Washington Wizards · Franchise era 4 of 8
Webber and Howard: the Washington Wizards story
Franchise era
1996–97—2000–01
Webber and Howard
Washington Wizards
The story in one sentence
A gifted young frontcourt ended the playoff drought, but the organization traded Webber before the group matured.
01
Talent returns briefly
02
Chris Webber, Juwan Howard and Rod Strickland gave the era its recognizable core.
03
Its ending created the conditions for jordan in washington.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1996–97
What came before
Washington remained competitive at times but won no playoff series as injuries and turnover prevented a full rebuild.
1997
Eastern Conference First Round: Washington Wizards vs Chicago Bulls
After 2000–01
What came next
Jordan's comeback made Washington must-see television, though neither season ended in the playoffs.
The core