1996–97 Washington Bullets season

The 1996–97 NBA season was the Bullets' 36th season in the National Basketball Association. During the off-season, the Bullets acquired Rod Strickland and former Bullets forward Harvey Grant from the Portland Trail Blazers, and signed free agents Tracy Murray, Jaren Jackson and Lorenzo Williams. Despite a stellar season last year, Juwan Howard signed a 7-year $100 million contract with the Miami Heat. However, the deal was voided claiming that Miami exceeded their salary cap; the Bullets quickly re-signed Howard, but would lose their first-round draft pick next year.

After 46 games into the season, the Bullets fired head coach Jim Lynam, then after playing one game under assistant Bob Staak, and holding a 22–25 record at the All-Star break, they hired former Bullets assistant Bernie Bickerstaff as their new coach. Under Bickerstaff, the Bullets finished the season winning 16 of their final 21 games. On the final day of the regular season on April 20, 1997, the Bullets defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 85–81 at the Gund Arena to capture the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They finished fourth in the Atlantic Division with a 44–38 record, ending an eight-year playoff drought, and making the playoffs for the first time since 1988.

Chris Webber averaged 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.9 blocks per game, and was selected for the 1997 NBA All-Star Game, which was his first All-Star appearance. In addition, Howard averaged 19.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, while Strickland provided the team with 17.2 points, 8.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Calbert Cheaney and last season's Most Improved Player, Gheorghe Mureșan both contributed 10.6 points per game each, while Mureșan provided with 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, and Murray contributed 10.0 points per game off the bench.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Bullets were swept by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the defending champion Chicago Bulls in three straight games, losing Game 3 at home by one point, 96–95 after taking a 14–2 lead early in the first quarter. This would be their final playoff appearance until 2005. The Bulls would go on to defeat the Utah Jazz in six games in the NBA Finals, winning their fifth championship in seven years. Following the season, Jackson signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs.

For Washington, Game 3 of that series at US Airways Arena was officially their final game as the "Bullets". In 1995, Bullets owner Abe Pollin decided to change the team's name due to gun violence in Washington D.C., and after the assassination of his friend, Israel Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. On May 15, 1997, the team officially changed its name to the "Wizards", and became known as the "Washington Wizards" the following season. However, the Bullets were held up by a copyright lawsuit filed by the Harlem Wizards, a traveling comedy basketball team with the same name. Still, the Bullets won the trademark infringement case, as a court ruling allowed them to change their name to the "Wizards".