Wizards Must Find Fit for Will Riley in Top-10 Rotation

Despite adding generational wing AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick and bringing in veteran star power to accelerate their competitive timeline, the Washington Wizards cannot afford to bury sophomore wing Will Riley on the bench during the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season. Riley proved down the stretch of his rookie year that he is an elite microwave scorer, becoming the first Wizards rookie since Calbert Cheaney in 1994 to drop consecutive 30-point games—including a 31-point outburst against Miami and a 30-point, five-steal masterpiece against Brooklyn that put him in company with LeBron James.

After following up that late-season surge with a 32-point domination of the Sacramento Kings on 9-of-14 shooting in July’s Summer League, Riley has earned a guaranteed role as Washington’s primary perimeter weapon off the bench.

Where Does Will Riley Fit on the Small Forward Depth Chart

At 6-foot-9 with elite shot-making across all three levels, Riley’s natural position is small forward. However, he enters training camp facing a crowded wing depth chart. Head coach Brian Keefe has a wealth of options, making Riley’s efficiency and floor spacing his greatest differentiators in the playing-time race.

• The Franchise Cornerstone (Starter): AJ Dybantsa. The consensus No. 1 overall pick out of BYU is the undisputed starter at the three. Dybantsa led the NCAA in scoring as a freshman and projects as an immediate primary offensive option on the wing with his combination of slashing, dexterity, and athletic finishing. Dybantsa provides physical, rim-attacking energy and heliocentric creation.
• The High-Voltage Sixth Man (Primary Backup): Will Riley. Riley should sit squarely as the No. 2 small forward on the depth chart. Riley presents seamless floor-spacing and rhythm shooting off the catch and off the dribble. By staggering his minutes with Dybantsa, Washington ensures the offense never suffers a scoring drought when the primary scorers rest. The Wizards could also playing them alongside each other in big, switchable wing lineups.
• The Versatile Defenders and Depth: Bilal Coulibaly and Khris Middleton. Coulibaly’s defensive versatility allows him to swing between shooting guard, small forward, and power forward. He could often take the opponent’s toughest perimeter assignment. Veteran Khris Middleton and high-upside athlete Cam Whitmore provide depth on the wing. Yet, Riley’s pure scoring punch and upward trajectory give him the edge for consistent rotation minutes at the three.

Mapping Out the Wizards’ Top-10 Rotation

The Wizards’ reshaped roster blending elite lottery talent and established veterans like Trae Young and Anthony Davis. Competition for minutes will be the fiercest Washington has seen in years. Here is how the Wizards’ top-10 rotation shapes up when fully healthy:

1. Trae Young (Point Guard): The offensive engine and primary playmaker, tasked with running high-screen action, feeding the post, and finding Washington’s array of young shooters in transition.
2. Kyshawn George (Shooting Guard): A lengthy, high-IQ 3-and-D connector who provides secondary playmaking and helps cover for Young’s defensive limitations in the starting backcourt.
3. AJ Dybantsa (Small Forward): The top overall pick gets immediate runway to showcase his three-level scoring and dynamic wing athleticism against starting NBA defenses.
4. Alex Sarr (Power Forward): Operating as a roaming, switchable hybrid big next to an elite rim protector, which unlocks his defensive fluidity and perimeter skills.
5. Anthony Davis (Center): The defensive anchor and interior focal point whose interior presence transforms Washington’s frontcourt into a legitimate Eastern Conference matchup problem.
6. Will Riley (6th Man / Wing): The first pure scorer off the bench. Riley’s assignment is straightforward: inject instant high-efficiency offense, knock down perimeter threes, and attack closeouts against second-unit defenses.
7. Tre Johnson (Guard): The 2025 No. 6 overall pick out of Texas provides elite perimeter shooting, shot-creation, and backcourt depth behind Young and George.
8. Bub Carrington (Point Guard): A tough, steady lead guard who can run the second-unit offense, push the pace, and defend the point of attack with physicality.
9. Bilal Coulibaly (Wing / Forward): The ultimate Swiss Army knife off the bench, deployed as a defensive stopper across positions two through four depending on matchup needs.
10. Deandre Ayton / Tristan Vukcevic (Center / Forward): Providing physical interior rebounding, screen-setting, and stretch-five shooting capabilities to spell Davis and Sarr in the frontcourt rotation.

Finding 22 to 26 minutes a night for Will Riley won’t be easy in a 10-man rotation brimming with recent lottery investments and All-Star veteran. However, Riley’s minutes are an absolute necessity for Washington’s offensive ecosystem. His progression from Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year at Illinois to a prolific NBA scoring weapon is on a vertical trajectory. By unleashing him as the focal point of the second unit, the Wizards not only accelerate the development of their 2025 first-round gem but also give themselves one of the most dynamic, high-scoring bench units in the league.