Although rival executives have been expecting new Wizards point guard Trae Young to exercise his $49MM player option for 2026/27, he has yet to make a decision on that option, according to David Aldridge, Sam Amick, and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who say the four-time All-Star is also open to discussing a contract extension with his new team or even opting out in favor of free agency this summer.
If Young did become a free agent, the Wizards would make a “full push” to sign him to a new contract, since they don’t want to lose him for nothing, per The Athletic’s trio. If he picks up his option, the team’s plan would be to talk to Young and his reps to see if he’s happy in Washington, then decide on the next steps from there. An extension, another trade, or Young playing out the final year of his contract would all be options in that scenario.
The Wizards want to assess how several members of their young core – including Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, and Tre Johnson – respond to playing alongside Young, since that will be a key factor in determining whether the 27-year-old fits on their roster long-term, according to The Athletic’s report. However, it’s unclear how often that will happen in the next few months.
As Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins note, Young has appeared in just 10 games this season due to various injuries – most recently a quad issue – and the team isn’t in a hurry to rush him back. Pointing out that the Wizards have little incentive to win this season because their 2026 first-round pick is top-eight protected, The Athletic’s reporters suggest it’s possible Young will play a “limited number” of games the rest of the way, with the team more focused on his impact in 2026/27 (and potentially beyond).
If the Wizards go that route, it would be similar to what the Raptors did with Brandon Ingram last season. Toronto traded for the forward at the trade deadline and signed him to a contract extension, but with the club in tank mode down the stretch and Ingram still recovering from an ankle injury, he didn’t play until this fall.
Here’s more out of D.C.:
- The Wizards believe they have the sort of defensive personnel that can help make up for Young’s shortcomings on that end of the floor, per Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins, including rim protector Alex Sarr and wing stopper Bilal Coulibaly. The team is also optimistic about the way in which Young may be able to unlock the offensive potential of many of its young players, giving Sarr a pick-and-roll partner and Johnson someone who will get him more open looks.
- While George, Coulibaly, and Carrington have all taken on ball-handling responsibilities this season, George and Coulibaly are forwards rather than point guards, and some members of the organization believe Carrington is better suited to playing off the ball, per The Athletic. That’s one reason why the front office was motivated to make a deal for a true point guard like Young.
- Corey Kispert was “highly regarded” within the Wizards’ organization for his professionalism, according to Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins, but he was viewed as expendable due to the club’s depth on the wing.
Sell out…I liked the Young who gave it to the Knicks. This move isn’t about competing though.
I disagree. I hope Trae Young fits in here and the Wiz succeed. Unfortunately it’s the Washington Wizards so they are doomed to fail.
Can always hope. Don’t wish him ill will but, this about cash for him. I don’t want those guys on my team. I understand it for the wizards though. Sarr will be loving Trae.
Yeah he torched the Knicks. But it’s his passing and PG skills. That will elevate Wizards .
Knicks own their pick top8 protected.
Rooting for Wizards lol.
Getting Trae was a small step towards competing/improvement ……. it’s the East, it’s still the WIZARDS and there’s nowhere to go but up.
Trae’s still young (pun intended), he still scores, passes with the best of them …….. he’s still small and frail, but they do have (like every other team) length on the wings.
Besides, the bar is real low – a hard sniff of the play-in by next season, that’s success right there for the WIZARDS.
Yeah it’s what they need most. A true PG. The guy is a top ast player. He makes everyone better. At 27 he is in his prime. Defensively he needs help. But they have Sarr.
I agree they are trying to tank. I like Trey young. I hope he can do a Curry did and learn to play a little defense. Curry’s not a walking bucket anymore where he still has some of his defensive laps. He can hold his own and you can’t run the same. Play to score over and over on him.
Trey young will help the wizards. He’s a great passer and he can cause double teams or mismatches coming off picking rolls. It’ll be nice to see him and Starr play next to him. Most people who’ve never played basketball. Don’t understand. You can’t just throw a whole bunch of young guys out there and say develop that doesn’t work. Losing basketball doesn’t develop as much skills. When you can shoot when you want. You’re not in end game situations, You have no veterans to teach you how to take care of your body. How to game plan from game to game and teams coming in to play you are taking nights off. It sucks to say that, but I’ve personally been a part of that where you know you’re going to beat a team and you may party the day before or not go through the full 100% emotions and you still beat the team by five or six points and happens in the NBA as well too.
Hopefully he comes out hot and declines his player option
Its still a long road ahead for my Wizards to legit compete in the playoffs. This trade however has more potential benefits to it than keeping McCollum around hoping for a better return which would be unlikely. And as stated in the article, Kispert had become redundant on a team with younger guys than him filling that same role. How Trae Young impacts those three young guys (Kyshawn, Bub, Tre) is definitely the most vital part in my opinion. If Trae can help them elevate their game, particularly in the ball handling/distribution area, then I think the trade is already a solid move for the Wizards.
Good article though, covers the potential short and long term effects of the trade as well as what could happen should things not go as hoped.
Wizards have an interesting squad from top to bottom fr. Personally I was hoping we got Cam Whitmore in the deal & DC keeping him (as well as all of their other youngsters) was big for them. Whitmore still has big time potential imo & their rookie Will Riley has a lot of skills as well. With Kispert gone, those guys should have more solidified roles in the rotation. Same for Bub & AJ Johnson in the backcourt. Bub should basically be the starter again until Trae starts playing. Bub has looked good off the bench but if he continues to progress that just makes them an even more dangerous team. I have no doubt that they’re gonna be a playoff contender next yr & probably for as long as they keep Trae. But at some point his lack of defense, which in turn affects the team defense, is gonna become a serious issue.
So you think they will keep CJ. Or will they move him. He can be part of AD trade. Considering Hawks interest in AD. Lot of rumors about AD and Hawks.
The Hawks need someone that can create their own shot and shoot in the backcourt, they’ll most likely keep McCollum.
They can Davis if they want without CJ. Porziņģis, Kennard, Risacher and a 1st or two should get it done.
WAS got Ice Trae for nothing, so losing him for nothing would not be the end of the world, right? But, now that they have him better keep him, as he is a top PG in the league!
Keyshawn George is a decent wing defender too, so Coulibaly and Sarr don’t have to do it all by themselves. Bub is not, though he is very young and seems to be doing more defensively than he was early in the year when his D looked atrocious.
As a Wizards fan, I think Hawks fans will be surprised by Kispert’s athleticism.
Now I guess start Bagley at PF
Does Trae hate Gueye?
Sign Tyler Smith
Now trade Middleton, Whitmore, Aj Johnson and Marvin Bagley to the Clippers for John Collins, Kobe Brown and Bradley Beal
Promote Vukcevic, sign Alec Burks, sign Tyler Smith and Bryson Warren on two way contracts, waive Kobe Brown, Branham and Cooper
Draft Wilson and a PG next years draft