Wizards Rookie Benefiting From Trae Young's Presence

The Washington Wizards are now two games into the Trae Young era, and by now fans have been given a solid taste of what things will look like. Young has showcased his ability to elevate the team offensively, making those around him better and maximizing their skill sets. However, one Wizard in particular has performed especially well over the past two games.

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

That player being rookie Tre Johnson, who prior to Young’s debut had been going through the roughest stretch of basketball in his young NBA tenure. The talent with Johnson has never been the question, as his lights-out shooting ability has already taken D.C. by storm. But now, with a truly elite table-setter, his already polished skill set could be taken to the next level.

Small Sample, Potent Result

Over the past two games, the 19-year-old has posted averages of 17.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, doing so while shooting an astonishing 56.3% from three. Johnson has been money off the ball, constantly hunting the open space created from Young’s gravity as a ball handler and positioning himself in the right spot to create easy looks.

Although Johnson has been the beneficiary, it goes both ways too, as Young has also been elite at hunting opportunities for himself that, in turn, create opportunities for others. Washington hasn't seen someone as lethal as a playmaker in the pick-and-roll as Young in years, adding another layer to an already exciting, youthful offense.

Tre out here breakin' franchise records 📊#ForTheDistrict | @AlibabaGroup pic.twitter.com/aWN8olYXsA
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) March 9, 2026

Looking Forward

What makes this recent surge even more exciting is that this is the worst it is going to look. Those words may seem out of place considering how well Johnson has performed, but they couldn't be more true. He and Young are still building chemistry along with the rest of the team, meaning the product being seen now is just the beginning of what's to come. Not only that, but the Wizards are still getting multiple key contributors back to health, meaning nobody has truly been in the best spot to succeed thus far in Young’s tenure.

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

With that said, fans in the District likely won't see a full-power Wizards team until next year, as for now the team is still in hot pursuit of a top pick. Because of this, the coaching staff in Washington is forced to be creative with how they do things so as not to hurt the team’s draft positioning while still maximizing the development of young talent. However, that's not to say these last couple of months can't be cherished, as fans get their first glimpse of how Young’s presence can benefit the future of the franchise.

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