The Washington Wizards drafted BYU superstar AJ Dybantsa with the first overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday night. General manager Will Dawkins finally secured the franchise cornerstone the team needs to come out of a five-year playoff drought.
But the front office made sure Dybantsa would not walk into a clean slate, handing Trae Young a four-year, $212 million contract extension on Monday.
The team also expects a 33-year-old Anthony Davis to eventually suit up after injuries erased his debut window last season, prompting one analyst to question the Wizards’ brass’s decision-making.
Colin Cowherd Torches Washington Wizards Front Office Logic After AJ Dybantsa Pick
During a segment of “The Herd” recently, Colin Cowherd questioned Washington’s pairing of a generational teenage talent with aging, expensive stars. Dissecting the environment awaiting Dybantsa on the Wizards’ roster, Cowherd did not hold back in his criticism.
“AJ Dybantsa is an exceptional player, but I don’t like this situation,” Cowherd said. “… AJ Dybantsa is a sensational player but what’s the timeline?”
The timeline gets murky when looking at the payroll. Young turned 27 and will occupy a big chunk of the salary cap through the end of the decade.
“AJ Dybantsa is a sensation player but what’s the timeline? Trae Young is going to take shots and not help you on the other side of the floor. And Anthony Davis, what are we doing here?”@colincowherd doesn’t love the fit for Dybantsa on the Wizards pic.twitter.com/KkHFPnAYMn
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 24, 2026
“They signed Trae Young,” Cowherd continued. “They could have gotten out of the Trae Young business in a year. Instead, they go, ‘No, let’s commit four more years and numbers so big you will never move them.'”
Young provides elite playmaking and undeniable scoring ability, but needs the ball constantly and demands specific defensive coverages to hide his shortcomings.
“I’m not anti-Trae Young,” Cowherd said. “He’s a very good offensive player, but is he a winning player? Trae Young is going to take shots and not help you on the other side of the floor.”
Dybantsa brings versatility and length, but a rookie wing cannot fix a porous perimeter defense on his own.
If the Young contract raised eyebrows, the presence of Davis drew more concern from Cowherd. The veteran big man arrived in Washington but failed to log a single minute for the Wizards last year.
The Wizards expect Davis to anchor the frontcourt this fall. Cowherd laughed at the idea of relying on a declining star to protect a young core.
“You’ve got Anthony Davis there who is marginally motivated, out of shape, gets lumpy very fast,” he said. “There’s injuries, a mile past his prime… And Anthony Davis, what are we doing here?”
The harsh criticism highlights the difficult roster management the Wizards have to endure. Dybantsa gives Washington a legitimate three-level scorer who can create his own shot but needs minutes and offensive freedom to reach his ceiling.
He will instead share the floor with a veteran point guard trying to justify a $212 million price tag and an aging center struggling to stay fit.
For a team that has not posted a winning record since 2018, Dybantsa and the Wizards fans could be in for a roller coaster next season.
