Trae Young Makes Wizards a Win-Now Team

At one point just weeks ago, the Washington Wizards defined the NBA's lowest common denominator. At 3-20 with a roster bogged down by highly paid veteran weapons, all eyes seemed to be tiredly trained on whoever the franchise would bring in next through yet another high draft pick.

Now, at 10-26, having already separated themselves to some extent from the most woeful situations in the league, the latest news in Washington's cycle has a chance to redefine the team entirely; from their goals for seasons to come to immediate possibilities, trading for Trae Young makes Washington a win-now group.

And, after a few fast-moving days of positive media coverage like the Wizards hadn't seen in years, the move was made official. At the cost of the recently added CJ McCollum and longtime scoring option Corey Kispert, Washington added the four-time All-Star to their budding roster of young talent.

Creating a Core

After having spent most of the 2025-26 season thus far drawing rare positives from the impact of that young talent, adding Young to the lineup creates a core of consistent playmaking for the Wizards.

Not only is Young one of the best passers in the league, but when that ability is prioritized across from the likes of Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George and other prolific scorers, Washington's potential ceiling appears to raise from a simple "scrappy young team" to a roster built specifically to succeed, according to their strengths.