A disassembled roster is no longer the plan in Washington, owner says
wizards-owner-leonsis-says-deconstruction-phase-complete
WASHINGTON — Wizards owner Ted Leonsis believes the franchise has finished stripping down its roster and is ready to focus on the slow climb back to relevance.
Leonsis told The Athletic’s Barry Svrluga that club president Michael Winger warned him from the outset that the rebuild would not be quick. “He said to me three or four times, ‘You know, this could take four or five years,’” Leonsis recalled. “And I said, ‘I totally understand.’”
Years of losses set the stage
Washington has logged 15, 18 and 17 victories in the past three seasons, prompting the front office to trade veterans and stockpile draft assets. Leonsis prefers the term “deconstruction” to “teardown,” but the goal was the same: reset the roster.
“I don’t see any other path to get out of where we are than deconstruct,” he said. “And they executed it very, very well.”
Top pick sparks optimism
The franchise’s outlook brightened when it secured the No. 1 selection in what league observers expect to be a talent-rich 2026 NBA Draft. Even so, Leonsis emphasized that the organization remains in the early stages of a multi-year rebuild.
“I think it’s an important point on this long, long journey that we’ll be on,” he said. “The deconstruction, though, is over.”
Source: Hoops Wire
