The signs are pointing to the Washington Wizards taking AJ Dybantsa and re-signing all-star guard Trae Young
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The Washington Wizards hold the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since John Wall in 2010. In the week leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft, there has been significant anticipation about whether the Wizards will select former BYU forward AJ Dybantsa or former Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. On Sunday, the read is the Wizards plan to take Dybantsa, per the Dallas Hoops Journal and Ballislife.
Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger and Wizards general manager Will Dawkins have emphasized patience throughout their time building this young Wizards team, which features Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, and Will Riley, along with recent star trade acquisitions Trae Young and Anthony Davis.
Trae Young plans to re-sign with the Wizards, per @WindhorstESPN pic.twitter.com/ov4RdpP7uM
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 18, 2026
Adding the No. 1 pick to that group is the next step.
Throughout the evaluation process, Washington has had to weigh which prospect raises its ceiling in pursuit of ultimately competing for championships. The case for Dybantsa starts with size and an offensive skill level most wings his age cannot match.
AJ Dybantsa Boasts a Strong Case
Dybantsa, a 6-foot-9 wing who averaged 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists as a freshman at BYU, is built like a big wing rather than a lumbering forward, with the length and burst to play above the rim. What makes him so intriguing early in his career is his combination of downhill power and advanced short-range shot-creation ability. At his height, he can get to his spots and work counters that most wings are simply unable to do despite being only 19.
When a possession stalls, Dybantsa is fully capable of using his size and handle to make a late-shot-clock play to score or draw a foul to get to the free throw line. One area of his game that should not be overlooked is his passing. His skill in that area is further along than most wing scorers entering the NBA. He uses the attention he draws to find lobs and kickouts, and he reads pick-and-roll well enough to slow down and hit a big when the defense loads up.
Dybantsa is also the long, switchable wing this front office keeps prioritizing, which is part of why some scouts call him the safer All-Star bet, a higher floor and less bust risk than Peterson even if the ceiling sits a touch lower. In the short term, the Wizards will need to fine-tune his off-ball defense, but having multiple shot blockers to funnel drives certainly does not hurt.
What Happens After the No. 1 Pick?
The Wizards traded for two stars before the midseason deadline last season. First, they traded for Young from the Atlanta Hawks in January, as his preferred destination, with a predetermined understanding that he would re-sign on a multi-year deal after declining his $48.97 million player option.
Washington was not done before the deadline. They moved fast on a trade to acquire Davis from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for a package that largely consisted of expiring salaries and future assets. Davis had sought a multi-year extension from Dallas before being traded, which he will be eligible to sign in August. The desire for long-term financial security has not changed. The Wizards will need to sort out their future with Davis this summer.
Winger described his conversations with Davis as "delightful" and conveyed a sense of alignment between the two parties on the direction the Wizards are headed.
"My conversations with AD are delightful. He’s a pro’s pro. He understands who he is in this league, he understands the direction of this league, he understands what we’re trying to do organizationally," Winger said. "He’s communicated to me a strong interest in being part of what we’re building… He, like the rest of us, wants to be on a really good basketball team and compete for something big. That’s our aim, that’s what we want to do, and I’m delighted that Anthony’s here for that."
By adding Dybantsa into the mix, the Wizards would add a big wing next to Davis and Sarr, giving them a ton of size upfront, which leaves Young and about two perimeter spots for a deep young group of Coulibaly, George, Johnson, and Will Riley, among others. Washington will need to sort through how to distribute minutes on the wing after adding Dybantsa, or consider consolidating the roster in the future.
The Wizards have already covered a lot of ground by using most of what was expected to be over $80 million in cap space to facilitate trades to acquire Davis and Young midseason. However, aside from Davis' extension eligibility, Coulibaly and Cam Whitmore are among extension-eligible players in July.
Darryn Peterson Built an Intriguing Case
Peterson is the only alternative to Dybantsa that Washington has given serious consideration to selecting during the draft process. Peterson, a 6-foot-5 guard who averaged 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in his one season at Kansas, is a shot-maker with deep pull-up range and an impressive all-around scoring ability.
With Young and Davis being focal points of the Wizards' offense, having a dynamic motion shooter and three-level scorer would be an intriguing fit. He also fits more cleanly on offense than a second guard usually would, since he spent long stretches off the ball at Kansas and scores plenty without it. The shot-tracking data is impressive. He landed in the mid-90th percentile on catch-and-shoot looks and stayed above 40% even on contested ones, and at full strength he finished near 70% at the rim.
Whether the Utah Jazz select Peterson with the No. 2 pick or the Memphis Grizzlies eagerly capitalize on the opportunity at No. 3, the intel on Peterson has been positive throughout the pre-draft process. Off the floor, teams have been impressed by his work ethic, and the word out of Kansas on him as a teammate has been positive. Some risk does exist when it comes to health after DP missed 11 games in college, with major attention drawn due to a cramping issue. However, the cramping issue seemingly did not raise red flags during the pre-draft process, and Peterson has expressed confidence that the issue is behind him.
