The Washington Wizards just had the kind of offseason that reshapes a franchise. They locked down point guard Trae Young with a $212 million extension and used the No. 1 pick on BYU forward AJ Dybantsa. That fills two huge holes for the next half-decade. But roster construction doesn’t stop there. Right now the Wizards have a problem at center depth that could bite them before the calendar flips to November.
Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis are penciled in as starters at center and power forward. Tristan Vukcevic is the only experienced backup on the roster. The 7-footer averaged nine points and three boards in 13.7 minutes last season but graded out poorly defensively. His 51.7 defensive field goal percentage ranked seventh-worst among forwards with at least 40 games played. That is not what you want from a guy who has to protect the rim when Sarr sits.
Both Sarr and Davis missed significant time last season. Davis played just 20 games. Sarr managed 48. The Wizards need a reliable third big who can step into 15 to 20 minutes a night without killing them on the defensive end. Free agency negotiations open Tuesday, and Washington has the cap flexibility to make a move.
Bagley Makes Too Much Sense to Ignore
Marvin Bagley has already done two stints in Washington. The third might be the charm. The 6-foot-10 big man signed a one-year deal last July and played 38 games before he got shipped to Dallas in the Anthony Davis trade. Over 60 total games last season he posted a 46.2 defensive field goal percentage and averaged 10.5 points on 61.8 percent shooting with 6.1 boards in 20 minutes.
Bagley backed up Sarr in each of the last two campaigns and knows the system. He is 27 years old, which fits the Wizards’ timeline of trying to be competitive without being old. He’ll likely command more than the $3 million he got last time, but Washington sits comfortably under the luxury tax. A two-year deal worth around $10 million feels right for both sides.
The Kalkbrenner Trade Is Worth Exploring
If Washington wants to get younger and cheaper, Charlotte’s Ryan Kalkbrenner is a logical target. The 7-foot-1 center went undrafted in 2025 but averaged 7.6 points on 75.3 percent shooting with 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 21.4 minutes as a rookie. His defensive field goal percentage sat at 46.8. Those are real numbers for a guy on a three-year rookie deal.
Kalkbrenner is owed $2.4 million next season and $2.5 million the year after with a $2.7 million club option for 2028-29. That is cheap depth for a team that already has its core stars locked in. He could grow into a rotation player or at minimum give you solid minutes behind Sarr and Davis.
A deal that sends Cam Whitmore and three second-round picks to Charlotte might get it done. Whitmore is on an expiring contract and buried on Washington’s wing depth chart behind Dybantsa, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley and Justin Champagnie. The Hornets could use his scoring punch off the bench behind Brandon Miller. Washington still keeps its 2027 and 2028 second-rounders even after this trade.
The Wizards play their first Summer League game July 9. They should have a backup big man locked in by then. After that the roster looks like the most complete team Washington has put together since the last playoff appearance in 2021. Vukcevic will have to show real improvement on defense to keep getting minutes. That is a good problem to have.
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