The Washington Wizards on Wednesday acquired Trae Young in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Young, 27, joins Washington as a four-time All-Star and four-time NBA
assists leader who boasts averages of 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game this season.
The shifty point guard has appeared in just 10 of Atlanta’s 39 games this season due to a quad and MLC injury. And the Hawks, who sported a 16-13 record without Young in the lineup compared to a 2-8 record with him, were better without him.
But the value was simply too good for the Wizards to pass on, and they acted quickly to acquire Young’s talents.
Why it makes sense for the Wizards
In July, the Wizards offloaded an extra year of Jordan Poole’s salary to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for CJ McCollum’s expiring $30.6 million salary. Many questioned the deal at the time, but the Wizards used impressive foresight to clear nearly $35 million off their books for the 2026-27 season.
So when the Hawks came searching for a team who could absorb Young’s $45 million salary this season and $49 million player option for 2026-27, the Wizards were in prime position to capitalize on incredible value.
Yes, Young has struggled to stay healthy. And his defense remains a rough patch on an otherwise impressive offensive resume. But at just 27 years old, and at a position the Wizards have lacked for years, Young could be what Washington is searching for at point guard alongside their ascending young core.
How much will Young play this season?
Young has missed 29 games this year with an MCL sprain and a quad contusion, as the Hawks took a cautious approach with his rehab process.
The Wizards’ 2026 first-round pick is top-8 protected, which means they must finish with a bottom-four record to guarantee they keep their selection in what’s considered an outstanding draft class. At 10-26, they currently own the league’s fourth-worst record.
It would make sense for Washington to remain cautious with Young’s quad injury as they navigate potential ways forward. Young will almost certainly play with the Wizards this season. How much he plays will be determined in the coming days once the Wizards medical staff fully evaluates the extent of his injury.
Will the Wizards sign Young to an extension?
Young owns a $49 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign. Should he exercise his option, the Wizards would still have roughly $47 million in cap space, which would rank top 10 in the NBA.
ESPN reported that while Young preferred a trade destination that was open to extending him, the Wizards and his representatives are not expected to have immediate discussions surrounding a potential contract extension.
It’s possible the Wizards use the remainder of this season as a trial run for Young to see how he plays alongside Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and others. Just as it’s possible that Young uses this season to rebuild his value before potentially testing the free-agent market.
Low risk, high reward
Behind several injuries and poor defensive play, Young’s trade value had plummeted to its lowest point of his NBA career. The Wizards saw a chance to capitalize on that low value by acquiring his talents for a 34-year-old McCollum, who was bound for free agency at the season’s end, and Kispert, who flashed as a jump shooter but struggled with consistency from 3-point range and charted as a poor defender.
Should Young play and play well for Washington, they could extend him for another year or two. He would serve as the PG they desperately need alongside their young core.
And if it doesn’t work out — meaning Young either opts out of his $49 million player option and signs elsewhere this summer or simply doesn’t mesh well with Washington’s roster — the Wizards save $13.2 million in cap space for the next three seasons with Kispert traded and have over $90 million in cap space for the 2026-27 season to either sign a marquee free agent or trade for one.
