Trae Young Sees Hidden Potential in Wizards’ Future—Could He Be the Missing Link?

Trae Young’s gearing up to carve out his new chapter with the Washington Wizards, and trust me, it’s got that unmistakable buzz of fresh beginnings mixed with all the gritty anticipation of a comeback story. Picture this: the four-time All-Star running slick pick-and-rolls with Alex Sarr, whipping lobs to the rising second-year center, and threading needle-precise passes to Bilal Coulibaly slicing through the defense. Yeah, that’s the vision Young’s been painting during his introductory Wizards press conference just ahead of facing the Pelicans at home.

Now, sure, there’s the hurdle — a nagging right quad contusion keeping him off the hardwood, adding to the 23 games missed with a stubborn MCL sprain that still flares up. But Young’s approach? Pragmatic and patient. “I don’t want to come back and not be myself for this team and for this city,” he said. His return isn’t just about ticking a box; it’s about fitting seamlessly into what’s quickly becoming a revamped, hungry Wizards squad under Will Dawkins and Michael Winger.

And let’s be honest — this is more than just a trade. The Wizards shipped out CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta for a top-tier floor general hungry to change the narrative in the nation’s capital. Trae’s not just bringing his A-game; he’s bringing ten-plus years of NBA journey, a $215 million contract with a player option, and an undeniable desire to be part of the next great run in Washington. The backdrop? Capital One Arena’s renovations, a franchise on the rise, and a talented young roster hungry for leadership and direction.

For a guy rooted in Oklahoma basketball culture and molded in the crucible of Atlanta’s high-stakes basketball, this isn’t just a trade — it’s a chance to reshape a legacy and inject some genuine excitement into a fanbase starving for playoff bursts. Trae’s got his eyes on the prize, ready to mix veteran savvy with the raw energy of D.C.’s young cores — and I gotta say, it’s exactly the kind of high-stakes drama basketball needs right now.

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Trae Young spoke about running the pick-and-roll with Alex Sarr and throwing a lob to the second-year standout center. He discussed delivering passes to a cutting Bilal Coulibaly.

During the four-time All-Star point guard’s introductory Washington Wizards news conference ahead of Friday’s home game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the 27-year-old Young was visualizing what it will be like playing for his new team when he returns to the court.

Young is currently sidelined with a right quad contusion, and he missed 23 games earlier this season with an MCL sprain in his right knee that’s reportedly caused residual pain.

“Coming over here doing these physicals, they want to make sure I’m right and things like that,” Young said, alongside Wizards general manager Will Dawkins.

“I don’t want to come back and not be myself for this team and for this city. So I’ll just leave it up to them to make sure they let you know when I’m coming back — hopefully soon.”

In the meantime, the excitement will build for Young’s debut in D.C. after the rebuilding Wizards traded for him Wednesday night, sending guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks.

The Dallas Mavericks selected Young No. 5 overall in the 2018 draft before immediately trading him and a first-round pick to the Hawks for the draft rights to Luka Dončić.

Young spent seven-plus seasons in Atlanta. He was eligible for a four-year extension, but the Hawks didn’t make him a long-term offer this past offseason. After leading the NBA in assists per game in 2024-25, Young is now in the fourth year of a five-year, $215 million deal.

He has a player option for $49 million next season, meaning he could hit free agency in the summer. But Young wanted to play for the Wizards.

He talked Friday about wanting to see through Capital One Arena renovations and how he’s taken notice of an organizational transformation under Dawkins and team president Michael Winger.

“Just being able to watch from afar and just some of the pieces that they’ve gotten since [Dawkins and Winger have] been here and the headaches I’ve had these last couple of times playing against them, you kind of see the difference and feel the difference from the way they play.”

Young added, regarding the Wizards’ franchise: “It’s on its way up, and I hope I’m a piece of this puzzle on the way up with it.”

Why the Wizards traded for Young and why the star PG preferred D.C. as a landing spot

Dawkins and Young go way back.

Before Dawkins became the Wizards’ GM in 2023, he spent 15 seasons with the Oklahoma City Thunder, ultimately serving as the team’s vice president of basketball operations from 2020-23.

Young, who played at Norman North High School before starring at nearby University of Oklahoma, went to his fair share of OKC games when he was growing up.

“Probably saw him come to one of our games when he was like 12, 13 years old, and people are like, ‘Hey, he’s a young talent.'” Dawkins said.

“There’s a lot of ties there being in Oklahoma City. It’s a small town. He’s from Norman. My wife’s from Norman. Her whole family lives there. He went to OU. My wife’s family all works at OU, went to OU. So I’ve known him for a very long time. When you’re in a city like that, and you have the player of the year-type candidates in high school and college, it’s very easy to see him.

Dawkins continued: “So you see him in the different gyms, and then you learn his family and you know what he’s about and you know the fiber that he comes from. Always kept in touch with the family, kept in touch with him once he became a professional player and watched him through the ranks.”

Dawkins described trading for Young this season as an “easy decision.”

The Wizards haven’t had an All-Star since Bradley Beal in 2021. Young hasn’t gone two straight seasons without earning that recognition in his career.

He’s criticized for his defense, and the value of his offense has been questioned in a league where points no longer come at a premium.

Young pointed out Friday that even though he no longer has a baby face, he’s not a finished product. It’s clear the Wizards see his upside, too.

“When Michael (Winger) and I got here two and a half seasons ago,” Dawkins said, “we wanted to emphasize a few things: the importance on remaining flexible throughout the rebuild, the importance of thinking and thinking in layers and stacking things up, and then I would say being opportunistic and doing that while finding players that fit toward our long-term vision, which is sustained success.

“And I think looking back on the trade, that reflects well on all those principles.”

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 09: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards reacts on the bench with Bilal Coulibaly #0 and Khris Middleton #22 during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Capital One Arena on January 9, 2026 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) — WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 09: Trae Young #3 of the Washington Wizards reacts on the bench with Bilal Coulibaly #0 and Khris Middleton #22 during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Capital One Arena on January 9, 2026 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

(Scott Taetsch via Getty Images)

The franchise has won 50-plus games only five times, and not since 1978-79 when it was still going by the name “Washington Bullets.”

Despite a bundle of young talent — including Sarr and Coulibaly as well as second-year forward Kyshawn George, second-year guard Bub Carrington and rookie guard Tre Johnson — the Wizards are second-to-last in the Eastern Conference standings.

And yet, Young was interested in taking his talents to D.C.

“There’s a lot of different directions I could have went as far as my goals and what I want my legacy to be at the end of the day,” he said.

“Just being able to have an impact on my teammates and people around me … being able to be a vet and doing it with these young guys here, I feel like I have more experience and more things that I can give these young guys.”

Young later said: “D.C. is overlooked as far as a big market. In the NBA, I feel like this is a big market. And I just feel like I’m being able to come into an opportunity to be myself. I’m around people that obviously have known me for a long time and know the type of person I am and the type of winner I want to be.”

Young turns back clock with jersey change, reminisces on John Wall days

Young is going from wearing No. 11, which he donned at Oklahoma and then with the Hawks, to wearing No. 3 with the Wizards.

It’s not a totally new number for him, though.

He told reporters Friday that he wore it during his freshman year of high school.

Young is turning back the clock, and he hopes to help return the Wizards to the success they enjoyed with Beal and, of course, five-time All-Star guard John Wall in the 2010s.

“I walked into the arena yesterday, and I was telling Will (Dawkins) how I want to see this place sold out,” I remember seeing this place, and we’re about to retire John Wall’s jersey, and just seeing it as a kid packed out.

“I want to get it back to that. And it’s not just me. It’s going to be this team and everybody [as] a part of it. So I just am super excited to have this feeling. I’m glad that the fan base is excited, and we going to give them something to be excited about going forward.”

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Those Beal-Wall teams maxed out at the Eastern Conference semis. Young went to the Eastern Conference finals during the 2020-21 season, his third in the league.

Now a veteran, Young wants to help the Wizards’ young core reach that stage, and then make a run at the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

“I understand where we’re at right now and where we want to go. This is a day-by-day process,” he said.

“I don’t want to look too far ahead or set expectations on when this will happen because you never know. It happened faster than I expected in my last place. So you never know when it can happen. But if you focus on the daily stuff, I mean, things are going to work out.”