The 2024 calendar year was about rebuilding for the Washington Wizards and the future of their home at Capital One Arena.
The 2024 calendar year is about to end. And now it’s time for us to review the year that almost was. Today, we’ll take a look at some of the biggest stories around Washington’s NBA team. They are in no particular order.
No. 1: Washington drafts or receives three first round picks in 24, led by Alex Sarr at No. 2
In June 2024, the Wizards selected Alex Sarr, a 7’1 center from France, with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, marking a significant step in their rebuilding process. Currently, Sarr is averaging 11.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while also shooting 30 percent from the three point line. That’s below average, but considering that Sarr is adjusting to the NBA game and has the range to shoot from three, he’ll improve over time!
Also, let’s give Gabe Ibrahim a shoutout for this great draft profile on Sarr from back on Jan. 30!
Washington selected Dillon Jones at No. 26 overall but used him in a subsequent trade to receive the No. 24 pick, which was Kyshawn George, and the No. 51 pick. You can read about all of the trades on draft night below.
No. 2: Deni Avdija is traded to the Trail Blazers for Malcolm Brogdon and Carlton “Bub” Carrington
On the aforementioned draft day, the Wizards agreed to trade forward Deni Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon and the No. 14 pick in the 2024 Draft. That pick was Carlton “Bub” Carrington, a guard from the University of Pittsburgh and a Baltimore native.
Brogdon has been a consistent scoring presence for the Wizards while Carrington has averaged 8.8 points per game so far.
No. 3: Two 16 game losing streaks
The Wizards endured two franchise-record 16-game losing streaks in 2024. The first was in March, and the second was in December.
No. 4: Bilal Coulibaly plays for Les Bleus in the Olympics, improves on rookie season
Coulibaly was named to the France men’s national basketball team in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where he was on their silver medal-winning squad. This season, Coulibaly is averaging 13.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, all better than his averages last season.
No. 5: Capital One Arena Renovation Announcement
In March 2024, Monumental Sports & Entertainment reached a handshake agreement with the D.C. government on renovations to Capital One Arena, including a new Wizards practice facility. Of the businesses in the Monumental Sports family, the Wizards came out as the biggest winner.
These renovation plans were made official in December and are expected to be done by the 2027-28 season.
No. 6: Most veteran players are poised to be trade targets for Feb. 2025 or the summer at latest
As a rebuilding team, the Wizards are expected to focus on giving heavy playing time to their younger players over older ones. But veteran players like star forward Kyle Kuzma, Brogdon and Jonas Valanciunas, the last whom Washington signed in the 2024 offseason, are trade targets by contending teams. It is an open secret that not all of the three will finish 2025 in Wizards uniform, but the question is whether any of them will be in Wizards uniforms to start the 2025-26 season.