Trae Young Suitor #3: Washington Wizards
For a team that’s been perennially stuck in the middle of the mediocre Eastern conference mess, the Wizards have proven time and time again that they aren’t afraid to spend to try to get better. They re-signed Bradley Beal to a max deal, traded for Kristaps Porzingis, and are in line to give him and Kyle Kuzma lengthy extensions this summer.
If Washington wants to take the next jump up in stature, however, they’ll need another impact shot creator next to Beal. That’s where Trae Young comes in.
It’s hard to know what exactly the Wizards would be willing to put on the table, but they’ll be armed with a lottery pick in a top-heavy draft, have a deadeye shooter in Corey Kispert, a late-rising guard in Johnny Davis, and a defensive skeleton key in Deni Avdija:
Deni Avdija scored 23 points with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, and 4 threes Saturday at Brooklyn. It was Washington’s second blown 20+ point lead and disappointing loss in as many days, but individually it was a nice bounceback game for the man they call Turbo. #DCAboveAll pic.twitter.com/UXhBidedDt
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) February 5, 2023
Sending all of their draft capital and youth to the Hawks is risky, as they’re an in-division rival, but adding Trae Young to a Beal-Porzingis-Kuzma core might be just what the Wizards need to rejoin the contender rung. An offense led by Young and Beal would be hard for any team to contain, much less stop completely, given the polished and complimentary games each possess.
Their biggest concern would come on the defensive end, but in the NBA, it’s harder to get a certified star compared to the key role players. Porzingis is still a capable shot-blocker and with solid forwards around the backcourt, the Wizards would be set up to make more noise than they have since John Wall was their point guard.