Trae Young reveals thoughts on fresh start with Wizards
The Washington Wizards shifted the direction of the franchise with the blockbuster trade to acquire four-time All-Star point guard Trae Young.
The Wizards expressed significant excitement about the future ahead, with Young leading the charge.
“He plays an exciting brand of basketball that we’re looking forward to seeing here,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said during a news conference at Capital One Arena on Friday via ESPN. “He just plays with a level of confidence, a level of competitiveness that we feel like we’d like to add. It’s what sets him apart when you watch him play against the other guards in the league. Happy to have him here.
“Trae has been a force since he got in the league, day one, rookie year. He evolved into one of the best, elite, proven playmakers. That’s something that we’re going to be continuing to look for while he’s here.”
Washington moved guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert in what turned out to be a surprisingly light deal in exchange for a player of Young’s caliber. The 27-year-old has established himself as one of the game’s premier playmakers as a scorer and distributor, holding career averages of 25.2 points, 9.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 43.2 percent from the floor and 35.1 percent from beyond the arc.
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Young voiced much enthusiasm about getting a fresh start and potentially being a primary piece in the Wizards’ turnaround.
“I know it’s a day-by-day process,” Young said via ESPN. “I know what it takes. It’s not going to be easy. But I know this is a place that I’m excited about, and I was excited about whenever I heard it could be a possibility.”
Young is in the fourth year of his five-year, $215.1 million designated max rookie extension that holds a $48.9 million player option for next season.
