD helped him learn how to use his size and shoot over players.</p><p>Tre also mentioned that he’s impressed with how detailed Bub Carrington and Alex Sarr are about their craft. <a href="https://t.co/gv9abhhIdi">pic.twitter.com/gv9abhhIdi</a></p><p>— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshvaldez100/status/1972731993483055417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Growing up, I kind of just watched Kevin Durant,” he revealed. “I was taller than everybody, thinking I was gonna be as tall as he was. I learned at a young age how to use my size, shoot over players. It’s not the best thing, but…”</p><p>It’s not as easy for the 6-foot-6 Johnson to shoot over defenders as it is for the 6-foot-11 Durant, but both of their games center around elite jumpshooting and contested shot-making. For example, Johnson led all freshmen in scoring last season, just as Durant did in the 2006-07 campaign.</p><p>Former Longhorns head coach Rodney Terry, who <a href="https://www.nba.com/draft/2025/prospects/tre-johnson" rel="noopener">coached both players</a>, also sees the similarities, via NBA.com.</p><p>“I got a chance to coach Kevin Durant for one year at Texas, and [Johnson] and Kevin have a lot of things that kind of come from the same cloth, in terms of incredible work ethic,” he said. “A guy that we have to literally push him out of the gym. … You put the scoreboard on, and he’s competing at another level.”</p><p>That work ethic yielded results for both players at the collegiate level. Durant was the consensus National Player of the Year after averaging 25.8 points on 47.3 percent shooting (40.4 percent 3-point) with 11.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists across 35.9 minutes, while Johnson earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors after averaging 19.9 points on 42.7 percent shooting (39.7 percent 3-point) with 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists over 34.7 minutes.</p><p>Those numbers highlight their size and positional differences, as the forward rebounded more while the guard was a better facilitator. However, they were similarly effective from the three-point line, which is something the Wizards need help with.</p><p>Washington was second-to-last in the NBA with a <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/shots-general?Season=2024-25&amp;dir=D&amp;sort=FG3_PCT" rel="noopener">33.5 percent clip</a> from downtown in 2024-25, via NBA.com. Johnson won’t fix that by himself, but getting a player who Terry compared to Durant will likely help.</p><h2><b>Tre Johnson, Kevin Durant are all about hoops</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Wizards-Tre-Johnson-2.jpg"><figcaption>© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>On-court play style isn’t the only commonality between Johnson and Durant. Like many successful players, they are also obsessed with the game of basketball.</p><p>Johnson admitted that he <a href="https://twitter.com/chasedcsports/status/1938227546702647761" rel="noopener">doesn’t have other hobbies</a> at the NBA Draft Combine in May, via Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">New Wizards guard Tre Johnson explained at the draft combine in May how he essentially has zero off-court interests or hobbies. He’s all hoop. <a href="https://t.co/lmpX7XpufB">pic.twitter.com/lmpX7XpufB</a></p><p>— Chase Hughes (@chasedcsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/chasedcsports/status/1938227546702647761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Everything I do is basketball-related. I just got a book, so I’m trying to expand a little bit into reading,” the Texas native said. “But everything is basketball-related unless I’m listening to music, on the phone with friends, or sleeping. That’s about it.”</p><p>Durant described a similar dedication when discussing his mindset after <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40016845/you-fake-fire-fueled-kevin-durant-incredible-return-game" rel="noopener">tearing his Achillies tendon</a> in the 2018-19 NBA Finals, via ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.</p><p>“My whole <i>being</i> has been committed to playing basketball…And when I’m that committed to something, I didn’t even think about anything else but, like, when are we starting recovery?” the two-time Finals MVP said. “As soon as it happened, everybody wanted to cry with me. I did that for a second, crying, because everybody else was crying, and then I’m like, ‘When are we doing surgery? When can I start my recovery process?’ And that’s how it was, man. I’m ready to get back, quick.”</p><p>Durant does have hobbies, as he showed <a href="https://www.theplayerstribune.com/articles/kevin-durant-super-bowl-50-photography" rel="noopener">when he took pictures</a> as a credentialed photographer at Super Bowl 50, via The Players’ Tribune. However, the 37-year-old lives and breathes basketball rather than seeing it as a job he’s good at, similar to Johnson.</p><p>Sharing qualities with Durant doesn’t guarantee success in the NBA for the rookie, but it doesn’t hurt. Afer all, Durant is one of the greatest players of all time, and Washington hasn’t had a star since John Wall in the 2010s.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-biggest-tre-johnson-concern-2025-nba-summer-league">Johnson showed promising signs in Summer League</a>, scoring 39 points (14-25 FG, 5-11 3 PT) over two games before sustaining a hamstring injury that ended his campaign. The 19-year-old’s 19.5-point average <a href="https://www.nba.com/wizards/news/summer-league-takeaways-johnson-iii-george-stood-out" rel="noopener">was the second-highest</a> for a Wizards player in Summer League history behind Wall (23.5 points) in 2010, via Hughes.</p><p>The next step for Johnson is to sustain that production over a longer time period. The former second-team All-SEC selection’s next chance to do so will be during the Wizards’ three-game preseason slate, which starts on Oct. 12 against the Toronto Raptors.</p><p>Johnson will be used heavily on a rebuilding Washington team that is focused on developing young talent. The organization displayed that mentality last season, as Bub Carrington, Alex Sarr, and Kyshawn George finished first, third and <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional?PlayerExperience=Rookie&amp;Season=2024-25&amp;SeasonType=Regular%20Season&amp;dir=A&amp;sort=MIN" rel="noopener">sixth among rookies</a> in minutes per game, via NBA.com.</p><p>Similar to those players, Johnson will also get reps without being under pressure for immediate results. There will be a learning curve as he adjusts to the best league in the world, but he’s already shown glimpses of why he was the No. 6 overall pick.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

How Kevin Durant influenced Tre Johnson’s game

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-player-shock-world-breakout-2025-26-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards player who will shock world with breakout 2025-26 season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Wizards-player-who-will-shock-world-with-breakout-2025-26-season.jpg"></figure><h1>Wizards player who will shock world with breakout 2025-26 season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-25T04:43:21-07:00">September 25th, 4:43am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-25T04:43:21-07:00">September 25th, 4:43am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the Washington <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-2025-26-season-predictions-nba-schedule-release">Wizards prepare for the 2025-26 season</a>, one name has quietly slipped under the radar, a name that deserves just as much attention, if not more. That player is Kyshawn George, the 6-foot-9 Swiss wing who flashed enormous potential during his rookie season in Washington. While his numbers may not leap off the page: 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game on 37.2 percent shooting, context tells a much deeper story.</p><p>George played in 68 games as a rookie, logging 26.5 minutes per night, and showed enough flashes of versatility to suggest that his sophomore season could be transformative. With improved shooting mechanics, a clearer role, and an opportunity for expanded minutes due to injuries elsewhere on the roster, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/1-wizards-player-in-danger-of-losing-starting-job-in-2025-26-training-camp">George could very well be the player</a> who shocks the NBA by breaking out in 2025-26.</p><h2><b>Why Kyshawn George has the tools to emerge as Washington’s breakout star</b></h2><p>George’s size and skill set are what make him such an intriguing piece in Washington’s rebuild. At 6-foot-9 with guard-like instincts, he’s already difficult for opposing wings to match up with. His ability to handle the ball, facilitate offense, and create mismatches is rare for a player his size, and it gives head coach Brian Keefe flexibility in how he deploys him.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kyshawn George made a lot of plays in just two games of NBA Summer League. Promising asset budding in Washington. Fits the mold of the connective two-way wing all 30 NBA teams covet. Long, skilled, cerebral, defends, and shoots it. Has improved athletically since college. <a href="https://t.co/LO85kv1bKk">pic.twitter.com/LO85kv1bKk</a></p><p>— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) <a href="https://twitter.com/League_Him/status/1947638009215549933?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>During his rookie year, George showed glimpses of that versatility. He wasn’t just a spot-up shooter or a slasher; he was both, and more. His playmaking instincts were surprisingly advanced, averaging <a href="https://www.espn.in/nba/player/_/id/5174563/kyshawn-george" rel="noopener">2.5 assists</a> per game despite playing most of his minutes off the ball. He demonstrated the ability to make quick reads in transition, deliver passes in tight windows, and serve as a secondary facilitator alongside Jordan Poole. For a Wizards team that often struggled with offensive cohesion, George’s willingness to move the ball and play within the flow of the offense was invaluable.</p><p>The most important factor in George’s development, however, lies in his shooting. As a rookie, he connected on just 32.2 percent of his three-pointers, but he attempted 5.2 per game, showing confidence in his perimeter shot. If his Summer League performance was any indication, his shooting stroke is catching up to his confidence.</p><p>Reports out of Las Vegas suggested that George looked more comfortable as a jump shooter, knocking down shots at a much higher clip and showing fluid mechanics that weren’t always there as a rookie. If he can even approach league-average efficiency from deep, defenses will be forced to respect him, which opens up driving lanes and enhances his value as a facilitator.</p><h2><b>How opportunity and circumstance could propel George’s breakout</b></h2><p>The Wizards are not expected to compete for a playoff spot this season, which means the front office and coaching staff have every incentive to prioritize the development of their young players. George, with his rare size-skill combination, fits the mold of the kind of versatile wing every team is hunting for in today’s NBA. Giving him freedom to experiment, make mistakes, and grow into his role only benefits the franchise long-term.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kyshawn George vs Columbia </p><p>18/6/5 – 6/8 FG 4/4 3PFG</p><p>Full highlights: <a href="https://t.co/aL5OIYFlzO">pic.twitter.com/aL5OIYFlzO</a></p><p>— riley ｼ (@rileyricharrds) <a href="https://twitter.com/rileyricharrds/status/1961294171253391868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Offensively,<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-biggest-tre-johnson-concern-2025-nba-summer-league"> George’s fit alongside Tre Johnson</a> and Sarr is tantalizing. With Johnson handling much of the perimeter shot creation and Sarr providing interior scoring and rim protection, George’s ability to serve as a connector piece, knocking down open shots, attacking closeouts, and facilitating ball movement, fills a critical need.</p><p>He doesn’t need to be the primary scorer to make a massive impact; rather, his growth into a reliable two-way wing could stabilize Washington’s rotation and give them a blueprint for the type of player they want to build around.</p><p>Defensively, George may be even more valuable. The Wizards were near the bottom of the league last season in defensive rating, and while the addition of Sarr helps their interior, their perimeter defense remains suspect. George has the tools to step in and guard opposing wings and guards alike, which could earn him crunch-time minutes. If he proves to be a consistent disruptor on that end, his breakout potential only grows.</p><h2><b>Don’t be surprised when Kyshawn George shines</b></h2><p>Heading into the 2025-26 season, it’s easy to focus on the more<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-wiz-kids-offering-fans-hope-overseas-tournaments"> hyped sophomore names in Washington’s rotation</a>. Alex Sarr’s upside as a rim protector and offensive hub is tantalizing, while Carrington’s athleticism and shot creation give him star potential. But sleeping on Kyshawn George would be a mistake.</p><p>George’s rookie season may not have turned heads statistically, but the underlying flashes were there: the size, the vision, the defense, the shooting confidence. Summer League hinted at the next step in his development, and the Wizards’ current roster situation provides the perfect opportunity for him to put it all together.</p><p>With Coulibaly sidelined, George could find himself thrust into a prominent role early in the season. If he rises to the occasion, his combination of size, skill, and versatility could make him the breakout player nobody is talking about yet, but everyone will be by season’s end.</p><p>So while the spotlight shines on Sarr and Carrington, don’t forget about the 6-foot-9 Swiss forward quietly waiting for his chance. Kyshawn George has the tools, the opportunity, and the work ethic to shock the NBA world this year. And if he does, don’t say you weren’t warned.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards player who will shock world with breakout 2025-26 season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jordan-poole-giddiness-kevon-looney-reunion-wizards-jab');   ga('set', 'title', 'Pelicans’ Jordan Poole’s giddiness about Kevon Looney reunion features Wizards jab');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Wizards-Jordan-Poole-2.jpg"><figcaption>© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Pelicans’ Jordan Poole’s giddiness about Kevon Looney reunion features Wizards jab</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-23T09:51:47-07:00">September 23rd, 9:51am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-23T09:51:47-07:00">September 23rd, 9:51am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Jordan Poole didn’t hold back when asked about his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-jordan-poole-so-lit-message-after-nola-signs-kevon-looney">reunion with former Golden State Warriors teammate Kevon Looney</a>. Speaking during New Orleans Pelicans Media Day on Tuesday, the 25-year-old guard <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1970521693526351914" rel="noopener">expressed excitement</a> about teaming up with Looney again while also taking a subtle jab at his former team, the Washington Wizards.</p><p>“I’m super excited, man. I haven’t had a good screen in two years so it’ll be dope,” Poole said.</p><p>Poole and Looney spent four seasons together with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/golden-state-warriors/warriors-news-stephen-curry-2022-nba-finals-celtics">Warriors, capturing a championship in 2022</a>. Looney, a reliable screen-setter and interior presence, earned three titles during his decade-long stint in Golden State. Their reunion in New Orleans follows a pair of challenging years for Poole in Washington, where he often shouldered a heavier offensive load with fewer veteran stabilizers around him.</p><h2><b>Jordan Poole calls Kevon Looney reunion vital for Pelicans’ revamped roster</b></h2><p>“Playing with somebody who’s won a championship, obviously you go through a long season and you just build the relationship in terms of just basketball and chemistry,” Poole said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“I’m super excited, man. I haven’t had a good screen in two years.”</p><p>Pelicans guard Jordan Poole on playing with Kevon Looney again 😅</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/PelicansNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PelicansNBA</a>)<a href="https://t.co/D2gX3Tc2AP">pic.twitter.com/D2gX3Tc2AP</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1970521693526351914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>“For me personally, it’s a really big pickup just for how I play – I think it’s huge for our team too for the young guys, for DQ, for Missi, for opening the floor up for guys like Trey and Hawkins, Herb… just our experience. We have a really good group and I think Troy and Joe did a good job of putting this unit together.”</p><p>Poole arrives in New Orleans after averaging 20.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game with the Wizards last season. He appeared in 68 games and shot 43.2% from the field and 37.8% from three-point range in 29.4 minutes per contest.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-news-new-orleans-signs-3-time-nba-champion-warriors-free-agency">Looney, who signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Pelicans</a> this offseason, adds much-needed frontcourt depth. In 76 games for the Warriors last season, the 6-foot-9 center averaged 4.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting 51.4% from the field in 15 minutes per game.</p><p>New Orleans opens the 2025-26 season on Wednesday, Oct. 22, against the Memphis Grizzlies. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/new-orleans-pelicans-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-every-signing">revamped roster also includes additions like Jordan Poole, Kevon Looney</a>, rookies Derik Queen and Jeremiah Fears, and veterans Saddiq Bey and Jalen McDaniels. The Pelicans are looking to rebound from a 21-61 campaign, the second-worst record in franchise history.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Pelicans’ Jordan Poole’s giddiness about Kevon Looney reunion features Wizards jab

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/utah-jazz/nba-rumors-ace-bailey-preferred-landing-spot-revealed-wasnt-jazz');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Ace Bailey’s ‘preferred landing spot’ revealed, and it wasn’t Jazz');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Ace-Bailey-on-draft-night.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Ace Bailey’s ‘preferred landing spot’ revealed, and it wasn’t Jazz</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-23T07:24:40-07:00">September 23rd, 7:24am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-23T07:30:01-07:00">September 23rd, 7:30am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>With the 2025–26 NBA season a month away, a new report has shed light on <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-ace-bailey-agent-clears-the-air-on-recent-utah-rumors">Utah Jazz rookie Ace Bailey’s draft-night intentions</a>. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the 19-year-old forward <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/monday-best-the-latest-nba-free-agency" rel="noopener">preferred to land</a> with the Washington Wizards, not the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-rumors-ace-bailey-trade-speculation-shot-down-by-shams-charania">Utah Jazz, who ultimately selected him No. 5 overall</a> in the 2025 NBA Draft.</p><p>“This one has been in circulation since draft night in June: Washington is the lottery team, according to various rivals, that was the preferred landing spot for Ace Bailey,” Stein reported Monday. “Bailey’s camp refused to engage with teams interested in bringing him in for an individual workout in the days leading up to the June 25 draft in the apparent hope of steering himself to the Wizards.”</p><p>The Wizards held the No. 6 overall pick, just one spot behind Utah. Despite Bailey’s apparent preference and limited workout availability, the Jazz moved forward with the selection, a move that sparked widespread speculation about whether the former Rutgers standout <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/jazz-news-ace-bailey-officially-lands-summer-league">would report to Salt Lake City</a>.</p><h2><b>Ace Bailey eyed Wizards at No. 6 before Jazz made surprise pick</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Jazz-rookie-Ace-Bailey-2.jpg"><figcaption>Brad Penner-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Fueling that speculation further was the Wizards’ recent signing of Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract. Cooper is the son of Bailey’s manager, Omar Cooper, who is widely believed to have orchestrated much of Bailey’s tightly controlled pre-draft process. The timing of the signing raised eyebrows around the league.</p><p>NBA insider Jake Fischer reported in June that the move “surprised no shortage of personnel people who track the two-way market,” noting that Sharife Cooper hadn’t played in the NBA since the 2021–22 season and had spent the past year playing in Turkey, Greece, and France — none at the EuroLeague level.</p><p>Despite the off-court noise, Bailey is expected to play a central role in Utah’s rotation this season. He averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 assists per game during his lone season at Rutgers.</p><p>The Jazz will begin their 2025–26 campaign at home on Wednesday, October 22, against the Los Angeles Clippers. The game marks the return of former Jazz forward <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/utah-jazz/nba-insider-reveals-utah-jazz-traded-john-collins-too-productive">John Collins, who was traded to the Clippers this offseason</a> in a three-team deal. The Clippers also enter the season under league scrutiny, following an ongoing NBA investigation into whether a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers/clippers-rumors-kawhi-leonard-signed-28-million-deal-for-no-show-job-to-circumvent-salary-cap">$28 million endorsement deal between Kawhi Leonard</a> and the now-bankrupt company Aspiration may have violated salary cap rules.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Ace Bailey’s ‘preferred landing spot’ revealed, and it wasn’t Jazz

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/3-washington-wizards-trade-targets-keep-eye-2025-26-nba-season');   ga('set', 'title', '3 Washington Wizards trade targets to keep an eye on in 2025-26 NBA season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/3-Washington-Wizards-trade-targets-to-keep-an-eye-on-in-2025-26-NBA-season.jpg"></figure><h1>3 Washington Wizards trade targets to keep an eye on in 2025-26 NBA season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-23T06:42:40-07:00">September 23rd, 6:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-23T06:42:40-07:00">September 23rd, 6:42am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Washington Wizards enter the 2025-26 NBA season in a position they have not enjoyed for quite some time: optimism. After years of drifting through lottery seasons and patchwork roster moves, the franchise has finally begun to carve out a clearer identity. Their young core of Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, and Bub Carrington has energized the fanbase, while the addition of steady veterans like Khris Middleton and the acquisition of CJ McCollum and Cam Whitmore provide both leadership and scoring balance.</p><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/move-washington-wizards-shouldve-made-2025-nba-offseason"> Wizards may not yet be ready to contend</a> for a top seed in the Eastern Conference, but they are no longer a bottom-feeder either. Instead, they sit in the intriguing middle ground where growth is expected, and every roster move could tip the scales toward either a Play-In chase or something more ambitious.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-2025-nba-free-agency-grades-every-signing">Wizards’ offseason was marked by smart</a>, calculated moves rather than <a href="https://www.nba.com/players/free-agent-tracker/2025" rel="noopener">splashy ones</a>. Bringing back Marvin Bagley III on a short-term deal gives them another forward who can stretch the floor at times, while keeping Middleton around ensures there is veteran guidance for the developing stars. The front office also showed shrewdness in the trade market, turning Jordan Poole into McCollum and flipping assets for Cam Whitmore.</p><p>Those moves balance out the timeline by pairing established players with emerging talent. However, as the season unfolds, the Wizards could find themselves in need of another push, either to climb firmly into playoff contention or to solidify the long-term structure of their rebuild. If they decide to get aggressive at the trade deadline, three names stand out as potential targets: Jonathan Kuminga, Walker Kessler, and Anfernee Simons.</p><h2><b>Jonathan Kuminga: A dynamic wing to anchor the future</b></h2><p>If there is one position that defines success in today’s NBA, it is the versatile wing. The Wizards have promising pieces in Coulibaly and Whitmore, but adding another two-way forward like Jonathan Kuminga could elevate their rotation dramatically. Kuminga has grown steadily with the Golden State Warriors, but his role has often fluctuated depending on the team’s veteran hierarchy.</p><p>Currently, Kuminga is looking for a better deal elsewhere as his situation with the GSW has worsened. For a Wizards team that is still in the building phase, Kuminga would have the freedom to develop fully into a primary wing option while bringing immediate defensive impact.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JONTHAN KUMINGA THROWS IT DOWN🔨</p><p>📺 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAonABC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAonABC</a> <a href="https://t.co/IyhiZcik5M">pic.twitter.com/IyhiZcik5M</a></p><p>— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) <a href="https://twitter.com/warriors/status/1921392235511197860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The appeal of Kuminga in Washington lies in his ability to complement both the youth and the veterans already in place. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-alex-sarr-suffers-concerning-calf-injury-at-eurobasket">With Sarr as the interior anchor</a> and Coulibaly providing defense on the perimeter, Kuminga would fit as a slashing scorer who thrives in transition and can guard multiple positions.</p><p>Offensively, his athleticism would give Carrington and McCollum another outlet, and his growing jumper suggests he could stretch the floor alongside Middleton or Whitmore. Washington has lacked a true above-the-rim forward since the days of young Otto Porter Jr., and Kuminga would fill that void while aligning perfectly with the timeline of their rebuild.</p><p>In a weakened Eastern Conference, Kuminga could be the kind of swing acquisition that propels Washington toward stability. A lineup featuring Carrington, Kuminga, Coulibaly, Sarr, and Whitmore would give the Wizards a modern identity centered on youth, athleticism, and versatility. Kuminga may not yet be a star, but in Washington, he would have the opportunity to grow into one.</p><h2><b>Walker Kessler: Rim protection to solidify the defense</b></h2><p>While Alex Sarr projects as a cornerstone big man, the Wizards’ depth in the frontcourt remains thin. Marvin Bagley is more of a stretch big than a defensive anchor, and Tristan Vukcevic, while skilled, is not known for his interior presence. That makes Walker Kessler an intriguing target.</p><p>The Utah Jazz have been navigating their own rebuild, and Kessler’s role has shifted as the team added more versatile frontcourt options. If the Wizards were to pursue him, they would be betting on his elite rim protection and rebounding to fortify a defense that often leaks points in the paint.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">One thing Walker Kessler doesn't get a lot of credit for is his constant activity and movement on the offensive end</p><p>He's always looking to cut, roll, set a screen, or just move his positioning to keep the defense honest <a href="https://t.co/3BTnFOHq4J">pic.twitter.com/3BTnFOHq4J</a></p><p>— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) <a href="https://twitter.com/JazzLead/status/1969899444209652074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Kessler’s presence alongside Sarr would give Washington one of the more imposing defensive tandems in the league. Sarr’s mobility and length allow him to defend in space, while Kessler’s shot-blocking instincts and rebounding address the interior.</p><p>Together, they could mirror some of the league’s more successful twin-tower experiments, with Sarr operating as a modern stretch big and Kessler anchoring the rim. This pairing would not only raise the Wizards’ defensive ceiling but also help them control the boards, a weakness that has plagued the team in recent seasons.</p><p>Offensively, Kessler is limited, but his rim-running and pick-and-roll finishing would pair nicely with Carrington’s developing playmaking and McCollum’s steady hand in the halfcourt.</p><h2>Anfernee Simons: Scoring Punch and Offensive Insurance</h2><p>Even with CJ McCollum in the mix and Carrington developing, the Wizards lack a dynamic scorer who can take over a game when the offense stalls. This is where Anfernee Simons comes into play. Long viewed as a rising star in Portland, now with Boston, Simons remains one of the league’s most gifted young scorers, capable of creating his own shot from anywhere on the court.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anfernee Simons is about to turn into 2016 Steph in the Celtics offense<a href="https://t.co/bVLMzXvslB">pic.twitter.com/bVLMzXvslB</a> <a href="https://t.co/eRklkvezpR">https://t.co/eRklkvezpR</a></p><p>— CelticsGlobe (@celtsglobe) <a href="https://twitter.com/celtsglobe/status/1963057200542449794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Adding Simons would give the Wizards something they have not had in years: a perimeter scorer who can both initiate and finish plays at a high level. In Washington, Simons could slide into a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-bilal-coulibaly-expected-miss-beginning-season-thumb-surgery">primary scoring role alongside Coulibaly</a> and Sarr, with the ability to close games as the go-to option when needed.</p><p>The Wizards’ offense has too often leaned on streaky scoring from the wings, but Simons’ shot creation would give them a consistent weapon in crunch time. In an Eastern Conference where teams like the Heat, Hornets, and Hawks are jockeying for position, Simons could be the kind of acquisition that makes the Wizards a serious threat.</p><h2><b>Where the wizards stand in the East</b></h2><p>The Wizards have already enjoyed one of their best offseasons in recent memory. By moving off Jordan Poole and bringing in CJ McCollum and Cam Whitmore, they addressed both leadership and upside. Retaining Khris Middleton ensures they have a veteran bridge, and the continued growth of Sarr, Coulibaly, and Carrington should provide steady improvement. But the Eastern Conference, while weakened at the top, is still highly competitive in the middle tiers, with a logjam of teams fighting for seeds 5 through 10.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-2025-26-season-predictions-nba-schedule-release">For Washington to truly separate itself</a>, adding another impact piece is crucial. Kuminga would give them the wing depth they need, Kessler would provide defensive balance, and Simons would elevate their offensive ceiling. Each of these potential acquisitions fills a specific void, and together they highlight the flexibility the Wizards have moving forward.</p><p>The rebuild is far from complete, but it is no longer directionless. If the Wizards choose to push some of their chips in at the trade deadline, targeting players like Kuminga, Kessler, and Simons could be the key to transforming them from an improving team into a legitimate playoff contender. The Eastern Conference is vulnerable, and for the first time in years, Washington has the pieces and the pathway to take advantage.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

3 Washington Wizards trade targets to keep an eye on in 2025-26 NBA season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/wizards-news-washington-former-mcdonalds-all-american-contract');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards sign former McDonald’s All-American to contract');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0173.jpeg"><figcaption>Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards sign former McDonald’s All-American to contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-21T15:36:31-07:00">September 21st, 3:36pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-21T15:36:31-07:00">September 21st, 3:36pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-wiz-kids-offering-fans-hope-overseas-tournaments">Washington Wizards have assembled an intriguing mix of young players</a> with potential for the 2025-26 season. With <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/10-most-impactful-nba-players-who-were-on-two-way-contracts">two-way contracts, NBA teams are able to keep tabs</a> on young players they are interested in without having to use a standard roster spot. The Wizards made such a roster move this weekend with <a href="https://x.com/MikeAScotto/status/1969185144826220852" rel="noopener">the late offseason signing</a> of Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract, as per Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.com.</p><p>Under a two-way contract, Sharife Cooper is allowed a maximum of 50 NBA games on the Wizards roster, while spending the rest of his time in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go. His signing gives the Wizards a full complement of two-way contract players with Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins being the other designated two-way players.</p><p>Cooper finds himself back on an NBA roster after bouncing around different leagues the past couple of seasons. The No. 48 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks, Cooper has yet to be able to stick in the NBA.</p><p>He played one season with the Hawks on a two-way contract before the organization opted to cut him ahead of the 2022-23 season. He had a brief stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season on a 10-day contract, and has split time in the G League and overseas otherwise.</p><p>In total, Cooper has appeared in only 13 NBA games, and that was during his rookie season in 2021-22 with the Hawks. His best game statistically came against the Los Angeles Lakers back in Jan. 2022 when he scored three points off a single three-point shot. He did not appear in any games during his 10-day stint with the Cavaliers.</p><p>Cooper was one of the most highly-touted prospects when he was in high school. He was a five-star recruit and a McDonald’s All-American, and was named USA Today All-USA Player of the Year and Mr. Georgia Basketball by the time he graduated high school. He committed to Auburn, and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team in his lone season with the Tigers.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards sign former McDonald’s All-American to contract

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/1-wizards-player-in-danger-of-losing-starting-job-in-2025-26-training-camp');   ga('set', 'title', '1 Wizards player in danger of losing starting job in 2025-26 training camp');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IMG_0172.jpeg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>1 Wizards player in danger of losing starting job in 2025-26 training camp</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-20T13:11:23-07:00">September 20th, 1:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-20T13:11:23-07:00">September 20th, 1:11pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>When the 2025-26 season officially opens later next month, the Washington Wizards will be chuck-full of young prospects as they continue to navigate a rebuild. The Wizards are not going to be contending for anything anytime soon, but they have managed to assemble <a href="https://x.com/WizardsMuse1/status/1938037662897619383" rel="noopener">an intriguing group of prospects</a>. Playing time is going to be crucial for development, and that could result in a shuffle of the Wizards’ starters during training camp.</p><p>The Wizards jettisoned most of their higher-priced veterans with the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-marcus-smart-intends-sign-la-wizards-buyout">buyout of Marcus Smart this offseason</a>, and by trading Jordan Poole to the New Orleans Pelicans for CJ McCollum’s expiring contract. With McCollum essentially replacing Poole, one could say that his starting spot is the only one pretty much guaranteed coming out of Pelicans’ training camp. Rookie Tre Johnson could give him competition, but for now McCollum should be considered the starting shooting guard.</p><p>Alongside McCollum in the backcourt figures to be second-year guard Bub Carrington. Carrington was a bright spot for the Wizards last season and should reprise his role as a starting point guard.</p><p>The Wizards don’t have much size on the roster currently, and so Alex Sarr, last season’s No. 2 overall pick should also be considered a shoe-in to be in the starting lineup in the frontcourt. Veteran wing Khris Middleton should slide up and play small-ball power forward.</p><p>The one thing that kind of throws a wrench into the Wizards’ plans is the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-bilal-coulibaly-expected-miss-beginning-season-thumb-surgery">recent injury to Bilal Coulibaly</a>. Coulibaly suffered a thumb injury while playing at EuroBasket, and he was slotted in as the Wizards’ starting small forward. With Coulibaly now sidelined to begin the season, that opens up an opportunity for the one player who was most vulnerable to losing his spot as a starter in Kyshawn George.</p><p>Once Coulibaly returns to the court, George is still on the bubble in terms of moving to the bench. But with a team filled with young prospects, consistent playing time is not always going to be certain.</p><p>George was also one of the few bright spots for the Wizards in 2024-25, and by the second half of the year, he had moved into the starting lineup. George is a big wing who is capable of playing both forward spots, and even some shooting guard.</p><p>The No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, George appeared in a total of 68 games as a rookie, including 38 starts, at a little over 26 minutes per game. He averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds. 2.5 assists and 1.0 steals with splits of 37.2 percent shooting from the field, 32.2 percent shooting from the three-point line and 75.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>Depending on how the season starts out, it could actually be Middleton who might be vulnerable to losing his starting job once Coulibaly comes back. But it’s not that likely considering Middleton started all 14 games he played in for the Wizards last season, and that demoting veterans still capable of contributing is a sure way to lose the locker room.</p><p>It’s not just going to be a starting lineup conundrum that the Wizards have next season, but a general rotation question as well. The one thing about having too many young players needing to develop is not having enough playing time. AJ Johnson, who was one of the Wizards’ key acquisitions in the Kyle Kuzma trade, is facing an uncertain role with the addition of Tre Johnson. Cam Whitmore, another young player the team took a flyer on, is likely out of the rotation to begin with.</p><p>But overall, it’s not a bad problem for the Wizards to have, and their future is looking brighter than it did not too long ago.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

1 Wizards player in danger of losing starting job in 2025-26 training camp

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-bilal-coulibaly-expected-miss-beginning-season-thumb-surgery');   ga('set', 'title', 'Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly expected to miss beginning of season after thumb surgery');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Bilal-Coulibaly-of-the-Washington-Wizards-1.jpg"><figcaption>John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly expected to miss beginning of season after thumb surgery</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-12T10:35:32-07:00">September 12th, 10:35am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-12T10:35:32-07:00">September 12th, 10:35am</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The upcoming NBA season tips off on October 21. In the meantime, teams around the league are preparing for training camp, which begins in late September. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-2025-26-season-predictions-nba-schedule-release">The Washington Wizards are a young team</a> to keep an eye on as the organization continues to rebuild. However, they may be without one of their key contributors in Bilal Coulibaly, to begin the season.</p><p>Reports indicate that Coulibaly, who is 21 years old, <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1966546100430438419" rel="noopener">underwent surgery on his thumb</a> on Friday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Bilal Coulibaly was forced to repair a torn ligament in his thumb that he injured during the FIBA EuroBasket competition playing for Team France.</p><p>“Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly underwent surgery Friday to repair a ligament tear in his right thumb and is likely to miss time into the regular season, sources tell ESPN. Coulibaly sustained the injury with the French national team during FIBA EuroBasket play.”</p><p>It’s not entirely clear how many games Coulibaly could miss for the Wizards. But it could be a good chunk of the beginning of the 2025-26 season, as the recovery time for the surgery he received can take up to three months. If that’s the case, Bilal Coulibaly may not see the court until sometime in December.</p><p>The former first-round pick is deemed one of the marquee players the Wizards are building around. After a roller coaster of a rookie year, he seemed to settle down and show improvement in his second season. Bilal Coulibaly ended the 2024-25 campaign averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 42.1% from the floor and 28.1% from beyond the three-point line.</p><p>It’ll be interesting to see <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-wiz-kids-offering-fans-hope-overseas-tournaments">how the Wizards navigate</a> the first portion of the regular season without Coulibaly. It may mean that rookie Tre Johnson sees an extended amount of playing time right out of the gate. Other rookies who could make an impact for Washington this season include Will Riley and Jamir Watkins.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly expected to miss beginning of season after thumb surgery

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-2025-26-season-predictions-nba-schedule-release');   ga('set', 'title', 'Washington Wizards 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Washington-Wizards-center-Alex-Sarr.jpg"><figcaption>David Banks-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Washington Wizards 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-04T06:03:23-07:00">September 4th, 6:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-04T06:03:23-07:00">September 4th, 6:03am</time><address><a>Rohan Brahmbhatt</a>Rohan Brahmbhatt is an adventure-driven sports writer, passionate footballer, mountaineer, and photojournalist. Rohan blends firsthand experience with storytelling—capturing the intensity of sport and the thrill of exploration. Whether on the field, a mountain trail, or behind the lens, he brings authentic, high-energy narratives that connect readers to the heart of the action.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>There comes a time in every rebuild when patience must finally pay off. For the Washington Wizards, the 2025-26 NBA season represents a crucial checkpoint in their long and often painful reset. After bottoming out at 18-64 last season, the worst record in the Eastern Conference, the Wizards have undergone a transformational summer. They shed bad money, gained cap flexibility, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-2025-nba-draft-grades">injected intriguing young talent</a> into their roster. On paper, the franchise looks more coherent than it has in years. But as the schedule for the new season drops, the lingering question remains: will these moves finally translate to wins, or are the Wizards destined for another year of futility?</p><h2><b>How will the Wizards navigate the 2025-26 NBA schedule?</b></h2><p>The NBA schedule rarely does rebuilding teams any favors, and Washington’s early slate is unforgiving. They open with road games against Milwaukee and Dallas, both legitimate playoff teams. Within the first month, they’ll face Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, Boston, and Cleveland. Even a vastly improved Wizards squad will struggle to emerge from October and November with momentum.</p><p>That said, the schedule does provide opportunities. Matchups against Charlotte, Orlando, and Detroit offer winnable games if Washington plays with discipline. Later in the season, a series of home stretches against rebuilding or mid-tier opponents: Portland, Indiana, Brooklyn, and Utah, could give the Wizards a chance to stack modest win streaks.</p><p>But there are landmines everywhere. Back-to-backs against contenders, long road trips in January and March, and a brutal West Coast swing through Phoenix, Sacramento, Denver, and Golden State could all derail progress. If the Wizards can stay afloat through those stretches, it will signal a newfound resilience.</p><h2><b>Why did this offseason sparked hope?</b></h2><p>Few summers in recent Washington history have carried as much significance as the 2025 offseason. The decision to trade Jordan Poole to the New Orleans <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans/pelicans-wizards-trade-grades-for-jordan-poole-cj-mccollum-swap">Pelicans for veteran guard CJ McCollum</a> was more than just a roster shuffle; it was a financial exorcism. Poole’s bloated deal had become a millstone, threatening to lock the Wizards in cap purgatory for years. By moving him, Washington not only secured short-term relief but also opened up meaningful cap space for the summer of 2026.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">the wizards really got TRE JOHNSON, KYSHAWN GEORGE, BUB CARRINGTON, BILAL COULIBALY, ALEX SARR, CAM WHITMORE AND AJ JOHNSON</p><p>dont forget champagnie, watkins and vukcevic + $100 mil in cap space + another top pick next season</p><p>this team is gonna be great soon <a href="https://t.co/WgHwD57cfj">pic.twitter.com/WgHwD57cfj</a></p><p>— WizardsMuse (@WizardsMuse1) <a href="https://twitter.com/WizardsMuse1/status/1947826214762385811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-khris-middleton-makes-33-3m-contract-decision">inclusion of Khris Middleton</a> and Marvin Bagley III as veteran presences further cemented the strategy. Both are on expiring contracts, giving the team the freedom to either extend them at reasonable rates or allow them to walk, preserving financial flexibility. For a franchise often criticized for retaining expensive, underperforming players, this represents a significant shift in philosophy.</p><p>Then came the opportunistic strike: acquiring Cam <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-acquiring-cam-whitmore-in-trade-with-rockets">Whitmore from the Houston Rockets</a>. At just 21 years old, Whitmore is a raw but tantalizing prospect, a scoring wing with explosive athleticism and real star potential if developed properly. Adding him into the mix gave Washington not only short-term excitement but also a longer-term piece to evaluate alongside Bilal Coulibaly.</p><p>For once, the Wizards’ offseason felt strategic rather than reactive. They weren’t just hoarding draft picks or patching over mistakes. They were building a runway toward something bigger.</p><p>Context, however, is essential. Washington cannot escape the shadow of last year’s 18-64 debacle. The team ranked among the league’s worst in both offensive efficiency and defensive rating, collapsing in nearly every meaningful statistical category. They lacked consistency, identity, and, frankly, watchability.</p><p>That record placed them firmly at the <a href="https://www.nba.com/standings" rel="noopener">bottom of the Eastern Conference</a>, behind even rebuilding teams like Detroit and Charlotte. The scars of that season will not disappear overnight. The Wizards’ new additions must do more than simply exist; they must actively shift the culture of losing that has plagued this roster.</p><h2><b>What are our predictions for the Wizards’ record?</b></h2><p>The Wizards are not about to morph into contenders overnight. Their roster, while more balanced than in years past, is still flawed. They lack a true superstar to anchor both ends of the floor. Still, improvement is expected. The floor has been raised, and the days of 18 wins should be behind them. A healthier mix of veterans and developing players, combined with a coaching staff that has a clearer mandate, should translate to incremental growth.</p><p>The prediction here is that Washington finishes with a record of 28-54. That represents a ten-game leap from last year, modest in the grand scheme of the NBA, but significant for a franchise trying to climb out of the basement.</p><p>The Eastern Conference hierarchy remains steep. Cleveland, Knicks, Milwaukee, and Hawks are entrenched at the top, while teams like Miami, Detroit, Orlando, and Chicago provide strong middle-class stability.</p><p>For Washington, that means the ceiling is low. A 28-win campaign likely slots them around 12th or 13th in the East, above only the likes of Charlotte or Philadelphia. They’ll be far from the play-in mix, which generally requires at least 37 to 39 wins.</p><p>This positioning reflects the reality: the Wizards are not chasing the postseason this year. They are chasing credibility.</p><h2><b>What does the long-term picture look like?</b></h2><p>The beauty of Washington’s current situation is flexibility. By clearing Poole’s contract and stockpiling expiring deals, the Wizards have set themselves up for a transformative summer in 2026. They’ll have the cap space to chase marquee free agents or absorb contracts for future picks. Combined with their own draft assets and developing young core, they finally have multiple paths forward.</p><p>The 2025-26 season, then, should be viewed less as a quest for wins and more as a bridge. If Whitmore flourishes, Coulibaly develops, and the veterans either provide stability or net trade value, Washington can confidently head into the next phase of the rebuild with clarity.</p><p>The Washington Wizards are not going to shock the NBA world this season. They will not jump from 18 wins to playoff contention. But they will, for the first time in years, begin to look like a franchise with direction. A predicted record of 28-54 will not excite casual fans, but within the walls of the organization, it will mark progress.</p><p>More importantly, the moves made this summer, financial liberation, veteran balance, and the addition of Cam Whitmore, represent the foundation of something greater. The Wizards may not be relevant in 2025-26, but they are planting the seeds to become relevant soon.</p><p>Patience remains the hardest sell in sports, especially for a fanbase that has endured decades of mediocrity. Yet for Washington, this season may finally be the start of the end of that cycle.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Washington Wizards 2025-26 season predictions after NBA schedule release

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-news-wiz-kids-offering-fans-hope-overseas-tournaments');   ga('set', 'title', '‘Wiz-Kids’ offering Wizards fans hope during overseas tournaments');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Wizards-news-Wiz-Kids-offering-fans-hope-during-overseas-tournaments.jpg"></figure><h1>‘Wiz-Kids’ offering Wizards fans hope during overseas tournaments</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-02T14:44:16-07:00">September 2nd, 2:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-02T15:30:05-07:00">September 2nd, 3:30pm</time><address><a>Joshua Valdez</a>Joshua Valdez started his journalism career as the Sports Editor for the Rutgers University newspaper before becoming an associate editor and Washington Wizards/Mystics reporter for ClutchPoints. He is a diehard Yankees, Jets, Knicks, Rutgers, and Tottenham Hotspur fan. When Joshua is not either watching a game or writing about one, you can find him in an art-house movie theater or working on a screenplay.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>August is typically the slowest part of the year for NBA fans, but the Washington Wizards’ faithful were spoiled this time. 2023 No. 7 overall pick Bilal Coulibaly and 2024 No. 2 pick Alex Sarr have gotten minutes with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/portland-trail-blazers/eurobasket-news-deni-avdija-gets-100-real-shocking-france-upset">France in the EuroBasket tournament</a>, while 2024 No. 24 pick Kyshawn George competed for Canada in the FIBA AmeriCup.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/wizards-alex-sarr-suffers-concerning-calf-injury-at-eurobasket">Sarr sustained a calf injury</a> on Saturday that will keep him out for the rest of the competition, but he was productive in both games he played. The seven-foot, 205-pounder notched seven points (3-5 FG, 0-2 3 PT) with four rebounds in 17 minutes against Belgium on Thursday before tallying 12 points (5-6 FG, 1-2 3PT) with five rebounds, two blocks, and one steal across 22 minutes against Slovenia on Saturday. France won the first game 92-64 and the second 103-95.</p><p>Meanwhile, Coulibaly was similarly efficient in the first two contests before tapering off over the most recent two. The two-time NBA Rising Star recorded 12 points (5-11 FG, 0-4 3 PT) with seven rebounds, two blocks, and one steal against Belgium, followed by a 13-point (5-8 FG, 2-4 3 PT), four-rebound, one-assist, and one-steal outing against Slovenia. He combined for just seven points (2-6 FG, 0-4 3 PT) and nine fouls over the next two games against Israel and Poland, but he still has time to get back on track for his native country. France’s final group stage game will be against Iceland on Thursday.</p><p>Lastly, George was a crucial piece to Canada’s semifinal run. The 21-year-old led the team with 13.5 points per game (51.9 percent FG, 46.2 percent 3 PT) to go with 4.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. He was named to the AmeriCup <a href="https://x.com/AmeriCup/status/1962377263678197966" rel="noopener">All-Star Five as a result</a>, via the competition’s social media.</p><p>All three players have Wizards fans excited online ahead of NBA training camps.</p><p>“I’m so serious when I say we should build around him [George],” <a href="https://x.com/DMVdive/status/1962533356056273295" rel="noopener">@DMVDive said</a>.</p><p>“On everything I love Kyshawn George is already better than Kyle Kuzma. Ky is the truth,” <a href="https://x.com/WizardsMuse1/status/1962626481168773285" rel="noopener">@WizardsMuse1said</a>.</p><p>“Bilal looking good [fire emojis],” <a href="https://x.com/ravenwizardd/status/1961205309026030010" rel="noopener">@ravenwizardd said</a>.</p><p>“[Sarr] finished +23 across those two games, showcasing much more physicality around the rim on both ends of the floor while demonstrating better aggressiveness as a finisher,” <a href="https://x.com/pointmadebball/status/1962935935550853538" rel="noopener">@pointmadebball said</a>.</p><p>“Can’t wait to watch [George] this year in the NBA. Feel like he is not talked about enough with Wizards’ young core,” <a href="https://x.com/bruihl2nance/status/1960208914173108465" rel="noopener">@bruihl2nance said</a>.</p><p>International action guarantees nothing for their NBA careers, but each of these three players has progressed this summer.</p><h2><b>Kyshawn George, Alex Sarr build on Summer League</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jordan-Poole-praises-Alex-Sarr-2_16x9.jpg"><figcaption>© Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Both George and Sarr also played two games each in the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/biggest-washington-wizards-overreactions-from-2025-nba-summer-league">2025 NBA Summer League</a>, which took place from July 10-20. It was their first time playing <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/washington-wizards/washington-wizards-biggest-tre-johnson-concern-2025-nba-summer-league">alongside rookies Tre Johnson</a>, Will Riley, and Jamir Watkins, which produced mixed results.</p><p>Sarr led all Summer League players with 5.5 blocks per game to go with a team-high eight rebounds and 15.5 points on 48 percent shooting, but he shot just 20 percent from deep and averaged four turnovers against two assists. On the other hand, George replicated Sarr’s rebounding average despite being four inches shorter, while adding 17 points (41.2 percent FG, 23.5 percent 3 PT) with four assists, 3.5 turnovers, and four steals.</p><p>Between Summer League and EuroBasket, Sarr has shown that he’s growing into an elite rim protector while improving on his two-point shooting efficiency (39.4 percent FG as a rookie). However, the 20-year-old is still not making three-pointers consistently after shooting 30.8 percent from deep last season, which limits his floor-spacing ability.</p><p>On the other hand, George was productive in all facets of the game this offseason despite also struggling from beyond the arc in Summer League. The former Miami Hurricane improved in that area during the AmeriCup, which was a continuation of his second-half improvement from last season. For example, he shot 44.4 percent from long range in February after shooting 26.7 percent in December.</p><p>All in all, it’s fair to say that George’s stock is the highest, especially considering Coulibaly’s inconsistent play for France entering his third NBA season. However, each of them has displayed the talent that convinced Washington to draft them, and these summer reps are crucial for their development as training camp approaches.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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