Trae Young Not Hurting Wizards NBA Draft Chances so far

Washington’s newest star hasn’t impacted their chances at the draft.

Mar 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) reacts after a three-point basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

At the trade deadline, the Wizards made one of the more consequential moves, ending the Trae Young era in Atlanta by trading for the four-time All-Star.

Few could fault Washington for pulling the trigger given the asking price — just CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert — though at the time it seemed the move could affect their chances at landing one of the top picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, likely the primary concerns for the Wizards’ brass.

Young instead continued rehabbing an injury and missed over two months of play, time that the Wizards spent continuing to bolster their stock. 

On March 5, though, Young officially made his return to play and debut for Washington, which seemed like un-ideal timing for the team, especially against a fellow repositioning team in Utah.

Ultimately, Young’s return had little effect on their draft odds, instead helping them via a 10-point loss to the Jazz. He scored 12 points on nine shots, adding six assists to three turnovers, with two rebounds and steals apiece. His play-making certainly helped the Wizards, who scored 112 points in total, but the defense was up-and-down as Utah took advantage.

In a Sunday bout against the Pelicans, the trend continued.

Young was able to get his game off, adding 17 points on effective 4-for-6 shooting, adding three triples, eight assists to four turnovers and four rebounds. He set up his teammates with crisp play-making ability, something the franchise has been lacking for a few seasons now. Rookie Tre Johnson was especially a recipient, going for 20 points with four 3-pointers.

Tre Johnson is going to get spoon fed so many catch and shoot 3s playing next to Trae Young. pic.twitter.com/kYsBPjTzUR

— Wizards Film Room (@KevinFolliNBA) March 8, 2026

Still, Washington couldn’t overcome a down Pelicans squad, which in fairness has no incentive to lose down the stretch without its own first-round pick in 2026. Again, defense was the primary issue for the Wizards, as they gave up 138 points, seeing five different Pelicans eclipse 18-plus points.

Overall, Young's lack of immediate winning impact is still better for the team in the long-term. Having a shiny new point guard is a great thing, but landing one of Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer or AJ Dybantsa at the 2026 draft would set up the franchise with a cornerstone for years to come.

Additionally, Young still has plenty of time to make waves on this iteration of Washington. As a pass-first player, he'll need time to gel and learn the intricacies of playing alongside certain players. Ones that will come with much more time than two games.

For now, Young and the Wizards churn toward the end of the regular season, hopefully missing out on the postseason for the final time in the coming years.