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Face of the Franchise: Wizards select Dybantsa

AJ Dybantsa copy.jpg

AJ Dybantsa

WAS Guard-Forward

Player Stats

Wizards selected AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

Dybantsa entered the 2025-26 season as one of the top prospects in this draft class, and his lone season at BYU did no harm to that status. The 6-foot-9 wing averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 three-pointers last season, earning consensus first-team All-America honors. Dybantsa shot 51.0 percent from the field, 33.1 percent from three and 77.4 percent from the foul line. An excellent athlete who can score on all three levels and provide some playmaking, Dybantsa needs to become a more consistent three-point shooter. That said, he projects to be a franchise cornerstone for years to come. He’ll join a core in Washington that features young studs Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson and Kyshawn George, as well as veteran stars Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Dybantsa should start from day one and be a strong scoring option.

Transaction

Source: Jake Fischer

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Jamir Watkins

WAS Forward #5

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Jamir Watkins underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee on Thursday.

Watkins reportedly suffered the injury during the Wizards’ summer league opener against the Jazz, which explains why he didn’t appear again after playing 20 minutes as a starter in that game. Watkins was selected with the 43rd pick in 2025 and was solid as a rookie, especially down the stretch of the season. Now, there is a chance he misses the entirety of his sophomore campaign. It’s unclear if he would’ve had much of a role this upcoming season, but this solidifies that Bilal Coulibaly and Will Riley will see most of the wing minutes off the bench.
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ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Wizards have been in contact with free agent DeMar DeRozan recently.

In the aftermath of his exit from Sacramento, DeRozan was considered to be a player likely headed to a team with postseason ambitions. Miami, Cleveland and Denver have all expressed interest since the veteran wing hit free agency, and now Washington has reportedly worked its way into the mix. Given the number of young wings on the Wizards’ roster, adding DeRozan would create even more of a logjam, potentially limiting the short-term fantasy potential of a Kyshawn George or Will Riley.
AJ Dybantsa

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Wizards assistant coach TJ Sorrentine said Tuesday that AJ Dybantsa is done for the remainder of summer league.

Given how well Dybantsa played in his two appearances in Las Vegas, this was the expected conclusion for the first overall pick in last month’s draft. The 6-foot-9 forward totaled 50 points in his two appearances, most recently recording a 23/7/2/3/2 line in Sunday’s win over the Kings. Dybantsa being ruled out for the rest of summer league will allow the other young Wizards more room to show what they can provide. Fantasy-wise, Dybantsa should be one of the first rookies off the board in drafts, regardless of league format. Will Riley and Tre Johnson are also done for the summer.
AJ Dybantsa

WAS Guard-Forward

AJ Dybantsa led the Wizards with 27 points (7-of-18 FGs, 7-of-8 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in a 92-88 win over the Jazz on Thursday.

With how well Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer played in their summer league debuts in Salt Lake City, there was a lot of pressure on Dybantsa to produce at a high level in his first game as a Wizard. If he felt the pressure, it clearly didn’t impact him. Just like when he was at BYU, opposing defenses did not have an answer when Dybantsa was driving to the rim. He didn’t shoot the ball well from the perimeter (0-of-5 on three-pointers), but his body control on drives is rare. Plus, he was able to get to the line at will and contribute a few defensive stats. Summer league doesn’t define a player’s career, but Dybantsa rose to the occasion the first chance he got, just like superstars do.
Trae Young

WAS Guard #3

ESPN’s Marc J. Spears reports that Trae Young plans to opt out of the final season of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent.

Acquired from the Hawks in early January, Young appeared in five games for the Wizards before being shut down in mid-March. Had he opted into the final season of his contract, the point guard would have earned nearly $49 million. And this may not be a case in which Young is opting out to negotiate a deal with the Wizards that would give the team more cap space. According to the report, there’s a belief that “multiple teams” will show interest in signing Young. Washington is perceived to be the favorite to sign Young, but that isn’t guaranteed. The question is whether this will affect how the Wizards view the first overall pick in next week’s draft. BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is considered the favorite to go first, but Kansas’ Darryn Peterson has refused to work out for any team other than the Wizards.
Darryn Peterson

Guard

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Darryn Peterson has only met with the Wizards ahead of the June 23 NBA Draft.

While Peterson is one of the top prospects in this draft class, most have assumed that BYU’s AJ Dybantsa will be the first overall pick in next week’s draft. However, the former Kansas guard is reportedly operating as if he only has eyes for Washington, refusing to meet with the other teams at the top of the draft lottery. Utah, which picks second, dealt with a similar situation last summer, but it did not keep them from selecting Ace Bailey fifth overall. Whether Washington’s acquisition of Trae Young will affect their thinking regarding Peterson is unknown, but the most recent reports make it clear that the 6-foot-5 guard wants to hear his name called first overall.
Bilal Coulibaly

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Bilal Coulibaly (heel), Tre Johnson (foot) and Tristan Vukčević (knee) are out for Sunday’s game against the Cavaliers.

The Wizards will be light on options for Sunday’s season finale, especially on the perimeter. The absence of Coulibaly and Johnson will mean more opportunities for Will Riley and Leaky Black. As for Vukčević, his continued absence does not change much in the frontcourt, with the Wizards continuing to rely on Julian Reese.
Bilal Coulibaly

WAS Guard #0

Bilal Coulibaly recorded 25 points (9-of-16 FGs, 5-of-5 FTa), five rebounds, five assists, one steal, one block and two three-pointers in Friday’s loss to the Heat.

Back in the lineup after missing Thursday’s loss to the Bulls, Coulibaly recorded his first stat line this season with at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists. Given the Wizards’ many young wings and the fact that they’ll likely hold onto their top-8 protected first-round pick, Coulibaly will face significant competition for rotation minutes when training camp opens next fall. Nights like Friday can only strengthen his case for a starting spot.
Bilal Coulibaly

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Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Leaky Black, Anthony Gill and Julian Reese will start Friday’s game against the Heat.

Coulibaly is back after missing Thursday’s loss to the Bulls and reclaims his place in the starting lineup. Will Riley heads to the bench, but he should still play plenty due to the Wizards still being shorthanded on the wings.
Bilal Coulibaly

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Bilal Coulibaly (heel) is available for Friday’s matchup with the Heat.

Coulibaly will return to play the second leg of Washington’s back-to-back set after sitting out Thursday’s matchup with the Bulls. He should handle his typical workload for Washington’s 81st game of the season.

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Darius Garland

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Darius Garland says he’s fully recovered from the toe injury that plagued him over the last two seasons.

In an interview with Cyro Asseo, Garland revealed that he had torn ligaments in his foot but is now fully healthy after a full offseason of recovery. He should play a significant role for the new-look Clippers and, if his health holds, remain a strong fantasy option as one of the team’s primary playmakers.
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Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor reports the Cavaliers are considering waiving and stretching Cam Whitmore.

Whitmore was dealt to Cleveland as part of the Peyton Watson trade, but it doesn’t seem like the Cavs are interested in keeping him around. Stretching his $5.4 million contract over a few seasons will give them more flexibility to build out this team with players that are more ready to help win now. It isn’t official yet, but it seems likely that Whitmore won’t be playing in Cleveland next season.
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ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that James Harden has signed a three-year, $97 million extension to remain with the Cavaliers.

Harden’s new deal includes a trade kicker and a player option, so he’ll retain some form of control over his future. The superstar guard was traded from the Clippers midseason, and Cleveland made the Eastern Conference Finals. The team will look to continue its upward trajectory with the pairing of Harden and Donovan Mitchell, and the former is still a reliable fantasy option heading into his 18th season.
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Julian Reese has been waived after being traded to the Nuggets.

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Cam Whitmore

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Cam Whitmore has been traded to the Cavaliers.

Whitmore was added in to facilitate the Peyton Watson trade, and he’ll end up as a young depth piece in Cleveland. However, there are likely too many players in front of him on the depth chart on a team that is trying to compete in the East for him to get much of an opportunity next season.
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Tre Mann and a 2027 Clippers second-round pick have been traded to the Wizards in exchange for Cam Whitmore as part of the Peyton Watson trade.

Mann was sent to Cleveland from Charlotte as part of the Dennis Schroder trade last week, but he’ll end up back in the Southeast division. Mann has shown flashes and could compete with Bub Carrington for the backup point guard job behind Trae Young, but with the compensation that was required for the Wizards to acquire him, it is unlikely they have big plans for him.
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Max Strus has been traded to the Clippers as part of the three-team deal that sent Peyton Watson to the Cavaliers.

Strus will get a fresh start after three seasons in Cleveland. His defense and floor spacing should help make an immediate impact for the Clippers as they look to establish a new identity in the post-Kawhi Leonard era. Strus could start alongside Darius Garland, but his presence in a crowded backcourt will make the rotation difficult to project. Kris Dunn, Bennedict Mathurin (RFA) and Gradey Dick all stand to lose out on minutes with Strus on the squad.
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ESPN’s Shams Charania reports Peyton Watson has been traded to the Cavaliers in a three-team deal that also sends Max Strus to the Clippers and an unprotected 2031 Cavaliers first-round pick and the Kings’ 2032 second-round pick to the Nuggets.

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HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports the Pelicans have waived Hunter Dickinson.

The former Michigan and Kansas star went undrafted in 2025 but ended up signing with New Orleans on a two-way deal after the draft. He appeared in five games as rookie; once during the season opener after Yves Missi injured his ankle, and then during the final four games of the Pelicans’ season. Now, the 25-year-old big man will look for a new team to suit up for, though he will likely spend most of his time in the G League.
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Santi Aldama (knee) is expected to be ready for training camp

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