Trae Young's First Season With Wizards May Be Finished

The Washington Wizards will understandably be taking his recovery slow as to not further injure their franchise point guard, along with keeping the goal in mind of bottoming out and acquiring a top pick. Washington was very vocal about keeping Young’s leash short ever since he first landed in the Nation’s capital, so news of this approach shouldn’t come as any surprise.

Flashes of Greatness

Although his season may have come to an end, Young still flashed his advanced skill set in his limited time with the Wizards, posting averages of 15.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists in his five games with the team. Young played nearly every game on a minutes restriction, hence his somewhat underwhelming counting stats, but anyone who watched understood his undeniable impact.

Young gave the team a level of playmaking and shot creation that they haven’t seen since John Wall, constantly making plays for others and elevating the team’s offense in general. Guys like Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington, who were in slumps of sorts prior to Young’s arrival, almost instantly found their groove playing with the All-NBA guard.

Moving Forward

Despite Young’s clear impact, his future with the franchise remains uncertain. If he chooses to, Young could leave in free agency as early as this offseason. Along with that, the Wizards could very well be in the market to draft a top point guard in this year’s draft, making his future with the team even more cloudy.

With that said, it’s clear that Washington wants to have him around for the time being, hinting that a contract extension could be right around the corner. Along with that, the Wizards are clearly itching to make a playoff push as soon as next season, something that Young could definitely help with. Either way, it’s likely that Young will appear in a Wizards uniform again, even if he isn’t expected to be with the team long term.

If Young can return fully healthy next season, even a short stint with the Wizards could reshape the direction of the franchise moving forward. For now, the brief glimpse of what Trae Young looked like in a  Wizards uniform leaves fans hopeful for what's to come.