The Washington Wizards were set to relocate to Virginia in the not-too-distant future. But now, according to D.C. reporter Ben Dennis, the franchise is set to stay put as mandated by Washington D.C.’s attorney general.
“DC’s attorney general told Monumental Sports on Monday they can’t move the Washington Capitals and Wizards from D.C. until 2047, citing a 2007 bond/lease agreement,” reported Dennis on X. “AG says Monumental can’t break agreement even if they paid off bond debt early.”
There are some big claim disputes over the Wizards right now, and both sides are fighting for control of the franchise. According to Monumental (the group spearheading the potential move) they have the ability to pay off the bonds the city took and are willing to pay whatever is necessary in order to exit the lease at Capital One Arena.
Rumblings of a move to Virginia first surfaced last year when it was revealed that the team’s owner, Ted Leonisis, unveiled plans for a proposed new arena complex and entertainment district for the Wizards and NHL’s Capitals.
Fan reception was mixed at the time, as many felt that the Wizards were better off staying in D.C. over moving to Virginia, of all places. After decades of history in the city, people were sad to see the team go.
Now, it seems the Wizards are staying put, and the local fans can rest more easily, knowing that their team may be sticking around for the long haul. Bradley Beal will also feel a sense of relief, as he has already spoken out publicly against the team moving from the nation’s capital.
As for the state of the franchise itself, the news of staying in D.C. long-term does nothing to fix their situation of being the worst team in basketball. To be frank, unless the Wizards get better, it hardly matters where they end up playing for the foreseeable future.
The Washington Wizards Have Hit Rock Bottom
After trading away Bradley Beal this summer, the Washington Wizards were expecting to be among the worst teams in basketball. With Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole leading the way, they were fully prepared to experience some brutal growing pains.
This season, however, has been far worse than anyone imagined. While the Wizards have been mostly healthy, they’ve been unable to win games all season and are currently tied with the Detroit Pistons for the worst record in basketball.
On paper, with Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole, the Wizards shouldn’t be as bad as they are — but it’s been a trainwreck without Bradley Beal, and the team lacks any kind of direction.
With a -10.52 point differential, Washington has been historically awful and a borderline laughingstock of the league. Even worse, with no young star or projected game-changing prospect in the draft, the Wizards have no easy solutions for how to stop the cycle of losing.
As it stands, the Wizards are considered to have the bleakest future in the NBA, and their efforts to move to Virginia may be the only way they will stay relevant over the next few years. Clearly, winning will not be part of the routine for now, and it remains to be seen if they can change that anytime soon.
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