In the midst of an otherwise chaotic season, Alex Sarr’s 2025-26 campaign was one of the few bright spots.
The former No.2 overall pick flashed growth in his game on both ends of the floor, averaging a team-best 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and two blocks a contest, showcasing a night-to-night threat on both ends of the floor that warranted that high selection in 2024.
An All-Star Leap for Sarr, though, could take the Wizards up a notch from the already high expectations that next season will bring.
Sarr certainly has the talent, but I think that kind of jump can also come from the roster around the 7-footer now that wasn’t there in his first two seasons.
Trae Young will be vital to Alex Sarr’s development
With respect to guards who were Wizards over the past few seasons, like Jordan Poole, Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Smart, and CJ McCollum, Trae Young, both as a player and especially as a playmaker, is a tier above the rest.
Being a career 9.8 assist a game guy since entering the league in 2018, Trae has been widely considered one of the best passers in the Association and has the unique skill of setting the table for his teammates that Wizards fans have not seen since the days of prime John Wall.
The two-man game between guys like Young, John Collins, Clint Capela, and Onyeka Okongwu from his time with the Hawks produced some of the best numbers for each of those players during their careers, and the same is sure to happen with Sarr as well.
The East isn’t loaded with superstar bigs
Unlike in the West, where superstars like the generational Victor Wembanyama, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, and, despite his rough postseason, first-time All-Star Chet Holmgren reside, the East is not nearly as deep at Center.
Philadelphia 76ers franchise player Joel Embiid is a force when healthy, but his durability is becoming even worse these days to the point where his contract is a liability for that franchise.
The Cleveland Cavaliers start a pair of All-Star bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, respectively, but after the unceremonious exit from the conference finals, both of their developments seem to have stalled. The same can be said for Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons, who saw his breakout season come crashing down in a horrible postseason performance.
Karl Anthony-Towns and Bam Adebayo definitely have something to say, but Alex Sarr should go into next season thinking he can be as good, if not better than any remaining big man that the Eastern Conference has to offer, and the Wizards' potential is sky-high if it happens.
