The Knicks are king in the NBA Eastern Conference, but they will face plenty of challengers in their quest to repeat as champions. Following the Jaylen Brown trade, all the attention is on Philadelphia right now, but there’s another squad that’s in a position to make some noise in 2026-27.
Speaking on his podcast (Mind the Game), the NBA super agent presented the Washington Wizards as a potential “sleeper team” in the East. It’s the first time in years such a statement has been uttered about Washington, and it just goes to show how far they’ve come.
“Sleeper team in the East, if they stay whole: Washington,” said Paul. “Mark my words: sleeper team. I’m not saying they’re gonna make the Finals; I’m just telling you they’re a sleeper team.”
It’s no secret the Wizards are considered one of the NBA’s least-desirable landing spots among players. Besides the small market size, the franchise has a history of mediocrity that stretches back decades. That’s not to mention questionable decision-making by the front office, which has repeatedly set them back.
Recently, however, the Wizards have put themselves in a position to change the status quo. It started with the Bradley Beal trade in 2023, which effectively allowed them to completely reset. Then, in February of 2026, they traded for Trae Young, adding a four-time All-Star to mentor a much younger roster. At 27, he’s just entering his prime and is coming off a solid season in 2025-26 with averages of 17.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game on 45.8% shooting and 33.8% shooting from three.
They also added Anthony Davis, a star big man and current Klutch Sports client. While his availability is spotty, Davis is one of the big men in the league when healthy, and he’s someone who can anchor their defense in the paint. Last season, in 20 games, the 6’10” star averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game on 50.6% shooting and 27.0% shooting from three.
Beyond those two, the Wizards have a whole cast of young players ready to carry the team into their next era. In this category, all eyes are on young rookie AJ Dybantsa (No. 1 overall pick this year), who is coming off a strong season at BYU, where he averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game on 51.0% shooting and 33.1% shooting from beyond the arc.
Let’s not forget Alexandre Sarr, the 7-foot Frenchman who was drafted second overall in 2024. He’s been making steady progress on the court, going from 13.0 points per game in 2024-25 to 16.3 points per game in 2025-26.
If you want to go even deeper, you could mention Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George, who are both expected to play significant roles next season. If they make a leap (however small), it will only improve the Wizards’ ceiling even further.
Clearly, the Wizards are no longer considered an afterthought in the East, as they have enough pieces to give any team a run for their money. What that means for a potential LeBron James pursuit is unclear, but Rich Paul is clearly impressed, and he won’t be surprised if the Wizards are among the leading playoff teams in the East.
