2020–21 Washington Wizards season
The 2020–21 Washington Wizards season was the 60th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 48th in the Washington, D.C. area. This was the first season since 2009–10 without long-time point guard and former first-overall draft pick John Wall on the roster, as he was traded to the Houston Rockets for Russell Westbrook on December 2, 2020. The trade reunited Westbrook with Wizards head coach Scott Brooks, who was Westbrook's coach from 2008–2015, when he played for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Wizards qualified for the playoffs for the  first time since the 2017–18 season following a victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Play-in Tournament. They lost to the top seeded Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the first round. Following the season, Scott Brooks and the Wizards agreed to part ways after not being able to agree to a new contract. Draft picks. With their natural selection at #9, the Wizards drafted the Israeli forward Deni Avdija. It was the first time in NBA history an Israeli had been drafted in the Top 10. With the second-round pick they acquired from the Chicago Bulls in  a trade last year, the Wizards drafted the Czech guard Vít Krejčí. Later that night, the team proposed to trade Krejčí to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the rights to their #53 pick, Cassius Winston, and a future second-round pick. The trade was finalized the next day, with the rights to Krejčí and Admiral Schofield going to the Thunder in exchange for Winston and the Thunder's second-round pick (via the Memphis Grizzlies) in the 2024 NBA draft. Standings. Conference. Notes