This was a win-win trade.
How large these wins are hinges on plenty of yet-to-be-determined components — Can Atlanta use their newfound monetary flexibility to land Anthony Davis or one other star this offseason? Can Trae Young keep wholesome and fill the function of veteran chief and mentor a younger staff wants? — however it is a trade that made sense for just about everybody concerned. There aren’t many losers on this deal.
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Let’s break down the winners and losers on this deal. We’ll begin by laying out the trade.
Washington receives: Trae Young
Atlanta receives: CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert
Note: There are not any picks concerned on this trade. While the gamers concerned on this deal had been agreed to comparatively shortly, league sources informed NBC Sports that a part of the holdup in finalizing the trade was that either side believed they need to obtain draft-pick compensation. Atlanta thought they deserved it as a result of they had been giving up the greatest participant in the deal, an All-Star degree level guard (when wholesome) in his prime. Washington thought they deserved picks again for taking over the further yr (a $48.9 million participant possibility Young is predicted to decide up) of a contract that Atlanta needed to dump. Ultimately, the sides agreed to make the trade with out picks.
Winner: Washington Wizards
Washington is a winner right here, not just because they get a four-time All-Star and elite offensive participant to set up and lead their younger core — it is that they acquired him for principally nothing. McCollum is on an expiring contract and isn’t a part of Washington’s future. While Kispert is a high quality, sharpshooting wing rotation participant, he is not a part of their core.
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It’s simple to envision how a wholesome Young can elevate a younger Wizards core: Alex Sarr will profit from pick-and-rolls with Young (plus Young can throw a publish entry cross, one thing the present Wizards wrestle with), Tre Johnson goes to get performs run for him off ball the place he can discover more room and Young will discover him, Kyshawn George has ball dealing with assist, and on down the line. Young has not been wholesome this season, a knee problem limiting him to 10 video games (and clearly bothering his shot), however the potential is there.
THE CAVEAT: Washington is just a winner in the event that they maintain off on extending Trae Young. Part of what Young’s brokers had been in search of in a touchdown spot was a staff keen to speak extension, however Washington wants to see how Young matches with their younger stars, then see who they get on this draft, and never lengthen him till the 2027 offseason. If Young matches completely and this all works out, they’ll re-sign him (not at the max, extra like under $40 million a season), but when not, the Wizards want to be prepared to follow their younger guys and transfer on.
Loser: Washington Wizards’ protection
Washington has the Twenty ninth-ranked protection in the NBA this season. Trae Young is a minus defender (to put it kindly). Washington goes to be much more enjoyable to watch with Young operating the present, however they don’t seem to be going to cease anybody. It’s going to get ugly.
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Winner: Atlanta Hawks
It was time to transfer on.
That’s why it is a win for Atlanta, it is a wanted pivot to a younger, lengthy, athletic, fluid core of a staff that actually is the future. Jalen Johnson ought to be an All-Star this season, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is having a breakout season and is a high-level two-way two guard, plus they’ve Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu and extra. On high of all that, they’ve the Pelicans’ first-round decide on this June’s draft (a decide that would very nicely be a top-five decide). Atlanta has set itself up for the future.
This trade additionally offers the Hawks monetary flexibility. They can use that trade for Dallas’ Anthony Davis — the Hawks reportedly have been his most aggressive suitor — or they might wait till this offseason and see if they might add a star participant extra on the timeline of their younger core (slightly than a 32-year-old with an harm historical past). Whatever they select, with CJ McCollum and Kristaps Porzingis coming off the books, Atlanta could have not less than $32 million in cap house to reshape their roster subsequent offseason. All that cash makes it simpler to flip the web page.
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Winner: Wizards followers
Washington has been a tricky look ahead to a few years. While they’ve good younger gamers like Sarr and Johnson, this staff has lacked a participant extra informal followers might rally behind. They wanted somebody to promote tickets.
Trae Young sells tickets. Tray Young excites followers. Young operating the Wizards offense with all that athleticism round him goes to be extremely entertaining — and Wizards followers will take that.
Washington has given its fan base somebody to root for. That issues.
Maybe winner: New York Knicks
Washington owes its 2026 first-round decide to the New York Knicks, however it’s high eight protected. Before Wednesday evening, that appeared irrelevant. The younger Wizards had been studying on the job and had been destined for a excessive lottery seed (they sit fourth in the lottery at the time of the trade).
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With an energized Trae Young operating the present, might the Wizards get on a heater and begin to climb up the East standings, perhaps make the play-in, and find yourself turning over their decide to the Knicks?
Probably not. Young has been battling knee points all season, and Washington will use that if wanted. Even if Young does begin enjoying video games for them quickly, do not be shocked if the Wizards shut him down with an harm with loads of time left in the season — Washington wants extra elite expertise on the roster and this draft is the greatest approach for them to get it. Save the take a look at run with Young for subsequent season.
Still, Knicks followers can dream.