NBA Draft

How Does the Trae Young Trade Impact Washington's Young Pieces?

The Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards completed a major trade that will send a former top-five pick to the nation's capitol.
Randall Sweet|
Jan 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) shown on the court before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at State Farm Arena.
Jan 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) shown on the court before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at State Farm Arena. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

By now, most NBA fans have likely heard about the recent trade between Atlanta and Washington.

The Hawks sent four-time All-Star Trae Young to the Wizards in return for veteran guard CJ McCollum and former top-15 pick Corey Kispert. Both sides officially announced the deal on Friday morning, as Young posted a photo of his new jersey in Washington's locker room.

The former Hawks guard was drafted No. 5 overall in the 2018 class, and is in his eighth NBA season. Across only 10 games this year, Young is averaging 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 rebounds and a steal per game while shooting 41.5% from the field and a career low 30.5% from 3-point range.

While Young's value may be lower than it would have been in previous years, there is still a solid chance that he provides a major impact for the Wizards. Aside from giving the team a talented player at the point guard position, Young should be able to help the young players on Washington's roster improve early in their NBA careers.

Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 NBA Draft, has had a solid second season in the NBA, but could get even more easy scoring opportunities with Young on the floor.

According to data from Sportradar, Young has "created more points for his teammates as the ball handler in pick-and-roll" than any other player in the NBA since his rookie season.

Young has created 6,112 points for his teammates in pick-and-roll situations, while Luka Doncic, who was also selected in the 2018 draft, sits second in that category with 4,871 points created.

This is good news for Sarr, who will now be partnered with one of the best pick-and-roll playmakers in the NBA, which should grant the second-year big man opportunity to increase his scoring output.

Alongside Sarr, rookie guard Tre Johnson will have another skilled guard to share the court with as he continues to find his rhythm. In the first 29 games of his professional career, the No. 6 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is averaging 12.3 points, 3 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 45.6% from the field and 39.7% from beyond the arc.

With Young, who will certainly draw increased attention from defenses, on the court, Johnson should also get more open looks, and the ability to learn from a veteran guard who has had success in his career.

Of course, the extent of Young's on-court impact will be determined by how much the 27-year-old plays throughout the remained of the season.

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Randall Sweet
RANDALL SWEET

Randall Sweet is a 2022 Oklahoma University graduate who has formerly written for the Norman Transcript and OU Daily. Randall also serves as the Communications Coordinator at Visit OKC.

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