Washington is giving the promising rookie a new two-year contract
The The Washington Wizards were in full tank mode lately, with several players including Trae Young trade acquisitions and Anthony Davis, ruled out due to alleged injuries. The Wizards are pushing all their chips into the middle of the board to try to secure the top pick in the draft, and as a result, some lesser-known players are getting a chance to showcase their skills for the rest of the season.
One of those players is rookie Jameer Watkins, and on Thursday, it was discovered that the Wizards will be committed to the young guard long-term.
“The Washington Wizards are signing two-way guard Jameer Watkins to a new two-year contract, agents Drew Morrison and Sam Rose of CAA Sports tell ESPN. Watkins is averaging 13.2 points and one steal over his last six games,” ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on X, formerly Twitter.
Watkins was drafted by the Wizards in the second round in 2025 after finishing his college career at Florida. While Watkins is older by rookie standards at 24, he has still shown an intriguing skill set during his time with the Wizards, as well as the ability to defend on the perimeter, which will be an area of significant need for the team heading into next year.
Washington hopes to make the playoffs again next season as they look to add blue-chip prospects from the 2026 draft to pair with Young, Davis, center Alex Sarr (also currently out of the lineup) and some of their other intriguing young players.
In a weak Eastern Conference, that core could be enough to turn the Wizards into a great team for the first time in nearly a decade.
Either way, the Wizards will next take the floor on Thursday for a game against Young’s former team, the Atlanta Hawks.
2026-02-26 16:52:00
