How Trae Young’s New Contract Impacts the Wizards' Recent Draft Picks

The Washington Wizards seemingly locked in a piece of the team’s future on Monday, June 22.

One day ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, where Washington holds the No. 1 overall pick, the team intends to sign four-time All-Star Trae Young to a four-year contract worth $212 million, according to Shams Charania.

BREAKING: Trae Young intends to sign a four-year, approximately $212 million deal to stay with the Washington Wizards, with a player option in Year 4, sources tell ESPN. The four-time NBA All-Star declined his $49M player option for a long-term commitment ahead of free agency. pic.twitter.com/BAGANqomo0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 22, 2026

Young was traded to Washington during the 2025-26 season, which saw him appear in just 15 total games. After 10 contests with his former team, the Atlanta Hawks, young was dealt to the Wizards, where he played five games and averaged 15.2 points, 6.2 assists and 3 rebounds while shooting 59.5% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range.

In 2024-25, when Young played 76 contests, the veteran guard averaged 24.2 points, 11.6 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 41.1% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc.

Young’s resigning puts the Wizards in an interesting position ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft. Washington’s roster is comprised of mostly young players, with a few veterans still on the team after last year’s trade deadline.

In addition to Young, the team acquired Anthony Davis in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

Aside from Young and Davis, the team features 2025 draft picks Tre Johnson, Will Riley and Jamir Watkins, who all showed flashes during their rookie seasons, as well as former top-10 picks Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr.

Kyshawn George and Bub Carrington are also former first-round picks who have played significant roles for the Wizards in their first two seasons.

Soon, Washington will have another prized young player on its roster. With the top pick in the 2026 class, head coach Brian Keefe’s squad will likely add AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson to its stockpile of young talent.

If Young and Davis can stay healthy, the Wizards will likely be able to compete for a postseason spot in the Eastern Conference. To reach the Play-In Tournament or the playoffs, though, Washington will need its younger players to take another step forward in 2026-27.

This could be beneficial for the Wizards, though. Players like Sarr, Johnson and the team’s 2026 pick will earn valuable reps playing in meaningful games as the group attempts to make a push for the postseason.

A trip to the Play-In or playoffs would help develop the younger players on the roster, will also giving Washington’s front office solid insight as to who is worth a long-term investment.

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