The Washington Wizards are working the phones ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft in an effort to secure a long-term backcourt cornerstone.
With the No. 6 and No. 18 picks in the first round, Washington has reportedly explored multiple trade-up scenarios, according to Grant Afseth of Responsible Gaming.
League sources told RG the Wizards are actively targeting elite guard prospects Dylan Harper and Jeremiah Fears, and have made offers to teams holding top-five selections.
Their primary focus is Harper, who is projected to be taken No. 2 overall by the San Antonio Spurs.
Washington has reportedly shown willingness to include “surprising names” in potential trade packages to climb as high as the second pick. Those proposals have so far been declined.
Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in his freshman season at Rutgers, shooting 48.4% from the field across 29 games.
He’s considered the top backcourt talent in the class, trailing only Cooper Flagg on most big boards.
Flagg remains the favorite to go No. 1 to the Dallas Mavericks, who won the lottery despite a 39–43 finish and a first-round Play-In exit.
With Harper likely out of reach, the Wizards are also strongly evaluating Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears as a secondary option.
Afseth reports that Washington has conducted “extensive due diligence” on Fears, who averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 85.1% from the free-throw line as a freshman.
Fears earned two SEC Freshman of the Week honors and was a Wooden Award midseason finalist. He also became Oklahoma’s first freshman since Trae Young to score 30 in a game.
The 6-foot-3 guard is widely projected to be available in the No. 6–12 range.
Washington could use its sixth pick to draft Fears outright or target him with No. 18 if his stock slips.
The Wizards are coming off an 18–64 campaign, the worst record in the Eastern Conference, and own three total picks in this year’s draft (Nos. 6, 18, and 40).
Round one of the 2025 NBA Draft begins on June 25, with the second round following on June 26.
