Wizards Must Exercise Caution in Potential Trae Young Trade

Fans of the Washington Wizards may have assumed that they were still a few years out from trading for recent All-Stars and franchise faces, but here they are, right in the middle of the most realistic-sounding trade rumors of 2026.

ESPN's Shams Charania capped off a steady stream of previous reports that the Atlanta Hawks and their star, Trae Young, are open to a divorce, and the Wizards are an early frontrunner to bag the scorer. In fact, they're seen as a legitimate landing spot, arguably positioned better than anyone else to take on Young and his hefty contract.

The Wizards have emerged as a legitimate potential trade destination for Atlanta's Trae Young, @TheSteinLine has learned, in a deal construction centered around CJ McCollum's expiring contract.

More to come here: https://t.co/i9CobUR55T pic.twitter.com/k9xOa2DZas
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 5, 2026

Now, Young is a big name, having amounted four All-Star games off of career averages of 25.2 points and 9.8 assists, so it would be expected that a cooperator would have to give up plenty of assets to bring him aboard.

But his value across the league is at an all-time low amidst his career-worst season, as his Hawks have played better without his inefficient shot-chucking. Add the on-court baggage to the $46 million he's making this year, plus the near-$49 million player option looming ahead in the next season, and it's reasonable to assume that the Hawks would have to attach substantial draft capital to the departing Young to soften the blow of his arrival.

The Wizards could make it work monetarily by pairing CJ McCollum's expiring money with a young end-of-bench prospect and a future second-rate pick. Such a maneuver would align with the brand of asset management that Washington's frequently focused on in recent years, but it's worth concerning how he'd influence the rest of the young core. Just because a move can be made doesn't mean it should be done without considering the on-court repercussions.

Positives of a Young Pairing

The All-Star needed some amount of skill to earn his historic numbers. Say what you will about Young's effectiveness as a shooter, defender or off-ball contributor, but he is a talented lob passer, and he's comfortable enough with the ball to orchestrate an offense with plenty of moving parts.

Alex Sarr would particularly appreciate a willing distributor who can place relentless pressure on an opposing unit, as he's already getting his own buckets without anyone to ease his load.

Washington Wizards Center Alex Sarr — Jan 2, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) dunks during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

This would be a funny outcome for the pair, with Sarr deliberately avoiding Young's Hawks ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft due to his preference for Washington's rebuilding timeline. But despite the odd history between rising and current star, they could have much to gain from one another for however long Young would be in town.

The same could be said for a notably aimless half court weapon on the Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly. As thrilling as his transition scoring and defensive stops are to watch, he, too, needs someone to find him on the move for easier shots, and Young's proven plenty at spoon-feeding rim scorers.

Trae Young has 245 more THREES and almost 1K (971) more ASSISTS than any other player in franchise history!

2nd player to ever lead the NBA in total points and total assists. Only Harden and LeBron have more career games with 30+ PTS & 10+ AST pic.twitter.com/QfkqmE31al
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 5, 2026

Juggling On-Ball Reps

If the Wizards were to pull the trigger on such a move, there would be some on-ball touches left open by McCollum's absence, but it would be up to head coach Brian Keefe to ensure that some level of balance is maintained among Washington's new pool of ball-handlers.

They seem to have just reached a breakthrough in figuring out how to utilize Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington. After treating the the pair of young guards like afterthoughts, Carrington's finally re-unlocked the aggression he showed as a rookie with strong playmaking and pull-up shooting numbers over the last month, while Johnson is making any shot he wants as a premier sniper.

That's to say nothing of Kyshawn George, who'd earn more touches than any other handler of the rebuild as a point forward option who's maintained elite efficiency alongside a three-level scoring punch.

Dec 20, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Washington Wizards Forward Kyshawn George (18) celebrates after hitting a three point shot in the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Smith-Imagn Images | Matthew Smith-Imagn Images

Finding a middle ground with Young won't be easy, as he has a career 31.83% usage rate, the fifth-highest of all time. He'll likely expect to walk into Washington as a top scoring weapon worthy of as many possession as he wants, and even if that isn't far from the truth, Wizards' management can't be overly interested in sapping practice away from the players of the future.

Young's impact on the team would, if nothing else, be swift. He'll net some fine assets, which may include himself if he looks closer to the All-Star of last season, but it's up to the squad's decision-makers to figure out how much they want to roll the dice with a player with such a likelihood of completely upending the hierarchy they're just now starting to finalize.

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