By declining his player option, the star guard paves the way for a substantial extension to anchor Washington’s rebuild alongside a looming top overall draft selection.
While the initial news of Washington Wizards guard Trae Young declining his player option with the team may sound like a concerning situation for the Wizards, it appears that it may just be the first step in the process of retaining the star player for the long term.
Young was in line for a $48.97 million player option, but now that he has declined that path, the door is now open for him and the Wizards to work out a deal to keep him with Washington for the foreseeable future.
For more on what this decision would mean for Washington and what is sure to be an eventful offseason for the team, Wizards Roundtable writer Ahmed Ghafir has an in-depth look.
This sets up what will be a critical offseason for Washington. If they and Young can reach an agreement to keep him with the team long-term, the Wizards will be able to pair him and their upcoming No. 1 overall selection to accelerate the team's much-needed rebuild attempt.
BYU Cougars basketball star AJ Dybantsa is expected to be the first player off the board, giving Washington another high profile playmaker. The 6-foot-9 small forward is an outstanding scorer, averaging 25.5 points per game during the 2025-26 collegiate season.
Young was traded to the Wizards last year by the Atlanta Hawks. He appeared in only a total of 15 total games, including 5 with the Wizards wherein he shot 59.5% from the floor and averaged 15.2 points per game. He averaged 17.9 in total over the season.
