The Kyle Kuzma–Jordan Poole era has officially ended for the Washington Wizards, with both players being traded six months apart. Kuzma was swapped for Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson, while Poole was traded alongside Saddiq Bey for CJ McCollum. While this era of Wizards history ended much the same way it began, there is a new question surrounding the franchise. Who’s taking over the next iteration of the team?
The Kuzma-Poole Era Is Officially Over For Wizards: Who’s Next?
There is surreal optimism that this freshly rebuilt roster has a chance to become a powerhouse once the core develops. However, no one has truly claimed the team yet, and no real pecking order has been determined. Let’s dive into three unique possibilities for who could spearhead this next era of Washington basketball.
Number One: The 2024 Trio
The sophomore trio of Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George could take the claim as the next leaders of the team. After all, they are certainly looked at as (for now) long-term and foundational pieces for the youth movement in D.C. They all show unique promise as well.
Sarr showed last year that he can become a true stretch-five, knocking down 105 threes in 67 games. Additionally, he showed his defensive skillset, averaging 1.5 blocks over the season, good enough for eighth in the league.
Carrington will almost certainly take a leadership role this season. He has a great chance to start at point guard and take over Poole’s primary playmaking role. Carrington averaged 4.4 assists last year, the second highest on the team behind Poole (4.5).
George has the hustler mentality, being the all-around unit with the capability to grow on both sides of the floor. He’s shown over the offseason that his potential is limitless and shouldn’t be thrown to the side. He’s got a solid offensive game with the tools to grow as a playmaker. His defensive game is even stronger, with great intangibles and timing.
This new-look Wizards era would be ushered in this season, but would it be effective? It could certainly be, but all players have to take a major step on offense this season. They each shot terrible splits as rookies, and the offensive consistency as a whole wasn’t there. The team will need all Sarr, Carrington and George to step up regardless, but if they want to take the title, they’ll need to do way more than last year.
Number Two: Tre Johnson Show
No player out of the 2025 draft was a more NBA-ready scorer than Tre Johnson. Washington took him with the hopes that one day, relatively soon, Johnson could take Poole’s scoring position and embrace a major playmaking role down the line.
Johnson would need to develop rapidly, but if the Texas product can do that, he’ll be the star of the show in Washington. He already has a maturity about him, and he seems to do nothing but hoop. Johnson has previously said that he has no outside interests other than playing basketball. While McCollum and Middleton should be able to help him expand, Johnson is ready to take on any possible leadership role that Washington has for him.
How would this Washington era look? Johnson would need a co-star, and one of the 2024 players could fit that. Additionally, if none of those three were to become Johnson’s sidekick, Johnson may take the “Robin” role to a player Washington gets in free agency. With McCollum and Middleton both on expiring contracts, the Wizards will have some real cash for next offseason.
Number Three: The 2025 Draftee Takes Over
While it’s hard to predict the future, it’s not impossible to think that Washington is going to have a great pick in next year’s draft. With that, several exciting players could take over the DMV area right away. Players like AJ Dybantsa and the Boozer twins could provide exciting pickups for Washington’s future. One of our draft experts, Quenton Albertie, predicts the Wizards will land big man Chris Cenac Jr with the fourth pick in the 2026 NBA draft.
This could be a real opportunity for Washington. What would this era hold? As for now, it’s unpredictable. Could this player become Johnson’s co-star, or vice versa? Or, could he become the lone wolf at the top and make this era one of the most memorable in Wizards history?
The Last Word
Regardless of who takes over as Washington’s star and leader, fans should be excited. For the first time since the John Wall–Bradley Beal era, the team has some true hype around it. Everyone is young, hungry, and eager to bring some excitement back to the Wizards franchise. Whoever leads the team’s next era will usher in a whole new level of competitive fire, and maybe some playoff runs in the near future.
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