NBA Rumors: The Washington Wizards' Plan with Trae Young and Anthony Davis

The transfer of Trae Young to the Washington Wizards during this season surprised much of the NBA. However, everything points to the relationship between the point guard and the franchise in the U.S. capital not being short-lived.

According to journalist Marc Stein, the forecast is that both parties will reach a renewal agreement this summer. "They have repeatedly insisted that I expect Young and the Wizards to reach an extension agreement this summer, which, according to projections, would be for three years," he explained.

Young has a player option valued at 49 million dollars for the next season. The refusal of the Atlanta Hawks to offer him a new contract—something the franchise made clear last summer—was precisely what led to his trade to Washington.

Interestingly, Young has not yet played a single game with his new team since being traded in January. The point guard is recovering from a sprained right knee and a quadriceps contusion. Moreover, it does not seem that the Wizards are in a rush to hasten his return to the courts. The team is at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, which in turn places them among the teams with greater chances in the upcoming draft lottery.

A project led by Young and Anthony Davis

Washington also made another significant move by adding Anthony Davis, an operation that hints at the franchise's plan: to build a team led by the veteran duo of Young and Davis, accompanied by a promising young core. Among these young players are Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, and the future lottery pick the team will obtain in the next draft.

The decision to invest in Young and Davis indicates clearly that the Wizards believe their rebuilding phase has come to an end. In this context, it would not make much sense to acquire both players and not secure their continuity. Davis has a guaranteed contract for the next season and also holds a player option of 62.7 million dollars for the 2027-28 season. The center can also sign a four-year extension worth 275 million dollars starting in August.

However, Davis' extensive injury history suggests that such a lucrative contract could age poorly over time. Therefore, the Wizards may choose to wait and evaluate how their partnership with Young and the team's young core functions during the upcoming season before committing to such an agreement. What does seem clear is that the Washington franchise wants to start winning now. To achieve this, they will likely have to commit significant financial resources, also considering the long term.