The word success means “reaching a goal or finishing a task with a good result.” All around the league, fans, players, coaches, and front offices have different opinions on what a successful season looks like for the Washington Wizards. In my opinion, the Wizards are entering an accelerated rebuild by adding veteran talent while continuing to develop the young potential stars already on their roster; all while keeping their eyes on the ultimate goal of competing for a Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. But what exactly would make this a “Successful” season for the Wizards?

Well, for starters, Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins has made it very clear that Washington’s mindset and culture are beginning to shift. During an appearance on The Sports Junkies podcast back in April, Dawkins expressed confidence in the Wizards’ ability to compete during the 2026-27 season saying, “We won’t hold them back. We’ll let them compete and get after it.”

An ESPN reporter Ohm Youngmisuk also wrote that adding by the Wizards AJ Dybantsa was “expected to help Washington become a playoff contender.” However, not everyone around the league is as optimistic about the Wizards chances. John Schuhmann of NBA.com described the Wizards as “still a bit of a wildcard” when discussing the crowded Eastern Conference and the number of teams expected to compete for a playoff spot. Another writer Ricky O’Donnell of SB Nation, was even more skeptical writing “The Wizards are still a bottom-feeder in the East, but they have a bright future with Dybantsa.”

In my opinion, I believe the Wizards will be much better this season and finish as a top-seven seed in the Eastern Conference, earning a spot in the playoffs. I’m not confident enough to predict their exact seed, but I believe Washington has enough talent to compete for the postseason. I also expect several young players to impress the league, especially Tre Johnson.

Johnson, the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, averaged 12.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.0 assists as a rookie. He showed his scoring ability in Summer League this year, including a 26-point performance on 11-of-20 shooting. With the revamped roster, Johnson could come off the bench or potentially start alongside Trae Young, giving him the opportunity to take his game to another level.

Before entering the NBA, Johnson averaged 19.9 points per game as a freshman at Texas, led the SEC in scoring and shot 39.7% from three. He scored in double figures in 31 of 33 games, had 15 games with at least 20 points and recorded three 30-point performances. If Johnson comes off the bench, I believe he could be a potential leading scorer for the bench unit and become one of Washington’s biggest offensive weapons. That’s no disrespect to the other talented scorers on the Wizards’ bench, as Washington has several players who can put points on the board, but Johnson’s scoring ability could give the team another major weapon as it pushes for the playoffs.