In an exclusive interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Trae Young says he first learned of the possibility of a trade to the Wizards “a few weeks ago” and is excited about the opportunity to help “revive” the franchise.
“That could be another reason why I’m here. We revive each other,” Young said. “The city can revive me as much as I can revive it. That’s a big reason why I want to come here. I want to be an impactful person and player everywhere I go. So, as much as I’m going to try to revive the city, I need the city and this team to give me as much as we’re going to give them.”
Although he’s enthusiastic about joining the Wizards, Young tells Spears he’s taking a wait-and-see approach to his long-term future with the team. The four-time All-Star holds a $49MM player option for 2026/27 and is also extension-eligible.
“That’s the thing. I’m obviously always where my feet are, especially now,” Young said. “My feet are all here right now. I obviously have a player option this summer. I just want to enjoy the city. Right now, who knows what that would be? It’s a good chance. You never know if I’ll be here or not.
“But for me, I like the people around here, obviously. Really, really like the people around here from front office, all those guys being from OKC and the people I just met around here. But I want to figure out more about the city and stuff like that before I even want to get thinking about that. I want to just be around my teammates and all that stuff before an extension.”
Here’s more on Young and the Wizards:
- General manager Will Dawkins tells Josh Robbins of The Athletic the Wizards have yet to engage in contract discussions with Young or his agent. Both Young and Dawkins said they’re hoping to see how he fits with the team at some point when he returns from injuries. “We’re learning more about his injury status,” Dawkins told The Athletic when asked whether he expects Young to play for the Wizards this season. “We’ll know more this weekend as he gets through it. Our hope is to see him with our guys so he can make a decision (about his player option) going into next summer as well. When that will be, I don’t know, but we won’t rush him. We want him to be 100 percent healthy before he goes out there.”
- At his introductory press conference on Friday, Young said he aims to elevate Washington’s young players, and Dawkins said the front office is confident he’ll be successful in that goal, Robbins notes. “I just want to bring the best out of these young guys, as far as on the court,” Young told reporters. “When … I’m able to be right and get on the court, (I want to) show that I can bring the best out of this team and these young guys that I’m around, and hopefully make an All-Star or two out of some of these other guys. That’s my goal for this.”
- As Spears writes for ESPN.com, Young has multiple connections to the Wizards’ front office. He was drafted by VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk, who was Atlanta’s head of basketball operations at the time. Dawkins, a longtime former Thunder executive, has also been aware of the Oklahoma native since Young was 12 years old. “There’s a lot of ties there being in Oklahoma City,” Dawkins said. “It’s a small town. He’s from Norman. My wife is from Norman. Her whole family lives there. He went to OU. My wife’s family works at OU, went to OU. Known him for a very long time. When you are in a city like that, you have player of the year-type candidates in high school and college, it is very easy to see him. You see him in the different gyms, you know his family, you know what he’s about, you know the fiber that he comes from.”
- In his interview with Spears, Young said he became emotional when driving to State Farm Arena ahead of Wednesday’s game, knowing it was potentially his last time doing so as a member of Atlanta’s organization. While he admits he was disappointed he didn’t receive a contract extension offer from the Hawks, which played a significant role in his departure, he said he left the team on good terms and publicly praised the franchise at his presser. “I loved it. I enjoyed it. For me, going there as a 19-, 20-year-old, it was a dream come true being able to be drafted there,” Young said, per Spears. “I have nothing but love and respect to the Ressler family. It was kind of their beginning of being in Atlanta too. Going in there at the same time with them, it was a dream come true. I’m happy that I had that. I feel like I needed that to be where I’m at today. Going forward, I think that everything I learned there is just going to make me the better player and the better person I need to be for this organization going forward. I’m just so thankful for my time there. But I’m excited about this next one.”
I wonder how long it took him to rehearse this speech in front of the mirror and if he could pull it off with a straight face on the first try
For those that saw Young’s struggle when he came back to a team that had developed their own way of doing things that didn’t fit his way of doing things, and when you take into account he’s known the limits of his own trade market for weeks, Washington does make a certain amount of sense. I’m sure he’d love it if he could go to a winning team and dominate the ball and play his style of game, but like that was never an option for him. His reasoning makes a ton of sense to me. Washington needs to stop endlessly rebuilding and just throwing random young players together, they need to be brought into a vision, they need to be led, and Trae needs to be the no 1 and bring a team together. If you’re obsessed with accolades, and obsessed with the Morey asset hoarding style of rebuilding, then yeah, it’s not going to make sense to you. So many online fans only see the game through statistics and video game franchise building, but people aren’t things, they aren’t robots, they aren’t statistics. He wasn’t chased away, and he’s also not living in a fantasy world, he’s just making the best of an unideal situation in a league that’s mostly moved on from putting a lot of effort into building around players like Trae. Would it suck if Washington loses out on a pick because of this trade? Yeah, but how long has Washington just been collecting young talent and just having to reset over and over? At some point you have to develop what you have, have an experienced leader on the floor give them some cohesion and purpose.
That all being said, it does seem like Trae’s style of play is not really viable anymore. He’s not an efficient scorer, doesn’t play defense, doesn’t play off the ball well, and will likely never be an MVP candidate, but that doesn’t mean he can’t serve a very useful role for the Wiz. I don’t get all the vitriol and cynicism directed towards Trae, he’s being a professional. It’s the fans and media that are being extra about all this.
How many people did Trae have fired in Atl in his tenure ?
We forget too easily
Atl is 50 games under 500 in his 7 year tenure in a weak east conf , ouch
I think he got TOO much rope by fans and media for TOO long if I’m being honest and by the ( lack of ) package back Atl and the league agree here
It’s also well documented players don’t like playing with him – I fail to see the light here
Perhaps you’re right, but I don’t get why people are so eager to paint him like a scalded dog who’s trying obsessively to hide his wounded ego from banished to Washington. Maybe he’s just being normal about it and everyone else is projecting their drama onto it. He wasn’t betrayed, nor was he thrown out kicking and screaming. I’m sure he was disappointed when he first started hearing about the possibility, then started adjusting to the idea and seeing the best in it. Most basketball players know this is always a possibility.
A PG game or a true PG will never go away in the NBA. The game has never been about stats. Thats the 2Kers who can’t bounce a ball. Or run a 50 yd dash. But can count to ten. The game is about winning. You do that by management, talent, and effort.
No one handles the ball better than guards. Therefore no one runs a team better than guards. Even if they are not true PGs. They are playmakers and run an offense. In the game of basketball one of most important asset, value is a closer. The best closers are true PGs. Cause they can close you out by running a play, scoring, shooting, passing, or using their handle. Trae is a 25 n 10 for his career. Only the Greatest PG ever has avg that. PointGod “The Big O”
I didn’t mean to paint point guards as a dead position, but short, high volume, low efficiency, ball dominant pg’s who need the whole constructed around them? I’m not saying it’s gone from the league, but not many teams were really going for it ya know? His trade value speaks for itself. His game is a bit stuck in a crack. Not quite good enough to build a whole contending team around, but also not very functional when he isn’t the focal point of an offense. His defense is not good, and his off-ball play isn’t good. He can totally succeed if he’s healthy and has the right pieces around him, but is he worth that much effort? That’s the real question when it comes to Trae. I certainly wish him the best.
Angels – for the record I have no problems in Wiz taking a chance for all the reasons you speak of
I do however hope to God the Wiz wait at least 12 months to extend him and get to see those tangible results before doing so (w 2 different crews )
Traes got some adjusting to do and no longer the clout to throw someone else under the Bus , it’s on him and him
Alone now….. I think that can spurn multiple outcomes , stepping up Big own possibly him cowering , should be fun to follow
Fear would be Traes agent got a wink wink deal for a summer ext
We shall see, I hope it works out as well, I like to see teams climb up the ladder and excel
@cap I agree with you, I truly hope for a good outcome for both of them, and yeah, no premature extensions.
I get small PGs can be an issue. But you are misrepresenting Traes game and PGs. Offenses aren’t built around one player. They are schemes for 5 players. And are run best by a true PG. it takes IQ and talent to do that. Guards the smallest players on the teams . Are best suited for that. Cause they have the handles. You still don’t get what a true PG does lol ……
Trae is a true PG. And when Wiz get going. You will see that. They aren’t going to build their offense around him. He is going to run the offense . And make everyone better.
Well said
I think you have an overly simplistic view of his game, and also, you’re not really understanding the particulars of what I’m saying.
And like I said already, I want Trae to succeed. I’m a Hawks fan, and I have no ill will towards Trae. It would warm my heart to see him do well in Washington and see him help those young players out.