Wizards have a shooting problem, starting with Trae Young

As Siddhant Gupta of Fadeaway World outlined, Young is averaging 18.3 points and 8.3 assists while shooting 40% from the field and 29.6% on 3-pointers. Those scoring and shooting numbers fall short of what Washington needs from its lead guard.

The bigger concern is that Young has plenty of company. The Wizards are shooting just 29.8% from beyond the arc, ranking 29th in the league.

That makes life harder on everyone. Young needs room to operate, Davis needs room inside, and defenses have less reason to give either much space when the outside shots aren’t falling.

Still, there’s a considerable leap between saying Young needs to play better and suggesting he doesn’t fit.

His 8.3 assists per game reflect an ability to create opportunities even during a shooting slump. With Davis, Alex Sarr and Deandre Ayton available as frontcourt options, Washington has players who should benefit from his passing.

The question is how consistently the Wizards can turn those opportunities into productive possessions. Better shooting would help. So would finding combinations that give Young room to attack without crowding the players he’s trying to find.

Davis and rookie AJ Dybantsa have provided reasons for optimism. Young’s track record offers another.

But Washington’s new collection of talent has yet to become a reliable offense. Getting its point guard going would be a useful place to start.

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