The Wizards will finish with the worst record in the league

In the NBA, there was also a stake at the bottom of the standings, as two teams could still finish the season with the worst record in the league: the Pacers and the Wizards.

Eventually, thanks to their defeat against the Heat, their 64th of the season, their 25th in 26 games, and their 9th in a row, the Wizards clinched the “Holy Grail”. They are now guaranteed to leave with a Top 5 pick in the 2026 Draft during the traditional May “Lottery”.

However, this does not guarantee Washington to hit the jackpot in June, as the capital franchise will only have a 14% chance of getting the first pick. This is the same chance as the Pacers and likely the Nets, the other two teams expected to finish with one of the three worst records this season.

It is worth noting that the Pistons in 2023, the Pistons in 2024, and the Jazz in 2025 all ended up with the 5th pick in the Draft, despite having the worst regular-season record. This shows that “tanking” is not necessarily a guarantee of success, with a 47.9% chance of receiving a “mere” 5th pick.

Fortunately, the 2026 class is considered a great one, and players like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff Jr., and Kingston Flemings are expected to join the Wizards. They will join Trae Young, Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr, and Bilal Coulibaly, to name a few.